If you're looking for a furry feline friend, the B.C. SPCA is offering adoption bargains from Thursday to Saturday.
As kitten season reaches its height, SPCA shelters are filled with adult cats that get little attention. So as an incentive, adopters will be able to name their own adoption fee for adult cats.
The PickYourPurrfectPrice promotion is a pilot program, said B.C. SPCA spokeswoman Lorie Chortyk.
"Our goal is to get as many of these great cats into good homes as fast as we can," Chortyk said.
Cats rarely do well in a shelter situation and the stress can make them susceptible to illness, she said. "The more animals we can find homes for, the more animals out there we can help."
The SPCA takes in more than 17,000 cats and kittens a year and some spend up to a year in shelters before finding a home.
Adoption fees vary by community, but in Victoria, where 88 cats are waiting for homes, the usual charge is $159.
The actual cost to the SPCA of vaccinating, spaying or neutering, de-fleaing, an identification tattoo and feeding is about $784 per cat, Chortyk said.
During the Purrfect Price days, any offer will be accepted, but the SPCA will not compromise on the quality of homes, said Victoria branch manager Penny Stone.
"We want to make sure, through the application process, that we screen out people who can't afford a cat," she said.
"We need to know that, if a cat gets sick, they will be able to afford to look after it. We want to make sure there's a value here and that people know these animals are a lifetime commitment."
Unfortunately, at this time of year, prospective adopters frequently get sidetracked by kittens, Stone said.
"We have some beautiful, stunning older cats," she said.
All cats adopted during the event will be covered by six weeks of pet insurance to ensure the pet is healthy.
