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

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

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!

I'm the same asking for a wee dog and they said it's because I live fourth floor in a block of flats so I'm not allowed a little bit of company. I only wanted a small dog my son is 12and really wanted a dog as well. It would get us out of the first more and it's company for me when he's at school or a friend's house. I have tried them all now but can't get a dog . There's a lift in the building and there's a little garden bit down the back but I would want to be going for walks with him or her. It's cruel because they are always saying that they have loads of animals that need rehoming and won't give them out. My mum's said she might buy me a little dog. But I really wanted to rescue one.

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!
Dear God Pink - that is barking mad. Hope you find a reasonable rescue soon.
I suspect our cats lead a life that most rescues wouldn't approve of at all. As an example Basil and Lenny were dirty stop outs last night, they didn't seem unduly stressed when they came in this morning though 😹. Some of the rescues really need to get a grip.

I live in Edinburgh city in Scotland and I am looking for a wee dog a companion to go for walks and get cuddles with. I've tried all the rescue place's but the dogs I have seen are either way to big or they say this dog needs a house with a fenced off garden. Rubbish a dog needs fed walled brushed bath's and a lot of love and that's what I can supply for it. But they were adamant that no garden no dog. 😭

If you leave your bedroom door open at night the cat will probably slip out when you go to bed and familiarise themself with the living room while it is unoccupied. Ours first emerged late in the evening when the DCs and I had gone to bed and DH was sitting quietly watching TV in the living room. You could always have a litter tray in both places and move food and water outside your bedroom door at night.

We have five cats and five bedrooms, all the cats congregate wherever DH is anyway. He is currently having a lie-in with three of them on the bed.

There are plenty of pampered small dogs living in apartments in Paris. I can't see the problem so long as it isn't left alone in the flat for extended periods.

What is your Mum's place like? Maybe she could adopt and then her adoptee could subsequently come and stay with you.

I mean they aren't going to set up a camera to check you aren't sleeping in your bedroom or that the litter tray is there rather than in the hallways outside the door. Also re the rspca can't you just say you can also let the cat out the front door?

@Grumpyoldpersonwithcats Harry used to come and go as he pleased all night - apparently the cat flap worked at night unlike during the day! He couldn't come to much harm in a cat proofed garden and he seemed to enjoy himself.

@liveforsummer I can't say I let the cat out the front as most rescues don't like the idea of the road! I can't win!

I've decided to study the criteria for the next rescue and just tell them what they want to hear, within reason obviously!

Good lord, a separate room? When we got our kittens their chosen hiding spot was under the coffee table. The coffee table that my 2 DSs were playing on at the time.....

They stayed under for less than 30 minutes before venturing out to see what was going on ON the coffee table.... they lived up to the curious cat moniker!

These pet adoption places are ridiculous, my Nan had to get her neighbour to adopt a cat for her as apparently she’s too old to have an older cat. Just buy a kitten

I agree to many rules and nobody actually came out to see the environment before making a decision with me. I got an email asking for money and saying that I was too high up for a dog I said there's a lifrt but they repeated it to me no because your flat is to high up. But there's people a floor above me who have had dogs not just one and because they have bought there dog from a breeder they are fine.

I didn't realise at the time (apart from how adorable and wonderful she was) that my cat just turned up as a stray and started living in the garden.

@Misspiggy1012 Even more unfair - I have/have had several neighbours with gardens who NEVER walk their dogs. So they satisfy the adoption criteria, but those poor dogs - no exercise, no stimulation.
As long as one can say I'm high but yes there's a lift, so an older animal won't have to knacker their leg joints, and yes I am definitely going to walk it x times a day as I realise it needs excercise, and yes I have catches on the windows so they can't fall out. I mean, some people would be stupid enough to eg not do the latter, but that's where a home visit comes in....

