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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

Easiest/best way to rehome cats?

19 replies

JoandMax · 05/03/2013 12:00

I am devastated to have to rehome my 2 cats - we are moving to Dubai in 6 weeks and initially wanted to take them with us but this is now not looking like an option. DH moved out there a month ago and we think they won't cope with the heat let alone the flight.....

I feel so awful and guilty to have to give them, I love them an they're brilliant cats. They don't catch anything, they've never scratched, they've never had to go to vets for anything bar jabs.

It makes me feel sick to think of taking them to RSPCA and them being there and not understanding why.

What is the easiest for them to be rehomed? Should I try and advertise locally? Or is it kinder to go to a shelter as they will check out potential owners?

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 05/03/2013 12:07

Is this a permanent move? And how old are they?

If they're pedigree, I'd try the breed welfare officers first. Otherwise - try everything. There are a lot of cats looking for homes at the moment so you may find some difficulty. Try friends and relations, advertise locally and you might also try posting on the rehoming forum on catchat.

\link{http://www.catchat.org/\catchat}

You could also start making contact with local shelters (catchat has a list) so that they know you in the event of not being able to find a home otherwise. They won't mind if you susequently phone up and say you don't need them after all.

Best of luck.

Original poster

JoandMax · 05/03/2013 12:17

It's a good 5 year move so they need a permanent home really. They're 4 and both neutered girls, not pedigrees just moggies!

Will take a look at catchat, thanks

OP posts:

QueenStromba · 05/03/2013 12:29

Where do you live? Maybe someone on here would have them?

miggy · 05/03/2013 12:30

ask all your local vets to put up a notice and chat with the receptionist while you are there. They often know of people looking for adult cats

cozietoesie · 05/03/2013 12:32

Good idea, miggy.

NorthernLurker · 05/03/2013 12:37

Cats Protection are very good. Give yours a ring. 4 yr old happy and healthy cats in a pair shouldn't be hard to rehome safely.

Original poster

JoandMax · 05/03/2013 12:40

I'm in Kent but would happily drive anywhere for them to have a good home.

Thanks for all the suggestions, this is upsetting me more than I thought it would!

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 05/03/2013 13:00

It's a mix of the future loss and the uncertainty, JoandMax. Once they get a good new home, you'll feel better. You might even find that a new owner would email you pics of them in their new place. (I certainly would in the circumstances.)

thecatneuterer · 05/03/2013 15:04

All the suggestions above are good, but don't go anywhere near the RSPCA. In any case they now refuse to take in unwanted or stray cats. Yesterday someone saw someone dump a cat in a park. They called the RSPCA who told them that they couldn't help and should leave the cat there! Eventually they called Celia Hammonds and I went to collect the cat. She was an unneutered female. If she had survived she would have gone on to produce a colony of feral cats. Words can't describe how shit I think the RSPCA are. I also recently went to collect some cats from a flat where the tenant had been evicted. The Council had called the RSPCA. They had said they would attend but would not be able to take the cats in and so would put them down. Luckily the Council called us instead. So if by some miracle you do persuade the RSPCA to take them, that will probably be the end of them.

Sorry to go on such a rant and good luck with finding them homes.

WhatKindofFool · 05/03/2013 15:19

I got my cat from the RSPCA. I don't think all branches put cats down. I asked them if they did this to cats that the couldn't rehome and they said "no" and seemed shocked that I had asked. They had contacts with other rescue centres that would take them if they didn't get rehomed. This was in Rochdale.

NorthernLurker · 05/03/2013 15:50

When we were looking for a cat I discounted RSPCA because they wouldn't home cats with young children at all. Cats protection on the other hand looked at each individual cat and would recommend some for young dcs, some for older etc. Our youngest daughter was 2 then and the cat we got was perfect for her and us. I generally think Cats Protection are better tbh but you could talk to individual shelters and get the sense of their policies. In any case a pair of healthy, well socialised cats should NOT be hard to rehome. I have a friend in Kent, wonder if she wants cats? Will ask!

miggy · 05/03/2013 17:44

Also worth asking vets about private little rescues charities. we have a few local to us, much more user friendly than RSPCA or CP and might even have an option for cats to go straight from you to new home

TheOldestCat · 05/03/2013 19:19

Wanders onto the thread with appropriate name and waves at NorthernLurker.

We're in Kent and are thinking of getting a cat, BUT we are probably just interested in one so no good in this situation. However, I will spread the word with my friends. OP - send me a private message with more details if you like and I'll let local folk know.

NorthernLurker · 05/03/2013 19:29

I knew you were cat people

Original poster

JoandMax · 05/03/2013 20:15

Have PMed you TheOldestCat, thanks

Thanks for everyone else's views, will be avoiding RSPCA by all accounts

OP posts:

TheOldestCat · 06/03/2013 21:04

NorthernLurker .

JoandMax - I have put your fab felines on facebook (since most of my local friends are on it) and a woman from work is going to show the pic to her husband. Said husband works at the same place so I'm going to go on about how fab cats are to him all day tomorrow. Lucky him!

I have also sent the pic to my husband. We only want one cat but I'm wondering if I could convert him.

Please don't count any chickens though - last time I talked him into fostering an ancient moggy (17) to give her a few weeks of pleasurable existence, she perked up and lived until she was 21. So he is wary of my cat persuasion

NatureAbhorsAHoover · 06/03/2013 21:07

I have just brought home 2 lovely 14-yo Burmese that i am 'adopting' from a lady in the neighbourhood. I went into the vets last monday saying that DH and I were interested in adopting an adult cat, and voila!

She had been looking to rehome them for months and I think we came along just as she was getting a bit desperate. Serendipitous, really. They are sweet and she cried when she left this evening (I let her come with me and help settle them).

Do keep trying local vets, local noticeboards, and all your local friends... it was such a help that she was just around the corner so I could meet them first and made the moving process so much easier.

someoftheabove · 06/03/2013 21:28

Someone else mentioned Celia Hammond - they have a branch in Lewisham, which is nearly Kent, isn't it? And they don't put cats down. If they have any hard-to-home cats they tend to put them with foster careers until they find a permanent home. Good luck, must be heartbreaking for you.
TheOldestCat I have two cats (sisters) and I really don't think it's any harder than having one.

someoftheabove · 06/03/2013 21:29

carers

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