'Adopt don't shop' - tell me about your rescue cats

[laurisse]

This is Arthur. Isn't he handsome?! He's 4.

We brought him home from the cat rescue yesterday. He's done a lap of his estate this morning (ie been round the house inspecting all the rooms) and is currently sprawled on the sitting room floor. So much for keeping him in one room for a couple of weeks! He has the loudest purr, like a diesel engine, and loves a chin rub. The kids adore him, but are giving him some space to settle in. Ok so they're actually having screen time but same effect

Now I've been to a rescue centre a couple of times I really get why people say adopt don't shop. They had so many wonderful cats and kittens looking for homes, and they're desperate to find nice owners for the cats that they clearly love. The ladies there did a little cheer when we said we'd take Arthur.

Tell me your rescue stories? Maybe anyone who (like I was) is seriously considering getting a cat will be persuaded to adopt too

Mine is gorgeous but extraordinarily dim. He can’t jump or do normal cat things. But we love him lots.

Floffy cat who is a jelico cat (appearing when the moment is right after a previous cat crossed the rainbow bridge) is a failed foster. As a vet they arrive on my doorstep, I foster until rescue has space, however every 10 years or so there is one who touches my heart and they become a failed foster.
Floof is a Pedigree Siberian, we were unable to trace her owner, we suspect they kicked her out because of her chronic skin condition.
There is every shape and size of cat in rescues from moggies to pedigree, my friend adopted a Chartres cat.

Ours was found collapsed, dehydrated and almost dead by our local cat rescue. Now all he want demands from life is a lap to sit on and frequent tummy rubs. He's by far the most affectionate cat I've ever known.

Don’t overlook the elderly cats.

We adopted an elderly brother and sister. They were 10 years old and were in the centre because their previous had sadly passed away.

We had the brother for 5 years and his sister for 11 years.
She was a character. Her meow was like Albert Steptoe (for all those oldies around).

She came into her own when we took in a pregnant cat. Her and the kittens could often be found sitting in a circle “chatting”

We got two, they were two years old and had been in the rescue for 4 months when we saw them - they kept getting overlooked because girl cat was terrified and hid (one of the other cats kept beating her up) and they are black and white. We wanted cats rather than kittens, as I think they often get overlooked and I wanted to give some a second chance.

They took a couple of days to get used to us and the house, but my god they are now just the most lovely cats you could ask for, such little characters - I'm totally in love with both of them!

Here is a photo of boy cat enjoying the sun, and girl cat having a snooze after a heavy hunting period, where she 'caught' two leaves and a feather (every day she brings me presents like this and meows until I thank her 😂)

Ahh he's gorgeous . Lovely big cuddly cat . Have you shared your life with a feline before ? (Note I don't say owned a cat , that is not how it works !)

Many years ago, DH and I got our cat from a local rescue , she was with us till she was 17yo.

Then when DD was older we had eight years of guinea-pigs . DH wasn't a huge fan but helped with looking after ( all pets are family pets IMO) but never hid his wishes for more cats once we had no piggies.

So, a couple of months ago our last guinea-pig died (old) . We started to look for some Pointy Ears.

The preparation for them- getting a glass pane door replaced with a catdoor fitted door . The Cat Flap .
The trays . The litter . Reading up on the foods .
We're a house of three adults and a late teen.

Then searching all the cats online , till we narrowed it down (had to be adults . A pair . Ok to go out )

We found two siblings (M/F) . Jet black .They were born in a garden but been in Rescue and with their fosterer for 5 months .
Longs chats on the phone . House check. Met the cats .
The male was so shy when we got him (we knew this about him)

They've been here 6 weeks now and feel like they've been here forever . Only tiny gripe at the moment is they cannot go out till we're 100% sure of them, so the house is like an oven. Getting out of the house and getting shopping in, washing out , is like a military operation.

