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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

Has anyone tried to adopt a cat recently?

34 replies

Planningspringflowers · 09/10/2021 17:59

We have a fast approaching one year old. Usually I adopt adult cats but I think with such a young child we’d be better with kittens.

I wondered if it was likely we’d be allowed to adopt or if the age of our child would be a problem. I much prefer rescue cats if possible. However if not is there a breed of cat notably good with children - was considering Burmese?

OP posts:
Smartiepants79 · 09/10/2021 18:06

We found rescue kittens extremely hard to find.
The places we contacted simply didn’t have any and they were also running waiting lists. I would suspect that such a young child might prevent you from being given any kind of rescue to be honest.

Smartiepants79 · 09/10/2021 18:08

We were lucky to find a family friend who happened to have some kittens.
Our little moggy has been an absolute star.
Personally its less about breed type and more about background - happy confident mum with a family home. Used to all the fuss and noise from very young.

AppleButter · 09/10/2021 18:26

We adopted last year and are looking to do so again. We have a toddler so the rescue won’t consider kittens at all - only a cat proven to be calm and noise-tolerant, with a personality tolerant of being stroked and not scratching. I think the reason is that otherwise , if a cat is defensive and scratches, it would be returned and would have to be rehomed, so they seek to avoid that. This is despite us being experienced former cat-owners.

Original poster
Planningspringflowers · 09/10/2021 18:47

Yes, I was worried about this. I know when we had cats as children we had then from kittens so they grew up used to small kids and weren’t afraid.

I may well consider buying kittens, then - any recommendations for breeds?

OP posts:
Allergictoironing · 09/10/2021 19:39

One of the reasons why rescues are unwilling to rehome kittens with small children is that kittens are very delicate, and there's more chance of the kitten coming to harm than the child. A thoughtless grab from a small child could severely damage a kitten.

Adult cats who have been around children are at least able to understand the need to escape and be able to do so.

AppleButter · 09/10/2021 19:56

@Allergictoironing completely right - the tiny kitten has to be protected, being very fragile, not the otherway round, i left that out.
@OP I do think the rescue shelters know what they are doing, so getting a tiny kitten when you have a toddler isn’t such a good idea. That is why we are returning to the shelter for 2nd cat and ignoring the kitten advertisements on social media and in supermarkets.

bagheera92 · 09/10/2021 20:05

We have a virtual home visit a adoption officer from the rspca for a kitten on Monday :)

Wolfiefan · 09/10/2021 20:11

You won’t be getting a tiny kitten from a rescue with such a young child. A young adult cat could work.

Original poster
Planningspringflowers · 09/10/2021 20:12

Oh absolutely but then I wouldn’t want an adult cat being terrified either!

I haven’t actually approached any rescue centres yet …but I gather that it can be a hard process. I will have to see what they say. I wouldn’t be leaving a kitten and a toddler unsupervised.

OP posts:
Original poster
Planningspringflowers · 09/10/2021 20:13

Hope it goes well, @bagheera92

OP posts:
Vinorosso74 · 09/10/2021 21:46

Kittens and young children really aren't a good match and as others have said rescues won't let kittens go to homes with such small children.
Honestly, with a one year old child, I would wait a couple of years but still consider adopting a slightly older cat (as in not a young kitten) then you know their tempremant.

Notdoingthis · 09/10/2021 21:51

We adopted kittens that came from a busy foster home. They were born there, the mum was a stray, so they had only ever known children. They are 6 months now and like to be near the kids.
But I wish we had got adult cats. Dealing with the neutering, keeping them in until then, and the litter trays, has been hard work with kids to care for too.

Original poster
Planningspringflowers · 09/10/2021 22:00

I’d love adults, it’s just all the adult cats I’ve come across have been petrified of ds (quite understandably!)

OP posts:
bookworm14 · 09/10/2021 22:08

We are on the waiting list at Battersea and another local rescue centre and they seem very reluctant to give any cats at all to families with kids. Almost all the adverts I’m sent specify no kids. I understand they have to be sure they’re sending the cats to a safe home, but it is a bit frustrating.

itssarcasmjoan · 09/10/2021 22:16

Actually older cats maybe better.
A good rescue will ask about your home life and if you are honest find you a cat that matches.
Older cats may tolerate toddlers more and be less work.

itssarcasmjoan · 09/10/2021 22:17

Try Celia Hammond.

ragged · 09/10/2021 22:21

We got kittens few weeks ago.
Local CPL had quite a few cats in.

