Where can we find a cat to adopt?

[snowythesnow]

We've been thinking about getting a cat for quite a while now, with the recent new that there's lots of dogs/pets being handed into shelters and rehomed now because everyone wanted a pet in lockdown we thought it might be a good time to look for a cat that needs a home.

The problem is all the cats at the local shelters want a pet free and child free home which we do not have. We have 2 DCs one 6 one 4 and a 6yo Cockapoodle who is a complete soft touch, very friendly and submissive to a fault.

I WFH regardless of lockdown so will always be around.

Is there anywhere else we can expand our search to?

Come to my village! Sadly, there's loads of them here. (Don't worry, there is an active trap and neuter programme in force here). I remember, many years ago, when I wanted to adopt an oldie and couldn't get any joy from the the obvious ones, RSPCA, Cats Protection, I found an ad in the local paper from a lady who was rescuing cats and I got my first rescue from her. I'm not sure if you'd find people like that these days. All of my cats have been strays that've found me and stayed. Maybe your vet knows of a small rescue who'll be more open to considering circumstances.

Try a smaller independent rescue. They are more likely to be a bit more flexible.

This website is great for listing all adoption/ rescue centres. It helped me find my two

www.catchat.org/index.php/cat-rescue-centres-uk-ireland

There is a FB group for rescues called Cat Rescue UK and there are loads of cats and kittens from all over. Good luck :)

Whereabouts are you? Can recommend a great rescue if you're anywhere near Hampshire/West Sussex

Cats love quiet and solitude, that's why rescue centres generally stipulate 'no children, no pets.' Are you an experienced cat owner? Will you have a quiet safe space for your cat to retreat to? If not, they can become unpredictable, aggressive and soil indoors.

There are some lovely candidates here. All listed as being good with other cats and dogs.

Cats Protection let me adopt a cat alongside my existing cat and dog. Our dog was used to cats, which was a factor. My boy cat came from a multi-cat household where he'd had little human socialisation, so he could hold his own with other animals but was very scared of people. Happy to say that, two years later, he is the chattiest and cuddliest of cats! So a cat from a multi cat household might be something to ask about.

Same scenario with my girl cat - she was from a local rescue.

Pets4homes is full of people rehoming animals they no longer want.

A resident dog shouldn’t be a problem. You can search for dog-savvy cats on the RSPCA website, for instance.

Children might be more of a limiting factor given how young they are. Maybe rehome one of your kids first

(I would never trust a cat to be generally ‘OK with other cats’. Cats sometimes take to other cats and sometimes loathe them, in our experience. Our current two adore each other, but the previous pairing didn’t get on at all.)

I’ve just been approved to adopt a kitten from Cats Protection. I have 2 other cats and a 4 year old child. They do know this!

It was so easy and straightforward and only applied as an experiment and I was convinced they’d refuse me. But no, all is well and we’re so excited about getting our little one. Not had a baby cat for 25 years! All the cats I’ve had have all been given to me as unwanted pets.

Don’t write off the big charities. You might be pleasantly surprised. All cats are different and some will happily live with other pets or children.

I was considering adopting a cat from Romania (loads of charities offering this in the U.K.) but they wouldn’t give you any information about the cats other than the very, very basics before you’d paid them a deposit of £100. It wasn’t a “dodgy” charity, but it didn’t seem right that they would effectively try to “tie you in” without you knowing anything about the cat you’d chosen.

Their “home check” was a telephone call telling you what happens, asked nothing about our home or lifestyle. Didn’t tell you if you’d been approved, just asked a week down the line for the money. Their cats were just beautiful though.

I’d try in the U.K. first. You’ll find the right cat for you.

Please be wary of Pets4Home. It mostly seems to be full of people selling kittens at exorbitant prices. Have also heard tales of a few scams :-(

If you are in Essex, I know a nice rescue, they actively encourage children, and I have re homed with two resident dogs.