I never had any intention of adopting a cat, but I stopped into Petsmart with a friend for her cat, and Kitty Connection was there. I took a look at the cats, and I absolutely fell in LOVE with this little 1 year old black and white cat, Iceland. I really wanted a cudly cat, and the woman from Kitty Connection warned me that she wasn't much of a cuddler, but I went ahead and adopted her anyways, I renamed her Lola (because what Lola wants, Lola gets). Lola is my first pet. Lola was pretty underweight for her age, but Kitty Connection had just rescued her a few weeks before. I give KC a lot of credit, because I found them to be very upfront and honest with me. I wanted a cuddly cat, and they honestly told me that the cat I liked wasn't going to be curling up on my lap anytime soon. (Lola has gotten better as time goes by, although she still hates to be held). The adoption fee was only $100 which was really cheap! Lola came spayed, all of her shots and vaccinations had been done, and she came with a bag of science diet food, some toys, the medication she was taking, a coupon for a future vet visit and useful cat tips. Yes, Lola was sick when I adopted her, but most cats in shelter situations are sick. When I first brought Lola home her medication was causing her to vomit. Being a first time pet owner, I was really nervous so I called KC, and they returned my call promptly, and reassured me that she would be OK, gave me some tips to keep her hydrated and made sure I had the number to a vet in case she got sicker. I really appreciated them being there for both me and Lola. My friend recently adopted a cat through the MSPCA, and she paid almost double for her cat, spent an additional $50 for a "supply bag" and had to pay for her cats medications separately, plus the cat did not come spayed....that was seperate. I have never seen the KC living conditions, but at the end of the day, these people are doing the best that they can for these cats. If it were not for them, many of these cats would be still on the streets, or euthanized. Many of the other cat rescue organizations only have a 3 month adoption timeline before the animal is killed. KC works hard to find loving homes for all of their cats. I hope to adopt again from them in the future. I hope that in a few more months I will be moved into my new house, at which time I plan on adopting a friend for Lola-- and I will most definatley be going back to KC again! read more

I recently adopted a little pup from Kitty Connection and couldn't be happier! We love the little guy so much! Marie was absolutely incredible. She communicated with me very closely through the entire process. It was clear that she wanted the best for "Nick." I met him first at his foster home (where he was getting a huge amount of love from his foster mama) then Nick came to my house for a couple hours to meet the family, and lastly Marie did a house visit with us to make sure we could provide a good home for him. As if that wasn't enough, she had already planned for a tooth extraction for him at Revere Pet Hospital which KC paid for and Dr. Olga performed. She continued to follow up to find out how he did at his appointment and how he was getting along with us. KC and Marie are truly folks who care about animals, certainly making this world a better place! read more

I visited the organization with interest in a "friendly cat" advertised onlined. Upon arrival Marie explained to me rather abbrassively how the cat is stressed and afraid. Without even saying a single word myself, she finished her condescending explaination about the type of person needed for the cat with "I don't think you and your fiancee would make a good fit". She then at least had the courtesy to assume that my fiancee and I were planning to have children somewhere in the next 15 years by explaining that the cat would be a danger to our very future children. At this point I'm very astonished and slightly offended by how much she already knows about me and my future (other than "hello" I haven't said a single word to this woman). I tried to politely explain that even if my fiancee and I were to have children within the next 5 years, we would be sure that the cat has become comfortable and happy in a safe environment, which as any cat owner knows can turn even the most terrified cats into sweet, loving animals. My words must have gone unheard as this woman, who was supposed to know how to handle cats, proceeded to show me the bite marks that this "friendly" cat had left on her ankle. I think that making any assumptions about her makes me just as bad, but I do feel it's safe to say she has little clue how to handle a scared animal judging by the gruesome bite marks that were indeed on her leg. Not to mention her shortsightedness about how animals can change when their fear is alleviated. Oh yeah...this point doesn't include their false advertisement about what a "friendly" cat entails. The bottomline about this organization is they are abbrasive toward people in a way that's highly rude and presumptous, plus they have little knowledge about how to handle the poor creatures in their "care". While volunteering is generally a very admirable cause that I strongly believe in, I also feel that it can be an equally damaging effort when the wrong people 1. don't know what they are doing and 2. approach their cause with terrible attitudes. My advice is to stear away from these people. read more

