I had (and continue to have) a terrible experience with ICRA. I fostered my cat through ICRA back in 2018 and provided a clean, safe, loving home for her. Being new to owning a cat, I still had a few questions and instead of being calmly educated I was berated by Peggy for various things that I was doing "wrong" with litter and other cat-owner related things. She tried to force me to give the cat back (which made no sense since I was in love with the cat and own my own home). Years later (this year in fact) I emailed ICRA for records of her being spayed and they said they have no record of me ever adopting her. Insanely unprofessional. As a current cat rescuer, I have no idea how an organization could become so backwards. In their mission to "save cats" they're actually making it harder for homeless cats to find homes. Good news is that my cat is a very loved part of our family! If you're going to adopt, go to Oakland Animal Services. It is a much more straightforward adoption process and they always have more cats and kittens who need homes. read more

We had a lovely adoption experience with Island Cat Rescue. The process was thorough, but still moved quickly. From the time I saw the kitty online to his move-in date was about 2-weeks, mostly because of my schedule. The volunteer was kind and the foster mom was delightful. Couldn't be happier with our experience. read more

Was really disappointed with the lack of professionalism and communication when attempting to adopt a cat. I went through their entire process(various zooms, in person meeting and phone calls), completed their adoption paperwork and even went out to purchase the food and supplies to welcome the new furry family member only to be told that they reconsidered their adoption. After contacting Peggy to express my disappointment and frustrations she basically told me to go look at other organizations. This was especially disappointing after losing my cat last year and being misled through a process with hopes of adopting a new cat only to be told that they changed their mind. Not sure if they understand the emotional disappointment their lack of professionalism caused but I would not recommend them based on my experience. read more

Read the negative reviews here. I experienced the same rude treatment by crazy hoarder-like judge-y volunteers. Three contacts, one where I had to drive to their house to meet the cat (and like others, NOT the one I had chosen) and make yet another appt. since they wouldn't let you take her home. Then they rescheduled THAT appt. This was during the height of kitten season, BTW. The fee for a KITTEN was $140 -twice what other nearby groups charge. Try elsewhere. read more

This organization goes above and beyond expectations. They care about the animal's well-being, I adopted two cats and met with them both before adoption to see if it would be a good fit. The cats are fostered by loving volunteers, so I am lucky to say even though my two fur bubs have totally different personalities, they are both super loving and cuddly and have now bonded. On adoption day, my cats were dropped off by their fosters and I was even allowed to borrow a crate to help my cats adjust to their new surroundings. My prior rescue experiences have not been this thorough, and I really appreciate ICRA's approach. Thankful every day for this organization pairing me with my kitties. read more

When I was applying to adopt a pet cat I was recommended this location, from applying I could just tell it was not going to be a good interaction based on the number of questions they have. I had Peggy respond to my application and responded in a very poorly and unprofessional manner. I want Peggy to know she is not smarter than a medical professional by saying "cats can't be emotional support animals" I have attached my literal document saying my current cat is allowed to be my emotional support. I'm really glad it didn't work out with this business because you can tell they don't care about the applicators rather let alone their animals. I've attached the email response from Peggy along with my therapist recommendation from an actual knowledgeable licensed educated professional unlike Peggy. You have better luck adopting a stray than adopting from this agency which is very unfortunate read more

Island Cat Resources & Adoption - Peggy's email response - Animal Shelters Near Me

Felicia comes from a place of judgement without even knowing or meeting a person. Never met the lady but was told no to giving a forever home to a cat because of someone else's opinion that once again never met me. They wanted to abort a cat's kittens from a colony I fed for the "greater good". Who am I to play God? What's done is done. With all the love I have to give didn't appreciate her snap judgment about who I was. read more

