Ridiculous rules for adopting rescue cats.

[Catlovverr]

Last year we adopted 2 gorgeous boys from Celia Hammond. Having had cats all our lives and being devastated after having to put our old girl to sleep, we soon started to look into adopting new rescues. What we hadn’t prepared for, was how difficult it would be.
We have had rescues all our lives, who have all lived to a grand old age with all the veterinary care needed. We live in a large 3 storey house with a massive garden full of trees on a quiet road. Our garden is backing onto other large gardens also full of trees. Cats paradise we thought.
But oh no, leaving aside the RSPCA who didn’t even respond to our request, we were rejected by Battersea for not having a cat flap despite cats having free access out of a window with safe passage into our garden. We had 30 years of cats using that passage behind us. Window is always left open during the day and closed only at night when we keep them in. The second reason for rejection from Battersea was that we didn’t let our cats outside when we go on holiday. We leave them in the house with family or neighbours popping in twice a day. Reason for that is I want to make sure they are around for their food and are seen by the cat sitters so I know they are ok. Battersea said my cats would be stressed not being let out then despite being in their own home which is large enough for them to not feel confined. Not sure what response people who use catteries would get….
Battersea was also worried that there was one day a week we were both working so no one at home. One of us always wfh rest of week.
The most bonkers rejection was from a smallish rescue. They rejected us because we didn’t have locks on all windows so they worried cats would fall out. This is despite me reassuring them we never left the windows facing the road open for that exact reason.
In hindsight I know I could just lie, I wasn’t prepared for having to lie I guess.
I also understand people have to be properly vetted and that people who run rescues see a lot of neglect and abuse so obviously cautious.

We had a really good experience with Celia Hammond. They sent someone around for a house checks who approved us more or less on the spot. Have donated to them monthly ever since.

Had to write this down having just walked past a poster advertising for a Battersea about how much they care. All I can think of is their ridiculous vetting which most likely leaves a lot of animals caged with them much longer than need be.

IM with animal rescue and the letter from the housing association is crucial. WE used to have adoptions where the landlord isn’t in the know and then objects and the animal is rejected and /or abandoned

I'm fine with them being fussy, but I do think some focus on the wrong things - maybe as a proxy as cat flaps are a more tangible issue than thoughtfulness and commitment. When I adopted a bonded pair from Mayhew they did ask a lot of questions about what kind of owner I would be - things like how I would deal with paws on counters, or where would the cats sleep, or what would I do if they weren't very cuddly - which I think were sensible. (Quite similar to when I adopted a human child, really.)

Rescue centres are notoriously strict with their re-homing rules. I remember when DH and I wanted to adopt a dog from Battersea 10+ years ago and they refused as we worked (even though we said we'd get a dog walker and return home at lunchtime.)

I understand that rescue centres have a duty of care to the animals that they rehome and that some animals come from abusive environments so might need particular settings, but ffs a loving home is surely better than being alone in a concrete cell 20 hours a day???

Cats 'Protection'. Bin there. Got the 'T' bib.

Bro and sister. The boy cat was a total nightmare (but don't tell him or them I said so). Super clingy, whiny, and decided to piss all over the house. One night I'd been in London, got home after midnight, and opened the whole house up (it was at that point, when I had to keep them downstairs, and he was peeing everywhere. Nightmare). Within minutes he had pissed all over my mattress. Gross. They went back to Cats Protection within a few days, and I was told that it was actually 'my fault'. There was nothing wrong with the cats. Just me!

But we can find an owner who can be around more than that. Taking a little longer to rehome and them being ‘in a concrete cell for 20 hours for a bit longer) is worth it if the forever home they then go to doesn’t require them being left all day other than maybe an hours dog walk and someone popping in.

The whole rehoming process takes a while but we’ve never actually been short of owners who can be home more and who aren’t out at work all day, especially now with so many people working at home.

Its ridiculous. Probably easier to adopt a clutch of orphans!! No wonder there are so many cats languishing in rescue centres. A load of nonsense about not leaving them alone in the home. If theres nobody around and its quiet, cats usually do what theh do best: sleep!!!

If these rescues are finding homes that fit their criteria comparatively easily, how come so many are bursting at the seams and can't take any more animals? Just how many people are there wanting to rehome cats who are

Not too old
Not too young
Firmly married couple
No kids
Nowhere near a road
Own their own home
Have a cat flap pre installed just in case they get accepted
Have a secure garden OR have a Catio (depending on the rescue)
Both work from home
Never go out for a whole day
Not have any existing pets, or ever intend to get any

Somehow I don't think there are as many people wanting to adopt who fit all these criteria as there are cats needing homes!