Once they're garden ready , it'll be easier .
The are Family Cats . We all muck in with feeding, tray duty , buying food . The cats treat the whole house as theirs and no door should be closed to them (except my laundry room, much to their disgust)

Oh and you know how black cats are the hardest to home ? Well ours like to confuse us by pretending to be each other . He was the shy slinky one . Now he's getting bolder the only way to tell them apart is his slender hips .

I absolutely agree with Rescues . (all my guinea-pigs were rescue too) .
We always change the names of our animals . They start their new life with a new name .
I know Rescue Centres do put you through some hoops , but its for the animals benefit (unlike the Gumtree sellers who basically want ££ and most aren't that concerned about afterwards)

Our current four are all from Battersea. 2 we got as kittens 8 years ago & our other 2 (the teenaged tearways) we acquired as kittens last year.
Can't resist a moggy .

We have had cats for over 30 years and they have all been rescues and all come to us as kittens. Our current two were found with their mum in an out building of a village garage. The mum was a pedigree Birman who had obviously had a fling with the local ginger Tom. The mum wasn’t chipped so owner was never traced.

Our boys are adored by us all, including our DS 19 whose first words when he walks through the door is “where are the cats.” Even though they are brothers they both have very different personalities. One is a home boy whilst the other spends hours in the fields.

I would never consider buying a cat when I know so many are in rescue waiting for their forever homes. It breaks my heart. I am getting to the age where I am thinking of semi retiring and have already decided I will see if I can do some volunteering with either our local rescue or the cat protection. My husband is not so keen. I wonder why? 😀😀

Here are my two lovely boys.

Such lovely stories... agree about giving elderly cats a chance too - we have young kids so I thought a young sociable cat but not a kitten would suit us as a family. Arthur had a ruptured cruciate ligament when he was rescued and has a pronounced limp now, but needs the space to strengthen his leg again. I really felt that the pretty young cats and kittens would find a home more easily than a slightly older boy with a bad leg. And I fell in love with him!

I tried to adopt and got sick of our enquiries being ignored by blue cross. In the end I heard about a litter of a pregnant stray that somebody had taken in and bought two kittens from them. I went to the house, saw kittens with mum and still exchange photos with the lady so I'm satisfied that this was a genuine thing. I guess if she hadn't adopted the mum they would have ended up as rescue cats.

My infamous pair (brother & sister) were a year old when the entire feral colony of 19 were trapped by the rescue. A year later all the others had gone, but these bonded shy kitties were overlooked time & time again as they would hide in their bed section if anyone came to look at them.

I'd originally wanted older cats because they find it harder to get homes, but Girlcat claimed me with The Paw. Took days before they emerged from behind the sofa if anyone was about, weeks before I could touch Girlcat & months before I could touch Boycat. Indoor only was on my wish list, and these were only allowed to go to an indoor only home or a farm in case they went feral again.

They are still very wary of anyone else three years down the line, and don't sit on me or really like being picked up, but strokes for Girlcat & cuddles for Boycat (next to me on the bed or the sofa) are mandatory. I literally owe Boycat my life, he brought me back from the brink when I was in a Very Bad Place by his need for me - he's a bit "special" and probably wouldn't cope with having to be rehomed again.

This is Leroy. Abandoned at a vets presumably because he tested positive for FIV, but no idea why he was tested in the first place. Rescued by a lovely lady who named him Leroy, but due to his FIV he had to live in her porch for a while 'til he got a place at a rescue. Was in the rescue for several months, probably due to the combination of being black and FIV+.

He's sort of an indoor cat as he has to keep away from other cats, but he gets 2 walks a day to keep his mind active.

