Why is it so hard to adopt a cat?

[Bubbinsmakesthree]

Trying to adopt cats at the moment…why is it such an ordeal?!

I’ve filled in application form after application form.
Had to supply multiple forms of ID
Been given the third degree over my motivations
Questions upon questions upon questions
And after jumping through all the hoops the applications go into a black hole and we hear nothing in response.

I thought rescues were overflowing with cats - but when you want to adopt it feels like you’re fighting over access to a rare commodity. Why is it so hard?

I’d say it’s not an awful idea to put the word out to friends and family that you’re in the market for a cat - there’s usually a friend of a friend whose neighbour knows someone whose cat needs a new home. That how we ended up with our first feline overlord.

Is something in what you are putting on the forms making them think you're looking for a Christmas present, eg wanting a specific colour, a young cat, having young children

I had no issues last year. I stated I would be happy with a kitten or adult cat. Ended up adopting an ex queen ragdoll from a local rescue. I was expecting it to take months when I enquired but it was only a week or so from my first enquiry to being offered a virtual meet with Dcat. The virtual thing was a bit daft but Dcat is awesome, no regrets.

It must be frustrating because as you say, the narrative is to adopt and that rescues are overrun. Hope you get lucky soon.

Are you saying it must be a specific sex, colour etc? That can bump you further down than someone who isn't fussy about what they look like

I adopted my last cat in 2018 and didn't have anything like that. I was after an adult black cat and they're traditionally hard to home, so perhaps they jumped at me!

They are a strange breed, pardon the pun. When the rescue lady came for my house inspection the house and location were deemed acceptable but she had got lost on the way and passed a nearby farm. She nearly refused us the cats because the farm had chickens.

If you're in the Manchester area have a look at Changing Lives at Carrington. They currently have 39 cars that need a loving home. we've just lost our lovely 14yo boy and I'm hoping to rehome one of theirs.....off to visit them in a minute actually.

Us too. V quiet cul de sac in rural area. Fields surrounding us. No major or main roads.
No response from any of the Cat charities ,but they all keep asking for donations.

One of mine is black, he's the loveliest cuddly boy. It makes me sad that some people are horrible about black cats.

Yes, I love them too, he is my second; both super-affectionate, gentle boys.

If you're anywhere near London pm me. There most certainly isn't a shortage of cats - we are overwhelmed, as are all the other rescues. Child-friendly cats are the most difficult to find though as they have to be extremely calm and laid back, and there is a lot of demand for child-friendly, but still there is always a constant supply coming in.

Of course rescues are all understaffed so quick responses aren't always forthcoming sadly.

Blue Cross were fabulous for me. Really nice staff in my local rescue centre who made it all easy.

Two small local rescues wouldn’t let me have one without a cat flap as I work. Bloody ridiculous criteria imo. I’ve had animals large and small all my life who have all had a life of luxury until old age … soon to be 35 year old pony I’m looking at you!

Three years on I can confirm my cat’s life (like the four before him) is no poorer for not having a cat flap. He’s got a building outside with a cat den and self heating pad for the odd occasion he hasn’t come home when I go out.

Broken Halo Rescue, which works around London, would probs jump at any of you. Run by amazing people. Do look them up if you can travel a bit to pick up a cat/kitten (or dog) and encounter some fantastic folk who work bloody hard for animals.

Found exactly the same! Rspca turned us down after a home inspection as we are too near the main road apparently.. we are halfway down a dead-end street, approx 20 houses away from the 'main' road, which isn't that busy and is a 20 limit... houses a lot nearer the main road have cats happily... we have no other pets, own our home, have a garden, door with a cat flap, no children, not fussed on type of cat! It's a nightmare. We've been trying continually for months and months now

Because people are talking shit when they’re saying the rescues are full because of all the pets bought during lockdown. There’s still a dog and cat boom going on. Admittedly quite a lot of animals are coming in, but they’re flying back out again. There’s so many applications per animal that most don’t even get looked at. My local dogs trust are ‘only’ accepting 50 applications per pet at the moment, and that’s happening within hours of a dog being posted. There were over 400 enquires for a shar pei puppy that got posted on Fb the other day until they ended up closing the comment section.