I did some volunteer rescue work for ICRA, and it was an absolutely AWFUL experience. As much as I love the mission of the organization, I would encourage people to look elsewhere for volunteer opportunities with cats. If you're not familiar with how they work, people can borrow traps to catch feral cats, take them to the vet to get fixed or spayed, and then re-release them if they are too old to adopt (feral adults do NOT make good pets!) It's an amazing program. Over the years, I probably rescued about 20 cats this way, and every single time I did it, I was subjected to a torrent of abuse by "crazy cat ladies" (their term, not mine, BTW) who were steadfastly opposed to men being involved in ICRA. I'm talking about angry phone calls at two in the morning from women accusing me of selling kittens for medical research, or berating me for following the exact directions for postoperative care that ICRA gives all of its volunteers. One woman even drove past my house every day for about a month "just to check up on me." When I reported this behavior to ICRA leadership, I was told that, "we get a lot of crazy people here," as if that was some sort of legitimate excuse or explanation. Needless to say, I stopped working with them several years ago, and as much as it upsets me to see colonies of feral cats in Oakland, I'm simply never going to subject myself to that level of lunacy again. read more

I recently adopted a kitten from ICRA, and Merry and Angie were so incredibly helpful and friendly. I have been wanting to adopt a second cat but was hesitant bc I wanted to find the right match to get along with my cat Ziggy. I went in on a Saturday at petco adoption center and they had a nice & clean setup. The ladies were all so nice and friendly. When it was time to adopt my kitten, Merry and Angie came to drop off the kitten at my house. I appreciate that and how much effort they take in making sure the cat goes to a good home! They were also good at communicating with me through emails and over the phone. I am so happy & thrilled that I adopted my new kitten!!! :) read more

See all

What a wonderful organization! Everyone we dealt with was friendly, professional, dedicated to the organization's mission and so helpful. We found a kitten on their webpage that we fell in love with. We emailed our interest, got an email from Julie, an adoption counselor, and Merry. We filled out the application and spoke with Merry on the phone. A few days later we met Ava, a 2-month old Maine Coon Mix kitten in Oakland, and later that night, Ava arrived at our house. Don't let the negative reviews scare you away. Island Cat Resources and Adoptions (ICRA) has simple rules, as do most adoption organizations. We contacted ICRA after our 16-year old kitty, KC passed away from a due to kidney failure. KC was a Maine Coon mix and we loved his personality almost as much as he loved us. We'd already decided we'd want to adopt at least one, if not two Maine Coon or Maine Coon Mix kittens. As I write this review, Ava is playing nearby, has already gotten comfortable in her new home and has brought many smiles and laughs to us. We adopted a second cat from another wonderful rescue group, Maine Coon Adoptions. Island Cat Resources and Adoptions has us as their newest fans. If you want to adopt a cat or kitten, Island Cat Resources and Adoptions is an extremely worthwhile organization to consider. read more

See all

Over the years, I rescued ~10 cats as a volunteer for ICRA. They have an amazing mission, and I love their approach to animal care. But there are a lot of loco people who work/volunteer there, and for that reason I recommend staying as far away as possible unless you want to be text-bombed at two in the morning by a crazy cat lady accusing you of running a secret animal testing lab. I wish I was making this up. Why did she do this? Because I followed the vet's written directions on releasing the cat, and the volunteer yelled at me, "These vets don't know what they're doing! Only I do! They're all butchers!!!" This actually happened. Verbatim. When I complained to the woman who runs ICRA, she told me, "Oh...she just has a problem with men." Yeah. No thanks. read more

I have wanted another cat for a while now and after some time looking through websites and visiting many different shelters, I stumbled across a picture of Frankie. I immediately emailed this adoption group expressing my interest and inquired how to adopt through their process (in the past I have always adopted through the spca). I was emailed back promptly the next morning and informed if I wanted to meet and greet with Frankie I could go to the petco in Alameda the following day. Upon meeting Frankie I knew that he was the cat for me and filled out an adoption form. The next morning I spoke to his foster mom,Debbie, on the phone and she gave me some details on Frankie and determined we would be A good match for each other and told me that she could bring him by later that day to complete the adoption. The entire process of adopting through this shelter feels very personable. I feel that both the cats needs and my own we're taking into consideration Debbie was extremely warm open and professional throughout the entire process and I would highly recommend them to anyone! Frankie is in a great new home now and we love him very much! Thank you ! read more

I adopted my kitty Fry from them. His foster mom helped make sure I was picking out a good fit for my household. She even did a home visit. I would adopt from them again! read more

Island Cat Resources & Adoption - Fry was a rescue we adopted in February. - Animal Shelters Near Me

See all

No location, this looks like a scam trying to get money from the government. I drove h the to given location, and it look me to the town house. There's no proof it's a real shelter read more

