Homing Rules

[Liz]

Having a multi home and 3 dogs - no kids but they do get to practice on several of my friends kids though!

I have to say that most of our cats would still be in rescue i.e. the ferals but the dogs have been hit with claws extended on several occassions and we row the dog - even if its not their fault - the Collies want to round things up and the cats are inside so they think thatthey need herded the cats however have different idea's!

Our ferals adore the dogs and several sleep in the diogs crates with the dogs - doors are open and the dogs have their own beds also shared with the cats except jazz who isn't giving hers up for any of them!

We always give the cats their space where the dogs are concerned and havinng introduced 2 puppies in the last 18 months can see it from both sides as most of the Clan Cats came in to older dogs but our young ferals and baby archie who has braindamage think they are the bees knees and non of them had had contact with dogs let alone 2 Border collies although all had Jazz as a starting point but they I think in their own minds think she is a senior cat lady and should be treated accordingly lie Sweetie, Floddy and Cissy - with respect!


Have to say min min the ragdoll had no contact with dogs but is adored by Sky much to her shock - he was bought up with a Siamese of her colouring and Sky looks at her with adoring eyes!

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I think that if it is known that a certain cat doesnt get on with dogs or chilren its wrong to send then to such a home.

I am speaking not as a rescue person but as someone who has two birmans who are scared of dogs and were forced out of their house to live in a garage because of this.

It took months for them to stop howling due to being used to having very little time with a human cos the bredd loves human company so much.

So pleased to see that the rescuers on here have open minds 

[Millys Mum]

Homing strategy should be tailored to the cat so nothing should need to change, if blanket rules have been set then they are the types who wont adjust things regardless!
If a cat isnt happy living with others or dogs then i still think its better for them to stay in rescue longer and get a home they will be 100% happy in, not a compromise on that cats happiness 
Many cats in rescue would cause a problem in multi cat homes eg being too dominant and cause turmoil, il never believe in keeping multicat homes that arent happy together

[Desley (booktigger)]

We dont have any issues homing with children, as long as they bring the children with them so we can see how they interact, and how the parents teach them, although I have had some cats where it has been for the childs best interest that we didn't rehome, other cats and dogs really depends on the cat, I have had some that couldnt go with other cats purely to save a bloodbath, but others I have happily homed when they have already had cats. I have also sometimes let people do it on a trial basis just in case it wouldnt work out, and all have. My main issue is like everyone else's, the road.

[Canterbury_cats (Sharon)]

Yesterday i rehomed 2 cats (2yr old m and f )that were due to be PTS a few wks ago due to a bout of the sneezes) they went to home with a 6yr and a baby (12months).. I know some local branches wouldnt of rehomed to a couple with such a young baby.. but the home was wonderful and really lovely, responsible people. We sent them along to see them and they took to them instantly.. They were truned down by the RPSCA..!

 I also rehomed a 10 yr old ginger cat called Tilly a few wks back also due to be PTS. she was a lap cat and go rehomed to a senior couple who had a lovely home but where not far from a busy rd.. However, Tilly got a home, they were again turned down by RSPCA...?

So not sure if our rehoming is less strigent or we have different ways of looking at things.. Okay I would not of rehomed a kitten to that road, but a senior cat used to being indoors most of the time with an senior lady.. ? Well don't see why not?

I dont think i have changed rules.. as a branch we dont have to many fast rules on rehoming.. Other then kittens shouldnt go to a home with someone working all day.. I recently took a chance on 2 adult cats that have never been with dogs, they were rehomed with an lovely family with 2 senior dogs.. First few days it was abit hiss and spit but now they are all fine... Some times you have to take a chance..

I find it more difficult to convince people that generally dogs are not the issue in ahome with a dog and resident cat. Its sometimes the cats that are the issue! I still dislike rehoming kittens to people with an older senior resident cat.. and i still dislike splitting kittens, but i can understand that people may not be able to afford to take on 2 kittens whereas they would be okay with one..

Having said that,  am  still learning.... sometimes a cat surprises us and its character changes so much in a home.. Sometimes we make a judgement call about things.. and sometimes we just have to give it a try and wait and see..cats are very adapable creatures.. more then we imagine sometimes.

