Selma runs animal control jointly with neighbouring Kingsburg, which is unusual and worth knowing before you start making calls.
It also means the service covers two cities with one number, and that number works both in and out of business hours.
Here is how adoption and animal services work in Selma, and where the cats actually are.
The shared Selma and Kingsburg service
The City of Kingsburg has partnered with the City of Selma for animal control services. For animal control issues, the non-emergency number is (559) 897-2931, available during business and non-business hours.
One line covering two cities means triage. Sick, injured or dangerous animals take priority; general enquiries wait.
As with the rest of Fresno County, this is a control and holding service rather than an adoption centre. If you want to choose a cat, you are going to Fresno.
Where to adopt near Selma
| Option | Distance from Selma | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Central California SPCA | Fresno, ~20 min | Large rotating selection |
| Fresno Humane Animal Services | Fresno | Published fees, county intake |
| Cats By The Tracks | Foster-based | Known temperament, home setting |
| Kings County shelters | Hanford, ~25 min | Low fees, full package included |
| Adoption events | Rotating | Weekend meets, no appointment |
Hanford is worth the extra few minutes if budget matters — Kings County Animal Services charges $25 including spay/neuter, rabies, microchip and flea treatment. Our guide to cat adoption in Hanford covers what that fee includes.
Cats are not treated as strays here
This catches out a lot of people. California has no leash laws for cats, and free-roaming cats are considered free-roaming agents rather than strays.
Loose cats should not be called in or brought to a shelter unless they are sick or injured and need immediate care. A healthy cat wandering through a Selma yard is very often somebody’s pet.
If you have found a cat and are unsure, Fresno Humane Animal Services publishes guidance on found pets, and our guide to what to do when you find a stray cat covers scanning and posting locally.
Agricultural land and outdoor colonies
Selma sits in dense agricultural country, and packing sheds, vineyards and outbuildings support substantial outdoor cat populations.
These are rarely lost pets. They are established community cats, and the effective response is sterilisation rather than trying to home them.
One unspayed female and her surviving offspring can produce dozens of cats within a few years, which is how a manageable situation becomes an unmanageable one in two seasons.
Our comparison of low-cost spay and neuter options across Fresno County lists clinics that take community cats at well under pet rates.
What adoption costs in the area
| Cost | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Adoption fee | $25–$150 | Varies widely by organisation |
| Carrier and setup | $60–$120 | One-off |
| Food, first year | $250–$500 | Depends on wet/dry mix |
| Litter, first year | $120–$250 | More in multi-cat homes |
| Routine vet care | $150–$350 | Exam, vaccines, parasite control |
| Emergency reserve | $500+ | Strongly recommended |
The adoption fee is the smallest number on that list. Our breakdown of what a cat costs per year goes through each line.
Before you travel to meet a cat
- Call to confirm the cat is still available — listings lag reality.
- Ask whether an application must be completed before choosing.
- Bring photo ID and landlord permission if you rent.
- Bring a secure hard-sided carrier.
- Ask what vaccinations have been given and what is due next.
Some organisations in the region require the application first and the cat second. Turning up expecting to browse can mean going home empty-handed.
Summer heat and the drive home
Selma summers run well above 100°F for weeks. A twenty-minute drive in an un-airconditioned car is genuinely dangerous for a stressed cat.
Travel early, run the air conditioning, keep the carrier out of direct sun and never leave the cat in a parked car.
Once home, that same heat argues for an indoor life. Our comparison of indoor versus outdoor cats covers the trade-offs without moralising.
The first two weeks
Set up one quiet room before the cat arrives: litter box away from food, a hiding place, a scratching post and water.
Expect hiding for several days. Sit in the room and let the cat approach rather than reaching for it.
Our first 30 days with a new cat guide covers the timeline, and helping a shy shelter cat covers cats that take longer than most.
Adopting from a foster-based rescue
We place cats across Fresno County including Selma. Our cats live in volunteer homes rather than kennels, so we can tell you how a cat behaves around children, dogs and visitors before you commit.
That matters more than it sounds. A cat’s behaviour in a shelter kennel is often nothing like its behaviour in a living room.
Our adoption page explains the process, and our guide to what shelters look for in an application helps you present well anywhere you apply.
Lost cats in a small town
Selma is compact enough that a missing cat is usually within a few hundred metres of home, which changes how you should search.
- Search your own property first — sheds, garages, under decking and inside vehicles.
- Go out at dusk and dawn when it is quiet, and call softly rather than loudly.
- Ask immediate neighbours to check outbuildings, which is where most cats are found.
- Post in local community groups with a clear daylight photograph.
- Report the cat missing on its microchip database and call the shared animal control line.
Indoor cats that escape rarely travel far. They hide close by and stay put until hunger or quiet brings them out, so widening the search too early wastes time.
Our guide to how cat microchips work and why registration matters covers the step that most often gets a cat home, and what to do when you find a stray cat covers the other side.
Renting in Selma with a cat
A lot of Selma housing is rented, and pet permission is the barrier that stops otherwise good adopters.
Most rescues will ask for written landlord consent before approving an application, so sort it before you apply rather than after you have met a cat.
A short pet résumé — the cat’s age, that it is fixed, vaccinated and litter trained, plus a reference — persuades more landlords than a verbal request. Our guide to renting with a cat covers what actually works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Selma have its own animal control?
Selma provides animal control services jointly with the City of Kingsburg. The non-emergency number is (559) 897-2931, which is answered during both business and non-business hours.
Where can I adopt a cat near Selma, CA?
Most adoptable cats are in Fresno, roughly twenty minutes away, at Central California SPCA and Fresno Humane Animal Services. Kings County Animal Services in Hanford is about twenty-five minutes.
Should I bring a loose cat in Selma to a shelter?
Only if it is sick or injured. California treats free-roaming cats as free-roaming agents rather than strays, and healthy wandering cats are very often somebody’s pet.
What is the cheapest place to adopt a cat near Selma?
Kings County Animal Services in Hanford charges $25 per cat, including spay or neuter, rabies vaccination, microchip and flea treatment — unusually complete for the price.
What should I do about cats living around a packing shed or barn?
Sterilise rather than remove. Removing cats empties territory that neighbouring cats move into, while a fixed colony holds the area and stops producing litters.
Do I need an appointment to adopt near Selma?
Often yes, and some organisations require an adoption application before you select an animal. Call ahead to confirm the process before travelling.