In 2010 we lost both of our cats to illness. One was 18 and the other was 13. When we lost the 18 year old, we were heartbroken but were somewhat consoled by the fact our other guy still had lots of years left in him. A few months later when we lost him too, I was doubly devastated. After a few weeks, Beau said, I think it's time to think about getting another cat. While we love kittens, we knew we wanted someone a bit older that might have a tougher time finding a home than a kitten. We started looking online at petfinder.com and saw a picture of the most adorable one-eyed, bent ear orange tabby anyone has ever seen. We went to the ICRA adoption spot in Pet Smart and fell completely in love with him. When we went through the application process with Merry, she was very kind and very thorough. She explained his injuries were somewhat recent and he was still recovering from the trauma and may always be on the fearful side. And, that it might take a while for him to warm to us. He spent the first few days hiding under the dresser. Now, nearly a year later, he rules the house and our hearts. I love that ICRA found an injured kitty and deemed him worth saving. I appreciate that Merry explained to us that it might take him a while to warm up to us and feel comfortable in his new home. She did a fantastic job of telling us exactly how to make him feel right at home. If you are looking for a cat, I highly recommend ICRA! read more

I can't believe I haven't written a review for ICRA. Time to fix THAT! I adopted my beloved little guy, Simon Sebastien, from ICRA back in July of 2001 (they knew him as "Shasta", though he never answered to that name for me). Before I could adopt Simon I had to answer a questionnaire and they visited my home in order to determine that I was prepared to be a responsible cat caretaker. I'm so glad I passed the audition because I cannot imagine my life without Simon! I am forever grateful for the folks at ICRA who rescued his litter and for his foster mom who gave him a great start in life! read more

This is by far the best rescue Ive ever done business with. I met them years ago when we adopted three of their kitties- all cats who needed good homes but were the sweetest honeys we have ever had. The Island Rescue organization is very professional, they take an interest in the cats welfare and ask you to please return them if its not a "fit." they want to make sure the kitties are safe and loved for their lifetime! They are very careful who they adopt their cats out to- they visit the home and have an interview there. I've been to another well known rescue and they dont do that- you simply adopt them from their "shop" and I cant imagine what horror those cats and dogs might go through as really, that organization barely interview the person adopting their animals. The kitties we adopted from Island Rescue, were shy and we adopted because they needed extra love and attention. We were rewarded with the love from one big sweet orange female and two Siamese mixes who were found in the wild. The two Siamese-mix kittens had their mother killed and were found clinging together all alone. I cannot tell you how wonderful they are, sweet, smart and beautiful- well worth the patience to help them feel safe! Thank you Island Rescue! I haven't met a kitty rescue yet that can meet your standards! read more

See all

When I found 3 day old kittens in the backyard, me and my roommates had no idea what to do. I wrote an email to ICRA and got a reply within a day. After my frantic plea, I got a phone call and was able to meet the Patron Saint of Kittens later that day. Gina, who we can never thank enough, saved one of the kittens on the brink of death. She has been taking care of kittens for years and is definitely an expert in kitten care. What was great about her taking care of them, was that ICRA was going to spay and neuter the kittens, and get them up to date vaccinations. WE got them back a little early, so when they are big enough, we'll certainly be calling ICRA. If you have an kitten problems/cat problems- they can help you. They saved our kittens lives and we now have to kittens, about 6 weeks old, and in great health. So if you need someone to help, call them and they will probably help you! read more

This amazing organization helps wonderful cats find happy homes. It is run solely by volunteers and with donations and grants. Donate to this organization if you can!!! read more

We adopted our little dude from ICRA in January, 2009. Little did we know that, when we thought we were interviewing him, the foster family was interviewing us! We immediately knew "Huff 'n' Puff" was the cat for us. It had been two years since our Ted had died and we finally felt recovered enough to give our hearts away again. The foster mom said she would bring "Huff 'n' Puff" over. I thought it was great that we were getting free delivery service! Somewhere in the process there was what seemed like a lot of paperwork. I was surprised. We didn't expect to have to answer a questionnaire. Weren't they just grateful to have a home for one of their cats? When Huff was brought over, the foster mom stayed for a while and visited. I didn't know why she stayed so long but I figured she was just being social. We finished up the paperwork and she went over it with us. It began to dawn on me that maybe the folks at IRCA didn't deliver their cats to just anyone! Perhaps she had delivered the cat, not as a free service, but to see what Huff's new home would look like! It's a good thing I didn't realize we were being checked out or I would have been a nervous wreck! We are so happy with our Two (the name the cat, my husband and I settled on). He snuggled his way into our hearts very quickly. We are extremely impressed with ICRA, their adoption process, their thoroughness, all the work they do, the dedication of their volunteers, the wonderful care they give the cats, and for making sure that their sweethearts go to good homes. I'll tell you, a little more of this kind of giving and our world would be a heck of a better place. read more

