Rescue centre protocol

[Blacktothepink]

Will a rescue centre allow me to re-home a cat that will be an indoor cat? Within the next year I’ll be moving to an upstairs flat and would like to re-home a cat when my current old boy sadly passes.

The rescue mine came from had cats who had always been indoor and the condition of adopting them was that they'd stay indoors (either for health reasons or because they'd been indoor from kittenhood). I think you'll be ok if you speak to them and explain so they can match you with a cat!

If you tell them it will be an indoor cat they will match you with a suitable cat. Some cats have to be indoor cats for health reasons and some just prefer it. Our first cat had to be an indoor cat because she has epilepsy, our second cat came to us a tiny kitten and hasn't known any different, our third cat wasn't supposed to stay with us after our dog found it dumped in a bag but the rescue couldn't find anyone else to take him so he has ended up being an indoor cat as well.

Thank you. When the time comes I’ll contact The Cats Protection league to see, but I wasn’t sure if rescue centres prefer to re-home to houses rather than flats?

I think they're more concerned with you and how well you will look after the cat than whether it's in a flat or house :) and it sounds like you're already giving it lots of thought which is a good thing.

I hope so...can’t imagine being without a cat.

I specifically wanted indoor only cats, and the rescue only showed me cats that needed to be kept in or would be suitable. I ended up with ex-feral (if they went out, they may go feral again), but there was a mix of FIV positive, other illnesses/injuries, always been indoors etc.

SiL has a one eyed cat with luxating patellas that needs to be indoors only, to go with her Burmese that came from the breeder with an indoor only condition. Maybe look at breed rescues, as many breeds are suited to indoor life e.g. Persian, Ragdoll.

That’s a good idea Allergictoironing

We are currently fostering for a rescue that rehomes to indoor only homes. We have the sweetest little boy who is an ex feral but has now discovered the delights of a sofa, radiator, warm lap and readily available food and is very happy indoors. The rescue is currently looking for an indoor home for him.

We do have some cats suitable for flats - either because they have always been indoor cats, or because they are disabled, or because they are older and don't seem particularly interested in the outdoors.

However we would need to see restrictors on all windows (very cheap and easy to fit) and we probably wouldn't home to a flat with a balcony as that brings many more risks with it. We also have a cut off point of no higher than second floor - just in case things still go wrong. We are able to be fussy as there are so many more people wanting indoor only cats than there are suitable cats available. I know that some rescues home FIV positive cats as indoor cats. We don't - if they would be happier with outdoor access then we home them somewhere with outdoor access.

All rescues are of course different - but these are our current protocols.