FAQs

Visiting

  • We are located at 650 E. School Street, Lake Charles, LA 70607.

  • We are open Monday through Friday 10am-5pm, Saturday 1pm-5pm and closed on Sundays.

  • There are several ways to reach us. The quickest way is to come by our physical location and see us in person or to fill out the Contact Form on our Contact page. You can also call us at (337)439-2428 and leave a voicemail and we will get back to you within a few business days.

Adoption

  • It costs $120 to adopt a cat or kitten from Hobo Hotel.

  • The $120 adoption fee includes all first year shots including a rabies shot, microchipping, getting the cat spayed/neutered, and a flea and tick treatment. If the cat needs to go to the vet anytime during the 30 days after adoption, you can take it to Lake Area Animal Hospital and the costs will be covered by Hobo Hotel (per Hobo Hotels discretion)

  • We accept all major Credit Cards, Debit Cards, Cash or Check.

  • Please bring a carrier to transport the cat home, if you don’t have one we have some available to purchase.

  • The actual process of filling out paperwork, paying and grabbing the rabies tag from the vet next door takes about 5-10 minutes. The length of your stay depends on how long it takes to decide which cat you want to take home.

  • If you have questions after you get home, feel free to reach out to Janet or Cookie with any questions you have.

  • If the cat isn’t a right fit for you, we totally understand. You can feel free to return the cat at any time, but unfortunately we cannot issue a refund. Please speak to our front desk staff about other options for your particular situation so we can work out a pleasing solution for all parties.

  • All our available cats for adoption are located on the Adoption page. Each cats entry shows a photo, age, sex, coloring and hair length type. New cats are added every week so check back or stop by to see who we have available.

  • Yes. If you are 55 or over and adopt a cat 1 year or older, the adoption fee is only $95 instead of $120.

Volunteering

  • Yes! We are primarily run by volunteers and are always in need of help. If you are interested please fill out a Volunteer Form on the Volunteer page.

  • You can either stop by in person and fill out a Volunteer Form, or you can fill out a Volunteer Form online on the Volunteer page.

  • Yes, with some exceptions. Please fill out a Volunteer Form and specify that it’s for a community service credit and our volunteer coordinator will get back to you shortly with the details.

  • We have a lot of different volunteer opportunities available at Hobo Hotel. Some categories are Clerical work, being an Adoption worker, Social Media/Photographer, Driver, Tender Loving Care (TLC) visitor, Foster Care giver, Cleaner, Event Planner etc. Please fill out a Volunteer Form on the Volunteer page and click next to any opportunity that you feel you are a good fit for. Thank you so much for wanting to help make a difference!

  • Yes, you must be 18 years old to volunteer, or be accompanied by an adult at all times.

  • TNR stands for Trap Neuter/Spay Return. This helps cut down the feral cat population and assures no unwanted breeding amount stray cats. Right now we are working with Spaynation in Lafayette to provide the neutering/spaying and we are always in need of volunteers to help catch and transport cats. If you are interested please fill out the contact us form or leave a message at 337-439-2428.

Fostering

  • Fostering is a wonderful experience for both you and the foster kittens. By fostering one or more kittens, you are able to let them experience a safe, home environment when they are the most vulnerable. Having the kitten fostered in a home instead of a shelter assures they get handled often and let’s them get used to people, other pets and different noises. The more kittens are exposed to different situations in a safe environment while they are young, the more likely they are to be brave and personable when they are adults. Taking a kitten into your home also opens up space for us at Hobo Hotel so we have the opportunity to help even more kittens in need. Along with all the joy and snuggles they will bring into your life, fostering is such a rewarding way for you to help make a difference. If you are interested, please fill out a Volunteer Form on the Volunteer page and specify that you would like to become a foster parent.

  • You can either stop in to Hobo Hotel and fill out a Volunteer Form in person or fill out a Volunteer Form online on the Volunteer page. Our adoption workers will walk you through the process and get you set up with everything you need.