My 60 year old uncle wanted to give a $200 donation for a kitten and was told that he was too old to get a kitten and then it was a liability. I've never heard of age discrimination. They said that they were worried about him passing away on the cat. read more

I've had my cat from Kitty connection for almost two years now, and I'm happy to report that she is a healthy, happy and very well-loved kitty. HOWEVER, when I first adopted her she came with many undisclosed medical issues which cost me thousands of dollars in medical bills. I never except a kitty to be in perfect health when coming from a shelter nor do I expect to not have any financial obligations but the amount of medical issues that were not told to me during the time of adoption was just a straight lie. She came with antibiotics as they stated it was for her broken paw, which she does and will forever have but they failed to mention the skin rash that covered her body (causing her to scratch patches of fur off until she was bleeding), ear infection and nasal congestion which kept her on several types of medication for the first 6 months. As I stated before, she is as healthy as can be now however all medical issues should have been disclosed prior to adoption. read more

We love our cat, but one thing I cannot abide is lying in people & in ads. I fell in love with a pic of one cat & it said that someone found her and thought she was pregnant, but thankfully she was NOT! We had cat delivered two weeks ago & we love her. I have many health issues & didn't look at vet notes until a few days ago. Cat was pregnant less than two weeks before we adopted her. I sent message to volunteer who brought her here & did not understand my issue, I responded that pregnancy shouldn't have been mentioned because it is lying. It should not have been in cat's description or told truth. She responded I was urged to read Vet records (5 pages for 2 visits) only early October was late stage pregnancy charged an extra $70. I am going to take her to that vet once & will contact my attorney if I have to spend extra for cat's swollen nipples. I want Kitty Connection to pay any extra for late pregnancy care. read more

I don't get a lot of these comments. They appear to come from people who don't have a clue what animal rescue really means and what it really entails. Yes, there's cat piss and smelly rooms. There are volunteers who may be so stretched after having been out all night rescuing cats that they may at any given moment not have the patience to answer 100 questions about a particular animal. It's not a glamorous job for these volunteers, and the key word here is "volunteers." These are people who have sacrificed their own time so that animals out there who are surrendered, abandoned, abused or unwanted can have a better life. So why don't you stop slamming them because maybe a cat that was adopted subsequently became sick. Sickness in animals happens, especially with rescued cats. Kitty Connection is not trying to pull the wool over anyone's eyes. They take the cats to vets who diagnose their health, and then volunteers work to bring them back to good health if needed. The group isn't funded by a big corporate trust. It's not made up of rich society women looking for some way to fill their time. Kitty Connection expends a lot of money upfront and, guess what, they need to get the money back when you adopt so they can continue to rescue animals. It really burns me to read some (not all...and thank you to those of you who adopted in good faith, knowing the main purpose is to give an animal a good home) of these reviews. Some of you haven't got a clue and until you work in animal rescue you won't. So please stop putting Kitty Connection down because it didn't provide you with an A-1, top notch, no smell experience. read more

