I called a total of 3 times, needing help on relinquishing my cat, NO ONE CALLED ME OR MY BOYFRIEND BACK! We called the first 2 hours that they were open and left messages on their voice mail, and never heard anything back in the 4 hours that they were open! in my opinion if you want something done, you have to drive about 10 miles just to get something done... in my opinion, never ever use this place, or at the least never call this place and sit around waiting for a reply.
Staff very friendly and you can tell they love and take great care of all cats. They allow you bond with your cat to make sure it is a good fit for everyone....kitty and new parents.
I volunteer and just pet them in general it's an awesome place to be
Everyone there seems to really love cats! It's not just a job! Wish they could get more donations to expand and fix the place up. Good job and thank you for you dedication.
We adopted a kitten from there and fell in love with this place. The staff are Awesome and the cats there are so well taken care of. We plan on going back at Christmas time to donate supplies.
If you like cats, this is a great place to go and volunteer!
I thought that I would comment on this particular animal shelter because - although it's been a very long time - I used to be a member of several "NO KILL ANIMAL SHELTERS" throughout San Diego and Friends of Cats was one of the best. I adopted a number of cats from this organization - at least six - however, something happened that I never understood and eventually I never heard from them again. I was a member of their shelter for years and I still miss visiting all of their cats however, getting out there nowadays is quite difficult for me, due to several problems. Friends of Cats was a "kitty paradise" for me and I loved being around all their wonderful cats which were just brimming with love ; each one hoping to be whisked away to it's new "forever home." I even had some of my little stories published in their quarterly newsletter and I was also chosen as "volunteer of the year" yet, I never made it to the ceremony on time ( It was during the time - right before the trolley was finished - and it took me nearly four hours to get there by bus...). By the time I got there, everyone had left the compound except for a few of their staff members ; someone handed me my certificate, I spent some "quality" time with their cats and then I left their shelter. I used to send them monthly donations and often brought the kitties canned food and an occasional bag of dried food ( You can do the same thing, as they are always looking to broaden their membership for a very small fee ). You can even sponsor a shelter cat we are also the ones who help to keep these shelters stable. Time passed and eventually I no longer heard from anyone at F.O.C., as I let my membership lapse. One day, my home was almost completely destroyed by a fire. It was a very sad story ; I did save my mother's life but, I lost one of my best friends, " Boris, the cat!" I still always think of Friends of Cats, as I've had so many of their cats with whom I've shared my life with ; just so many wonderful stories. I adopted one of my most cherished, Marguerite ( She was a teeny little kitten), from Friends of Cats and she lived to be nearly 22 years old when she passed ; unfortunately I was gone when she passed away. When you have a pet you are it's "caretaker and friend" for life and all of the love that you give it is equal to all of the love that you get in return. A cat - like any other animal - also has it's own language ; it took me many years just to understand about 15 of Marguerite's different vocalizations. I'm sure, that if you ever want a cat, you should go to Friends of Cats and you'll find one there that is waiting, just for you! Nowadays, it is best to always keep your cats indoors, as they easily adapt to their own world and often having a companion cat makes both of their lives and yours a little better...all the makings of a beautiful story. Yet even if you can only adopt one animal, you'll make our world a better place to live for everyone. Friends of Cats is nice place and they come highly recommended. They are open from Tuesday thru Sunday from 10am to 4pm and closed on Mondays. They do take kittens and cats in however, for a fee of $100 to $500, depending on their age and medical needs and some fees can range much higher. They currently have about 600 cats that are basically permanent residents, thus they are unable to accept any newcomers. You are always more than welcome to come out and visit them or volunteer, as caretakers are always needed. They have plenty of cats of all ages who are just waiting for someone to wisk them to away to their "forever home." Will you be one of the fortunate few willing give a shelter cat "a forever home?"
Lots of well kept and clean areas for the cats. They had very strict rules for adoptions.
Great to see such a place that is able to tend in so many ways to such a vast variety of felines.
This shelter is by far the best I have been to yet. I volunteered for over four hours here and I absolutely loved the effort they put into helping these cats. The rooms the cats are in are large and spacious. The cats are well fed and receive beyond enough attention. They also have seperate rooms for cats outside of the main building whose owners cannot take care of them, cats who are shy, cats who have histories of fighting, and cats who have HIVs/AIDS (one of the few shelters that take cats with these diseases). They also have a room directed specifically at to shelter cats who are on medications for any reason. The staff were helpful and kind. I highly recommend coming here to either volunteer or adopt since they have such as wide variety of cats. You can tell right when you walk into the door that these people love doing what they do since they have office cats walking throughout their office and on their desks.
This is a no-kill cat shelter and I appreciate all the effort and care the staff and volunteers take with the animals. My husband and I have visited often over the past seven years to see the kitties and we know that they are well taken care of. It is a clean and comfortable place for cats of all ages.
A lot of wonderful beautiful cats. Clean welcoming environment. Great staff. Great prices.
Great place to visit. They do such an awesome job for the community and for the cats they take care of.
Friendly enough, but will not accept cats over 8 years old, only in their "retirement" program which costs $5,000.
Very nice shelter. Cats are safe there. They are no kill shelter. They can use some donations.
Lovely place, was able to adopt a beautiful all black kitten. Process was fast and easy
Love the work they do and how much they care for cats.
This is a very interesting place. Some of the cats actually live there, and are not available for adoption. The best thing is that all of the cats that ARE available for adoption are totally accessible in one room, so that visitors can socialize with them, freely -- in contrast to the Humane Society facility, in Mission Valley, where prospective pets are inside hotel-like rooms, behind plate glass windows; and it is necessary to fill out an application, and be accompanied by a staff member, in order to visit with a prospective pet. The only thing that may be difficult for some visitors to Friends of Cats is its location in the far eastern area of the City of El Cajon.
