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

Original poster

Adopting cats

49 replies

Dolceandgabbana14 · 10/11/2017 20:30

We're ready to adopt after we lost my gorgeous boy in June, and his sister two years ago. We've had cats before but not from a rescue. Will I need to take them to the vet for check ups when I bring them home? We're in the early stages of looking for some furry friends and I'm nervous but excited. I feel a bit disloyal to my old cats but I know that's silly and we can offer a good home to two cats in need. I'm sure when we bring them home I'll be fine - has anyone else felt this way? Has it worked out alright?

My last cats were black and white (tuxedo markings). I know black cats are harder to rehome, but I don't want to see the new one and mistake it for my old cats, IYSWIM.

I think I just need some reassurance and a bit of encouragement!

OP posts:
Original poster
Dolceandgabbana14 · 11/11/2017 08:15

Mr Lonely is gorgeous, but he's FiV positive and he would need an enclosed garden, which we don't have.

I've only ever seen pine or two cats on Facebook sites in the last few years! Is there a particular sort of group I could look for, or is it the 'gossip girls' style ones you mean, DavetheCat2001? Your cat is gorgeous btw!

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howrudeforme · 11/11/2017 08:25

Got my ds a cat from cat protection. I was adamant that I wanted a cat identical to my childhood cat (half Siamese, beautiful and huge personality).

We ended up with a very odd looking and timid 6 month old. We love her to bits and her general vunerability melts my heart. Her character hasn’t changed over 18 months and she’ll only socialise with people in this household. Not a lap cat but sits beside and wants you around.

She’s had her jabs and the op. For a younger cat you’ll get a voucher to get them done.

Hope you’re find two lovely cats.

DavetheCat2001 · 11/11/2017 08:48

Thank you Dolce

Aww Mr Lonely is gorgeous...I'd have him but my DC's are young so not suitable.

mrsmata · 12/11/2017 01:14

We’ve adopted 5 rescue cats of various ages over the course of the last 20 years - all from our local cats protection league and have always found them to be very responsible and careful about matching cats with prospective owners.
Last year we lost our gorgeous old boy who’d been with us for 9 years (he was 6 when he came to us) leaving us with 1 cat and 2 dogs and after about 4 months we felt ready to look for another cat. Cats protection kept our details on file and got in touch when they felt they had a suitable new pet for us.
The process took 6 months, because we had existing pets and children we needed the right cat for our household dynamic.
In March this year we adopted again, although during that time we enquired about a few cats we saw on the rehoming website.
Our new girl is perfect for us - she had previously lived with young children and other dogs and cats and has settled in beautifully.
Funnily enough she has the same name and is the same colour (pure black) as our previous cat but we decided not to change her name.
We don’t mistake her for our other cat as her personality and preferences are very different. She’s fitted in beautifully and within a week of arriving was mixing with our other pets and us as if she’d always lived here.
All our rescue cats have arrived with clean bills of health and up to date vaccinations, two of them were microchipped by previous owners but it was very straightforward to change the owner details. All we had to do was register them with our vet.
We are very glad we were patient because we’ve got the right cat for us and the right home for her which is all that matters really.

Taffeta · 12/11/2017 09:01

...I see Mr Lonely now reserved! SmileSmileSmile

YesItsMeIDontCare · 12/11/2017 09:12

You don't need an enclosed garden for an FIV+ cat... you just need to be a complete shmuck like me and take them out for walks every day Grin.

I know it's not a perfect life for a cat, but it's got to be better than living in a pen.

Adopting cats
Vinorosso74 · 12/11/2017 09:37

I think this is too far for you but this brother and sister are wonderful! northlondon.cats.org.uk/northlondon/adopt-a-cat/?cid=201316
They are super friendly and I love them.

Original poster
Dolceandgabbana14 · 12/11/2017 23:00

Ahh, I've been trawling the websites all weekend. I went to visit one cat whose owners are moving abroad, but he was so timid and hid, then scrambled to run away when DS and I visited - we were only in the same time, and didn't try to touch him. Although the owner was desperate to let him go-to I said no because the cat wouldn't have been happy in a house with DC (youngest is four).

