who needs me most?

[Debsymiller (Rufus' mum)]

Also, did they give you any advice as to what type of cat they thought would suit you?

[Debsymiller (Rufus' mum)]

If you have been homechecked by one branch of CP, then your cat should come from them, rather than looking on CatChat for needy cats,

If you have a CP homecheck then you can rehome from any branch of CP. It is nice to try and home a cat form the branch who took the time to visit you though but if they don't have any cats suitable then they should be able to suggest the next place to find a suitable cat.

I think it's important to match the right cat to your home rather than just going for the one who's been in a pen longest. I know it's hard seeing them in long term care but homing a cat who will be happy with you and who you will bond with well is really important for both party's well being.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Have just found yet another cat who has been with a foster since either 2007 or 2008,,cant remember......but is still on their website and they are saying not avaialble as the fostere thinks she wants to keep.

I am pretty certain that one of the cats I wanted to adopt that I was told was not available cos the fosterer wanted to keep was rehomed but only a year ago but havent had time to search down his picture and compare to one on the news section on their site. The name is the same and not a very common name I think.

Actually will see I f I can find my pics of those two cats....................................found them and am sure its the same Simba that I was after in Dec 2005!

[Angiew]

Both are in need.  Adopting a cat that is being fostered frees up a space for another cat to be fostered in a home environment rather than be in a pen.  Rather than base a decision on whether a cat is in a pen or a home environment, I would choose the one that seems to fit your home circumstances best.

the voice of reason!

My foster cats are in the house but they do not get the amount of attention they deserve due to the other things I need to do and also of course, my cats come first. I am aware the foster cats do not get as much attention as they need but the physical needs are met.
In many ways, cats in pens in bigger rescues get seen by a lot more people. Branston and Pickle have been here with me since last July and not one person has enquired about them. I would love to let them go out but I don't let my foser cats go out as as young cats approaching thier first birthday, I think this is a great shame.

Again to agree, cats in home environments can also be more 'special needs' either health wize of behavioural wise.

Its a daft thing to base any decision on, at the end of the day you will be spending a lot of time together (with luck!).

My fosterers all know that if they want us to subsidize the cats they have, unless a golden oldie agreement is in place, the cats should be on the website and up for adoption.

[Bazsmum]

Well what a silly waste of time! I wonder if they are getting food etc for these kits paid by the CP etc? 

[Desley (booktigger)]

That is really bad practice, and not one we would dream of doing - if a fosterer wants to keep the cat, we dont put them up for rehoming.

[Janeyk]

Yes I will be taking Trigger to see cats and Desley afraid she is right about the foster situation in Swansea CP, because I tried to adopt two other cats from them after I had Misa and Sasa a while and both were being kept by thier fosters, despite being shown as up for rehoming!

That has happened to me a couple of time too Gill.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Yes I will be taking Trigger to see cats and Desley afraid she is right about the foster situation in Swansea CP, because I tried to adopt two other cats from them after I had Misa and Sasa a while and both were being kept by thier fosters, despite being shown as up for rehoming!

[Desley (booktigger)]

If you have been homechecked by one branch of CP, then your cat should come from them, rather than looking on CatChat for needy cats, so it depends on how they work, and what they have in. I disagree that ones that have been with a fosterer the longest is because they dont want to let go - Kizzy is my current longest stay, she has been up for rehoming since Nov, I have had one person interested in her, but she was in a dodgy area, so I said no, I would love her to be rehomed, but she needs a very special home. I know a local rescue who have a much better rehome rate than us as they have a shelter that is open 7 days a week, so people can just turn up, whereas we run by appointment system only, and people dont see all the cats in one go

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Both are in need.  Adopting a cat that is being fostered frees up a space for another cat to be fostered in a home environment rather than be in a pen.  Rather than base a decision on whether a cat is in a pen or a home environment, I would choose the one that seems to fit your home circumstances best.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

My opinion the same as before and its cats who have been in pens for a very long period.

I also understand with what Pav has said but I think it depends from rescue to rescue and the quality of the fosters.

All I know is that Sasa became to hard to home and ended up as a long stay in a pen and she hates any shut door and gets scared.

Suspect its best to ask about any cat you are interested in.

[Kay and Penny]

that does make sense - I will wait and see what Swansea CP steer me towards

though I was told the cat who has been longest with a fosterer is probably still there because the fosterer doesn't really want to part with her - which is what got me thinking in the first place

I think/hope Gill is going to come with me (or to be more accurate take me) to inspect any likely candidates so I shall have her experience to draw on too

[pappilon]

In my local rescue , usually the cats who have  behaviour problem or the one who cant coop with being  in a pen get to go to foster homes so the fosterer can spend more time with them if they have problems . They some times put the very old cats with fosterer too. So in my opinion they are as much in need of home as the one in rescue, also because they take the space in fostere which can be given to another needy cat or cat with problem. I also think the cats in rescue get more chance of being rehomed because people see them  , i dont know if it make sense!

[Bazsmum]

Id say you would have to make sure that the fosterer isnt using a pen in their garden also, otherwise defo the penned up situ! 

[bonnielass]

I would say cats in pens as foster cats have all the comforts of being in a home whereas rescues nice as they try to make it cant compare with  home comforts   

[Tiggy's Mum]

I would say a cat that's in a pen is more 'needy'.  I know many rescues go to great lengths to ensure the pens are as comfortable and homely as possible but nothing compares to snuggling up on yours or the fosterers bed at night.

[Kay and Penny]

I have just had a successful home visit from Cat Protection, and would like to repeat a question I asked a week or two back which got a bit lost in the rescue section:

Do peeps consider cats being kept in pens in  rescue centres more in need of a new home than cats with fosterers? I come across cats on CatChat who have been in foster care for well over a year, and wonder if in effect they do have a home in reality? whereas a cat who had been in a rescue centre for the same length of time would surely be more in need of a permanent home?