  • Yes, supplies are provided. Depending on the situation/what is needed for the specific cat, you will be given all the supplies you need. Milk replacer, Syringes, food, litter etc. will be provided for you with instructions on how to care for your cat for its specific age/health situation. You can also choose to help support Hobo financially by buying supplies yourself instead of being provided with them.

  • If you have any questions you can either stop in, fill out a Contact Form on our Contact page, call and leave a voicemail, or text Cookie or Janet. We are happy to provide you with any help or information that you may need.

  • If for whatever reason you can no longer foster kittens, just contact us by stopping in or fill out a Contact Form on our Contact page and we will be glad to help you. We are always grateful for any help we can get, even if it is short term due to unforeseen circumstances.

  • Usually the kittens that need fostering are younger, between newborn to 3 months old, with some exceptions. Kittens less than 3 -4 weeks old need to be bottle feed, kept warm and stimulated to go to the bathroom. Kittens around 5 - 12 weeks old and up need fosters until they are old enough to get fixed and put up for adoption. If you are interested in fostering, you can talk to our staff and pick the age that you are most comfortable providing care for.

Donations

  • There are many ways to donate to Hobo Hotel. All of the ways to donate are listed on our Donations page, but the most popular ways are in person, through PayPal and by shopping our Amazon Wishlist.

  • Please check out our full list of top items we need on both our Donations page and our Amazon shopping list. Our highest needs are always food, kitten milk replacer, litter and cleaning supplies. We also will gladly except gently used beds, towels, blankets and tunnels.

  • All financial donations are used locally to help run Hobo Hotel, which includes paying our employees, paying vet bills, and buying supplies. We are so incredibly grateful for any support you can give.

  • Yes. Please visit us and speak to Debbie and she can help get you a receipt for the year.

Surrenders/Misc.

  • Maybe. Depending on if we have available space and the specific circumstances pertaining to the situation, we may be able to take in the cat/kitten. If you find a stray cat/kitten please contact us either in person, by filling out a Contact Form on our Contact page or by leaving us a voicemail. We will get back to you as soon as we can and will do our best to help you with your specific situation. Also, if possible please identify the age of the kitten using kitten identification charts online. Kittens under 3 weeks will need to be kept warm, stimulated to go to the bathroom and bottle fed. When contacting us about a stray cat/kittens please give as many details as possible so we can assess their age and medical needs. We try our best to take in and help as many vulnerable cats/kittens as possible but sometimes there are circumstances when we can’t. Thank you for your understanding.

  • This is a loaded question with a ton of variables. There are different plans of action that should be taken depending on the particular situation:

    Very young kittens with no mom: Wait 2-3 hours to see if the mom returns. If she does not come back then please gently catch them, keep them warm and contact us immediately by stopping by or filling out a Contact Form on our Contact page. Make sure to check surrounding areas to make sure all kittens are accounted for and caught.

    Very young kittens, not friendly mom: Depending on the season, as long as it’s not freezing, you can leave the mom and kittens outside. Try not to disturb her to often but feel free to leave water, food and shelter out for her. No need to contact us.

    Very young kittens, friendly mom: Depending on the season, as long as it’s not freezing, you can leave them outside. Try not to disturb her to often but feel free to leave water, food and shelter for her. If the mom is catchable and you would like to take them in and care for them, you can do so. But you will be in charge of all of their care and finding homes for the kittens. No need to contact us.

    Older kittens with mom: Contact us so we can Trap Neuter and Return them as soon as possible to prevent breeding and more stray kittens.

    Any sick kitten or mom, or kittens who aren’t nursing/any medical situation: Please stay with them and contact us immediately by filling out a Contact Form on our Contact page. Or if possible, gently catch them and bring them in to Hobo Hotel immediately.

    If you are ever unsure about a situation or have questions, feel free to contact us or do research online for the best course of action.

  • Hobo Hotel does not take in pets, only stray cats, unless the cat was adopted out by us. We will always take Hobo Hotel cats back at any age. Unfortunately if we took in all the unwanted pet cats we wouldn’t have any room at our facility to take in weak, vulnerable kittens and give them the life saving care they need. Very rarely we will take in a pet cat if there is a special circumstance. Feel free to contact us by filling out a Contact Form on our Contact page and we will try our best to help you, but we cannot make any promises. Thank you for your understanding.

