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Original poster

Rescues don’t actually want to rehome cats

113 replies

WannabeKittens · 30/04/2023 18:03

I posted last year about how I’ve been trying to rescue a cat, actually at the time it was kittens.

Nine months on I’ve had no luck. I’ve registered with every rescue around, and have never even got as far as a home check, apart from Celia Hammond who told me that because of my disability they were unlikely to let me rehome from them.

I am cynical because the woman who came to do the home check then went on to tell me she has seven teen cats of her own, which just makes me think that one of the reasons why people can never rehome a cat is because the fosterers and home checkers all have the cats themselves In fact if I remember rightly that’s why the CEO of Cats Protection resigned.

So near me I have contacted celia Hammond (no from them), cats protection, (never heard from them), Battersea, Crockenhill Animal rescue (I am in Bromley area and they are always supposedly crying out, never heard back from them.) And I’ve heard the same from numerous other people who ultimately end up going to gumtree.

I have no intention of buying a cat from gumtree, I am prepared to adopt an older cat instead of a kitten and have made that clear,but nothing.

I find it impossible to take the claims of these rescues seriously when they talk about how overrun they are with cats, perhaps if they actually rehomed some of them they wouldn’t have such a population issue.

OP posts:
Hellocatshome · 30/04/2023 18:06

I dknt know the rescues where you are but I have always found smaller local rescues a lot more helpful than the bigger organisations.

SleazyLizzard · 30/04/2023 18:07

I got a cat from cats protection near your area, had a video inspection of house and garden before approval, I also was recommended by someone who had previously adopted from cats protection. Do you think your disability may be the problem?

MintJulia · 30/04/2023 18:09

I think they set up Cat rescue charities, persuade people to fundraise for them and then they look after the cats and pay themselves a salary out of the donations. I don't think they want to rehome them.

Anewuser · 30/04/2023 18:09

We were the same with a rescue dog. Battersea didn’t want to know as our son has a disability. Ended up buying 2 dogs which we had for 11 and 12 years.

EnjoyingTheSilence · 30/04/2023 18:09

Would you be able to take 2 cats? I know Celia Hammond prefer you to take 2 (or they did when we were looking)

Borka · 30/04/2023 18:10

Have you tried Foal Farm?

Stopsnowing · 30/04/2023 18:12

Was going to suggest foal farm

YouWithoutEnd · 30/04/2023 18:12

You’ve mentioned your disability quite briefly, with no further elaboration. Is it perhaps that you’re doing the same in your rescue applications, with very little detail provided about how you anticipate your disability might impact on the animal, and how you plan to overcome that?

I haven’t had the same experience, I’ve adopted three cats from different rescues in the past two years, but I’ve always carefully waited for the right cat to pop up that would suit my circumstances.

cansu · 30/04/2023 18:16

I got mine from very small local rescue who had about six cats in total. Visited and decided on cat. They came round to check us out. Very low key. Just wanted to see we had a home and a garden etc. Paid and picked up cat. Very easy.

Whatalife88 · 30/04/2023 18:17

I disagree and would love to know the reasons they haven't accepted you as I have a 2 year old and we've adopted a cat from cats protection with literally no issues. I called them about a cat I was interested in that they said should be able to live witha family, they offered an appointment, we went, met her, loved her, reserved and collected a week later x

Unescorted · 30/04/2023 18:17

Are they allowed to discriminate on disability grounds?

Original poster
WannabeKittens · 30/04/2023 18:19

I haven’t mentioned my disability in any of my applications because it’s not relevant.My disability doesn’t impact on my ability to own a cat. Even the woman at celia Hammond said that it was clearly obvious that I was an experienced cat owner.

I’ve owned cats before, adopted from Battersea, from RSPCA, and there has never been any consideration of my disability, but given I haven’t mentioned it to those charities where I haven’t heard back it’s not something that they would be able to use against me.

OP posts:
Wisterical · 30/04/2023 18:19

I've fostered cats for three different shelters in North East England and all are genuinely overrun and desperate to re-home cats. But they are smaller, independent shelters so maybe look to that type? There are criteria, eg scaredy-cats go to child free homes, kittens mustn't be left alone all day, if you live by a busy road you need a catio or agree to keep cat indoors, but other than that most people can adopt. In what way did CH say your disability affected your ability to care for a cat?

