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Original poster

Cat adoption - what if you don't have a spare room?

85 replies

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 21/07/2023 20:35

Since we lost Harry in April I've looked at rescues and spoken to some but it seems to be getting harder and harder to adopt. One I spoke to said we had to have a separate room for the cat so I explained we have a one bedroom flat with one living room where we sit and I work, one bathroom and the kitchen. They suggested the bedroom but a) I'm not having a litter tray in there and b) where are we supposed to sleep if the cat needs it's own room for a month?!

I wasn't asked about a spare room when we adopted Harry, he arrived, got out of his carrier, found his food and litter and settled down! I understand not all cats are like that and I have no objection to them hiding but short of building an extension for the cat I can't provide it's own room!

OP posts:
NewNovember · 21/07/2023 20:36

How ridiculous just say the bedroom and then don't.

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 21/07/2023 20:44

I think that's what I'm going to have to do when we're finally ready. The cat is welcome to hide, I have no problem with that, I just can't magic up a spare room!

I didn't even bother applying to another rescue as they wanted confirmation I wouldn't be trying for a baby in the next 10 years! Now I'm 48 and prefer cats to children but I'm not answering intrusive questions like that! I have no idea how they could enforce it though!

OP posts:
MermaidEyes · 21/07/2023 20:49

Keep trying and you'll find one that's not so ridiculously fussy. I understand they care about where their cats go but some just have stupid rules. Mine came from a lovely local rescue that was absolutely inundated with cats and kittens. We answered a few questions, went to view the cats we were interested in, paid the fee and brought them home that day! They're happy, healthy and well fed, that's all that counts!

Datafan55 · 21/07/2023 21:02

As long as it is a loving home and the cat has space to hide (boxes etc), it really should be able to work. The very standardised questions are trying to weed out bad homes, but it's a bit too 'computer says no'.

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 21/07/2023 21:10

When I adopted our last two from Battersea they insisted we got a cat flap. So I bought one, told Battersea that we now had a cat flap and they were happy. I didn't actually mention that the cat flap was still in its box (and still is 5 years on).
I'm afraid I'm very much of the view that you tell them what they want to hear...

drunkpeacock · 21/07/2023 23:13

I'm afraid I'm very much of the view that you tell them what they want to hear...

Me too, as long as you've given thought to it and can provide a lovely home then just tick the right boxes and take your cat home.

cinnamonfrenchtoast · 22/07/2023 07:27

I would just lie - they're hardly going to come around and check!

Clarachuff · 22/07/2023 07:29

That's ridiculous

PriamFarrl · 22/07/2023 07:33

I can’t believe one asked you about trying for a baby. That is horribly intrusive and could be deeply upsetting. I got my last cat when we were going through IVF. I would have been horrified to have been asked about it.

I’ve got a kitten at the moment. She was from Cats Protection. They were inundated with cats and virtually insisted we took her. They didn’t do a home check at all, but we did have a long chat.

SpringSummerDreamer · 22/07/2023 07:41

cinnamonfrenchtoast · 22/07/2023 07:27

I would just lie - they're hardly going to come around and check!

I adopted a cat from the RSPCA and had a post-adoption visit. They checked where the cat's food and water bowls were and where she slept. Then sat and talked/ played with her for 10 min to check she was happy and relaxed. It wasn't optional.

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 22/07/2023 07:51

Some places do a home check, some don't. Battersea just looked up our house on Google maps and that was enough for them.

EversoDetermined · 22/07/2023 07:56

We had a home visit from Cats Protection. We didn't have a spare room but one DC gave up their room temporarily and moved in with the other so the cats could use that room. They moved out into the rest of the house within a couple of days, found themselves a few hiding places (under our bed, behind the sofa etc). I'd go with the bedroom in your situation, its really not too bad having a litter tray in there for a few days (we had to recently due to house renovations) - ours only use the trays soon after eating so they can be cleaned out and no worries about stinks in the night.

AlltheFs · 22/07/2023 08:03

We used our sitting room but it was only for a few days, we adopted 9 week kittens. They were ready to roam the house after 4 days.

