About Savage Cats

If you know us at Brewing Good Coffee, you know we are animal lovers. One of our owner’s previous career was animal rescue, so when we discovered that our shop’s neighborhood (Savage, Maryland) has a stray cat population that no one else was helping, we got to work. 

What happens with the friendly cats and kittens?

We rescue friendly stray cats from the street, provide them veterinary care, including testing, vaccines, microchip, and spay/neuter, and house them in foster homes until they are adopted. Our adoption process is outlined below. 

What happens with the unsocialized cats?

We TNR unsocialized adult cats. TNR (trap-neuter-return) is the process of humanely trapping unsocialized community cats (sometimes called “feral” cats), providing them testing, vaccines, and spay/neuter, returning them to the location they were trapped, and then continuing to manage the colony by regularly feeding and monitoring for illness. Unsocialized cats who have been TNR’d are “ear-tipped”; the tip of one ear (usually the left) is painlessly removed while the cat is under anesthesia during their sterilization surgery. This has no impact on the use of their ear or quality of life and is an important signal that the cat is fixed. 

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Adoption Process

Step 1: Get to know the adoptable Savage Cats

Step 1 of our adoption process is an applicant reviewing the profiles of our adoptable cats and considering who might be a good fit for your family. 

Do you live alone, have cat experience, and enjoy earning a cat’s trust and seeing them blossom? 

One of our shy cats would love to come home with you! 

Do you have an active household with children? 

A confident, playful cat or kitten would fit right in! 

Unless a specific cat’s profile says otherwise, we encourage adopting pairs of cats, especially if no other cats are present in the home. In their first year, kittens are learning lifelong socialization skills from other cats, not to mention expending some of that kitten energy with each other! The companionship of another cat is also a beneficial form of enrichment throughout their lives; they’ll always have a playmate and cuddle-buddy, even if you’re busy or away. Sometimes our Savage Cats will be a bonded pair, and must be adopted together.

Step 2: Fill out an adoption application

You can apply to adopt a specific Savage Cat or you can describe the kind of personality, etc. you’re looking for and we will match-make with one of our current fosters or hang onto your application until we have a good fit for you. 

The three major conditions of adoption are:

(1) All human members of the household must be enthusiastic about the addition of a new cat. All non-human members of the household might not be on-board initially and proper introductions can take time, skill, and patience, but the quality of life of any existing animals in the home is our priority. If they are experiencing undue stress and/or ultimately don’t thrive or at least peacefully coexist with your new addition, we would initiate the return of the Savage Cat to their foster home. 

(2) Adopted Savage Cats must live inside exclusively and never be allowed outdoors unmonitored and/or unrestrained.

(3) Applicants must be able to provide veterinary records showing a minimum of once yearly check-ups for any current or previous animals and must be able to provide veterinary records showing any current or recent animals were or are spayed/neutered and up-to-date on preventatives and "core" vaccinations. 

Yearly check-ups give your veterinarian the chance to examine the things that we can't check (like the sound of our animal's heart, lungs) or don't look super closely at regularly (their teeth, inside their ears) to ensure they are in good shape or that we are catching any problems early. This is especially important with cats because they actively hide that they aren't feeling well as self-protection. 

"Core" vaccines are those that are recommended or required for both dogs and cats. Dogs: heart worm prevention, rabies and DAPP - Distemper, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza, and Parvovirus - vaccines / Cats: rabies and FVRCP - Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Feline Calicivirus, and Feline Panleukopenia - vaccines. Additional vaccines, such as leptospirosis or kennel cough for dogs and FeLV for cats, may be recommended based on an animal's risk of exposure. 

We will call your veterinarian’s office to confirm an applicant is in good standing. If an applicant is a first-time adopter, they must have a veterinary check up scheduled for their new companion prior to adoption, provide us with documentation of that visit, and update us if they change veterinary offices within the first year.

Note: Processing applications takes up to seven days. 

Apply to adopt a Savage Cat!

Step 3: Meet the Savage Cat(s)

All of our adoptable Savage Cats are in foster homes. We host meet-and-greets at the shop once a month, during which time anyone can meet the attending cats and apply to adopt. Cats do not go home same-day at these events, unless an applicant has been pre-approved prior to the event. All human members of a household must meet the cat before adoption is finalized.

Follow us on Instagram @BrewingGoodCoffeeCo or @SavageCatsMD for event announcements.

We also schedule private meetings at the shop with approved applicants any time. We will arrange this with you once your application is received and approved. 

Step 4: Adoption Agreement

We do not have adoption fees, but we do have adoption requirements. These are outlined in our adoption agreement, which is signed on the day a Savage Cat goes to their new home. The agreement covers the requirements of basic daily care, a minimum of yearly veterinary care, and that the cat stays under the care of the signing adopter for the rest of that cat’s life. 

If an adopter is unable or unwilling to continue caring for their adopted cat at any time for any reason, we require that the cat is returned to us. We do not allow the cat to be surrendered to another rescue or shelter or re-homed to an adopter that has not been through our application process. Because we make this lifetime commitment to all our Savage Cats, their microchips are and remain registered to us as the primary contact. 

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Adoptable Cats

All of our adoptable Savage Cats are in foster homes. Get to know them through their profiles and our posts on Instagram (@BrewingGoodCoffeeCo or @SavageCatsMD) and follow us for meet-and-greet event announcements! We will arrange for approved applicants to meet the cat(s) they are interested in. 

