CATS PROTECTION

When you first meet the cat of your choice, I would ask you to consider this, the cat has been taken from what its known, and no longer feels safe and secure, it could be upset by the nearness of other cats, so it isnt going to behave as it would once settled into your own home. Please, dont judge by what you see, yes by all means follow your instinct, but most importantly listen to our fosterers advice, they have handled hundreds of cats over the years, and know what they are talking about.  We cannot of course guarantee how a cat will settle, or whether or not it likes children or dogs, as we cannot allow them free roam in order to answer these questions. 

Remember, just because a cat doesnt come to you, dont rule it out ! A stressed cat can show signs of aggressoin, but this doesnt mean it will be aggressive once it knows you mean it no harm.

We cannot keep the majority of Cats in the 'Home Like' conditions, although many people believe we do, if we did that we would only be able to take in 3 or 4 at a time and spread them out among fosterers. It's not realistic when we have between 10 and 20 requests to bring cats into care daily. We have one main fosterer who takes adult cats, and they have 8 outdoor pens in their garden.

By this point you will have made your choice from the list of Cats available on the Cats for Adoption page, and are now wondering what to expect.

Well your next move is to fill in an application form, which is sent to me.  I read the form and if all is OK, I email you back with the phone number of the fosterer who has the Cat or kitten if its kitten season.( Easter to Halloween usually)

You then phone the fosterer, who will give you further details on the cat, and arrange a Home Visit for you. 

Very soon after this either the fosterer or a Home Visitor will come at an appointed time. This visit isnt to check if you have fitted carpets, its to meet the family and any other animals you may have, and to answer any more questions you may have etc. We find this is a really good idea, as picking a cat from a description on a website is great, but we need to be sure that its personality will fit into your lifestyle, and by doing this home visit we have found that very few cats are returned as not being suitable.

You will then be invited to meet your chosen cat, and indeed any others we feel may suit your needs.

You should then bring a suitable cat carrier with you, if the Home Visitor indicates that your chosen cat is available to go home with you. Although dont buy in any food or litter until your visitor tells you what the cat has been fed on, and what litter it is used to. Changing any of this at this time is a recipe for disaster.

Many people who havent had a cat before think that they can apply dog rules at this point. The rule I am referring to is the one where they say, and this is especially true of those who are picking a kitten, pick the one that comes to you.

Wrong....cats are not dogs, they are independent creatures and not like dogs at all.

Dont expect too much from the cat at this point, this is where the trust in Cats Protection becomes very important. Cats in cages or outdoor pens, can be very shy of new people, but that doesnt mean they will always be like that, unlike a dog you have to earn the love and respect from a cat, and at this point in this poor animals life, it doesnt know who to trust, its upset by the smells of other cats all around it, and in some cases, it cant understand where its owner has gone, and why its been imprisoned, so listen to the fosterer, they know the cat, and can tell you much of its personality and will have a very good idea of how it will settle into your household.

Once you have decided to give the cat of your choice a home, forms need to be completed.

You will be asked to complete an adoption form, this form also doubles as a free 6 weeks Insurance certificate. You may also be asked to sign a form for Royal Canin food, should the cat of your choice be fed on that, if this is the case, you will receive a voucher which will give you money off your next bag and a sample pack to take home.

If its a kitten you are adopting, we are currently paying for the Neutering of this kitten providing you use one of our nomitated Vets, as well as a free microchip implanted at the time of neutering. You will also receive a blank neutering certificate, this you must give to your Vet to fill in once you have had the kitten neutered, and return it to us. You need to have your kitten neutered between the age of 4 to 6 months at the latest.

You will aslo, if you are working, be asked to complete a Gift Aid form, this means that Cats Protection will benefit by 28p per £1 normally claimed by Inland Revenue on your donation.

Remember in the case of a kitten, you have agreed to neuter the kitten, and as such if this isnt done, legally we can demand the return of the kitten, under breach of contract.

Lastly you will receive your Vaccination Card and a voucher for the second vaccine to be administered, should the kitten not have had this one yet. This is a full Vaccination, not just for Flu and Enteritis, and its very important that you have the second vaccine done to ensure complete protection. Also please DONT mix vaccines, DONT just go to your local Vet for a second Vaccination, its important that the same one is used not to cause any ill effects to your kitten or Cat.

All forms completed, we will now expect a donation from you.

We do ask you to consider giving us a donation, and are always asked, "What kind of amount do you expect?", the answer is, we don't, but obviously a donation enables us to assist the next cat to come into our care, so we can tell you the average donation is in the region of £50 for your cat or kitten, but that doesnt mean we expect £100 should you take two, but if you take two, we would appreciate anything extra you may be willing to give.

Without the donation we cannot continue doing the work we do.

Check out the costs

Neutering - Males £40, Females £50 -£112

Testing - £38

Consultation Fees - £20 upwards

Vaccination Costs - £49 - £69

Microchip - £ 10 - £20

Food.......endless cost and the same with Litter

Many people think we dont pay Vet Fees, this isnt true, of course we do, Vets are in business and cannot give their services free.

Our relationship with you doesnt end there.  By this time you will have got to know the fosterer fairly well, and they would have told you, any problem, phone them.

We mean this, we will phone you after a few days to ensure all is going well, but we are always here for you should you have a problem.  If you dont want to contact the fosterer, you can always email me.