Does anyone have any experience of adopting cats with children? How old do they class 'young' children? My four year old is at school and was very gentle with our last cats. Many rescues seem to have a general 'no children under seven' policy, but is it worth contacting them to explain that DS(4) is at school all day and was very good with previous cats? DH and I are around quite a bit during the week - one works part time, the other works from home a lot.

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Wolfiefan · 12/11/2017 23:08

If you've had cats before and the kids are kind and gentle with them that's worth explaining. Also if you're not after kittens that should make a difference.
Too far? We got our first pair from Katz Castle in Cobham. They had about three pairs at the time. We saw each of them and one pair chose us!

Original poster
Dolceandgabbana14 · 12/11/2017 23:15

Thanks Wolfie, I'll definitely explain that. Katz Castle comes up in the searches I'm doing, it's about 45 minutes from us, so it's definitely doable. Good to have a recommendation for them too, especially as their not one of the bigger organisations.

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Original poster
Dolceandgabbana14 · 12/11/2017 23:15

They're!!!!

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Wolfiefan · 12/11/2017 23:21

Many many moons ago my mum used to use their cattery!
It's been about 20 years since we adopted our pair! They were a mum of 2 and her 18 month old son. Both DH and I worked full time then but they were happy to let us have them.
Now we have the tortie terrors! Grin

Original poster
Dolceandgabbana14 · 12/11/2017 23:27

Aww, how lovely! I'm not working in the morning, so I'll give them a call and have a chat.

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Wolfiefan · 12/11/2017 23:30

Good luck.
And no. The tortie terrors aren't awwww!
But they are completely different from our last two and I needed them to be if that makes sense. Bonkers pair!

Firefries · 12/11/2017 23:31

We got ours from gumtree. The vets strongly advised against doing that again but told us we were lucky and got lovely healthy cats. The problem was we couldn't find kittens anywhere. I'm always one to say adopt adult cats and have done so before but I was surprised how difficult it was to find a kitten and then even looking for a cat the hoops we were required to jump through to get one in London was many. I love cats and would love to get more!

Wolfiefan · 12/11/2017 23:40

Don't go near gumtree!
Fire I don't know when you were looking but there is a kitten season! And also they tend to be popular so not advertised and many rescues won't keep a waiting list.

Ruhrpott · 12/11/2017 23:48

I’ve fostered for a local small rescue and as long as I say the cat the calm and friendly and happy to be stroked then they let them go to families with young children.

I adopted ones which were more difficult to rehome when my cat died. The vet called mine sid vicious but she is now friendly and comes for strokes and sits on you. I wouldn’t have recommended her go to a family with young children and neither would the rescue. As fosterers you know what the cat is like as it lives with you in your house and not in a cage.

Taffeta · 13/11/2017 06:47

Taffcat is from Battersea - we got him as a kitten. I went for an interview and said we had 2 DC (then 4 & 7) and would love a kitten or young cat. I mentioned I’d grown up with a semi feral cat which they made a note of. They were interested in our garden and the lack of traffic on our road.

They contacted me six weeks later and said they’d had a pregnant mum in and her kittens were ready for rehoming.

He chose us, and 7 years on gives us all immeasurable joy.

Original poster
Dolceandgabbana14 · 13/11/2017 23:50

Great news... We've found two young cats that sound perfect for us... Both girls, one is approx one year old and the other is about five months old. I believe they were from a breeder who got overwhelmed and couldn't vote with the number of cats Hmm These two are currently in a cattery, having been rescued.

We are waiting to arrange a home visit and, if that goes well, we will be able to collect our fur babies Grin

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Vinorosso74 · 14/11/2017 14:02

Brilliant I look forward to cat pictures!

Wolfiefan · 14/11/2017 14:17

That sounds great. Hope it goes well.
And yes PICS!! Grin

EachandEveryone · 14/11/2017 14:32

Brilliant newsi cant wait to see them

Original poster
Dolceandgabbana14 · 14/11/2017 18:43

I have photos, but would it be tempting fate if I posted them now? The website does say Reserved though Grin

I wonder if I did post photos if people would suggest some good girl names?

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 14/11/2017 18:45

Up to you but if you don't post now you need to share later!
It's the law of the litter tray. Grin

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