CPL home check tomorrow

[MrsMoggy]

Hi all,

This subject has probably been done lots of times so apologies in advance. Got a home check tomorrow for an indoor cat who we haven't actually met yet. What should I expect to be looked at and what questions may I be asked?

So far I have answers to where the cat would eat and use litter tray, where it could have privacy in first few weeks, what vets I may sign up to, feeding schedule, what I'm going to buy etc. can anybody think of anything else?

Thank you

must be really hard, but just remember that you did manage to get some strokes in so definitely heading in the right direction.

Poor you.

For what it's worth , I'd be returning this cat and trying to get a kitten. Purely so your son can get involved .. Kittens are of course mad and lots of fun . It's not your fault and you've done a kind thing but it seems like you've got a cat that doesn't suit your family. I went for a kitten 18 months ago and she was zooming up the curtains and chasing everything g within five minutes of stalking through our door. And then pouncing all over my youngest son.

Have a real proper think but my advice would be a cat more suited to a family. This one isn't

Appreciate your comment Anna but I'm not making any decisions until she's over the cat flu. I can't tell her true personality when she's so ill.

If we do return the cat then we won't be getting another anytime soon as we can't afford to buy/rescue another at this time.

I feel bad but the thought of being stuck like this forever ( well, cats lifespan) is getting me down. She isn't a playful cat like we wanted, she isn't a sociable cat like we wanted, she isn't a HEALTHY cat like we wanted. What worries me the most is that she will have a lifetime of ill health that we can't afford to treat. Literally if we go back to the vets in couple of weeks and she needs more help I know already I can't afford it.

Id factored in annual vacs, annual checks, insurance. But this is beyond me and beyond my finances. Moreover she looks like her teeth are going downhill and I can't afford that outside the insurance I thought we would have a few more years until that, with thinking she was younger.

Sorry for the rant all, I don't know what's to be done I am just so confused at what the future holds. None of this of course is the cats fault ! I just feel I've already thrown away so much money ( adoption fee, food she won't eat, toys she doesn't play with )

I do wonder if more can be done to get the place your rescued her from to pay.

I also hope that when she recovers, she is more playful. Like you say, you can't make any decisions until she is better.

You don't know that she's not playful or sociable yet. Her behaviour is more common than not with rescue cats. Plus she's ill. She definitely won't be spending her life in the igloo.

I can't advise you on the money side but any cat gets into a scrape with insurance there is normally a premium. If that a cat has any extra trips to the vet because you are worried about something but no treatment (it'll clear up on its own etc) is needed you will still need to pay for that visit to the vets. That's just how it is with any pet.

MiddleClass I know you have to pay for vet visits on top of insurance and that's fine, again something I have factored in. To put it bluntly I just wasn't expecting an already sickly, older than anticipated cat. I'm still looking after her obviously. But I can't say that I haven't considered taking her back to the rescue when she's well. Nearly everyone I speak to on the matter just says "well can't you give her back" because obviously they wouldn't have to live with the guilt of that decision. It's black and white to them, but it's all grey area to me

Life is grey. Take it day by day. If you decide one day to take her back no one will judge you and she will find her forever home elsewhere, if you decide to keep her then she has a wonderful home.

If you take her back to the rescue you will get a refund but I'm not sure that's the best place for her but taking her to another rescue you may have to pay a fee. Either way you have options and things will happen one way or another. Don't be hard on yourself. As a former Rehomer I am appalled by the rescues behaviour, particularly for a registered charity, I could forgive if it was just a home set up.

The adoption fee was non refundable so if she goes back I don't get anything. It's also in the "conditions" that if I need to rehome her she goes back to them. Not sure legally how that stands although I did sign the document so more fool me. So both I and the cat lose out all round

I'm not sure how they would know if she went elsewhere. It might be worth asking cpl what they make of that in the contract. I doubt they would recognise a cat they only had for a couple of days.

I appreciate the grey area. This is where I'm coming from:

When I visited cat rescue places, some of the smaller ones (as a 'selling' point) only fostered into real homes - no pens etc. they could be family or not homes. They said it helped to find the character of the cat and settle them. At the time I wondered whether it would make the cat harder to settle as the cat didn't know it was at a temporary foster home.

