Rehoming Research Cats

[Dorothym]

I've been wanting a second cat for a while now and I think I found one that I like. She's a 4yr old that was recently released from a bio/medical laboratory. She was housed with another cat in the lab, so should be alright with my cat. Has anyone on here adopted a cat from this situation? Are there any common health or behavior problems that I should look out for?

Thanks for any help!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

You will want to introduce them properly, so here are a couple of excellent articles on how to go about this!

How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide
Introducing Cats To Cats

She will probably be very shy, at least at first, and will be more comfortable in a small room until she begins to adjust. As far as health and behavioral issues, those would vary wildly, depending on what sort of research she was being used for. Just...be very patient. And bless you for taking this girl on. She is due for a decent life in a loving home!

 

[duckpond]

I dont have any experience with this situation. I just wanted to say i am so glad you got her. Hopefully it was a good place she was at, and no traumatic research. I didn't know they even did this anymore. I am glad you are giving her a happy home with you and your other cat. Give her a big pet and snuggle from me and my 4

 

[ArtNJ]

I don't think anyone can tell you what medical issues the cat may face without knowing something about the research. If you know what sort of testing was done, what chemicals/procedures were applied and where, we might be able to do some research into the substances. Just in general, with animal research, she could very easily be at elevated risk of a variety of things, with cancer being a big one -- skin cancer if the tested products were applied topically, a wider range of cancers if ingested. Cat could also be at increased risk of kidney or liver problems, especially if the testing involved ingestion rather than topical exposures. In fact, if blood work hasn't been done, the cat could have issues now that wouldn't show up on a vet exam without bloodwork. Or there could be no real health risks at all if it was behavioral animal research. What was done to the cat is everything here. (I'm no expert on the subject, but as a product liability lawyer I've read a fair amount on animal product testing.)

I think you are making an unwarranted assumption that just because she shared a cage with one cat she'll be fine with your cat. It doesn't generally work that way with cats. A cat having a buddy doesn't mean they will get along with a new cat. Also, unlike shelter cats, a research cat isn't typically going to get play time or affection, so adjusting to humans could be slow, and behavioral problems could be an issue for a period of time. Still, shouldn't be too different from a cat at a poorly run shelter long term, and some people here do have experience with that they can share with you.

My take is that if your cat is quiet, gentle and patient it could work out. But if your cat is active and pushy about interacting, very likely to cause the research cat serious stress. And it could be reciprocal stress -- resident cats above 2 years old often have considerable stress with newcomers. Fighting is possible, but I'd say the bigger risk is extreme stress & difficulty adjusting (meaning hiding, not using the litter box, stuff like that.) A pet free home with a retired person or homemaker would be ideal for a cat like this, but of course, anyone that is committed is probably better than leaving her in the shelter. How is she doing in the shelter by the way?

I don't mean to sound preachy, but this cat is much more of a commitment than a pet adopter normally makes. You have to make sure you are ready and committed. And learn as much as you can about what was done to her. If you are ready, that is awesome. Serious props for being willing to take a risk and help.

 

[Dorothym]

I went to meet her today. She's actually not at all shy and came right up to me for pets and attention. She's being kept in a 6*6 kennel with a roommate. She does have toys and climbing tree, but doesn't get anywhere near as much attention as she wants. She was used as for breeding, so has had several litters of kittens. Given that the cats were bred for research, she's likely spent her whole life in the cage.

I'll get to take her home after she is spayed.

 

[ArtNJ]

Oh that is great news that she wasn't used for testing! Could still be a very hard road on the behavioral adjustment, don't be fooled by how she is in the shelter, but at least you don't have to alway be worrying about health nightmares.

Very important to use a proper process for introducing the cat to your home and to the resident cat. Is that something you need guidance on? Real briefly:

(1) you need to have a small room or crate for the cat to have as its home base. If you just let her out any old place, she'll be under a bed (or a worse hiding spot) for days. I like to use a bathroom because there are no bad spots to hide, and if there are litterbox accidents its no biggy. Maybe put a crate/cage in there with a blanket inside so she has a safe spot of the kind she is used to. If you would prefer a small (unoccupied) room to a bathroom (understandable!), that is fine too, just check for/block hiding spots and be aware that litterbox accidents are possible;

(2) after the adjustment to that room for a couple of days, follow the procedure for introducing cats to each other described in this link: How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide

 

[Dorothym]

I'm comfortable with cat to cat intros, I volunteer with a local cat rescue so I do have plenty of experience with that. However, most of our rescues are from the streets (although we did have a hoarder case in October), so a very different setting than a lab animal.

 

[CatsUnderfoot2]

I adopted my research cat when she was 3 1/2 years old; she is now 16. She has been incredibly healthy her entire life and has been a wonderful companion. She was in a colony of a dozen cats when I adopted her, so she has always been very social and good with other cats. She also was well socialized with people, and she loves everyone. She has always used the litter box every day for her entire life. The best advice I can give you is to remember that your cat will be experiencing a lot of things for the first time in your home, such as windows, mirrors, and carpeting. My cat was fascinated by her own reflection for years, and when I first brought her home, she would seek out hard surfaces to lie on instead of soft bedding. She was startled the first time she saw me wear shorts. She also did not like being picked up in the beginning, and for years she was very selective about who could pick her up (although anyone could pet her, and she would crawl into any lap.) She never had any interest in going outside. She learned how to play with toys by watching another cat.

She has lived with me in 5 different homes in 3 different states, and even flew across the country with me in a move. She has outlived 2 of my dogs, and has put up with over a dozen foster kittens over the years. She is a good sport with my 2 young cats that pick on her occasionally. I cannot say what your experience will be, but mine has been very positive. I would adopt another research cat without hesitation (if didn't already have 3 cats.). It just takes a little more patience and understanding in the beginning, otherwise, they are no different than any other cat.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I am so thrilled that this cat will finally have the life that all cats should have! Keep us posted on how things go with her!