Going to meet cats at rescue - what do we need to ask?

[RubyDarke]

We're off to meet two cats at our local rescue. We have a list of what we think we need to ask about but I'd appreciate input from experienced cat owners: what do we need to know? If you have had cats from a local shelter, what do you wish you had asked at the time?

Fingers crossed the rescue staff like us. I'm fully prepared for the likelihood that the cats will remain entirely indifferent towards us (or worse) during the whole visit.

What's their background.
What food are they on
Litter tray habits

Cat mum to 5 rescues and a garden feral here
It will depend on wether or not you have cats already
You will need to segregate initially from existing cars
Mine came to me socialised so it was just a case of letting them settle in at their own pace
I generally ask about their feeding habits
Do they like being brushed ( important for a long haired kitty)
Type of food preference
Special diets
They'll come to you wormed and flea'd already
Check when they'll need updates
Rescues will generally tell you all you need to know and are on hand for any questions
Thank you for rescuing ❤️

• existing cats

And please share your kitty photos ❤️

A cat in a rescue centre will be a very different cat when you get it home. Interact with the cat, see how it feels about you. Depending on the type of rescue, the staff may not know much about their background or personality. It can tell you by how it is with you. Crouch down more at their level, look them in the eyes and do a very slow blink. If their eyes copy you, hold your hand out gently, palm up, and let them sniff you. If you get a cheek smear, they like you. Ask the staff about medical history/last vet's exam, and what litter the cat seems to prefer. Again, that's likely to change when you get him/her back home but their personality will be apparent, but muted initially. Best of luck.

Thank you everyone that is really helpful. We had most things on our list but not all.

Off in 10 minutes to meet a bonded pair who met in rescue. They look perfect for us but if not, there are a lot of other cats in local rescues sadly.

Because we are only 100 meters from a major A road, we decided to go down the indoor route and have a lovely big new catio on the house, which the rescue approve of. Keep everything crossed for us!

Do they have tiny toes?

How cute are their noses?

are they soft?

are they the best cats in the world?

sorry I’m thinking of the questions I ask my cats all the time.

good luck! I hope they choose you.

Any good shelter will give you notes about their current food habits, type of litter they have been using and their medical background (last time they had flea/worm treatments, vaccinations, when they were spayed, microchip details).

Remember they won't be at their best when you see them at the rescue centre and it will take them a bit of time to settle once at home.

I was advised to keep mine indoors for a month and then let her out slowly in the garden.

Remember to block any holes in the house (mine manage to squeeze herself between pipes and crawl under a bit of floorboard...) as they will explore everything.

Enjoy your new cats!

My girl was so shy and scared at first meeting but just this morning, 4 years later, she felt confident enough to sneeze directly into my face. 😻

So we passed scrutiny by the cats and they come home with us next weekend!
One is quite confident and sassy and her sister (they came from the same home) is more timid and relies on her a lot. The timid one still tolerated a little bit of contact from my daughter though.

The rescue staff were brilliant and all the vet info etc will come home with them next week. We also spent a fortune in their shop on lovely (mostly second hand) cat stuff - if they reject it all, we'll just donate it back to the shop to raise funds! When they are settled in, photos will follow.

That’s brilliant!

Don’t worry too much if they hide when you first get them home, it’s normal.

Stock up on cardboard boxes.

I fostered a bonded pair of sisters & they were really lovely together - the confident one would check things out first & report back to the more nervous one, and she always went to tell her when I’d finished hoovering.

Many congratulations, and welcome to your new life of cat servitude! Good for you to give a home to sibling rescues - they're not always easy to find homes for together. They will rule your life and make you very happy. Best toys for cats are:- screwed up ball of paper, piece of string, empty cardboard box, anything they fancy bopping about. Enjoy!

Also, having a pair might cost a bit more but it’s so much easier when they can keep each other entertained. You also feel a lot less guilty when going away - well, I do, anyway!

Congratulations and thank you for rescuing, prepare to have your hearts stolen for many years to come!
Looking forward to the pics!

Do they have any existing health conditions, chronic or short term and are they being treated? I once homed a cat that had an illness that I wasn’t informed about. I had no idea whether it was a one off thing or whether it was a chronic problem and they couldn’t tell me so after I week I returned it. I didn’t mind treating a one off problem but I wasn’t willing to rehome a young cat with that particular problem and a lifetime of vet bills and ill health.

I’m thrilled that one of them likes your daughter. Kids and cats can be such an amazing combination. Best wishes for you and your new cats. X