This place is awful! Where they seem very sweet and caring and helped me get a cat I had previously owned spayed for a very low cost over in Revere in a matter of days, they were EXTREMELY dishonest in their representation of the cat I adopted. His ad on Petfiner and Craigslist stated he was shy, mellow, relaxed and enjoyed sunning himself, sitting in a window and people watching. Turns out he is not shy at all! From the moment I let him out of the carrier in his safe room he began looking up to the ceiling and exploring. Shortly there after he was climbing onto my 7 foot tall bookcase and everywhere else that was at leasr 3 feet off the ground. To make matters worse through experience and research online I determined him to be a Bengal. Perhaps not a first or second generation but this is def his breed. He has the same markings, personality, intelligence and body type of a Bengal. I don't fault the cat himself for being who he is but considering my first email to Kitty Connection stated I was interested in him as a relaxed friend for my anti social shelter cat who was in need of a calm friend like herself to relieve some of the stress of my more outgoing, pesky 10 month old kitten. When I suggested it MIGHT not work out with this cat the woman who adopted him out to us became very defensive and rude. Stating that he seemed happy here but I was giving up on him and how she thought I understood his background and all this talking about the legal contract I had signed. Then she demanded I contact another woman running the shelter in the morning. She also mentioned that the contract states I agree to give them time to find a new home. I had also asked her about another cat they have if it ended up not working with his one and she told me he was not available for adoption...And keep in mind her reply came back in 3 separate emails in a matter of minutes that got ruder and more demanding as they went on. The fact that they would so grossly misrepresent a cat and then not allow me to give another cat more like what i specifically told her I was looking for a chance at a good home is just spiteful, disgusting and not a sign of a true cat lover. The facility itself is in a basement that could really use some help. Walking into the house the smell isn't as bad as stated in other reviews but it's not roses either. Most of the cats are in separate rooms but not in cages. The place itself is pretty dirty with what used to be wet food on the floor as well as actually dry food, liter and paperwork. GO SOMEWHERE ELSE! These people are dishonest and I think they are running a scam where they outright lie about the personality of these cats to make them seem more desirable and then force you to house them even farther to scam more money out of people by forcing them to foster a cat they do not want. The worst part is I never even said I didn't want him! I just didn't think it was right for me to have doubts, not share them with Kitty Connection and then drop it on the out of the blue weeks later. When it comes down to it I have to worry about my badly abused cat that spent 4 months in a even worse shelter than Kitty Connection and what it does to her personality and well being to have a very large cat jumping off and onto things and causing more trouble than a kitty. All in all I am extremely disappointed and will never adopt from Kitty Connection again. They lie, try to threaten you into doing what they want when you express displeasure and would rather deny a cat a loving forever home out of spite that came about from their own wrong doing. Even with their discounted adoption fees it is not worth the stress and heart ache. Mostly I feel sorry for all the other animals they are currently exploiting and all the people handing over a non refundable fee for a cat that they well know is not what your family is looking for! smh read more

The place was dirty and smelled very strongly of cat pee. The woman was incredibly rude and told me "by just looking at me she could tell I couldn't handle a pup." I know I look young considering I still get carded at every store I go to...but really?! I have two children and have been in a committed relationship for over 10 years. She clearly knew nothing of my commitment and dedication to this possible new member of our family I have a nice home and plenty of space, time and money to spend with a puppy. The woman didn't really care about any of that, in fact I don't even know if she heard anything that came out of my mouth, to me It felt like she was being very condescending. She wouldn't let me meet or make an appointment to meet the dog in question. She then proceeded to show me dogs anywhere from 6 years old and older of mostly small breeds after I specifically stated that I was looking for a medium to large breed puppy. Overall between the cleanliness and quality of service provided I would never consider this place again not would I recommend it to anyone. read more

My experience with Kitty Connection was very smooth and easy. For me, my girlfriend and I had decided that we wanted to get two cats, under one year old, from the same litter. Many places do recommend keeping the litter-mates together when possible, so you get put on a separate list when you are looking for a pair of kittens. Basically, they will give you priority over people who are only looking to adopt one cat, because they would rather see the cats kept together whenever possible. I filled out pre-adoption forms and emailed it in on Saturday afternoon. I had received a response that night, and was connected with Marie the next morning. Marie did an excellent job of keeping me in the loop on the pair of kittens they had and another pair that were incoming. I was able to meet a pair of kittens on Sunday, just one day after I had submitted my application. Those kittens didn't seem right for me, but Marie told me that she had two 16-week old litter-mates coming in the next day. On Monday evening, we went back in and met those two kittens. They were sore and groggy and confused - it was their first day in the shelter and they both got spayed plus a check up from the vet, so they weren't feeling very social. But we put a deposit down so we could keep them together until we could get back and have a chance to meet them under better circumstances. Wednesday evening we went back, and the kittens were just so sweet and cuddly and playful with us. We melted for them immediately and we wound up taking them. The kittens just had their first vet appointment a couple days ago and everything is looking great for them so far. I had visited a rescue shelter prior to coming to Kitty Connection, and I just feel like Kitty Connection seemed like a better place for the cats waiting to be adopted. It seemed like a better controlled environment. There are a few rooms, so they can separate/quarantine cats as needed, but most of the cats were free to walk around, play on kitty trees, choose from different foods to eat, and co-mingle with the other cats. The cats seemed to be well cared-for and happy in there, even when we went in on a busy Wednesday adoption event. They have called to check up and make sure that we are happy with the cats and that they are adjusting to their new homes too. Some friends have asked where we found the kittens and I have already been telling them that Kitty Connection is a great choice and worked perfectly for us. read more