Ask around among friends, colleagues, and neighbours - someone may know of kittens going a begging.

That's how we got our Dcat.

I wasn't prepared to give up a hand or my first born so we weren't allowed one either. Eventually found out about some kittens living in a carpark. Lived happy long lives anyway!

It’s strangely hard. I think the rescues can be a little precious. I get it, I’m a cat lover and if a cat has ended up in rescue then you don’t want to be giving it out willy Nicky to another unsuitable home. But the level of caution imo is out of proportion with the number of cats needing homes. One I rescue I work with will only rehome a cat if it will be indoors only. Busy roads often get flagged but many houses in cities are near busy roads so that’s whole swathes of towns and cities are out. My parents (no other cats, older couple, garden) ended up rehoming a family member’s cat as it was proving such a hassle. Bit like when they say there’s a blood shortage but nowhere to give blood. When rescue has this type of reputation people buy cats and kittens and that is way worse.

Precious is a good word, exactly how I felt about the smaller rescues. My cats had all lived until late teens, dogs to mid teens, horses had long happy lives.

Lack of cat flap was a dealbreaker when the cat would have five acres to play in. 🦇💩

When we adopted our cat we felt they were looking for an ideal home - one that didnt exist except in their imagination. We did get the cat eventually and they had a good long life but it put me off adopting again. Our home was, I felt, quite possibly more suitable than their own and I wondered how many cats they had.

I didn’t have any problems with the CPL, I rang up to ask about the kitten wait list. Told them I’d lost my elderly beloved DCat. They said they had a older kitten wanting a good home, I said no thank you, it’s too soon. Cried a bit on the phone. Said I wasn’t over my DCat, but DH and DC wanted a kitten.
CPL said they’d send a picture of this cat they had. I said ok, but I don’t want to adopt yet. They sent the picture, told me his sad story and asked when I’d like to meet him. I again said no, but DH might like to look. They said we were the perfect home for this cat and we didn’t need a home visit because we were such good cat slaves.
Elderly cat was a very poorly cat and I did tell them (at length) his medical needs etc. Think they wanted to stop me crying actually.

We had terrible problems about ten years ago when no one would rehome with an under 10yo which imo is ridiculous. Went to a fairly local rescue in the end and had a good chat with the woman in charge who asked the right questions and presented us with the right cat for us. No choice or appearance questions, just personality match. 6m later I popped in to ask about a second mog to keep him company and left with another half an hour later. After we lost him I ended up adopting privately from a distant acquaintance who was evicted.

I'm well aware they want to get the cat the right home but really some of the rules are mental. I found the CP etc locally were run by bonkers types who saw all the cats as their own and didn't really understand standard cat ownership. My big female would be horrified by being centre of attention all day, played with and pampered. She's basically a 40 something woman with a personal life and a family she loves but in small doses. Fine by us.

What do you mean by you want the most popular type of cat??

Our two came from cat protection. Simple process. We didn’t care what they looked like or age so not fussy! The charity couldn’t believe I didn’t have a shopping list of requests. They popped over checked all ok and we meet the two before agreement. They also came from a busy family home so was a good match, I imagine if they weren’t used to children they wouldn’t have been rehomed with us.

Apparently black cats aren’t popular - no idea why the two rescues we have are very loving!

One I rescue I work with will only rehome a cat if it will be indoors only.

I found the opposite when I was looking. I WANTED indoor only cats, and most places wouldn't consider it under any circumstances. I offered to take special needs and FIV cats, elderly ones who had always been indoors but no, they HAD to have access to a garden.

Then I see so many heartbreaking posts on here about cats who have vanished, or got run over, or poisoned drinking anti freeze, or like my neighbour's cat who was attacked by a local tom who nearly killed her.

Interestingly, the place I got mine from offered me a selection cats knowing they would be indoor only. Some (e.g. the ones I got) were ex-ferals with the potential to go feral again if let out. There was a gorgeous marmalade boy whose elderly owner had gone into a home, a few more whose owners had died etc, one I very nearly got who had recently had back surgery & would never be agile enough for outside.....