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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be annoyed that I can't get hold of a kitten anywhere?

95 replies

WimpleOfTheBallet · 08/02/2011 20:46

We want a family cat...we're in the right position finally to commit to one and no bloody shelters are returning my calls and emails.

I understad that it might not be season yet...I thought though that they'd get back to me to perhaps do a ouse check now?

I sent emails and phoned up around 5 different places over the last 2 weeks nd not one reply!

I look in the paper and it's all Maine Coones and things for 300 pounds!

We just want a nice kitten! More than happy to pay for it and get our home looked at...WHY! Why won't they call us?

OP posts:

needsatrim · 09/02/2011 07:23

Hi Our local RSPCA wont let families with kids under 5 have kittens. Not sure about others. I would bare in mind that kittens play a lot and have scratchy claws and sharp teeth which some young children like.
Please consider a cat rather than a kitten and I wolud def recommend Cats Protection League. Plus if you get a slightly more grown up cat from there it is likely to have been neutered and wormed/ flead/ vaccinatted etc which is soo expensive.
I have just taken in a stray who is 6 ish weeks pregnant and I will be letting CPL rehome kittens as they will ensure all are neutered etc.

needsatrim · 09/02/2011 07:24

Sorry meant teeth/claws children don't like

jester68 · 09/02/2011 07:59

We got our tabby cat form the cat protection a year ago. He was 6 months at the time and was up to date with jabs, neautered, litter trained, and had been treated for worms and fleas.

They did say it is harder to get a kitten as they have waiting lists of people wanting them so they are pretty well rehomed as soon as they come through the door. We got ours as he was handed back to them as his owner had cancer and was unable to care for him, plus we were ready to rehome immediately.

We also had a 3 year old then and they had no problems rehoming him with us. We did have a an older cat as well.

We paid £50

QuietTiger · 09/02/2011 08:19

I've worked in Cat rescue for the best part of 15-20 years with most rescue organisations in the area I live. The general policy of all of them is to not home single kittens in a home where someone is out all day or where there are children under the age of 5.

If there are younger children (and a kitten was wanted) they would usually recommend a friendly young cat of around 5-6 months as they are more robust and more able to look after themselves, but still kittens IYSWIM.

Having said that, I have rehomed to a few (no more than 4) families with young children as they already had cats and I'd done a pretty extensive homecheck and I'd had time to assess the individual circumstances of the family. But all of those people had come into the shelter first and discussed their requirements face-to-face and in 2 cases they were already known to me, so I could (and did) do follow ups.

TBH, at the moment, most rescue organisations are unlikely to call you back to say "we have kittens" because they are miostly volunteers and just don't have time.

Good luck with your search.

doireallywant3 · 09/02/2011 08:46

try gumtree website. there are normally lots on there. we wanted 2 burmese kittens and it took us abotu 3-4 months to find them (and they were v expensive). I remember seeing lots of moggy kittens on gumtree though.

doireallywant3 · 09/02/2011 08:49

www.gumtree.com/london/01/73450101.html
now i will spend all day looking at pictures of lovely kittens instead of working. oh well.
i just quickly looked up kittens on gumtree and there are loads just in the london area... various prices from £1 to £hundreds. wish I could get one now but i don't think my cat would like it.

TrillianAstra · 09/02/2011 08:54

QuietTiger - I was going to ask about that policy.

No kittens if you go out to work for a normal-length day.

No kittens if you have young children.

Where do they think all these people are who are at home during the day but don't have young children?

DooinMeCleanin · 09/02/2011 08:56

My cat was 5 when dd2 came along and he adores her. he is 8 now. almost 9 and not dithery or grumpy in the slightest. My mums cat is 18. She has never been tolerent of children, or well anyone really. But in her old age she is calmer, less ferel and more inclined to sit on your lap. She is not dothery or sneezy. If you have had the same attitude on the phone to the shelters that you are putting accross in your op then that will be why they have not rang you back.