Today, after 6 years, I received a note from someone affiliated with KC asking me to remove my negative review. I won't. I stand behind every word I wrote. I only wish my post made a bigger impact so this place would get no support and go out of business. They are not helping animals or people, however well intended the volunteers may be. I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE READING KC REVIEWS ON YELP AND CONSIDERING A PURCHASE TO BE SURE TO CHECK THE "NOT RECOMMENDED" REVIEWS BEFORE DOING SO. THEY ARE OVERWHELMINGLY NEGATIVE! Currently, there are 26 "not recommended" reviews. I do not know why Yelp chooses not to factor those reviews into the overall score. Clearly, people are not happy with this business and they want to spare others. If ALL reviews were factored in, the current Yelp score would be much lower. read more

i think this place should be shut down, they do nothing but sell sick cats; they must not believe in quarantine at all because a friend of mine just lost 2 little kittens that came from kitty connection and now it has affected her house and her older cats. this place is nasty and should be shut down. i will do everything in my power to get them to close the doors they are nasty people who sell sick cats... read more

This place is horrible and I'm never going there again. I was looking to adopt a kitten and googled places near Boston and found Kitty Connection's website. They had pictures posted of cats that needed homes and dates and time of adoption events so I went there on a Saturday and got there early before the even started. 1st, the adoptions are run from someone's cramped, stinky, stuffy, dirty little basement. Only a few people can fit in there at a time and the rest of the people have to wait outside because there's no room to comfortably move around. The smell of urine was overwhelming when I went in the room but I tried to keep an open mind. The cats were in small, cramped cages, upset and hissing at people passing by and you weren't really allowed to spend to much time with them to get to know them. The cats looked very stressed out and it just made me sad. I was interested in adopting a black cat that was pictured on the site. He looked fine in the pic but when I saw him in person, he had an eye infection and I was worried about that, wondering what else was wrong with him so I asked the woman running the adoption event about his health condition. She was rude, hostile and treated me as if I'd done something wrong because I was inquiring about the cat's health. I asked her to look at the running fluid from the cat's eye and she told me he had herpes and it wasn't a big deal. This wasn't disclosed in the cat's profile online and I didn't even know cats could have herpes. She was like "Of course cats get herpes!" Between her attitude, the sick cat and the nasty environment, I just wanted out of there. That place is gross and if I could give it less than 1 star, I would. read more

Gumball has come out of her shell!! She is very confident social and VERY MUCH the clown...Loves her lil bro Larckspur...He keeps her hopping...It took some time and patience but Gumball (now Ms MUFFETT) is a joy...Im so glad I took her...Great job and MANY THANX for these wonderful additions to our clan read more