  • The best option to start with is asking friends, family or coworkers if they would like to take your cat. Having it go to a home of someone you know is always the best and safest option. If that isn’t a possibility, then the internet has a bunch of options for helping get your pet cat rehomed. There are free websites and some you have to pay for, but searching for rehoming a cat online will give you plenty of options to choose from. The top websites are Facebook, Petfinder, Nextdoor and Adopt a Pet. Please always add a rehoming fee for your cat to help deter people from getting them for free for wrong purposes or different types of abuse.

  • If you find an injured cat and can afford to take it to the vet, please do so immediately. If it’s not a medical emergency then you contact us by stopping by or fill out a Contact Form on our Contact page. We will try our best to help with the injured animal if the situation allows.

  • We have a few suggestions for low cost spay/neuter. You can contact Spaynation in Lafayette, or if you receive Government or Financial assistance, Calcasieu Animal Services can provide vouchers for low cost spay/neuter. Their contact number is (337)721-3730. SpayUSA is also another place to potentially get vouchers from if you qualify.

About Us

  • History of Hobo Hotel:


    1999
    - Carol Cain learned to trap cats from Bette Talbot. Collie Rouyer paid for the medical needs of cats in the early years. Sweet Baby was the first cat trapped and lived at Hobo Hotel until her death in 2012. These four are the "co-founders".

    1999 - A local vet, Dr. Joe Stark, helped with advice and support.

    2001 - Carol continued to help feral cats and Collie Rouyer had a shelter built for them. Carol said it would be called "The Hobo Hotel" after a cat named "Hobo" who died at 26 in October 2012. Barbara Chaumont was our first volunteer.

    2002 - Carol handwrote the first newsletter in February.

    2002 - Collie Rouyer received the first "Cat's Meow" award which later becomes the St. Francis/Quinella award. (Quinella was one of Carol's cats.)

    2003 - The Newsletter was computerized thanks to volunteer, Becky Smith.

    2004 - Collie Rouyer donated a trailer to house more cats. Bette Talbot donated a large storage building to use for an adoption center.

    2006 - We became a Louisiana non-profit 501(c) (3) corporation, Hobo Hotel Inc.

    2007 - The first board meeting was held in February.

    2007 - A website, www.hobohotelforcats.com, was created by Mary Kay Hopkins; Mickey Deal and Jennifer Osborne Miller created a logo.

    2007 - The first auction, "Kool Kats Night Out," was held and we began doing adoptions at PetSmart.

    2008 - Shirley and Marvin Self made the largest donation yet to Hobo Hotel, Inc.

    2007-2010 - The growing number of volunteers and the support of Dr. Joe Stark. allowed larger numbers of cats to be served. We began using the facility on School Street.

    2010 - Co-founder and Operaions Director, Carol Cain, died on March 4 and Diana Andersen became Operations Director.

    2013 - The shelter was "catified."

    2016 - The Andrew Garofolo Memorial Catio was built and dedicated.

    2019 - We celebrated our 20 year Anniversary!

    2020 - Jim and Lana Bel donate the building to the Hobo Hotel

  • The Hobo Hotel is incorporated and organized exclusively for the purpose of:

    ~Prevention of cruelty to animals through the operation of a no-kill cat shelter

    ~Rescuing abandoned cats and kittens

    ~Healing the cats through any necessary surgeries and preparing them for their forever homes with spay/neuter, microchipping and health testing

    ~Adoption and sponsoring of cats and kittens

    ~Education about pet care, promoting spaying and neutering and the encouragement of healthy relationships with pets

  • Hobo Hotel is mostly run by volunteers but sometimes we are hiring for specific needs. Feel free to fill out a Contact Form on our Contact page and inquire about any available opportunities.

  • Our Boutique consists of speciality items/home decor that are sold right in our Lobby. Boutique items change often to offer beautiful seasonal merchandise with all proceeds going directly to help fund Hobo Hotel.

  • Yes, Hobo Hotel is a No Kill shelter.