Apply to adopt a Savage Cat!

 

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Sourdough & Brioche (from the Bread Basket litter -adoptable individually or as a pair

 

 

Sourdough (male) and Brioche (female)

Birthday: May-June 2025 (approximate)

Medical: spayed and neutered, received rabies and FVRCP vaccines, de-wormed, tested negative for FIV/FeLV, microchipped

Their story: We rescued the Bread Basket kittens from the Foxborough apartment complex in Savage in August 2025. They spent the first few months of their life in survival mode and they are each coming along at their own pace with their human socialization in their foster home. Their instinct is to hide, but they are so curious and on the cusp of being the care-free kittens they deserve to be.

They enjoy each other a lot, but they CAN be adopted separately into homes who already have another playful cat friend. It is important for most kittens' socialization and their daily quality of life that they have another cat around. 

Personality and ideal home: Sourdough and Brioche are still a little nervous sometimes - they are learning to leave behind the , but he is very sweet and seeks affection from people when he is feeling brave and enjoys being rewarded with pets.

Brioche .

All the Bread Basket kittens are playful and actively engaging them with toys is another wonderful way to bond and build a relationship with them! 

If adopted in pairs, the suggest pairs are:

Sourdough and Brioche (he will lead by example and help to bring her out of her shell and he will provide cuddles while she is still working on her bravery)

Ciabatta and Pita (they will have each other's company in between play-bonding with you)

All of the Bread Basket kittens would do best in cat-experience, quieter homes. They need time and space to feel safe and an adopter who wants to earn their trust and help them blossom.  

Dogs: maybe (The Bread Basket kittens would be nervous around an active dog. An older dog who ignores them would be ok.)

Other cats: yes (If they are not adopted together, they must go to a home with another playful cat. They all love playing with other cats and find comfort in their company.)

Kids: 13+, cat-savvy kids only (Children in an adoptive home must be gentle with cats for the home to be approved for adoption. Young children should always be attended by an adult when they interact with animals.)

Apply to adopt a Bread Basket kitten or two!

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Raisin & Ginger (from the Trail Mix litter) - adoptable as a pair

 

Raisin (male) and Ginger (female)

Birthday: July 2025 

Medical: spayed and neutered, received rabies and FVRCP vaccines, de-wormed, microchipped

Their story: We rescued the Trail Mix kittens from the Foxborough apartment complex in Savage in August 2025. They were barely a month old and tucked up inside of the metal housing for electrical wires for the complex. With lots of quality time, their foster mom has helped these kittens become playful, happy babies ready to enjoy life and never worry again. 

Personality and ideal home: It is our goal to keep these kittens in pairs so they have a friend their own age to grow up with. 

All of the Trail Mix kittens are super playful and the ideal adopters would have the time and energy to bond with them by actively engaging with a wand toy. They are still quite young and adopters must take time for socialization and relationship-building.  

Dogs: yes, depending on personality (The Trail Mix kittens have been around a dog. They were nervous at first, but calmed down and nose-booped with the dog. The dog was calm and only mildly interested in them. An excessively hyper dog or a dog who is too interested in them would not be a good match.)

Other cats: yes (Because they are so young, it is our strong preference that the Trail Mix kittens are adopted in pairs. Otherwise, they must go to a home with another gentle, playful cat who isn't too big our strong for them. They all love playing with other cats and find comfort in their company.)

Kids: yes (Children in an adoptive home must be gentle with cats for the home to be approved for adoption. Young children should always be attended by an adult when they interact with animals.)

Apply to adopt a Trail Mix pair!

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Carlton (male) 

Age: approximately 3-5 years old

Medical: neutered, received rabies and FVRCP vaccines, de-wormed, microchipped

His story: Carlton showed up as a stray in a Savage neighbors yard in November 2025, just before it started getting cold. He didn't have a microchip, wasn't neutered, and his fur was. in poor condition from living outside. He was affectionate from the start and adapted immediately to indoor life with a foster.

Personality and ideal home: Carlton is both a super playful maniac and an affectionate lap cat. His ideal home would have some understanding of cat behavior and experience with living with cats. 

Dogs: Carlton is wary of dogs, but not frightened. He could learn to live comfortably with a cat-friendly dog (or a dog who ignores cats).

Other cats: We are requiring that Carlton go to a home with another cat who complements his energy.

Kids: Carlton is leaning boundaries with his play style still and may not be an appropriate housemate with younger children. 

 

Apply to adopt Carlton!

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Other Ways You Can Help

Foster

If you aren't in a position to adopt a cat, consider fostering! Savage Cats covers all veterinary and daily care expenses. Please email Karla at karla@brewinggoodcoffeecompany.com to inquire about becoming a foster home for Savage Cats.

Donate

We have an Amazon Wishlist that helps us with daily care supplies for our Savage Cats in foster. In addition to our ten adoptable Savage Cats, we have two more in longer-term foster while we work on their socialization. 

You can also donate to our daily care and veterinary costs via Venmo.

It costs about $55/month in food and litter to care for one cat. Initial veterinary costs for each cat, including spay/neuter, tests, basic treatments (like deworming and flea/tick treatment/prevention), vaccines, and microchip cost $225-$300. 

Spread the Word

All of our Savage Cats have been adopted by Brewing Good Coffee regulars and their friends and family. Let people know who we are and what we do, even if you aren't sure whether they are looking to adopt. You never know when you might have an opportunity to save a life with us!