Kitty Connections is not a traditional animal shelter. It is a network of volunteers who foster cats and dogs, providing them with medical care (and neutering, if needed). It is no-kill. I specifically wanted to adopt from a rescue group or a shelter, rather than a breeder. By adopting from a rescue, I'm opening-up a slot in a foster home for another kitty in need. So, if you go this route, please remember that your new pet might have some emotional baggage and need time. I adopted Cheyenne, a young seal point siamese cat from Kitty Connection in February, 2010. For the first 2 weeks or so, Cheyenne and I were both nervous. Cheyenne ran the Indy 500 every night. She wasn't particularly friendly. I began to question whether we were a match. The Kitty Connection foster mom was very helpful and reassuring. My little Siamese queen had been rudely evicted from her house, sent to a kill animal shelter, then traveled in a box halfway across the state and then had major surgery (was spayed by Kitty Connection) and was in a foster home for almost 3 weeks. The Kitty Connection people were very reassuring.... just give Cheyenne time. Cheyenne needed to feel safe and secure in her new furrever home and once she did, you'd see what she is really like. After a month or so, we really did warm up to each other. Cheyenne is really smart--just as the Kitty Connections people said. She is a true queen. She's very polite--she burrs "hello" when she jumps into my lap or on my bed. She comes when I call her. She doesn't claw or bite (that is, break skin), no matter how pissed-off she is. I have neurological problems and sometimes, I don't realize that I'm sick. Cheyenne does, and she lets me know by being a mother cat to me. I'm getting her certified as a service animal. The Kitty Connections people said that Cheyenne was "No Cats, No Dogs, No Kids", but they told me that they were passing on what the animal shelter said and that it might not be so. It turns out that Cheyenne is OK with some dogs (she doesn't like the jumpy, yappy type); she's fine with kids (including infants) and she's fine with other cats. Last Saturday, I took her to a Blessing of the Animals, in Boston and she was a really good, calm, little kitty. Cheyenne has no vices. She does not sing. She no longer runs the Indy 500 at night. She's a queen, and as a queen, she is entitled to her moods. She wears a harness and leash (and will help you put it on, sometimes). I've taught her a few cat tricks already and she is being clicker trained. She's a really good little kitty. The Kitty Connections people were right--she is a good kitty for me. Kitty Connections did screen potential homes. I was the seventh home to inquire about her. Siamese cats do require more attention than your regular domestic shorthair or longhair cat. Kitty Connections wanted to make sure Cheyenne was places with someone who understood Siamese and would give her the love and attention that she deserves. I'm glad that I share a home with Cheyenne. I know many other people in my apartment building who adopted a Kitty Connections cat. No one has had problems; everyone here thinks well of this place. read more

I wish that I would have read the reviews about this unorganized and very dirty place before I adopted our 2 kittens. After paying $350 dollars for the 2 kittens, I brought them home and noticed that the kittens were sick. The following day I brought them to the vet where we found out that they had Panleaukapenia. They were dying in my hands as I walked into the vets office. They were in the animal hospital for a few days and we had them on 3 different meds, and had to hand feed them for over 2 weeks. The vet was was very nervous about the other cats in the shelter because this disease is very contagous. When I called them, they told me that it was impossible that my kittens had panleakapenia and that they were not concerned. My vet was very upsett because many other animals are getting sick from their lack of cleanliness. Please do not support this dirty place that does not take responsibility for their animals. read more

Having just lost our beloved "Son" Harvey Kitty from cancer, after only a far too short 11 years, I can say that I understand that at some shelters the animals may be sick. To the people writing negative reviews (As is your right), I just felt I had to put this out there to you. Years ago I owned a family pet grooming shop, and I can tell you it is extremely difficult to care for a number of animals at any given time. In the case of this shelter, I would just like to let people know, that even with volunteers giving their precious time to a cause like this, any sickness that may occur, unfortunately is purely part of what comes with the territory. Consider what worse these animals would face without people helping them to find homes. They would possibly meet much worse ends without hope of any help. I write this as I sit sick with grief about losing our best boy, and now getting ready to adopt 2 cats (Don't know them yet) but just starting to plan for it. I didn't think we would want to so soon, but after the joy and light Harvey brought to our home, think it would be wrong to not give some other animals a wonderful loving life. So, I write this just for some people to consider. Colds and such things don't just always arise from the shelter or kennel environment, The animals in most probability, may have had the condition when rescued. So I would check the animal out and then bring him to the vet and care for any illness, and remember, what's the other possibility? The animal probably would never have gotten the chance for anyone to take it to the doctor to see if he was OK anyway, within reason. read more