It does help them to have a “safe space”-if the kittens are scared of anything they default back to the sitting room.

We had to use that room as it is the only one where the doors stay shut! We have an old cottage with wonky old doors and floors. The bedrooms are all in use anyway but also the doors won’t stay shut and it’s a big job to sort them (all the temporary fixes we tried don’t work).

cinnamonfrenchtoast · 22/07/2023 08:05

I adopted a cat from the RSPCA and had a post-adoption visit. They checked where the cat's food and water bowls were and where she slept. Then sat and talked/ played with her for 10 min to check she was happy and relaxed. It wasn't optional.

But they would tell you in advance, so surely you can just move everything around and move it back once they're gone?

I'm also curious about how it's not optional - they can't demand access to your home post-adoption, surely?

LakeTiticaca · 22/07/2023 08:13

Never heard such a load of poppy cock. You're adopting a cat not a baby!!. We have adopted several kittens over the years. Some have been very nervous, hiding under the bed for a week, coming out at night for food, others nosey and wanting to be involved from the start.
Never heard of a cat needing it's own bedroom 🤣🤣

SallyWD · 22/07/2023 08:13

Will your cat have access to outside space? I've known a few cars who seemed unhappy in one bedroom flats and really needed more space. Sorry, I don't mean to be negative.

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 22/07/2023 08:16

Harry seemed to do ok for 15 years bless him so I’m quite confident I can look after a cat! The RSPCA won’t rehome to us as we have a cat proofed garden so I don’t need to worry about them!

The problem with using the bedroom is it’s still not going to be the cats own room as we’ll be sleeping in there! There’s also nowhere for it to hide as the wardrobe doors will be shut and we have an ottoman bed so it can’t get underneath. But if that’s what the rescues want to hear, that’s what I’ll tell them!

OP posts:
Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 22/07/2023 08:18

@SallyWD yes, we have a cat proofed garden. This has also caused problems with some rescues as they believe the cat should be able to roam and won’t allow us to adopt because of it.

OP posts:
gogomoto · 22/07/2023 08:19

I'm his sums up why so many people buy cars (and dogs) rather than adopt. I got told no dogs if you have an under 10 by the rspca and breed specific adoption place when I got ddog, youngest dd was 9.5! Crazier still breed rescue said no because we lived in a city, we lived 200m from open fields, right on the edge and had 1/3 acre fenced gardens Hmm crazy rules

HappyHolidai · 22/07/2023 08:20

Cats don't need a spare room fora month! That's daft. Keep looking for a more sensible rescue.

I adopted mine last October. I kept them in the downstairs for a few days until they seemed reasonably comfortable with that then gradually opened up more bits of the house to them until they have the run of the place. They started off sleeping in their safe corner but now mostly sleep on my bed. They are happy and so am I.

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 22/07/2023 08:27

‘I've known a few cars who seemed unhappy in one bedroom flats and really needed more space’

they can’t manage the stairs.

araresight · 22/07/2023 08:30

I'm pretty sure if you tried to allocate a specific room to a cat, cat would roll its eyes and say 'no thanks, I'm just going to lie across the top of the cupboards'.

LadyLolaRuben · 22/07/2023 08:37

I'd just ensure the new cat has areas to hide and have time out. Its a case of satisfying the essence of what they say, not necessarily to the letter - just say yes to the criteria. You'll give a cat a lovely home OP thats all what you, the cat and the charity want at the end of the day

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 22/07/2023 08:39

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 22/07/2023 08:27

‘I've known a few cars who seemed unhappy in one bedroom flats and really needed more space’

they can’t manage the stairs.

We're ground floor so they don't even have to worry about that! Direct access to the garden from either the French doors in the living room or the cat flap in the kitchen.

That was another batshit requirement - one rescue wouldn't rehome to anyone with a cat flap as the cat must only have supervised access to the garden!

OP posts:
SallyWD · 22/07/2023 08:40

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 22/07/2023 08:27

‘I've known a few cars who seemed unhappy in one bedroom flats and really needed more space’

they can’t manage the stairs.

Haha! I noticed my typo as soon as I posted it 🤦🏻‍♀️

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