Is all this really necessary?

[Sabrina (Auferstehen)]

I almost broke my foot last year trying to save my burmese from falling off something

So yes, we can't protect them all the time but we may all die trying!

Good luck getting the folks to sign the papers for the rescue.

[Bryony84]

I know, I saw that - poor thing. Cats are like children really, you can protect them as much as possible and accidents can still happen. Even with indoor cats there are things that could go wrong even if you are very careful. No-one and nothing can ever be 100% safe unfortunately.

[Sabrina (Auferstehen)]

Hope it all works out for you and you can adopt these two kitties.

Just a thought when it comes to having a fenced in yard - even then sometimes things go wrong.

http://www.catchat.org/discus/messages/18/73448.html?1205316161

[Bryony84]

Its my fault really, I feel sorry for them being locked up in a cage all day so I've been visiting a lot! I'll be upset if things don't work out, and sadly I'll probably never use another rescue like this one. I don't think I'd ever buy a cat from a breeder but this experience has really put me off big animal shelters.

[Dawn F]

well you can't really do more than that, shame they've let you get so attached

[Bryony84]

I've typed out a letter explaining the situation and attached a signiture declaration to it so hopefully this will be ok. Now I just have to hope that no-one in the block dislikes cats for any reason. I explained that they would be indoor cats but some people will just do things on the principle of not liking animals.

[Bryony84]

Sounds about right, the don't seem to listen to reason and they don't seem bothered that the animals are going to be stuck in horrible cages for longer than they need to be. I tried asking if they would order the homecheck while I was getting the signitures but they refused. So it'll be at least another week after I manage to get all the signitures to them!!! Meanwhile I have to keep shutting them back in their cage every time I go to see them, breaks my heart hearing them crying as I'm walking away.

[Mark]

They sound like doctors receptionists -  think they know it all and they know nothing 

[Bryony84]

I hope not but I really wouldn't be surprised. The girls who work in the cattery are absolutely lovely and I had a long conversation with one who couldn't understand the need to get neighbours permission either but the women who work behind reception just don't seem to care and don't really seem to see the cats as animals who have feelings!

[LesleyW]

They shouldn't do as you are obtaining everything they are asking for.

[Bryony84]

Yeh, they've been reserved ever since I first saw them last week. Worried that they might take it off after this weekend or something though.

[LesleyW]

Bryony have they marked the cats as "reserved" whilst all this is going on?

[Bryony84]

You're quite right there, if I hadn't seen those 2 when I did, I would probably just have gone to Lesley as she's so close! I feel very attached to them now so I am carrying on with this for their benefit as much as mine.

Ela, I can't see why the neighbours not liking cats should be a problem, the residences are seperate, each with our own front door going straight outside, surely its no different to people in houses living next to each other and one having cats.

And yes, its very annoying that the shelter would probably turn me away if I mentioned keeping them as indoor cats, its certainly safer for the cats that way!

[Mark]

The irony is Bryony doesn't even want the cats to go out but it's only because of their silly policy about not rehoming as indoor 

If it wasn't for the fact that she had already fallen in love with two cats already, I'm sure she would have gone elsewhere by now  and quite rightly 

[Ela]

My mum went to a rescue in Essex that insisted she keep the cat in for 8 weeks with all doors and windows closed the whole time

We actually suggest 8 weeks for adult cats in the hope that they will keep them in 4. If we said 4 people would possible only keep them in 2.

I understand the reason for this if the cats were to be indoor/outdoor as so many times we have had problems when someone gets a cat and one person in the building does not like or is scared of cats. Having said that someone who approved of the cat could move out next week and someone who does not care for them move in. In places like this we actually only home indoor cats.

[LesleyW]

This rescue does sound a little OTT.  If the cats are going to be indoor, you've got the landlords permission, what the hell has it got to do with the neighbours    I suppoise if you were to let the cats out, you would have to ask permission off everyone in the street just in case your cat decides to go in their garden    It's a shame you're not closer to me, I have a few here that would suit indoor homes 

It's alright Dawn, Bryony is near me, I can always come and get some for her.