QuietTiger · 09/02/2011 09:02

It's single kittens that we wouldn't rehome if someone was out all day. If people took a pair, that was usually OK, as it's to do with the kittens having company & social interaction.

A pair of kittens are actually better than a single kitten anyway, because they amuse each other (and get each other into trouble ) and are also company for one another.

slightlymad72 · 09/02/2011 09:06

I found my 2 kittens by using google, I just searched kittens free to good home, for my local area and found them.

Contacted the owners, visited them that day, saw both mum and dad, who where stunning and very well looked after, brought them home.

I would say though, with having young children that maybe a cat that is 6 months old is probably better, younger cats have very sharp claws and they will use anything to get to where they want to go, legs, arms, backs.

kreecherlivesupstairs · 09/02/2011 09:06

I am avidly looking at this. DD are moving back to the UK in July. One of the softeners for her was adopting/buying two kittens.
I really hope there will be some around then.

pugly · 09/02/2011 09:16

THIS one is in Alsager, Cheshire

shirazgirl · 09/02/2011 09:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LifeInTheSlowLane · 09/02/2011 09:19

we have just adopted two gorgeous cats - a 2 year old mum and her lovely boy who is about 1. They came from a rescue centre. TBH, the DCs wanted kittens but I didn't really - too much hard work! My two settled in perfectly, were already used to using a litter tray etc - the thought of having two extra "babies" to look after would have been a bit daunting. They are far from doddery - full of fun, friendly, playful, cheeky and sometimes a bit naughty! Please consider a young adult.

Unless you live near a big centre like Battersea or a Cats Protection League, most local shelters are run by volunteers or are v.small charities with limited resources, so please keep trying to reach them. It took me a while to find one that was right for us.

LifeInTheSlowLane · 09/02/2011 09:20

Kreecher - we visited Battersea Cats' Home in the summer when we first started thinking about it, and there were lots of kittens there then.

pugly · 09/02/2011 09:20

Ahh, shes's cute Winsford?

Original poster

WimpleOfTheBallet · 09/02/2011 09:26

I am about to ring up....the Cats Protection League to see what they think about giving us an cat or itten. They have three young cats on their site aged between 1 and 2 but one of them is listed as nevous and no good for kids and the oter is listed as a bit bitey....the third looks lovely...she's 2 and her owner died....I would tke her but I bet she's gone or thy won't give her to me because of the toddler.

We'll see! I will wait if they advise it...I don't want a cat if they think DD is too young.

OP posts:

RatherBeOnThePiste · 09/02/2011 09:27

I second the vet - they may well know of litters due. We had a very simliar problem here too, and eventually someone's in DC's school came up trumps. Can you advertise at school?

2rebecca · 09/02/2011 09:29

If I was getting a cat (which I wouldn't) I definitely want a kitten. To me that's the fun part of having a cat and if you miss out the kitten stage you're missing the best bit. I'd wait, what's the rush.

Ben10isthespawnofthedevil · 09/02/2011 09:38

We have just rehomed two 8 month old kittens/cats from the RSPCA. They are definitely definitely kittens as my chairs can pay testament to! They are currently galloping up and down the stairs like mini horses!

nottirednow · 09/02/2011 09:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

WimpleOfTheBallet · 09/02/2011 09:41

Rung up and she told me that there are no kittens as te breeding season isn't in full swing...their website hasn't been updated for ages so it's ut of date.

She said to ring weekly as they will be coming in soon....I will try the vets!

OP posts:

Jux · 09/02/2011 09:44

dd 'sourced' () our latest addition from the Cats Protection League via the internet. She just searched on CPL and our area. There were loads and loads of them. That was only a bit before Xmas.

Jux · 09/02/2011 09:45

Ah sorry. Shouldn't have skim read!

eden263 · 09/02/2011 09:48

Haven't read the whole thread, so sorry if someone else has posted this (or you've found a cat!) but have you looked on the Preloved website? In my area there are always cats and kittens needing new homes on there. I've had 4 cats off there myself www.preloved.co.uk/

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