This is Ollie. He was a stray for 4 years and appeared in an elderly lady's garden. She fed him to keep him alive but when she died he was left with nobody again. He was snotty and sneezy, and it turned out he had a broken tooth stuck in his nose causing severe sinus pain
I went to look at him and took him home, he strolled out his carrier, on to my lap and sat there. He is very much "you are MY human" and cats protection said they have never seen a cat that so clearly adores a human
He doesn't catch insects/birds/anything but he sometimes brings me a leaf
His favourite thing is kisses and hugs and gazing at me

These kitties are gorgeous! I’d love a rescue cat, unfortunately the landlord won’t allow it

I also have an Arthur! He's the handsome grey next to his sort of siblings We got him when he was 12 and he's now 20 and still very playful!
The other two we got two years apart and were both over 10. Older rescue cats are just brill.

Never heard of keeping a new cat in one room - in the house for a couple weeks before letting it outside yes.
I got my old cat at 12 from Battersea. She’d been thru there twice. Not a lap cat and squeaked instead of meowing and had her til she was 23.
My all time favourite was a long hair who had a catnip ball which she treated like her baby. Sadly got hit by a car after about four years.
Always get rescued. So many out there!
My son developed an allergy to cats (even though I had two when he was born) at about 10 years old so that was then end of cats for me. Still miss having one.

Cat 1 was dumped on a vet practice doorstep at about 24 hours old. She was hand-reared until she was 8 weeks old and then came to live with us (along with her brother who had all sorts of urinary issues and sadly had to be pts). Cat 2 was the last kitten of an unplanned litter whose owner decided that they couldn't cope with anymore (there were heaps of mitigating circumstances) so we adopted her.

I love my rescue kitties :)

When I was finally able to get a cat I arranged to meet a few at the local CPL. There was a gorgeous grey girl who was just weaning a litter of kittens, a really pretty tortie, and then an unfortunate-looking, half bald girl who'd been found as a stray. I crouched down to say hi, and she climbed straight on... Scabby cat it was then! She's barely left my lap since lol

They're all so gorgeous!

Ours is a beautiful ginger, rescued at 9 months and now fourteen years old. He's a hugger, wraps his big paws around your neck for a purry snuggle. Also very chatty. I'm sure he tries to say 'hello' as when he comes in from the garden, he has a particular ey-oh mew. Loves to sit up at table on a chair at mealtimes and dine with us. Not convinced he's a cat. He's a member of the family.

Treacle was the last one left of a litter, Mum and siblings has been rehomed but she was stuck at the RSPCA at 4 months because she is black.
Toffee was found in a bin at 6 weeks old, he came to us when Treacle was 1. She’s a bit daft and we think she thinks he’s her kitten.
They are now 8 and 9.
Agree get rescues and black is the colour

What gorgeous beasts you all have. I got my adorable lady 4 years ago, when she was 15. She is a real lap cat, she just wants to be with you or touching you all the time.

We have only had rescue cats, one moggy and the rest a specific breed via their breed welfare/rescue group.

I have done some kitten sitting for a mate in their home recently I never ever want a kitten after the experience

Pipand we were adviced to keep ours in one room at first because a whole new space would have overwhelmed our male ,

He went from hiding in the corner to hiding under the sofa to eventually roaming the house letting them have access to more rooms over time .

He likes under our bed now or the windowsill in DD room.

The two of them sit like living bookends , looking regally out on their garden.

I have rehomed more cats than I can count (former vet who is a sucker for waifs and strays). These are my most recent two. We had the ginger and white for a decade, when he was only supposed to have a few weeks in him due to a heart condition.
The grey came from a household with 10 cats and he wasn't getting on with them. He is far happier as a solo cat and being my shadow.

We have a beautiful long haired tortoiseshell from RSPCA, she had been dumped outside a vet with a note saying not wanted anymore 🙁. We’ve had her two years now, and it quickly became apparent why she wasn’t wanted. She is a stranger to the litter tray and wees randomly, and before anyone suggests it, no uti. Vet says it’s behavioural and at her advanced age will not change, there’s no giving her back, no one would take her on and she’s settled here, so we manage but it’s hard work and the house smells. Nothing to be done cos she’d prob never find a home and she’s too old to start again. Hey ho.