Choconut · 30/04/2023 18:20

Have you been applying online? Maybe you'd get further if you phoned and spoke to someone or visited if possible?

Original poster
WannabeKittens · 30/04/2023 18:21

MintJulia · 30/04/2023 18:09

I think they set up Cat rescue charities, persuade people to fundraise for them and then they look after the cats and pay themselves a salary out of the donations. I don't think they want to rehome them.

I agree. You only have to look at how many cats the people who run the charities have.

And FWIW I don’t think someone with seventeen cats is a responsible owner or that they give their cats a good home It simply isn’t possible to have seventeen cats and look after them all well. It’s a colony not a couple of pets.

OP posts:
oviraptor21 · 30/04/2023 18:32

I agree.
I live fairly near you. Foal Farm was no help either.
First time around was rejected for living on a main road. In all the years I've lived with cats the only one killed by a car was in a quiet side road which was approved by Cats Protection. After the rejection we got two kittens from friends. They lived their lives out on the busy main road which was never an issue.
This time around we were rejected for having a dog. The quietest meekest dog ever who was definitely last in the pecking order to the two kittens we then got from a breeder. They loved her.
We were also rejected for a dog because we had a toddler. We got the dog from a breeder too.
So many opportunities for a rescue cat or dog to have a forever home went begging.

PinkFootstool · 30/04/2023 18:32

Agreed. I approached the RSPCA centre years ago and they refused me a cat because I lived in a busy area near a busy road. I had a first floor flat with a large secure roof terrace and wanted an indoor puss - I was happy to take an elderly or FIV cat. They then stated it was cruel to keep a cat indoors - despite having FIV cats I on need of indoor homes.

Not a few weeks later I met an RSPCA Inspector through my work and chatted about it. She said the rehoming centre were batshit and that she had 3 indoor cats of her own.

I got my cat from the local dog warden 😂 Maybe phone yours and enquire! I had her for 16 years and she's very missed.

MarisPiper92 · 30/04/2023 18:38

I had similar issues, so ended up adopting from and overseas charity (https://www.ra-na.com/). I know people have understandable objections to overseas adoptions, but it's worth considering. In my experience they were far more flexible than the UK ones.

SparklingLime · 30/04/2023 18:44

Small independent rescues are often (not always) more flexible. Have a look on Cat Chat: www.catchat.org/shelter_centre/

Often they are operating on a shoestring, often by one woman with a few helpers. They are really struggling at the moment. Please bear that in mind if they don't get back to you immediately.

RSPCA and many CP branches impossible, but have all the funding.

SparklingLime · 30/04/2023 18:45

Find your local small rescues: www.catchat.org/index.php/cat-rescue-centres-uk-ireland

ISolemnlySwearIAmUpToNoGood · 30/04/2023 18:52

I know of a small rescue not too far from the Bromley area which might be worth a go contacting

www.wallingtonanimalrescue.com

eurochick · 30/04/2023 18:52

We had the same issue. There was always some reason not to let us adopt. We have a child (one calm, animal-loving five year old), we live on a busy road (we said we were happy with an indoor only cat - they said it might get out). 🙄 We gave up an bought two British Shorthair kittens. They are indoor only (which is typical for the breed but also their choice now as we have moved somewhere well away from busy roads) and the most pampered pusses ever. I feel really sad when I think back to some of the cats we saw in cages in rescues that we apparently were not "good enough" to adopt. I hope they found happy homes, despite the obstacles their supposed rescuers put up.

I know many others have had similar experiences.

(For cat tax purposes, here is one of our "helping" me wfh during lockdown.)

Rescues don’t actually want to rehome cats
DivorcedAndDelighted · 30/04/2023 18:54

Contact local vets. I'm near you and my very regularly rehomes cats. If you DM me I'll give you their details.

debbiejh · 30/04/2023 18:57

Yeah I had same issue I couldn't get any kitten or cat from big organisation because I had 8 year old child at home or they didn't bother to reply back to my application form. I had many cats in the past but it was so hard to get one. In the end I have bought kitten from someone else

OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea · 30/04/2023 19:04

We had similar years ago. Children too small, house too busy, out of the house for work (well yeah....hence why cat not dog), cats must be indoor only blah blah blah.

RSPCA came up trumps and practically shoved us out of the door with a cat when we'd only gone to look!

I absolutely understand that it is important to ensure that are going to a good home and not people who want to abuse them but it feels impossible to rehome now.