And if you cannot keep the cat for any reason, you can contact us and when we have a space we will take the cat back into our care.

I must emphasise, that you need to be patient, as spaces dont happen daily, and often when a space comes up due to a cat being rehomed, an emergency comes along and fills it.

So I hope I have helped you decide to adopt a cat from us, and that reading this has given you an insight on how we work.

Now if you havent looked at our cats please do so.....

Q. Are the Cats up for rehoming neutered?

A: Yes, all adult cats are neutered before they are allowed to be rehomed

Q. Are they all healthy?

A:They are as healthy as we can guarantee them to be. If we have any doubts at all we test out cats for FIV/FeLV, which is Feline Aids and Leukemia, we de-flea and treat for worms, plus we vaccinate. They are given a full hea;th check, and any illnesses treated to our Vets satisfaction before they are placed up for re-homing, and you as a prospective owner are told about it.

A: There are never any guarantees, but we do our very best to ensure that the cat you receive is in good health. We do this by keeping each cat a minimum of 14 days prior to rehoming to ensure that any virus that cat may be carrying will come forth during that incubation time. And as a act of good faith we provide 6 weeks free Insurance with PetPlan.

Q. I have a kitten already that I got elsewhere, will Cats Protection allow us to have one from them also?

A: Yes we will, but we will request you consider vaccinating the existing kitten.

Q. What should I buy in before getting my Cat/Kitten?

A: As all of our Fosterer's use covered in Litter Trays, it is safe to buy one of these. However, don't buy Cat Litter until you have asked the Fosterer what kind the Cat/Kitten is used to using. Changing litters suddenly can cause accidents on carpets.  Again, don't change the food the Cat/Kitten has been used to, so do not buy food until you know what food your chosen Cat/Kitten has been used to.  Sudden food changes can cause upset stomachs, and this can cause expensive Vet Bills.

Q. Will I need a Cat Carrier to take my Cat/Kitten home in?

A: Yes, we never allow a Cat to leave a foster home in any manner other than in a safe Cat Carrier. Again, speak to the fosterer regarding this, some have second hand Carriers, which they will sell to you for a very low fee. Remember you are going to need this for trips to the Vet, so a good strong Carrier is a must have. ( We often have carriers donated which we sell for low low prices to aid our fundraising, so email me for details)

Q. I have a Cat already do I need to tell the fosterer this?

A: Yes, its very important that you tell the fosterer details of all the animals in your home. They can then advise you of the Cats that are suitable, also advise you how best to introduce your new Cat/Kitten to the other animals.

Q. I live near a Main Road, is that a problem?

A: It can be, but if you tell the fosterer this, they may be able to offer advice on the keeping of a Cat/Kitten as a housecat, or how to cover over your garden,and tell you if your chosen Cat could adapt to that lifestyle.

Q. Can the family meet the Cat/Kitten before we take it home?

A: Yes, we actively encourage our potential owners to come along and meet the Cats before making a firm choice, and to bring the entire family along, that way, you can be sure that its the right Cat for you, and our fosterers are happy that the Cat will be welcomed by the entire family, not just one person.

Q. What if I cannot keep the Cat for any reason?

A: Cats Protection will endeavour to take the Cat back, as and when we have a space to do so. But, you will have to be patient, as we are a small branch and cannot create space until a cat is rehomed.

Q. You ask for a Donation, but how much do I have to pay?

A: We do not stipulate an amount, but we do ask you to consider the costs that the branch incur with each Cat we take into care, testing, worming, flea treatment, medication if needed, repeat Veterinary consultations, food, litter, and housing. A recent survey by our HQ showed the minimum cost to Cats Protection for each Cat in care is £180. However, in answer to the question, the average donation is £50

Q. Do you pay for the Cat/Kitten to be vaccinated?

A: We currently give our kittens a fullvaccine at 9 weeks which has to be followed with a second vaccination 3 weeks later. Should you have adopted the kitten, we will give you a voucher to have the vaccination done free of charge at an appointed Vet.

Q. Do you recommend placing a collar on our new Cat/Kitten?

A: Only snap fastening collars with easy release.

Q. Do you microchip?

 A: Yes we do, All adult cats are chipped before leaving the Branch and everyone who adopts a kitten will receive a microchip voucher to take to a nominated Vet to have a chip inserted free of charge when the kitten is being neutered.

Q. What if someone in the House turns out to have an allergy to Cats?

A:  Before adopting a Cat/Kitten, go along and meet the Cat at the fosterer's home, tell the fosterer your concerns, then see if anyone shows symptoms within a few hours. Having an allergy doesnt always mean you cant have a Cat.  A product called Petal Cleanse, has proved to be effective in over 80% of those tested with it.  Its simple to use, and totally unharmful in any way to the Cat. Please visit our Hints & Tips page for more details on this product.

Q: Do you pay for the neutering of the kitten when it is old enough? 

A: Currently we are giving neutering vouchers with all kittens adopted from us, however, they can only be redeemed at specified Vets, going elsewhere will result in you having to pay.

If you have any specific questions which are not covered here, please feel free to email me, I'm always happy to answer questions. 

NOTE:- We will not give details of availability by email.

If you want kittens or cats you should check the Cats for Adoption & Kittens for Adoption pages, then fill in an application form.

you must apply by application form, as we need to be sure you live in our catchment area.