[madkittyrescue]

Our homing policies are so open that there would be no need to change.  Each cat and family adopting are taken on the basis of assessment prior to identifying a suitable match.  We are aware that there are a lot of anti indoor rescue's in the central belt, which considering 2 major cities and lots of big towns does pose problems for people looking for cats who would make perfectly acceptable adoptee's. 

Personally speaking the welfare and care of the cat and the ability of the family to provide it are more important to me and in many cases a change of environment does cats the world of good and they often turn around wonderfullly.  It is my job to ensure that they understand all the ins and outs of a indoor or outdoor cat and that if they choose an indoor lifestyle for their cat that they know how to keep them stimulated.   

I know where you are coming from Liz n that some can be very set in their ways! .... I deal with digruntled people every day!     I had my head chewed off and handed back to me on a plate just a few weeks ago simply for asking a couple of straight forward questions prior to saying that we didn't have anyone available.  After 20 mins of ranting from the caller... I later discovered I was at the end of a long list of rescue's she had called who had refused to rehome to her because she had a dog and a 4 year old!   After I got the chance to explain myself.... I did receive an apology and a application to adopt but I think at times as much as we perhaps stereotype callers... the behaviour of some also stereotype rescues.   

and then we wonder why they go to the freeads?!?   

[bonnielass]

I agree with Debs about re-homing, we had a large ginger tom in the rescue that was unpredictable (Nero from a previous thread ) one minute he would purr for britian ,next he would sink teeth in,we were told he hated other dogs but would tolerate a female cat,the couple that took on Nero were fully aware of his habits, they already had a male cat and two dogs but decided to give him a chance,hes now been there with them for a couple of months and is a different cat, the first 3 weeks he hissed at the cat and went for the dogs but now he sleeps with the dogs and is tolerant of the other cat and occasionally plays with him but only on his terms, we had Nero for months and he was deemed un-homable because of his temperament but given the chance hes fully repayed it now and is a fully fledged member of the family, so i say give them a chance if possible they do adjust to most circumstances and settle happily

[Angiew]

our homing policies are fairly relaxed anyway - I don't think we could relax them further. One of the only criteria we have is about main roads and we will always stick tothat (says she who has just been out and saw one of my homed foster cats dodging the traffic!)

[Debsymiller (Rufus' mum)]

We treat each case on it's on individual merit. We look at the needs of the individual cat and match the already homechecked home to the right cat. We do find some cats which aren't suitable for children/ don't like dogs/ other cats etc and find homes which are suitable for their needs but we also have a lot of cats which go to homes with all three and get on fine. It depends on the cat but I certainly don't have any overarching rules about the above things and I am suprised other rescues do. We judge each home on it's own merit. The main thing we look at after general environment is the road, if it's at all busy we will suggest an older cat which prefers not to go far. If there are children who are boisterous we suggest a cat that's used to a busy environment... there's a cat that's right for most people's circumstances, just a case of carefully matching them for success.

[Kay and Penny]

it sounds like a vicious circle to me - if cats are kept for ages in pens because they are deemed unable to mix with other cats, or dogs, or children, the chances of their behaviour improving is zilch

a lot of people with several cats will be able to squeeze in one more - and there are surely far more of those than households without a cat

[Dawn F]

many of us would be non-starters at my local rescue for already having cats, as far as I know that hasn't changed

[Liz]

I know currently with the Credit Crunch being with us that it taking longer to home cats wether pedigree/domestic or feral

Is anyone changing their strategy for homing - ie homing to homes with dogs, multi households, indoor only

It seems such a shame when there are good homes out there and they have one fault in the homing criteria

We have just helped home a Tonkinese to our neighbour 2 miles away - she has 2 already - this one had been looking for a home for nearly 6 months as he didn't like dogs - she has 1 - now the 3 Tonks can be found stalking the dog like its lunch

The rescue took us at our word and we said the home would be ideal - widow at home all day and the had already been trained by its current masters the 2 Tonks now 3

his lady would have failed to rehome a worthy baby but with a little help and support the Tonk is now in a wonderful home with the rabbits he wants and company and a very well trained pet in the dog!

Our Cats have 3 very well trained dogs despite the majority not being used to dogs - ferals and our araggie had not been usd to dogs now we have ferals and doggies as best friends - something about a nrevous black feral - Panther with his front claws impaled in Sunny's head so he can be washed clean is a joy to see!

Cats can and will adapt to most circumstance but just sometime need to be given the chance of a home rather than a pen with rigid criteria's applied