Run Away.................. read the reviews, there are many more negative than positive. Do your research. This place should be shut down. Marie uses bullying and abusive tactics if someone has a problem with an animal placed with them. They do not assess the animals for illness or behavior problems, they just collect the cash. I got a dog from them and found out the dog was previously returned by an experienced owner, the dog had biting issues and after 3 months and several biting episodes, my vet told me I couldn't keep the dog because of liability and that this dog should never have been placed in a home until the issues were resolved. My vet wanted to take the dog to a specialized place where it was breed specific and people would work with it, Kitty Connection refused to let me do that. They took the dog back and resold it with no warning of biting issues in the ad so it goes on and on. If you don't believe me, ask the local vets. Their reputation speaks for itself in Medford and the surrounding areas and if you have a problem with an animal, Marie gets abusive and takes no responsibility and puts the blame on you. Real class act. read more

First a couple disclaimers so I don't get jumped on completely.. Yes I believe this place has the best intentions and yes I understand the conditions of an animal foster home may not always look ideal.. Now for the review. I am no cat expert but I have had my share of cats over the years. I have NEVER seen "normal" kittens afraid of people to the point they claw and scratch to get away, and I mean kittens like a month or 2 old. Most of the cats present during my visit had some visible issues, weepy eyes, filthy ears etc. the woman was overbearing with the instructions on how to deal with kittens and in fact was giving instruction on dealing with cats that have mental issues which I'll get to in a minute. The fact is "normal" kittens play.. Period. They play with what ever and who ever they see. Of the 5 kittens there, all were terrified. To explain the quotes around normal, while we were there the woman was on the phone and not hiding her conversation. She was speaking to someone about the fact her husband was out trapping cats. This means she is taking in feral cats and passing them as abandoned which is also the reason for the over bearing instruction on dealing with troubled cats. This is disgusting to me. I have seen what feral cats can do to a person and and just so happy we decided not to get a cat here.if you present this as "family" cats you should be locked up. Had I adopted one and it hurt my children..... Well let's leave it there. Some of the cats may be genuinely dropped off or kittens given by those that can't take care of them but slipping in the ferals that you catch on your own to sell is beyond sleazy and you need to be put out of business. Do not support this place. It gives legit shelters a horrible name.ill say it once more cuz I just couldn't wrap my head around what I heard..THEY TRAP FERALS and or other peoples pets. Who knows what you are going to get out of that trap. Most irresponsible thing I have heard in a very long time. read more

We recently adopted Teddy the cat (1-2 year old yellow cat) several months ago from Kitty Connection. We saw Teddy at an open adoption opportunity at the Petco nearby. The cats were quite filthy (the ones at Petco) but it was clear that they meant well and that they were eager to find these cats a home. We didn't take Teddy straight from Petco -- and came over to Kitty Connection the next day to pick him up. The woman who was in charge was professional and asked good questions about us as potential adoptees but I have to say, the condition of her basement was gross. It smelled terribly of cat urine and they were clearly overbooked relative to the amount of space. The woman in charge was what I expected -- an insanely committed cat lover who was taking on way too much in terms of what she could handle and still provide a somewhat clean environment for the cats. We signed the papers and got out of there. Since then, Teddy has been diagnosed with ear mites (twice- tough to get rid of) and cat herpes (who knew?) The vet says that these are common ailments for cats coming from foster care situations like the one I described. $300 later the cat seems to be doing better and seems to be feeling more comfortable around us. It doesn't mind being pet but won't sit on our lap. If I had to do it again, I wouldn't probably end up going to Kitty Connnection unless they clean up their act (literally.) read more

Negative 5 stars. Marie, the president, has a cruel streak. My family tried to adopt a dog, passed the home visit, application and were awaiting the final steps. When she told the foster that the dog was placed. These people initially said they did not want the dog, in fact their unspayed dog mounted the senior dog. Now they say that if they don't like him they will give him away to someone. They have not had a he visit and Marie wanted the foster to forge documents to say they had and this was the best home. She refused so Marie took the dog and said she would find a foster who would. Unsure why she is so set on a family that is planning where to get rid of him. Also don't know why no home visit, but they do live in a small apartment and will leave the dogs home alone all day - so they would FAIL a real home inspection. I fear for this dog and wish there was something to be done to save him. Even if he couldn't come to my house with a large yard, he should not suffer with people who don't want him. read more