Established in 1982, the Animal Rescue and Adoption Society is a non-profit, no-kill cat shelter located in Denver, Colorado. Society staff and volunteers care for approximately 185-200 homeless, abandoned, abused, and neglected cats and kittens. ARAS receives no government funding and is dependent upon donations from the community and the proceeds from fundraising events.

The shelter is located in an industrial area, less than five miles from Downtown Denver. ARAS originally began in a garage, then relocated to its present location where it has existed for about 22 years.

If you are looking for a new furry family member, we welcome you to bring the family or household members to visit our furrkids and find the purrfect one for you!
In our shelter, felines of all ages - most of which need homes - enjoy cozy nooks and soft beds, lots of toys, warm sunlight, good meals and special attention. In total, we have 6 rooms of adoptable felines, a large cat-safe outdoor yard for adult cats who wish to spend time outdoors, a small outdoor pen for the cats in the Shy Room, and a stimulating, fun indoor environment with a protected outdoor pen for our cats that have tested positive for FIV and FeLV.

To facilitate a quicker adoption process, please bring with you:
• All members of your household, excluding pets.
• A photo ID (Colorado) that shows you are over 18 years of age and current proof of address such as a utility bill.
• Proof that your current cats have had an FVRCP vaccine within the last year and proof that all animals in the household are spayed or neutered. We also require the name of the veterinary hospital/clinic and the phone number for verification if proof of vaccination and spay/neuter cannot be provided.
• Your lease with pet policy included if you are renting, and the phone number of your landlord. Please note that if you are required to pay a pet deposit/fee/rent, you must provide a receipt of payment before we can release the cat to you.
• If you own your own home we will verify online that it is, in fact, owned by you.

The Adoption Process:
• Complete the Adoption Application: The adoption application may be printed out from our website, completed, and brought in with you when you are ready to adopt, or can be filled out at the shelter.
• A Tour of the Facility: We will guide you through the shelter and show you the rooms where the adoptable cats are and answer any questions you might have.
• Meet and Greet cats that would be a good fit: If you have a good idea of the perfect cat for you, we will point out some potential matches. If you are interested in certain individuals you have seen online, we will help you locate them and answer any questions you might have.

A quick guide to our color code system:
Green collars are on the cats who will live out their lives here at ARAS, usually because the do not use the litter pan, urine spraying, biting, etc.
Pink collars are adoptable cats that have been declawed.
Orange collars are adoptable cats that do not have problems that we are aware of, or are on their second chance with a behavior problem.
Lavender collars are for adoptable cats with chronic health conditions.
Blue collars are for adoptable cats with FeLV.
Purple collars are for adoptable cats with FIV.
Yellow collars are for cats that are staying with us temporarily. (there are a few kitties running around with a yellow collar that are adoptable)
No collar? Please ask! Some of our kitties know how to remove them, or they might be one of the few that are feral or unable to tolerate a collar.

• Spend Some Time with the cats/kittens: After the tour and your questions have been answered, relax and spend some time with the cats while we take care of the application process. Please understand that it takes more than a few minutes to decide if an individual cat is the right cat for you. When you are finished, come up to the office.
• Discuss verified application, what is needed, and if there are problems: If there are things that need to be done before we can adopt a cat to you, such as vaccinating your current cats or payment of a pet deposit, etc. we will let you know at this time.
• Discuss the cat(s) you have chosen: Not every cat is perfect for every household, and the one(s) you chose (or the individuals that choose you) might not be the best fit. Some of our cats have chronic health problems and must receive extra care, some will not tolerate children, are very shy, or have proven to not do well in certain circumstances. When a good fit is found, we move on to the final stages.
• Complete the Adoption Contract: The adoption contract will be filled out by an ARAS representative and is a legally binding item. Please read it carefully and agree with it in it’s entirety before signing.
• Discuss the cat’s medical record, booster shots, last questions, and what to do if the cat becomes ill within the 2 weeks or less after adoption.

Placing a “hold” on a cat or kitten:
A kitten or cat may be placed on hold only if your application has been approved and the adoption fee has been paid, and not for longer than 1 week. A “hold” means the feline has been adopted to you exclusively and we are keeping him/her at the shelter until you pick it up.

What to do if the cat becomes ill within 2 weeks or less after adoption:
Please alert us to the problem ASAP! Call the shelter and make arrangements to have the cat seen by one of our vet techs or one of the clinics we use. Alternatively, the cat can go to your vet and we will reimburse you for the bill, or the cat can come back to the shelter and stay until it has healed and it’s treatments have been completed.

The Adoption Fees:
Payable by check or cash, we cannot accept credit cards!
Kittens under 4 months of age are $85.00
Two kittens under 4 months of age $115.00;
One cat under the age of 6 years $70.00;
Two cats under the age of 6 years $100.00;
One cat over the age of 6 years $60.00;
Two cats over the age of 6 years $100.
If you are over 65 years of age, our Senior Discount is one cat over 6 years of age for $50.00, two cats over 6 years of age for $75.00

What your Adoption Fee Covers:
FIV, FeLV, and Heartworm test
FVRCPC and FeLV vaccine and booster
Spay or Neuter
A cardboard carrier if you did not bring your own
Starter collar with an exclusive ARAS ID tag

Returning the Cat or Kitten:
All ARAS cats and kittens have a permanent home here. If for any reason you have to “get rid of” a cat you have adopted from ARAS, please make arrangements with the shelter for it's return or simply bring him or her back during business hours.
Cats and Kittens may be returned to the shelter within 60 days for reimbursement or exchange, and exchange only between 60 and 180 days. After 180 days, a cat may be returned but without reimbursement or exchange.

Download a printable adoption application by clicking HERE if you have Adobe Acrobat Reader. The PDF adoption application must be printed out and completed.