I do agree with you and I would treat a wee dog like I would a little toddler always safe fed walked until tiered and carried when nessasery. I know a lot of people were meant to be getting rid of their pets after COVID rule's stopped but I haven't met any. If anyone knows of an unwanted small dog not a pit bull or Staffordshire bull dog or anything bigger than that and they want a loving happy home for the wee dog In Edinburgh as I don't have a car. I would like to see it I could pay a small amount for it but rest assured that it's rest of life would be very respectable. I do have two balconies a Juliette in my bedroom and a big one in my living room and I would be buying the wicker basket stick fencing to put around it if I managed to get a wee dog. I'm hopeful that one day I will be out walking and someone will say do you want it. I live beside Hollyrood park it's almost my back garden and I walk alone in there a lot. I was bit as a kid by a bull terrier dog it jumped over a fence when me and my brother were mucking around it might of thought I was hurting him. I don't know but I didn't even report it because I thought they might put the wee dog down. Always been afraid of them since. I don't have the strength to look after anything bigger than a small dog incase it pulled me. Thanks for reading this. Your all good people.

When my old girl goes I won’t be going to a rescue. We will be getting kittens. I can’t be bothered to jump through ridiculous hoops.

It's not fair for older people who live alone I think they need a pet something to talk to or you would go insane. It's a shame because she could probably out live the pet but the rules anyone can die at any age they can be totally heartless. I'm glad she's found a friend. Proud of her for not taking no for an answer and think she's obviously very clever before she thought of that. It never crossed my mind to get someone in a house to rescue it and give him or her to me. Clever lady your nan.

My last cat came from the RSPCA they did a check before and a follow up.

With Cats Protection, as I said before, they didn’t come to see us at all.

With both we have given them their own room to start with. Out last cat was a year old and she only needed it for a day or two. Our current cat was 12 weeks so she was there for longer. The only furniture in the room was the bed, which she could get under, and a chair with a blanket over it. She spent nearly all her time under the chair. We had her in there exclusively for about 3 days and then had the door open when we were in. The door was shut over night and when we were out. She had the run of the house after about a week.

OP, a chair with a blanket over it gives a cat a good hiding place.

Generally they are just looking for a room the cat can be in for a day or so as the acclimatise. So for example the bathroom would be fine as you can shut the door and you don't spend a long time there. Or tell them you'll sleep on the sofa for a night or two if the cat is very nervous.

I've got 2 rescues, the first did need a safe space as he was a bit nervous. The second was not at all and did not need own space - and just pawed open the door and off he went.
Try the smaller rescues, they are often way more reasonable as they don't always have lots of rules. My second rescue was an older cat (12) and they were super happy anyone wanted to take him and didn't home visit or anything. We just chatted on the phone and I explained set up and I think they Google map my house to see it wasn't near any main roads. That was all. I don't have a cat proof garden or a cat flap either! I just open the back door during the day and I call them back in at night!

Our last two cats have been farm kittens as I really CBA with the faff of rescues anymore.

It's not like they all have the same logical criteria either - some say you must have a cat flap, others say no cat flap. One says you must have a secure, cat-proofed garden, others say cats need to roam. Some insist all their cats are kept in, others say you must let them out even if they're not interested

We have three at the moment - one a private re-home and two other farm cats. All healthy and all live happily together aged 8, 3 and 11 weeks. We tried rescue after rescue and got turned down every time.

This is why I bought mine on a for sale site 🤷‍♀️ my last cats had an idyllic life and my next ones will too, and in theory I’m happy to give a home to rescued cats, but I just couldn’t face the inquisition and loss of time dealing with bureaucracy when it’s so easy just to buy them.

They checked where the cat's food and water bowls were and where she slept.

They'd have probably taken the cat back from us as Harry's food and water were next to each other! His choice, he preferred not to have to walk too far but I doubt they would have agreed with it!

I've never known food and water bowls being next to each other being a problem - ?

Litter tray and food/water - cat wouldn't appreciate that.

We were told some like their food and water separately, we did do that for a few years as it was easier in our house anyway but when we re-did the kitchen we tried them both in one place and the cats don't seem to mind.

None of my cats have ever minded having food or water near their litter trays.

We obviously wouldn't do it out of choice, but when we've had to separate them after surgery or when we had a new kitten, the "separated" cat was always put in the bathroom and we had food and water by the tray as there was no other choice. That been the case for six cats total over the years.

Blanket rules never work with cats or any animals, really.

Mine went in my bedroom, it wasn't a problem that I was sleeping in there except that they were very active at night! They only stayed in one room for a week.

Blanket rules never work with cats or any animals, really.

This. Good luck to anyone trying to get a cat to follow the rules!

I understand that rescues have to have rules but sometimes it's too much of a check box exercise.