Free adoption drives raise eyebrows, but do they actually lead to worse outcomes? Here's what science says about whether waiving adoption fees helps or hurts shelter cats.
“Nothing good is free.” That old saying gets thrown around a lot, especially when it comes to animal adoption. Some people believe that if adopters don’t pay for a cat, they won’t value them. But is that actually true?
At Moricat, we know that many shelters use free or discounted adoption events to find homes for adult cats. Still, people often wonder: Do free adoptions lead to more returns or worse outcomes?
Luckily, we don’t have to guess. The research is in, and it might surprise you.
In a study of a major shelter’s fee-waived adoption drive, 137 cats were adopted during the free event, a 533% increase in weekly adoption rates (MacDuff et al.). Surprisingly, the outcomes weren’t worse. In fact:
Over 90% of cats were retained by their adopters.
Medical and behavioral issues were nearly identical between the free group and the fee-paying group.
Compliance with care laws (like registration or keeping cats indoors) was also the same.
Takeaway: Free adoptions don’t attract worse owners. They simply remove a barrier for good ones.
The same study also found that first-time adopters made up a significantly larger portion of the free adoption group.
These are often people who were curious about cat ownership but hesitant about cost. With the fee waived, they felt empowered to adopt, and followed through with care and responsibility.
Takeaway: Free events bring in new, loving homes, not just bargain hunters.
Shelters often face space crises during kitten season or after hoarding seizures. Free adoption drives are one of the fastest, most effective tools to free up space without resorting to euthanasia.
Research shows that these events don’t just clear the floor temporarily, they actually increase adoption of full-fee cats (like kittens) due to the extra foot traffic (MacDuff et al.).
Takeaway: Everyone wins, cats, adopters, and shelters.
Worried that people won’t value a cat they didn’t pay for? Studies say otherwise.
Both free and fee-paying adopters were equally likely to:
Keep the cat vaccinated and registered
Use proper food and enrichment
Avoid letting the cat roam freely outdoors
And critically, return rates were nearly identical, with no increase in behavioral surrenders from the free group.
Takeaway: Cost doesn’t predict compassion.
Free adoptions might feel risky, but the data says they’re not. They increase adoption rates, bring in first-time owners, and don’t lead to more problems. When done with proper screening and support, they’re a powerful way to give more cats the loving homes they deserve.
At Moricat, we believe access matters. Every cat deserves a chance at a forever home, regardless of price. And we’ll be here with cozy beds, playful toys, and helpful resources for every adopter, free cat or not.
MacDuff, Amanda J., et al. “Australia, cat, euthanasia, free adoption, husbandry, legislation, promotion, shelter.” Animals
Miller, Lisa, et al. “Adoption rates, Length of stay, Animal shelters, Machine learning, Shelter allocation.” Journal of Animal Science
Weiss, Emily, et al. “Adopter; adoption; dog; cat; animal shelter; appearance; behavior; greeting; interaction; selection.” Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science
Writen by: Moodra
Designed by: Lexin Yuan
