Cat Adoption!!! What's the deal?

[sabian]

As some of you may know. I lost my cat Tama march 17th. He was full blooded Maine Coon I got from a breeder. I also lost another cat back around Nov. I think it was. She just disappeared one night. Tama was my baby I went looking for him. Blackie, the one that disappeared just showed up at my house during an ice storm. I hadn't had Tama long and really didn't want another cat. Tama was either 8 months or a year and 8 months. I'm not real sure on that. I was living in a house that I was renting and it had a cinder block foundation. For some reason like half a cinder block was missing and this was where Blackie was staying, under my house. Every time I would go out the door she would run out like, here I am, help me. She had a real bad limp and was about 8 to 10 weeks old. I knew she couldn't hunt since it was an ice storm so I finally let her in to get warm and eat. Tama didn't really have a problem with her. He liked everybody. I had her fixed and when I bought a house and moved I took her with us. She never was a loving cat. She was mean to Tama but he was so much bigger than her it wasn't an issue. She would come in the house to eat and run up to Tama and put her head down and he would lick her head. Then he would start giving her love bites and she would start hissing and swatting at him. She was just that way. If you didn't rub her a certain way she would freak out. You had to know her quirks. I always warned people that came over about her. But she would run up to them wanting to be rubbed. I would watch her and tell them, she's getting ready to bite the s@$t out of you! Tama would just put his paw out and strong arm her and move his head back to protect his face. He had so much fur that's all she would get when she clawed him. We just dealt with it. I looked for her for about a month and never had any luck. I missed her but wasn't really heart broken. I just made sure she had what she needed and let her do her thing. She was an outside cat. That's where she wanted to be. She always stayed at the house and never strayed or stayed gone. She was there in the morning and came in and ate and met me at my truck when I got home and came in and ate. Once she ate she just wanted to go back out. If I went outside she would hang out with me. She would have been good as an only cat probably. She was 14 or 15 yrs old when she disappeared.

So, now that I don't have her or Tama anymore I've been looking around at cats and making plans to catifie a spare room and adding a sunroom. No more outdoor cats! I plan to get another Maine Coon from a breeder and I would like to get a Maine Coon rescue or Maine Coon mix. Breeders are backed up because of the demand for Maines in my area and the few breeders close by. I'm being picky too. I'm looking for a silver, smoke and white so, it may take a while. Which brings me to the whole point of this post.

Rescue cats. I've found a few online and emailed for info and filled out some apps. I seen the post about 99% of rescue's in NC where I'm at are euthanized. The funny thing about it is. These people are unresponsive most of the time. I just want to go meet them, the cats that is. If they do respond they want you to fill out a 4 page form with 2 references, a vet reference and want to come see your house! I understand they want them to go to a good home but can't I come look and fill out the form then. Most of the places don't have an address posted. I'm looking in like a 100 to 150 mile radius. I can go to my local shelter but some are not at shelters they're in foster care or rescues. You look at the ad and it's flashing " Act Quickly, They have 24 to 48 hours to live " and they're non responsive and worrying about paper work! Seriously! I don't get it! Something just doesn't seem right.

I've never adopted before. I found my first cat on the side of the road in a line of traffic of 10 to 12 cars on a busy hwy. Bought Tama from a breeder and took one in during an ice storm. So, is this normal. What am I missing? What exactly do you have to do to save a cats life. Show up in a BMW! So if anyone has some advice it would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance! Sorry to make this so long....

 

[mollyblue]

Well, I am not sure where you live, but shelter may prefer you make an appointment, but I have never been turned away if I just walked in - and while they are not breed specific, you NEVER KNOW what you will find in your local shelter.  Rescue groups often have adoption days at the Pet Smart and Pet Co where I live, and Pet Smart and Pet Co also have a small area where they showcase animals available for adoption.  I would start with these place.  It is a face to face meeting with people who have what you want... a cat.  You will still have to do the paperwork but you will have eyes inside looking for the cat you want.  I also think you should consider "fostering".  I wanted to foster, but like you was turned off at the prospect of having my home "inspected" before being allowed to rescue a cat they are fixing to euthanize... ABSURD...

Just keep in mind that in rescue groups, it is highly likely that the majority of work goes into caring for the cats and not updating the website.  If a cat you see on the website is no longer available, I don't think its really an intentional bait and switch tactic to get you to take a different model... and wanting one particular cat might be causing the issue if that cat you want to come meet isn't available anymore.  

4 pages of paperwork isn't a lot if your heart is set on rescuing a cat.  A lot of the cats in shelter and rescues may have some special needs due to what they have been through, and many shelter cats, and dogs, contract diseases just from being in overcrowded shelters.  One rescue group I visited wouldn't even let me pet or play with the cats in their cages... which I was totally ticked off about, but after you calm down and think about the transmission of germs and disease among well meaning people and defenseless animals it starts to make sense. 