Something I did not know -- rescues don't put all their cats on the websites. They only put the long-termers up there.
They are especially unlikely to put up 'popular' cats. They sort of interview you first before revealing they have a lovely ragdoll or whatever they think will suit your household.

So it's worth ringing around & asking them what suitable cats they might have.

Delilah1234 · 09/10/2021 22:24

Blue Cross will rehome some kittens to houses with any age children - there are a few on their website.

Beithe · 09/10/2021 22:24

We adopted a kitten from Cat Protection a couple of years ago. The fact our son was 3.5 was not a problem at all (and he came with us to meet the kittens in the rescue centre).

Seriously79 · 09/10/2021 22:41

We adopted 3 cats (mum and 2 babies) a few years ago from a local rescue home.

The hoops we had to jump through were, in my opinion, ridiculous! They wanted bank statements, character references, they 'interviewed' my 9 year old son to make sure he wouldn't hurt them (they did ask if they could speak to him and we were there) they came out to view our house, and it cost £££'s.

I understand that they need to be sure the animals are going to the correct people, and I'm not slating them at all, I just feel it was a bit excessive. By this point though, we had already fallen in love them.

TheBalletCats · 10/10/2021 04:37

As you’ve been (v sensibly) advised @Planningspringflowers, very wee children and kittens are not a good mix - Cats Protection give excellent advice on the matter, with tips on finding a good match as well as explaining why kittens & toddlers do not combine well. With your DS being one he’s about to have a couple of years of huge growth & change in all senses, so if you’re going to add a cat to the family you’ll be needing them to be pretty bomb-proof (as well as being able to give them their own space). I’d contact your local rescue centre(s) to get their advice, too: different centres do have slightly different rules on homing.

@Seriously79
How would you suggest they ensured their cats were going to homes where they would be safe (in all senses) & (again, in all senses) their needs could be met? Taking people at their word is unfortunately not an option, after all. Am not meaning this to be rude/confrontational; I just genuinely want to know how you feel the rescue could improve their process/what you’d consider to be the appropriate level of enquiry/what they should drop to stop their checks being “excessive”.

bangonthedoorgroovychick · 10/10/2021 05:22

This is why we've left off having a cat until now (youngest dc is now 3) I'd have loved a cat long ago but with a very grabby/active young child it wouldn't have been fair.
Now my daughter is 3 she has a bit more understanding of 'stop' and 'be gentle'

We've now adopted a 2.5 year old cat and they love each other to bits. The cat seems to think my 3 year old is her baby.

maofteens · 10/10/2021 12:07

We were looking for kittens and every place we called had none and /or a long waiting list. We have dogs and after a difficult time introducing them to our previous adult cats wanted kittens. Have to admit we went online and bought them. Maine Coons, saw both parents, in the home of breeder, parents registered and health tested, kittens microchipped and first vaccinations, and she said none would be ready until 14 weeks. A pair was essential as these are very social animals and though I wfh and we play with them they entertain each other. The dogs have accepted them snd other than a very crowded bed at night and very early demands for breakfast it has worked out well. They are very robust cats.
However I would not get kittens with a one year old.

mummog · 10/10/2021 12:15

We have an 8 year old adult cat. My son was born a year and a half ago. They get on quite well. I knew the cat had a lovely personality and when things bother him, he just walks away.

They have a mutual respect for each other. I think this is perfect.

Has anyone tried to adopt a cat recently?
thecatneuterer · 10/10/2021 12:27

@Allergictoironing

One of the reasons why rescues are unwilling to rehome kittens with small children is that kittens are very delicate, and there's more chance of the kitten coming to harm than the child. A thoughtless grab from a small child could severely damage a kitten.

Adult cats who have been around children are at least able to understand the need to escape and be able to do so.

Exactly this. We won't home small kittens to homes with toddlers/very young children. We do though home calm, placid adult cats. These 'bomb proof' cats are though very much in demand (as there are a lot of families with small children) and in shortish supply (as most cats are a little more shy/easy to upset), so they tend to come straight in and out of the homing centre.