Question on Homechecks....

[blackcat]

Esther is just fine. She is finally coming out of her shell and spends time cuddled up to me on the sofa (instead of on the opposite sofa where she is warm and comfy but isolated). She waits at the top of the stairs cos she knows she is just at hand height when I am coming up them, and gets a special cuddle, just for her - she has a great purr!!!  She is also interacting with Shadow a lot more too, and tonight, when i accidentally locked myself outside and had to wait for the dogwalker to come around with the spare keys, she sat on the windowsill, inside, to keep me company for my wait (smidgen, on the other hand, gave me up as a bad joke and went off into the wilds of the back gardens for an hour or so). She is really a sweet, gentle, unassuming lady who is slowly getting the confidence to show she is interested in being loved too 

[deniseb90]

Ah Jo, you're homecheck was a doddle - I know a fellow animal lover in an instant!!  Aww how is the lovely Esther?  Heard from the lady who had two of Esther's kittens - Leo and Tiger Lilly - they're both doing great - they love the bath (for some weird reason!) and seem to nick the plug all the time (although not when there's water in it!)

Dx

[Mark]

I agree, it's nothing to wory about. What really worries me are rescues (and there is one in Essex) that don't do homechecks and ask that you bring a carrier with you to take away like a bag of potatoes 

I think for the most part, homechecks are like interviews where they say the decision is made in the 1st 10 seconds - all the rest is double checking. That's how I have found it when I have done them. What you have done to prepare for the cat arriving - just comments people make about cats. A lady recently said she wasn't going to get another as she had never been so upset when her last cat died  . She showed me where her cat went out in the morning and that she came in before dark and they watched TV together - just not saying "the cat" and saying a name speaks volumes. The lady was glassy eyed talking about her previous cat who was 16 - I didn't really need to say much more other than "sign here" 

[blackcat]

I was home-checked for Esther and it was no sweat (I think the brand new cat towers, food bowls, litter trays, litter supplies, flea treatments etc lying around the place possibly swung it for me, lol), but really they are just looking to ensure you can provide an animal with a safe, caring environment and that you understand the needs of the animal. When I obtained Shadow from the RSPCA they asked all the right questions but did not check. Again, I suspect because I was accompanied by two friends who were interjecting, contradicting and generally engaging in the conversation so it was clear that we were not spinning a line.

Some rescues have an agreement with others that they will accept a homecheck, especially if you are adopting out of area, but the situation is entirely dependent on the relationship between the rescues and their prior working relationship.

[claws n purrs]

I recently adopted two kittens and had a required homecheck first. I didn't mind as, if I ran a cat rescue, I would want to ensure that the cats and kittens in my care were going to good homes.

My last two rescue cats came from a shelter that didn't carry out home checks and I was really surprised at that. I asked if they did any checks after the cats were adopted but was told no. 

I can understand the need not to place too many restrictions on potential adopters but to not check where the cats or kittens will be living or with whom, doesn't seem right. 

Dee

[pandora]

ok point taken but be rest assured that my cats are: wormed, flea treated, triple vaccinated, dental checked and have free access to the house and or garden as they want.  As it is, they are in most of the time.  So i am definitely not negligent.  Plus all of them are on Petplan and chipped.  I think that says it.

[Ela]

So what does anyone think about asking a rescue to send a homecheck to another rescue because of the distance

We actually don't ask other rescues to home check for us as not everyones standards are the same. e.g. my neighbour had a home check for indoor cats by a big rescue who shall remain nameless, they were passed as suitable yet I would not home a dying flea there. Those poor cats are out almost 24/7, if there is a problem and one needs to see a vet there are no prizes for guessing who has to pay or who is asked to flea and worm the regularly. We also do not  accept previous home checks as circumstances can change.

[pandora]

Oh great-although I kind of feel guilty-but I was told today that if i get the info on the homecheck from that rescue, I could pop around and look for a cat to adopt...

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Yes its quite acceptable for a previuos home chack to be used by another rescue and as you have been checked already , its a waste of precious resources to do it again , really

[pandora]

So what does anyone think about asking a rescue to send a homecheck to another rescue because of the distance?

[pandora]

Well I should do ok then with the knowledge (vaccinations, flea treatment, worming, feeds and grooming I suppose- plus a bit on cat psychology) and the cat flap and garden.  By clean house I was trying to say that I try and clean it a lot because I believe a clean house is important too as cats keep themselves clean.  I have a leather sofa and there is a blanket on it- the cats sit with me and sleep sometimes there at night.  I have sheep skin rings on chairs, the cat sack role thing under the table, a cat bed by the radiator and blankets in different places which are changed and washed regularly.  Trying to keep it comfy for all.

[blackcat]

a person who has a good understanding of the role of a cat owner, a place that has safe access to a safe area, one that doesn't have too much in the way of heavy traffic, and one where the owner is unlikely to put their upholstery above the quality of life of the cat (in other words, housekeeping perfection is not necessarily a good thing  which is fortunate for me

[pandora]

This may be a really daft question but what is it that homechecks are looking for?

I am asking because I have three cats from the same cattery and would like to adopt a final fourth one in three weeks.  I was homechecked in February by that cattery after the adoption of my last cat and she said that everything seemed fine and that I obviously love my cats and I could get another one.  The vet said it would be nice for me to do it too.

However, I have heard horror stories from other, perfectly caring and decent people, with similar set ups as mine and they had a hard time with the types of questions they were being asked.  This has made me a bit nervous though because I thought I might look in a number of resues for this last one just to have a few more options (as it said on my other topic) but I am worried that another rescue will find something they might criticise, like my house not being a big mansion but a two bedroom house, my son, working as a teacher, etc.

I know it might seem paranoid but the whole thing can be quite daunting.  I do have a cat flap leading into an enclosed garden area-by enclosed I mean gardens bordering on to each other with no easy access to the road as there are no gaps between houses.  My road is not exactly busy here but there are cars going past, being insie a city and my cats wont be allowed there for anything in the world.

And finally, I have been told that if I send the homecheck details to another rescue, I might be considered ok to adopt from them but I feel weird asking another rescue to help adopt from another rescue if that makes sense.

I think I will have to stick with what is here...

Any homecheck comments?