Evidently, ICRA won't let any of their cats go home where they have 2 small Poms that love cats. In fact, by being completely truthful on their exhausting questionnaire, I was told to go somewhere else to find a "fur baby". I've had rescue cats for the last 40 years, and I've NEVER been dismissed so rudely w/o someone even meeting me personally. I've never met a kitten who doesn't adapt to a loving environment. This Organization's goals should be about adopting cats out to families. Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to be the case for this shelter! read more

Thank you ICRA for a wonderful adoption process of Hemingway, our handsome, velvety black cat! He has been a wonderful addition to our family. The team of folks at ICRA helped bring Hemingway into our home and worked with us through his transition period. A great team that really ensures the adoption goes well and the family is happy. I really couldn't have asked for much more. Plus Hemingway has been such a lovable cat which has made our day, every day. Thank you again ICRA! read more

The people in this organization are incredibly helpful and nice. The cat I adopted had been severely traumatized and was very frightened of me when I first got her. The ICRA people coached me how to handle my cat so that she gradually become more comfortable with me and her new home. During this process, which lasted about a month, I communicated regularly with my coaches via telephone and e-mail. They always responded promptly and helpfully. It was not long before my cat was content and comfortable with me and her home. I do not believe this would have happened without the coaching I received from ICRA. When my cat escaped from my apartment several months ago and did not return for quite some time, I again contacted my ICRA coaches, who provided me with useful strategies that helped get my cat to return. This group has a team of dedicated, kind, and humane folks who genuinely love cats and the people who take care of them. I'm very grateful to them for their compassionate and competent help every step of the way in what has been for me the delightful experience of having a loyal and fun feline friend. read more

My husband and I adopted a pair of young cats last year, we and still keep in touch with our cats' foster mom! She is very knowledgable about cat behavior, health, and nutrition. We always felt like we had support from the group on everything. Our cats were immunized , tested for FIV/FeLV, and neutered. We even had a recommendation to an excellent vet whom they already had a history with. ICRA volunteers are the most dedicated, compassionate, passionate cat lovers I have ever met. I love that the cats are fostered and properly socialized with humans and not just left at a shelter. That's where the dedication comes in... They only have so many volunteers but many cats that need fostering and forever homes! Thanks ICRA for introducing us to our fur kids! read more

I too am surprised at all the positive reviews. My first encounter with this group was not very friendly. All I wanted to do was SEE a cat. I was told that a 1 hour drive was too far away to adopt out a cat to. I was willing to go up there. I did not ask them to come to me. Maybe that is just the way it is the Alameda area. I will not be adopting or donating to this group. read more