Because there are so many fuckwits constantly breeding more or not neutering and spaying, the rehoming process takes a while due to lack of resources and they don’t have endless amounts of space etc. For all the places I’ve worked at, both big and small, finding suitable owners hasn’t really been the challenge they faced.

I’ve never worked anywhere that asked for couples to be married, or had anything but sensible restrictions on age, nor that have asked both in a couple to work from home or never go out for a whole day….and I’ve had experience with a lot of rescues.

How does that apply to the reasons people in this thread have been turned down though?

Is someone more likely to return a cat if they want to keep it indoors, or if they're single, or if they'll give outdoor access on demand but not through a cat flap, or if they have a holiday booked four months away with a cat sitter already secured?

Agree with you OP. I ended up adopting from overseas

Agree, doesn’t explain why so many shelters won’t let you have a cat if you have young kids. Kids and pets go together, it’s ridiculous, as if they think every kid is going to torture the cat or people will neglect the cat if they have kids. Neither of those are true in the vast majority of cases!

I agree. We tried to rescue a dog a few years ago, but had no chance as we both worked full time. We worked 5 minutes from our house, came home every lunchtime (would have done staggered lunches to spend more time with the dog) and hired a dog walker. We ended up getting a puppy from a reputable breeder. Slightly disheartening when we knew we could give a good, loving home to a dog in need.

Some friends tried to get a rescue dog and were asked who would keep the dog if they divorced. Bonkers.

Young kids? My youngest was 10 when we were looking and a couple of places said no kids. I kind of understand a reluctance to re home with toddlers but a pre teen who grew up with cats why ever not?

That’s even worse! I was told no kids under 10 I think which was annoying as I’d had cats all my life, but no kids at all is even crazier!! What do they think is going to happen??

I find this thread really upsetting all these cats could be with loving families

where is the cats not being left inside not being allowed come from? Mine loving staying in, especially when cold or raining, my mum visits them and I have a camera watching them

I think they cut off at 12, which obviously isn't mentioned in their 'we are over run we are desperate for homes' ads.

And they are only allowed outside when I’m home. They understand, well just about accept, being told no for being outside that day

I agree it’s so sad and upsetting.

How sad. I hope they were rehomed to someone who attempted to address their issues and distress.

Yes. We were rejected many years ago by various local rescues for a variety of reasons including DH had never had a pet before, 8 year old daughter was too young, nobody would be at home all day, we planned to take a holiday at some point in the future.

we drove an hour away to a rescue and brought home 2 x 7 month old kittens. They have been worshipped, adored, pampered and live their best lives with a team of 4 butlers for over 8 years now.

They have private health care (the vet), private door (cat flap), private health insurance (insurance and pet plan) and all the food, cuddles, toys, and enrichment a cat could need. They also hear “oooo that’s a big stretch” whenever we get the chance.

oh and I’ve WFH since 2019.

I too say "ooh that's a big stretch" at least once a day 😁

A lot of my friends have cats and I don't think any of them got them from a rescue centre. Some of them acquired them via the "a friend of a friend's cat has had kittens and would anyone like one?" route while others have bought them off the internet. These are all moggies, I don't know anyone who has a pedigree. There's been so many reports of rescue centres being run by cat hoarders that I think a lot of people have stopped bothering with them.

Totally agree. It's ridiculous. Took us nearly a year to adopt 2 cats. 2 home visits beforehand and 2 after!

And I gave up on adopting a dog. Informed Dogs Trust and, hey presto, a dog became available and we were 'a perfect fit'.

No home visit (it was a 3hr drive away), just video. Nearly 2 years on and we're sort of grateful the previous attempts didn't work out as the universe was obviously waiting for us to meet Max, our adorable Border Collie

But yes, adopting is far too challenging and I know a few families who've given up trying after months of ridiculous rejections for unbelievable reasons

Tried to get a companion for ours after our second cat sadly died. We were not allowed to help a rescue cat (as I explained above) although that would have been our preference. We ended up buying a purebred cat as a companion instead. She was lovely, loved her to bits, but a shame we could not have helped a cat in crisis.

Then like many others when our elderly cats died we went catless until a neighbour's cat had an unexpected litter. One of them is cuddled up beside me now. What on earth are the rescues for, I wonder.

I had been trying to do so for two and a half years. With love and kindness. You seem to indicate that his behaviour was all my fault, that I instigatged it? That I didn't 'attempt(ed) to address their issues and distress'. Do you have some information here on these particular cats that I don't?!

What I expressed here was the very very last straw. Everything had been done to look after this very clingy little boy (his sister was very chilled) and stop him from pissing all over my house, with the help of vets advice and that of cat's protection.

The way in which Cats Protection behaved was thankfully supportive. Having to part them them was really hard for myself and my 3 children.