[Dawn (DiddyDawn)]

This rescue does sound a little OTT.  If the cats are going to be indoor, you've got the landlords permission, what the hell has it got to do with the neighbours    I suppoise if you were to let the cats out, you would have to ask permission off everyone in the street just in case your cat decides to go in their garden    It's a shame you're not closer to me, I have a few here that would suit indoor homes 

[Bryony84]

I can see why people would avoid certain rescues of even all rescues because of this kind of thing.

I'll be knocking on doors tonight but I expect over 50% of them to be out as they usually are, I've never even seen some of the residents and theres a strong possibility that one of the small downstairs places at the back is empty at the moment as their parking space is next to mine and there hasn't been a car in it for the last 3 months or a light on in the flat.

[Mark]

My mum went to a rescue in Essex that insisted she keep the cat in for 8 weeks with all doors and windows closed the whole time - as my mum was on Tamoxifen which gave her sweats and it was summer, it was out of the question. She went to CP instead who advised 4 weeks and accepted that she was a responsible cat owner - she got her cat from CP 

[Corporal Smokey]

Would it be quicker to write a sort of consent form and then knock on doors to get them to pop a signature on rather than relying on peeps to remember to post a letter back to you?

[Dawn F]

I have a friend who went to a pet shop for the same reason I know that checks must take place but sometimes they are a bit scary

[Bryony84]

They don't seem to have a problem with the unsecure garden, its hard to secure any garden for cats unless you can completely catproof it, just getting everyones permission. I would rather keep them indoors as they are only 6 months old and have never been outdoors but I know some rescues won't rehome cats that aren't FIV+/deaf etc into indoor homes so I havn't mentioned it to them.

I am going to type out a letter with an attached 'please sign here and put back through my letterbox' explaining that I have to ask permission in order to be able to rehome them. If the buisnessman guy is away this week, I may try and leave out his house in my list as they don't know how many properties there are and we are very friendly with this guy, I can't imagine him having a problem with it as he is never there anyway.

[LesleyW]

I do feel for you Bryony, I know that this certain Rescue do seem to draw things out and ask for some long winded requirements, and then the next thing they are on the press moaning about how many animals they have there and not enough homes for them.

I hope you can get the signatures they need, I think Mark's idea is good as all your neighbours have to do then is sign the letter.  To be honest, how would the rescue know if the signature was that of your neighbour anyway.

[Mark]

I really think some rescues are their own worst enemies when it comes to rehoming. Obviously, rescues want to do the best for the cats but putting up too many barriers will just send people to breeders or petshops. I really can't understand that one about getting all the neighbours permission. I do homechecks for CP and it wouldn't even occur to me  - As you have made your mind up on the gingers, probably best to try to keep them happy. Maybe you could type a letter for each of the neighbours and get them to sign?


Maybe you should be upfront with them and say they will be indoor only. They can't object if the cats have never been outside before. They should be glad that they have rehomed two more.

[Angiew]

I must admit I'd have second thoughts to letting one of my fosters go somewhere that did not have a secure garden. What happens if a stray dog comes along and chases them?

[Bryony84]

I'm trying to adopt 2 little girls from the local rescue centre but every time I fulfil one of their requirements there seems to be another one! Its been a week since I first saw them, I brought my partner to see them last Saturday (I can understand why they need that), then my permission letter arrived from the landlord yesterday (again I can see why they might need this) but now they want written permission from the other 7 people in my building that its ok for me to have a cat. This was mentioned when I first went there but the woman seemed to reconsider as she said cats will go in whatever gardens they want and I can hardly ask everyone in a few hundred metres radius!

Apparently its because we all share a garden, but it isn't private, there are 2 open entrances to it and it is just a piece of turf behind the building. No-one ever uses it. I doubt anyone will mind my having cats, especially since they will most probably be indoor girls unless they object to this. But I have no idea how long it will take me to get a reply from each house, I know at least one of my neighbours goes away on buisness quite frequently. All this is meaning that I can't have my homecheck until they get this permission and the poor cats are stuck in the cage even longer. I go to see them most days and I hate closing the cage on them as they always cry when I leave!

And I bet after all of this they will fail me on the housecheck for some stupid reason and I will have totally wasted mine and the poor cats time!

*rant over* Its just so frustrating!