First thing, if you have children, don't bother trying to adopt a cat from them. Second, whatever they say (or don't say) don't assume or expect that you will be adopting the cat/kitten(s) that you met, decided to adopt and even scheduled a time for the volunteer coordinator to bring the feline to your home. The volunteer might have second thoughts after you leave and decide you "aren't" in the animal(s) best interest and decide not to let you adopt. Believe it or not, this is what happened to me and my family this past weekend. I had found these two precious kittens from this organization. I filled out the application, included information about myself and all three of my kids(ages 15, 11 & 7 1/2yrs), talked to the foster mom of the kittens, who as it turned out, was also a volunteer coordinator (RED FLAG #1). She was thrilled on the phone for us to meet the kittens and we set a time and place (Petco in Alameda where they showed their adoptions on Saturdays.) My partner and I piled everyone into the car for the 1hr car ride over there, got there early as the volunteer asked us to (we arrived before she even) and met the two wonderful kittens. My kids all held the kittens, though the space we were was extremely tight, especially for the 5 of us, the cat cages and other people coming in and out. WE didn't get much time with the kittens, only a brief meet and greet, and the volunteer only had a few minutes to meet us. So, as a family, we went outside the store and discussed at length whether these were the kittens for us, how everyone was going to be involved in taking care of them and loving them, etc. We all agreed and went back inside to tell the volunteer. The volunteer congratulated us and told us we would be very happy with the kittens. We scheduled a time the following day for her to bring over the kittens to do a home visit (the last piece) and then leave the kittens. (She even told me that they almost never "not leave the cats" at the home visit as it has never been an issue. She told us which specific food to buy, which we did along with other supplies before we left the Petco. We went home to await the arrival of the kittens the following day. However, the kittens were never to arrive. I awoke the next morning to an email from one of the other Volunteer Coordinators, who wasn't even there the previous day, telling me that she was sorry but the foster mom/volunteer coordinator decided my children were not going to "put the kittens needs above their own" and she was too concerned that the kittens were just too young to adopt to us (she was however, fine to adopt the third kitten we were not adopting to a couple who I believe had an older cat, something that most volunteers are typically really worried about (bringing a small kitten in to a home with an older cat.) The email went on to say that they had some other lovely much older kittens and cats we could consider. Needless to say I was completely heartbroken and my kids were inconsolable. They just couldn't understand what they had done wrong to make them change their minds. It took me a day and a half to finally talk with the woman who wrote me the email (she was traveling and I was trying to settle down my family) and though she apologized, she was firm about my family not being able to adopt the kittens. Who does that to kids??? I mean really! We had no idea (other than the foster mom being way too protective of the kittens from the moment we arrived- RED FLAG #2). If she had just pulled me aside and discussed her concerns or asked more questions or spent just a little more time with my kids, maybe I would be playing with two little kittens now instead of writing this review. This whole experience was horrific, quite frankly. I can see why people skip the rescue route and go the breeder route. More financially expensive but less emotionally expensive. read more

I'm not a cat person, but Selma, one of my wife's two, is batting me on the leg as I type and trying to say 'Hey Dad, you're always yelping about dog-friendly restaurants and bars, and dog parks, and dog rescue groups; what about ICRA, where Mom adopted me and where you take all your friends who want to adopt cats". She's got a point. This group does great work in caring for and placing strays and surrendered cats. They and another rescue group both have adoption showoff days at the Alameda Petco, and while both groups do a good job, the ICRA cats seem generally better cared for and better socialized. I've known a number of their volunteers, and they are totally dedicated to the cats. Both the adoption events and their fundraisers are always friendly and professionally run. A good group in every way. read more

I wasn't expecting to find a cat, but had been window shopping at the pet store while waiting for our car to be washed when she chose my husband. He leaned down to pick up a toy mouse off the floor, and when he put it in the cage, she came over to interact with him. She had been found abandoned with her litter mates at the old naval housing area. Almost dead, with badly infected eyes, she had to be hand fed at first. I was looking for a cat with unusual markings, so when he inquired about the grey tabby kitten, I was like "BOORIING". But he insisted, so we kitty proofed the house, chose a name, and after passing the home visit/interview/application/fee processing (holy crap!) AND promising she would not be an "only pet", Sapphire (not what she was called at the shelter) came into our lives. Now she is my closest friend (making my husband jealous somtimes) and we are usually together when I'm home. She insists on going to sleep every night with her face nestled into my neck and my arm around her. She was a ratty little thing, but grew into a gorgeous goddess! The foster mom had done such a good job with her, she always goes to the litter box, and has been very healthy. She is definitely the diva of our home, and keeps our Boston Terrier Samson in check when he gets too rambunctious. (We got him as a puppy after we had the kitty for about 5 weeks, so that she would be the senior pack member in his world!) I couldn't be happier with my companion, I think she's the best cat I have ever had or known. My husband always takes credit saying "I chose her, you called her ratty!" haha! Thanks ICRA! read more

See all

Nice people and great cats. We "interviewed" a lot of cats, but when we went out to Alameda to meet Cali (and the other cats), we found really well tempered happy cats. Cali was a 1-yr old rescue and warmed up immediately to us (or anyone else with a pulse). I would strongly recommend checking out their website and making the drive out to Alameda. They have fact sheets about all of the cats so you know what you're getting into i.e. personality, compatible with dogs or other cats, etc. For us, the fact sheet was right on. read more

They do good work. Very protective of the kittens they have for adoption. It's hard not to get attached.

