Rescue centre home check

[Chocolatecake12]

Hi. I have a lady coming round on Tuesday to do a home check. What does this involve? Will she look upstairs? In bathrooms? In my cupboards?!!
Who else has had a home check?
Thanks!

[howrudeforme]

No - it’s not in-depth! They want to know you’ll look after the cat well. They asked if there were lots of other cats and dogs in the area / I said no (they like that). If you live in something that resembles a crack den they may say no.

Ooh enjoy your new cat.

[Elliemayclampett]

We had a home check before we got our kitten. The lady was lovely. Didn’t go upstairs or nosing about. She just asked questions to make sure we knew what we were committing to etc and looked at the garden. Mostly we talked about the work the rescue centre does.

[Wh0KnowsWhereTheT1meG0es]

Mine just sat in the front room, didn't look at the rest of the house and garden at all, just the proximity to the nearest main road (ours is quiet but close to a junction with a busy one). They made sure we knew what we were letting ourselves in for and offered advice, mostly about keeping them safe from the main road, so only letting them out the back door, keeping them in at night, choosing females as they are less likely to roam.

[chemenger]

I do home visits. Proximity to a main road for outdoor cats is our main concern. For indoor cats it is space. Other than that we want to make sure the people understand the commitment that a cat represents, the expense etc. We’re not there to judge anything except whether people can look after a cat. The temptation to ask to look round beautiful houses is strong, because I’m nosy, but I never do. I get the feeling people tidy and clean in anticipation of an inspection, I hope they’re not too disappointed that we don’t really care!

[Oldraver]

They asked if there were lots of other cats and dogs in the area / I said no (they like that).

Surely this is out of your control ? If every neighbour had a cat would you be dissallowed ?

[Chocolatecake12]

Thank you you’ve been really helpful. I’m not near a main road but I’m worried as I have a pond in the garden. Will that matter? My previous cat never fell in! It’s raised if that makes a difference.
My home needs a cat to make it feel like home again. My gorgeous girl died last year and it’s so strange coming home to a house without a heartbeat!.

[Allergictoironing]

I have no idea about the pond, but I'm pretty sure that if they see something easily fixable (e.g. netting over a pond) they would be more likely to just ask you to sort it. Like for dogs, if the fence is broken they just get you to fix it before letting you take the dog.

[chemenger]

I’ve never even thought to ask about a pond. I can’t see it being an issue. Arrange the visit for when it’s dark . I’ve only once even gone into a garden and that was to see how hard it was to reach a busy road.

[dementedpixie]

I have a pond. Cats fell in it a couple of times at the start but learned to avoid it after that. They now use it as a giant water bowl!

[viccat]

Our charity checks every room in the house just briefly walking through the house - or at least wants you to be willing to show every room, rather than saying "you definitely can't go upstairs!". We do not care how tidy it is, as long as it is not a hoarder's house and it is clean to a usual domestic standard (not the Mumsnet standard of hoovered three times a day with all surfaces bleached daily!). We may comment on plants, or potential places where a shy cat could hide that you should initially block off (chimney breasts!).

The prospective adopter's attitude matters more than potential issues - i.e. if the cat shows a lot of interest in the pond, would you be willing to use netting to cover it.

You will need to understand about keeping the cat strictly indoors for at least 4-6 weeks initially to stop wandering and getting lost before the cat is fully bonded to you and the house.

[PestoSurfissimos]

They won’t worry about a pond, I’ve got a pool in mine & the home check peeps have never batted an eyelid.

[GrockleBocs]

We have a small pond but I'm not sure our home check lady noticed it! It is badly fenced but does have netting over it.
Mostly she was interested in the road, garden and how the cats would use the house. We talked about my previous cats and how old my dc were at the time too. She didn't go upstairs or make any observation about my cleaning.

[FeedtheTree]

When ours came (for DCat) she was looking for:

secure outdoor play areas where he couldn't escape onto the main road

signs of loving care from us, such as:
a snuggly bed,
clean feeding area,
cat toys and scratch posts etc.

She reckoned we didn't have enough toys for him so asked us to get some. But she let us off not having a bed for him when we explained he dominates shares ours.

[MaudlinMews]

I got my beautiful girl from the blue cross and was surprised that they didnt do a house check. I just went to collect her. I hope that its not ‘the norm.’ I fear for their other cats if it is.

[EachandEveryone]

Bloody hell, if the CP had done a house check i would never have homed my baby girl! I live on a main road in a flat with no garden, loads of strays around i feed everyday and i am out working 12 hour shifts! Howevet, she is loved, fed whatever she deems ok, she has the door opened and closed for her when ever she likes and the non desirables at the top of the road adore her. Not as much as her sister though, she has a fine urban life,

[FeedtheTree]

Each she is beautiful!

[Wh0KnowsWhereTheT1meG0es]

They would have been out of luck looking for scratching posts, beds and toys here, we were hardly going to go and buy those till we knew we were definitely getting a cat. In fact I only bought their first proper beds 4 years later, they have made do very well with old blankets in boxes etc till then.

[thecatneuterer]

Each If CHAT had done your home check you would have passed it. Even though you're on a main road it's very difficult to access the main road from the back, and the existence of stray cats in the area wouldn't be considered a problem.

[EachandEveryone]

Its funny isnt it The local CP took one look at my address and said no.

[Ollivander84]

I didn't have one!

[viccat]

Each do you mean she goes out from the front door, with no catflap available?

[Ollivander84]

viccat - I have no cat flap either

[Chocolatecake12]

She’s coming at 1pm so I’ll let you all know how it goes.

[EachandEveryone]

Viccat its a flat on a busy road they have no interest in going down the staurs to the front door. That doesnt mean i dont make sure thet are shut in the flat when i go to open the door. The back way is all car mechanics so the only traffic they get is peopke bringing theur cars in. They are very happy down the back which is typical gritty London. They like looking down on people from the garage and the young one goes off with our resident strays and i dread to think where they go but she always cones back for dreamies. On paper it wouldnt pass but they have a lovely life. They are as safe as any other cat. Sometimes i think fast moving busy traffic is better than a country lane. And the amount of strays around here you would think the occasional one would get runover but ive never seen it.

[PestoSurfissimos]

How did you get on ChocolateCake ?