IT didn't make sense to me that I would have to have a spare room to devote solely to a cat I wanted to foster at first.. .Shoot, we had 3 cats, they just all hung together... we want the foster cat to be part of the family and come hang out with us on the sofa, or sleep in our beds.  Now with the experience of rescuing 4 cats behind me, they are not stuffed animals... they are individuals with personalities, hopes, fears, aggressions, germs... all manner of stuff what has to get sorted.  My first rescue I would have dreamed of secluding in a room.  Now after 4, I wouldn't dream of just pushing another new kid straight into the mix until 48 hours have passed to ensure good health, to get to know the cat, and for the cat to know me and to allow for structured introduction into the group. 

Again, I know it seems like a lot, but adopting an animal shouldn't be a spur of the moment thing.  People see a cute face and make a rash decision, and then a week late regret it. I hate to say it, but many people cant even be bothered with retuning an unwanted adoption to the shelter and the animal makes its way back to the street.  Rescuing it the first time was hard enough, doing a second just gets worse.  I have been in Shelter where people are returning animals they adopted the prior day, LESS THAN 48 HOURS after bringing them home because it "just isn't working out"... these animals have been through a lot... and yet people just looking for a pretty face cant even be bothered to give it two days for the animal to settle in.  Sorry... not trying to get preachy... just saying... the paperwork should be the least of it.  Not just for them, they are required by law, by grant requirements, by company policy, to get the paperwork; but also for you; caring for a pet is a commitment - there is paperwork to register them with the city or country where you live, paperwork to take them to a vet, a good breeder should require the same paperwork and be asking the same questions...

 

[Draco]

I wonder if it's a marketing ploy to say "this cat will be put down in 24 hours, act now!".. just to get people in to adopt? It doesn't make sense to turn away or not respond to potential applicants if the cat was REALLY going to be put down. It might be their way of lighting the fire to get adopters to come and apply fast.

"fill out app before seeing the cats" bit - I guess they want to see if you are "Worth the time".. How many people show up just to look with no plans to adopt and waste the foster's time? how many weirdos and creeps come in for a chance to take home a cat to do who knows what? So yea, I guess I understand in that aspect. It just makes more sense to fill out an app after you've met the cat you want for the adopter's side.

 

[Willowy]

Some of the flashing warning type sites are just clickbait to get advertising money. Unfortunately they've found out that people will click for animals! Unless it's the actual rescue's website, or a well-known site like Petfinder, I wouldn't trust it. Also, rescues don't usually kill healthy animals. So they can afford to be pickier about what homes they adopt their cats to, as well they should be, so the cats don't end up on the streets. Emails may be overlooked or go to the spam folder, so calling is always best if there's a phone number.

Kill shelters usually aren't very picky, although some will have you fill out an application before seeing the animals---the shelter here does that, because before they instituted that rule, people were just bringing their kids in to annoy the animals like it was a free petting zoo, with no intention of adopting. This is stressful for the animals and wastes the employees' time. They have to make sure you're serious. Just because you put in an application, that doesn't mean you are required to adopt from them. It’s just a way to weed out the petting zoo people.

I will say that a history of having cats "disappear" will raise a red flag to many rescues/shelters and especially breeders. But if you make it clear that all future cats will be kept indoors, they might not worry about it as much.

 

[kittylove14]

The general gist about the adoption red tape and pickiness is definitely appreciated and well heard over here.
that being said if the cats weren't in such need i would say go through other channels. admittedly it can be a mixed bag adopting depending on the background. that is one reason why we -yes we did-went through a pet store for our first kittens. we wanted to nurture them in their formative years.
in later years our other cats found us.
just keep your eyes peeled for one you want and go with your gut. either way a cat has a home and that is one less cat on the street.

 

[abyeb]

I have never been on an adoption site like that, and it does seem odd that they would not respond to an applicant if the cat were to be euthanized soon. Here's some other recommendations for where to look: first of all, actually go to your local shelter and see if your new best friend is waiting there, go to the Facebook page of your local TNR group and those of veterinary clinics in your area (they also post adoption announcements). The paperwork for adoption is not hard, I filled it out for adopting my Charlie and it took 15 minutes. They basically want to make sure that you don't live in an apartment that doesn't allow cats and that you have the basic knowledge needed to care for a cat, which, I'm sure you have. Best of luck and I hope to see pictures of your new furry family member!

 

[Willowy]

it can be a mixed bag adopting depending on the background. that is one reason why we -yes we did-went through a pet store for our first kittens. we wanted to nurture them in their formative years.

Things were different in the past, but now---unless the kittens are from a rescue agency---all purebred or purebred mix kittens at a pet store are from kitten mills. Nobody should support such cruelty. If someone wants a purebred kitten they should find a good breeder and buy from them directly.

Craigslist is another option. There are almost always kittens and cats being given away. Then you can deal with the previous owner directly instead of waiting until the cat ends up at a shelter. Be careful, though---kitten mills often use craigslist to advertise. It would be best to only get kittens from oops litters; any purebred breeder advertising on craigslist is automatically suspect. Good breeders don't need to advertise in those venues.