Thank you Merry, and Island Cat Resources & Adoption for helping us with a very sick, sad, and abandoned cat. They lent us a "cat condo" to keep our semi-wild cat in to recover from a really serious gash on his neck, and set us up with the Vet as well. A happy ending here, as "Eddie" has completely healed and is living in the neighborhood, no longer producing offspring, and is happy and healthy. He mostly stays in our back yard, and is friendly with our cats as well. Thank you again! -Hilary read more

I adopted my first cat from ICRA in 1998 and highly recommend this thorough and first-class rescue/adoption group. All volunteer, and all cats and kittens live with foster families until adopted. No shelter environment. They want the best homes available for these wonderful rescues. All ages and all types of cats and kittens available for adoption. read more

I love these guys! I adopted my kitty Sparta from them. A volunteer helped me pick a cat who would be compatible with the cat I already had. Sparta's foster family brought him to my apartment to help him get settled in. These guys do a great service rescuing, fostering, and placing cats who need homes. I'd highly recommend them to anyone looking to adopt a cat. read more

They are ALL about the cats and doing what's best for them. What I like most is that the ones that aren't adoptable are released back into their colonies fixed and with vaccinations to live a normal (healthier) life...Love Merry and her crew! read more

Merry and the other people who run ICRA are nothing but caring and professional. If you are looking to adopt, I recommend this organization highly--they are guardian angels for Alameda's cats! read more

The smartest, most compassionate, most dedicated and experienced cat rescue group I have ever known. Its wonderful to live in Alameda except for the fact that many people abandon their cats here and nearby. Good kitties, nice kitties who deserve a happy home. I'm proud to be a volunteer and urge everyone who can to foster a cat (or cats!) with ICRA. It's an amazingly satisfying and enriching experience leaving you asking "who rescued who?" read more

This is an amazing organization run solely by volunteers and with donations and grants. I love the kitties that I've adopted from them. The foster mom socialized former strays and was there for me when I called with questions about the cat's behavior. This group also hosts a wonderful auction once a year -- please go and donate! this is one group that won't waste your money and they really do make the community and our world better. read more

This is a great organization! I was looking for a playmate for my 7 month old kitten, Oliver. I adopted the cutest little tuxedo cat named Lenore (formerly Beppo). Lenore has been a joy in my home and keeps me laughing with her antics. Oliver is much happier now that he has a new playmate. ICRA was very informative and answered all of my questions. They were responsive to emails and keep in touch after the adoption process to make sure things are going well. When visiting potential kitties, they encourage multiple visits and don't pressure you into making a decision right then and there. For people with already established pets, they provide extra tips and tricks to make the transition smooth and with the least disruption to the other cats needs. I will most definately suggest them to anyone looking into adopting a cat or kitten. read more

I recently adopted my first cat from ICRA. I began by sending an email to their general info email and got a response very quickly. They were very responsive and began helping me find the right cat for me. They suggested a few options for me to go meet in person. They even sent me a cat that hadn't been posted to their site yet, who ended up being the one I choose. They were very patient with me, let me set up multiple visits to the foster homes and answered all the questions I had about cat ownership. They were also very honest with me. The 5yr old cat I initially chose to adopt began having litter box problems and they recommended I choose a different cat which they felt would be easier for a first time owner. I'm very happy with my cat. Thank you Merry, Erin and Christina for all your help and support. And thank you Elyse (reviewer below) for trapping and rescuing my beautiful little girl. read more

Island Cat Resources & Adoption - Once thought to be feral, she sat on my lap on her first day home. - Animal Shelters Near Me

ICRA is a wonderful organization that takes special care of every cat it rescues. I adopted two beautiful sister kittens from them and am so happy I did. The girls arrived well-adapted to human interaction, friendly and cuddly. They were already spayed, had had their initial innoculations, and were/are in excellent health. Their foster mother Julia was supportive and helpful on every step of the adoption, and prepared them for their new home beautifully. The small donation I paid was well worth the quality of care given to these kittens, and I would adopt from ICRA any time. It deserves our support. read more