I understand that you will feel responsibility/ guilt etc and a whole host of other emotions that we are not privy to. What I think is that you are entering into a relationship that could last over a decade so you have to be sure.

This has to be right for the cat as well as you.

I think you are doing things exactly right you are caring for the cat and you are waiting until she is well enough before you make your decision. As I said before, you are either owner or fosterer for the time being.

Anyway, how is she doing? How are you doing?

Hard to know as every time I go in there she's in the igloo usually asleep. Quite lethargic I would say. She's taking small amounts of food and cat milk. I'm going out in an hour for the evening ( thank god I need to let off some steam) so have given her the medicated wet food and freshened up the drinks already. She only seems to eat in the middle of the night. I didn't think she's been weeing but cleaned out the tray this morning and there was some wet litter so she must have hid it well.

The room she's in is smelling a bit now, almost sweat like, sweet smell. I don't know whether she's maybe weeing a bit in the igloo but she never comes out so I can't check

Enjoy time out tonight! You've earned the wine!

Thank you! Just waiting for my sister in law to pick me up. Had some wine already. Then we are off to watch a covers band and have a dance. Husband under strict instructions to check on the cat before bed

There's many more knowledgable people on here than me.

Re the water, I give my cat water in a small glass, actually a Nutella jar. He never used to drink water then I noticed him drinking from a glass on the table.

So maybe try a different dish/bowl/cup?

Good luck.

I hesitate to post this, knowing how worrying this is for you, but a quick Google says:

Cat Urine odor: Smell such as a strong ammonia like odor might indicate a bacterial infection (sepsis). A weak ammonia odor is normal. An odor that smells like a paint solvent (acetone odor) or sweet smell may indicate diabetes mellitus, acetonemia (when the body burns fat for energy instead of glucose or sugar, indicates an insulin problem).

I would make a phone call to your vet again.

You say the vet knows the cat rescue place? Then I think they could be putting some more pressure on them to cough up. Had you taken the cat on knowing all of this, then fair enough, but you haven't been given the chance to consider what you have taken on.

i agree with the sweet smell in the room being a worry. This 'rescue centre' hah is dodging their duty to this dcat and putting responsibility onto the new home. I think if you spoke to another rescue centre they might take this dcat in. You might also be able to go to pdsa? This was all the rescue's responsibility and they absolutely should never have let this poor dcat out of their care as they guilty of putting this poor dcat at risk, and possibly losing its life. They need naming and shaming frankly. Its no good saying they had no idea, they didn't get it checked so you should be entitled i would think to get the work done that they should have done before passing it on so quickly. They risk the dcat's life, and the health of your family because they have no idea what that dcat is carrrying that could infect your/DC too.

I hope you are doing ok, you are doing such an amazing job, but i wonder if this dcat really should be in vets care now, ie. leave it at the vet! being as ultimate responsibility lies with the rescue centre. You might have lost your £50 deposit which they don't deserve but you will be stepping away from the further costs which could involve substantial financial outlay (down to her to cover, not you).

Thanks for the responses. I agree that the sweet smell is concerning. One thing after another for this poor cat! I'm not in at the moment but will keep an eye on her tomorrow. I feel terrible for her sake

Cats bounce back really quickly though. Flu must be awful.

know that you've probably given her the best and most care she's had in a very long time, and although she's feeling bad, you are providing the most sanctuary she's ever had perhaps. So feel good if you can? and enjoy the

How is she today?

And how was the wine last night?

She'd eaten overnight and used tray for wee so that was good. She'd had the tiniest amount of milk could tell because there was fur in it. She's letting me stroke her but I wouldn't say she's enjoying it. She does at least look at me now without cowering away.

Have left her fresh stuff as I'm visiting family this afternoon.

Oh the wine and dancing was good just what I needed, got in about 1.30am and saw her walking about the bedroom so she must be more active at night

All sounds great! Especially the night out bit. I can't last until 1:30 anymore