Merced’s cat adoption options come down to two main choices: the county-run animal shelter based in Atwater, and Merced SPCA, a lower-cost nonprofit alternative. Here’s what each involves.
Merced County Animal Shelter
The Merced County Animal Shelter is located in Atwater and charges $75 to adopt a cat, a fee that reflects a fairly typical mid-range county shelter rate.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | 2150 Shuttle Dr., Atwater, CA 95301 |
| Phone | (209) 385-7436 |
| Hours | Mon–Fri 8 AM–4:30 PM, Sat 10 AM–3 PM, closed Sun & holidays |
| Cat adoption fee | $75 |
Merced SPCA: The Lower-Cost Option
Merced SPCA requires a $40 non-refundable adoption fee, meaningfully lower than the county shelter’s rate. Check their current adoptable cats through Petfinder or their own site before visiting.
Fee Comparison
| Organization | Cat Adoption Fee |
|---|---|
| Merced County Animal Shelter | $75 |
| Merced SPCA | $40 (non-refundable) |
Which Should You Visit First?
- If budget is the deciding factor, Merced SPCA’s $40 fee is the lower of the two
- The county shelter tends to have a larger, more constantly rotating population given its role as the primary county-wide intake facility
- Call ahead either way — kitten season in particular can mean availability shifts fast
Before Bringing a Cat Home
Take a look at our guide to cat-proofing your home before adoption, and if you already have pets, our guide to introducing a new cat to resident pets covers the full timeline.
Weighing a Kitten vs. an Adult Cat
Whether you adopt from the county shelter or Merced SPCA, it’s worth genuinely weighing an adult cat against a kitten rather than defaulting to the more common first instinct. Adult cats generally arrive with an already-formed personality, making it easier to predict how they’ll fit your household, while kittens require significantly more supervision and kitten-proofing throughout their first year. Staff at either organization can typically speak in detail about a specific adult cat’s known temperament and history with other pets or children.
Budgeting Beyond the Adoption Fee
Whichever option you choose, the fee itself is only the starting cost. Plan for a litter box, litter, food and water bowls, a scratching post, and a first round of supplies ready before pickup day. First-year veterinary costs tend to run higher than later years, since a new adopter is often catching up on preventive care the shelter didn’t already cover.
Pet insurance is also worth researching within the first few weeks of adoption, before any condition becomes a pre-existing exclusion on a policy. For a full year-by-year breakdown of what to expect, see our guide to the annual cost of owning a cat.
Settling In After You Get Home
Set up a single quiet room with food, water, a litter box, and a hiding spot before giving your new cat access to the rest of the house, rather than introducing it to every room and family member on day one. A calmer, more gradual first week at home tends to produce a noticeably more confident, settled cat over the following month than rushing the introduction.
Multi-Cat Households and Introductions
If you already have a cat at home, plan for a gradual introduction over several days rather than a same-day meeting. Keep the new cat in its own separate room at first, swapping bedding between the two cats so each becomes familiar with the other’s scent before any direct interaction — rushing this step is one of the most common reasons an otherwise good match gets off to a rocky start.
A Note on Rural vs. In-Town Adopting
Merced County covers a lot of ground beyond the city itself, and if you live in one of the more rural or agricultural areas surrounding it, indoor-outdoor access decisions carry extra weight — coyotes, birds of prey, and traffic on rural roads all pose a real risk to a cat allowed to roam freely. If you’re adopting from the county shelter specifically, ask whether the cat has any known outdoor experience before deciding what kind of access, if any, makes sense for your property.
Give the Adjustment Time
Whichever shelter you adopt from, give your new cat real time to settle before drawing conclusions about its personality. A cat that seems withdrawn or nervous in its first days at home is not necessarily reflective of how it will behave once it’s had a few weeks to adjust to an unfamiliar household.
Multi-Cat Households and Introductions
If you already have a cat at home, plan for a gradual introduction over several days rather than a same-day meeting. Keep the new cat in its own separate room at first, swapping bedding between the two so each becomes familiar with the other’s scent before any direct interaction — rushing this step is one of the most common reasons an otherwise good match gets off to a rocky start.
One Last Thing to Keep in Mind
Both organizations serve a similar surrounding area but keep separate, non-shared inventories, so if the specific cat you’re hoping for isn’t at one location, it’s worth checking the other before assuming you’ve seen everything currently available in Merced County.
Give your new cat real time to settle before drawing conclusions about its personality, too — a cat that seems withdrawn or nervous in its first days at home is not necessarily reflective of how it will behave once it’s had a few weeks to build trust in its new household.
One More Consideration
If cost is close to a tie between the two organizations for you, ask about what’s specifically included in each fee before deciding — a lower headline number doesn’t always mean a lower total cost once you factor in what still needs to be covered separately, like a first vet visit or vaccine booster.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Merced County Animal Shelter located in Atwater?
The shelter serves the entire county, and Atwater is where the county’s animal control facility is centrally located — it’s about a 10-minute drive from downtown Merced.
Is Merced SPCA cheaper than the county shelter?
Yes — Merced SPCA’s $40 non-refundable adoption fee is lower than the county shelter’s $75 cat adoption fee.
What hours is the Merced County Animal Shelter open?
Monday–Friday 8 AM–4:30 PM, and Saturday 10 AM–3 PM. They’re closed Sundays and holidays.
Do I need an appointment to adopt a cat in Merced?
Requirements can change, so call the shelter you plan to visit — (209) 385-7436 for the county shelter — to confirm whether a walk-in visit or appointment is currently required.
Not in Merced? We Can Still Help
Cats By The Tracks is a foster-based rescue serving Fresno and the Central Valley.