How much can you request from cat rescue?

[Auntieaunt]

Until recently we had a lovely cat that used to wander into our garden (sometimes sleep) that supposedly didn't belong to anyone.

The market cat (used to eat there and was well loved) also saw to our mouse population as he'd pop through the window.

Sadly the fat market cat is no more, he was fairly old and lived the life.

I've always wanted a cat but was never allowed one as a kid and I moved around a lot until now. Discussing my sad catless life with my housemates they all jumped at the idea of me adopting one as a) the mice have moved in b) they have all owned cats in the past.

Now, the church who owns our house are very relaxed/have never done an inspection/market cat also hung around during the services would turn a blind eye. My biggest issue would be adopting a cat that wouldn't be house trained or a cat that would claw the wood in the house.

We have a few acre garden so would be perfect for a cat who was sociable/loved being outdoors during the day.

How much can you request of a cat's characteristics from a rescue?

Just the other month my local rescue were desperately searching for someone on a farm or with lots of land to take on one of their cats. She was outdoor only, would accept some attention (and obviously food) but was very much an independent soul. They struggled for a while as obviously most families wouldn’t be able (or want) to provide the home she needed. If you enquired I am sure the perfect cat would pop up in no time.

I think it's fine to go to a cat rescue and have a chat with them about what your dream cat would be like. Be prepared to be flexible though if you stick too rigidly to a criteria you could find that no cat meets it.

No rescue would be able to guarantee that the cat wouldn't scratch the wood in the house.