Awesome place!! Cats looked happy and comfortable. The cats have a lot of freedom and plenty of people to interact with.
Free range cats that are up for adoption so you can see them in a home environment
They are a no kill cat shelter and take good care of all cats people bring in.
It was the best they were so nice and the cats soooo sweet
This place is cat heaven! The cats here are allowed to wander the facility and they're all so lovable. They're able to go outside(into a fenced enclosure) and inside as they please. I personally fell in love with Bubby at first sight, she has the most beautiful eyes and she purred up a storm the entire time I was loving on her. The staff were also very helpful and sweet people, you can really tell that they love what they do and that they really love those cats.
We adopted two twin tabbys here and they are so sweet. The location of friends of cats is just perfect. they have cat beds, vets, toys, they have everything! I hate the review people give saying it "stinks", but who cares. it's a no-kill animal shelter that loves there cats and takes amazing care of them. When the cats "wander" into the fully fenced and enclosed safe backyard, they are same. and they lock up at night and make shure each cat is indoors. so please stop writting negative reviews. WE LOVE YOU FRIENDS OF CATS.
Awesome place to volunteer and tons of wonderful felines that need homes if you're looking to adopt!!!
Horrible... looking for a cat that hasn't been tortured or declawed, want my cat to be indoor and outdoor was there with my kids asked for that and the old Asian lady stated "our cats need to be indoors, there are cayotes out here now that I know you will allow your cat to be a cat I won't let you adopt"..say what???? These are the same anti captivity clowns but not for cats...avoid this place..I would give negative stars if I could
This facility houses many, many cats-mostly adults. I did not see any kittens or young cats. I went to volunteer, and there really is no formal volunteer duties. The owner said I could come in anytime and she will let me know what needs to be done. You can also just come in and sit with cats, brush them or play with them. The kitties are free to roam in 3 separate "portables" with access to an indoor area and outside screened area. They are separated according to temperment or if they have medical issues. Some are not adoptable as they have come to the shelter to live out the rest of their days, or their owner has passed. Some look sick, and most of them feel dirty when you pet them (matted fur etc), but seem pretty happy. For the most part it is fairly clean. I feel they have too many cats and not enough staff.
I really appreciate this company. If you're looking to make a difference or meet a couple hundred very friendly cats this would be a good place for you. Say hi to Tom for me!!!
This place is amazing. This is a no-kill place where they can live their lives if they're not adopted. These babies are cared for so well by wonderful volunteers and staff.
I wish I could bring all of the sweet kitties home!
Grassroots organization. NO KILL. Phones had a problem a few months ago. Try again. Cannot adopt unless person is there because people have been known to "rehome" This organization is very careful placing pets. They don't just shuffle them in and out. They care about the cats. Changed managers 4 years ago. Runs smoothly now, but still small and helpful.
Doing great work here. Thank you all for casting so much.
Great place, I adopted a year old Kitty from there who is the joy of my life and even loves the kids, she is even getting used to our dogs, doesn't mind one but it's still a little scared of the big one, it's a joy to have her, I just love playing with her as much as I can. She even sleeps with me, so cute! We did rename her from seaweed to Luna! Thanks friends of cats!
You have to visit. The kitties are so sweet! The staff seems to care about the cats and do their best to provide a nice environment for them. But honestly, to the person upset they didn't adopt out to someone they didn't meet, I'm so very glad that the staff is particular about where they are placed.
Great place cats are very well taken care of great atmosphere great staff was excellent Christmas party
Not really friends of cats. The person who answered was extremely short and aggressive with me. Elderly woman has a stroke and they have no way to help... I wouldn't trust them at all.
Best place ever for cats, they are extremely cared for and well loved.
The one thing I love about this place is how much these people care for these cats. I hope EVERYONE reads this and understands that a NO KILL SHELTER means that a lot of hard work goes into taking care of more than 200 cats. Cats that are sick, cats that need daily medical care (which is nearly impossible to pay for with only donations), cats that are feral, dumped by owners, or have been abused. These cats will live a better life here than in any kill shelter. Yes, the cats roam from room to room, but how else would they socialize. Some of the cats have a cold or mats in their hair, but everyone DONATES their own time out of their lives to do the best they can for these cats. Friends of Cats is non-profit, which means NO ONE IS PAID FOR WORKING, ALL DONATIONS HELP THE CATS, ANY ADOPTION MONEY HELPS THE CATS. This place is the corner stone for the future of cat shelters. If you don't appreciate the passion and dedication those people have for the cats. The volunteer yourself. Make a difference. Sometimes you have to get your hands dirty to help make someone, some cat happy.
We came to friends of cats to addopt a friend for our two year old cat Zoom. We picked out a kitten that was very active and had loads of personality. The staff asked us quite a few questions just to be sure it would be a good match. I was impressed at the care they took. Greyson and Zoom are the best of buds and out family is complete. Thank you, Kim, Jim, Zoom and Greyson
Lol! I Went in today...and this looked like a crazy cat lady cat house "shelter". There are rooms with fat cats just going in and out of the rooms. Roaming room to room backyard and back yard. Most cats looked over weight and not healthy. The ones that look okay were in one room that weren't open for people to see.? Then all 3 ladies hanging out in the "front desk" were rude. Not welcoming. And plan out werid. I Swear I felt like I walked into the Twilight Zone lol
