Thank you for thinking about adopting a cat in our care.

After reading the homing procedure please email your full name, address (including postcode) and telephone number with a little information about past experience (or whether this is your first cat/kitten) and current situation so that a home visitor can contact you.

 

Although we appreciate every offer of a home, the needs of the cats and kittens we take into care will always come first. We are here for them, and will make every effort to find the right sort of home that provides them with a permanent, secure and happy future.  

Rehoming to Children

We do not feel that tiny kittens are suitable for very young children as most children do not know how to handle them gently and they are often treated as toys.  We therefore usually only rehome to families with older children who are able to understand that kittens are animals with claws and teeth and need to be respected.  They will become timid and fearful or defensive and aggressive if treated roughly or wrongly in the first few months of their life. 

The Home Visit

We carry out a pre-homing visit to look at :

• The traffic flow around the property as unfortunately this is still the main killer of cats. Roads considered dangerous are main roads, cut throughs and school runs.  
• Access to gardens and greenery
• Fixture of a catflap into the home - the only time we will rehome to situations without a catflap into the house is if we feel there is adequate alternative shelter outside (not beneath hedges, garden seats, parked cars or decking), someone is home during the day, or the cat is already used to this type of lifestyle and won't miss the comfort of a catflap into the house
• The settling-in room, a quiet room with no external doors (eg not a kitchen with a door leading directly to the outside - the chance of escape and the cat getting lost in the first few days is increased) in which the cat will start and where he will have his litter tray and food until he relaxes and trusts the new owners - this can take just a few hours, days or weeks depending on the cat or kitten.

After the Home Visit

Once the visit has been carried out and everything is okay you can then go and look at the cats and kittens.  Once chosen, a volunteer will deliver the cat(s) to you once you have bought food, litter etc and prepared the settling-in room.

A homing form is signed by the new owner which promises to oversee the cat's future care and, if not neutered, to neuter it at the agreed time which is around 5-6 months of age. Adult cats will already be neutered and ID chipped. 

A follow-up phone call and/or visit will be made a few days and/or weeks later to check on progress. 

Unfortunately there are some areas which we simply cannot re-home to due to a high population of stray cats, dogs or if we know of cruelty such as shooting or poisoning in the area.

Rehoming Feral Cats

If rehoming ferals, then the cats should be confined in a secure outbuilding without any gaps or holes for at least three weeks before release.  This means you must be able to enter and leave the building in which they are being kept without their escaping.  The cats should be able to see outside, either through a clear glass window or a meshed door (as long as there is enough depth for the cats to retreat and hide and so reduce the chances of their escaping when the door is opened).  The stable or building used for settling in should also be available to the cat(s) after release as they will return for food and shelter.  For this reason it would be helpful if there was a an opening/catflap. In time they may choose other sleeping quarters.  The feral and timid cats we rehome need at least one meal, if not two, a day and water should be accessible at all times. Straw/hay is suitable for bedding if in a draught-free environment, but cardboard boxes and bedding are also appreciated by cats in colder weather.  Feeding and caring for feral cats keeps them healthy, encourages them to stay closeby and does not interfere with their hunting instincts if using them for this reason.

Why we like to rehome kittens in pairs

Wherever possible we prefer to rehome kittens from the same litter as pairs as it is much kinder and less stressful when they move away from their mother and siblings and to a new home.  They keep each other company when their owners are at work or in bed and often remain friends for the rest of their lives.  If a mother cat is particularly close to her litter - and  this is usually the case with timid or feral cats - we like to rehome her with one of her kittens.  The mother cat will already be spayed and ID chipped when rehomed.  It is a good idea to keep both in with a litter tray until the kitten is old enough to also be neutered (this can be done from 4-5 months of age).

Rented Property

If living in rented property, a letter from the landlord giving permission to have a cat on the premises is necessary. The Landlord will be contacted for confirmation. This is because too often cat rescue groups are asked to take in or take back cats and kittens that have been discovered by landlords and the tenant has been given the ultimatum to either get rid of the cat or leave the premises immediately or within a few days.  As rescue organisations are always full there is very little chance that a space could be made immediately to take the cat back into care and this would put us under great pressure and the cat in a precarious situation.

Adoption Fee

Before rehoming, all adult cats are neutered, deflead/wormed and ID chipped and kittens are deflead/wormed and any illness or medical problems are treated.  We are unpaid volunteers and rely on our own fundraising and donations to cover costs, so although we do not request a set adoption fee we do appreciate a donation to help us cover the cost of neutering and ID chipping, and flea and worm treatment, something owners would need to do with any new cat taken into their home (for information, neutering costs an average of £45, ID chipping £15 and flea and worm treatment between £10 and £20).  The more we are able to cover these costs the more cats we are able to help. The donation should be given to the volunteer on delivery of the cat(s) or kitten(s).  We suggest a donation of £20 for a kitten, £40 for a neutered/ID chipped male and £50 for a neutered/ID chipped female.

You can read what accessories and other requirements might be needed before taking a new cat or kitten into your home by clicking here -  Happy Cat

Don't forget to email your full name, address and telephone number!