Why do rescues import stray cats from abroad?

[NotDarkGothicMama]

I Googled but am still wondering why this is a good idea. A cat rescue FB page I follow has loads of adverts for people to adopt cats from the Mediterranean, North Africa and the Middle East. Some of these rescues operate centres in the UK as well as abroad, so they're not ignorant of the situation for cats here. Page after page of rescues saying they're inundated with kittens and unneutered adults, closed to new entries until cats are adopted or they find new people willing to foster them. My three closest rescues are looking after nearly 200 cats and kittens between them and these are small independents, not Cats Protection and the RSPCA.

Every imported stray means one home fewer for cats in UK rescues. What's the benefit? Why do they do it?

TBH I have no time for rescues with a blanket "indoor cat only, no exceptions" rule. Some cats need indoor-only homes but most just need loving homes and enjoy outdoor access.

I wish more rescues were open to indoor only cats! When I first got cats, I wanted indoor only for a number of reasons - finding any was an almost impossible task even more so if you wanted a pair. Every single cat needed outdoor space (my garden isn't capable of being cat proofed unless I spent well over 5 figures, and due to the slope/terracing can't attach a Catio to the house), including those who had been indoor only prior to being at the rescue.

I did eventually find a rescue which has a slightly more pragmatic view to rehoming than most. They still do their due diligence around whether a home is suitable of course, but (depending on the cat) aren't that fussed about whether it's indoor, has a catio etc as long as the house is big enough & the prospective owner understands things like enrichment & entertainment for indoor cats.

On the subject of overseas rescues, one of the bosses at work is Spanish and he has the most glorious white floofy cat, very aristocratic looking, who they rescued off the streets from his home town in Spain & brought to the UK. I would guess she is a pedigree, possibly Turkish Angora or Van from her face or maybe Ragdoll, going by when she's video bombed on line meetings.

Next door have a mostly white Romanian rescue dog. She was extremely nervous when they first moved in, a bit thin & with a poor coat. She's now looking fabulous, runs straight up to me for fusses, and is having her best life. I could never begrudge her "taking the place of a British rescue" because of the obvious difference it's made to her life.

The rescues local to me often have cats who need to be indoor only, usually because they're FIV+, blind, disabled or older cats who haven't ever been outside.

I was actually hoping for older cats when I went that time, but was claimed by a pair of 2 year old ex feral siblings.

Even older cats were being advertised as "needs some outdoor space", and I called rescues rather than just looking on line to be told more often or not that they don't home indoor only - often with a rather disapproving tone of voice. Only ones for indoor only were ones who "needed" to be only cats, and as I work from the office not home that wouldn't be any good really as most days they'd only get about 5 hours of any company at all.

Op have you heard of Niall Harbison? He has a charity in Thailand looking after street dogs. A big part of his strategy is neutering the dogs to control the population and looking after them by feeding them. He tries to keep them on the streets as much as possible. He will only rescue the most vulnerable ones. His attitude is you just can’t rescue them all. Hopefully his strategy will work best for the dogs in the long run.

Yes. Investing in policy change and education on the ground would be a much better investment of time, energy and money.

A comprehensive programme of capture, neuter, surveillance and healthcare would help. As well as an element of population management.

@BalladOfBarryAndFreda In an ideal world that would absolutely be the way to go - and maybe it's possible in European countries but I can categorically state that your approach would not work in the Middle East. They simply do not care and do not see cats in the way we do. You'd have more luck instigating an education programme about the correct treatment of rats. The street cats are poisoned or trapped and dumped in the desert to die of dehydration, whilst pedigree kittens are sold at animal markets as toys - to be dumped when they get older.

I don't think it would be easy to change mindsets, but routine neutering wasn't a thing in the UK until the 1970's. Attitudes can and do change.

But the change around neutering was for animals who were already pets! Attitudes towards animals who are seen as vermin or living toys are much more unlikely to change unfortunately.

....which I why I adopted from Dubai and would do so again.

This sounds like a marvellous idea.
Please set up this initiative and I am sure you will get support.

Because some of those cats have a really awful life and no chance of finding a home in their own country.

My spoilt, pampered pair keep turning their noses up at their food. I wonder whether Dubai do an exchange program? 😂

One of the early posts on here is quite offensive and a lot of others show how little understanding there is of the plight of cats in the Middle East. I applied to adopt a couple of cats from Dubai but sadly for us each time the fosterers decided to keep them.

@Puppylucky, I’ve only just started reading and posting on the Litter Tray again and I’m so sorry to read about the gorgeous Elton. He was a very lucky boy to have been adopted by you

Thank you so much @PinkSparklyPussyCat I appreciate that. We have just adopted a new boy from Dubai - another Mau - who is bursting with health and naughtiness but we won't ever forget poor little Elton

Maybe Reform will crack down on immigrant cats too!? 😂

For me, I will just adopt or foster an animal who is the most in need, no matter where it’s from. I already have rescue cats (from the UK) and a few weeks ago one of the UK rescues I follow shared a post from a rescue who does a lot of work in the Middle East. They were crying out for someone to adopt or foster a cat who has lived in a cage for her whole life. She was run over when she was 5 months old by a motorbike and now has a deformed pelvis and back legs. They have nowhere for her to go, they’ve been trying to rehome her in the country for 2.5 years but sadly she is still there in her little cage. I saw it and didn’t care where she is from, I just wanted to help her. I will be fostering her very soon.

❤️

What makes you think they don't do both?

AND that doesn't help existing cats & kittens who had the misfortune to be born there instead of here.

A cat without a home is just that a cat without a home. What does it matter which country it happens to be born in? It's still a hungry cat needing a good home.

Sad how people need thus spelt out to them isn't it.