Cat help

[freenote]

Hi,

Mrs F and I are hoping to get our first cats. Can anyone give me pointers on where to get them. There seem to be a load of dodgy-sounding breeders online which I'd rather not give money to.

We were hoping for a pair of 6ish month old indoor kittens.

[digger the goat]

Rescue centre

[ehasler]

Some rescue centres (e.g., Battersea) won't let you rehome healthy cats if you don't have a garden, which is a bit short-sighted IMO. I then went to Celia Hammond Animal Trust (www.celiahammond.org), who were far more helpful and we ended up with 2 lovely cats.

[jmorgan]

Got our from the local cats protection league. Local vets will also have an idea of not a few in mind. We went along and asked them which two were most in need. Two adult cats that had been there for four months or so with no takers. They are doing fine and come chipped and sniped.

[freenote]

Yes, RSPCA and Battersea seem to want gardens. Even cats protection aren't keen if you haven't. We live in London and I'm sure we can give the cats a great home but can't afford a house with garden yet!!

[ehasler]

Celia Hammond were fine with me rehoming 2 kittens, and I'm in a 2nd floor flat with no access outside. The guy who did the home check just made sure that they wouldn't be at risk of falling out the windows.

[Jasandjules]

freenote said:

Yes, RSPCA and Battersea seem to want gardens. Even cats protection aren't keen if you haven't. We live in London and I'm sure we can give the cats a great home but can't afford a house with garden yet!!

If you can get to Croydon there is a lady who runs Stepping Stones rescue. Contact her.

[freenote]

Thanks guys. I have left my details with Celia Hammond and Stepping Stones but no response as yet.

If there are any other ideas please keep them coming.

[Munter]

freenote said:

Thanks guys. I have left my details with Celia Hammond and Stepping Stones but no response as yet.

If there are any other ideas please keep them coming.

You are about to have to choose a vet anyway, so wouldn't hurt to pop into the local ones and let them know you are looking, plus you get to check them out at the same time.

[freenote]

Munter said:

You are about to have to choose a vet anyway, so wouldn't hurt to pop into the local ones and let them know you are looking, plus you get to check them out at the same time.

Already done that. They said they would keep a look out for me.

[MBBlat]

Friends with unneutered cats may be another source - that's how I got my two.

It's worth asking friends/family/colleagues/acquaintances as anyone who's cat has had kittens is usually more than grateful to find them a suitable home.

[Tincan]

freenote said:

Hi,

Mrs F and I are hoping to get our first cats. Can anyone give me pointers on where to get them. There seem to be a load of dodgy-sounding breeders online which I'd rather not give money to.

We were hoping for a pair of 6ish month old indoor kittens.

Exciting times!
Have you thought what breed?
There are a number of things to consider for example does the breeder test for genetic problems
We have two Maine coons and a British shorthair, all of them wonderful in different ways but you do have to choose your breeder wisely
The GCCF is a type of regulator that give you good advice they have a website

[tim2100]

if you are near croydon area, there is Foal Farm who have lots of cats for re homing. They will listen to all possibilities, plus lots to look at.

They are not cheap though.

[freenote]

Well guys, we thank you for all your advice. Didn't really get too far with rescue homes and ended up finding a cat that needed rehoming on Gumtree. She had been bullied by the other cats in the household so was very nervous.

She's been with us a couple of days now and is starting to come out of her shell a little.

[Munter]

freenote said:

Well guys, we thank you for all your advice. Didn't really get too far with rescue homes and ended up finding a cat that needed rehoming on Gumtree. She had been bullied by the other cats in the household so was very nervous.

She's been with us a couple of days now and is starting to come out of her shell a little.

3 ... 2 ... 1 ... Aww, who's a cute liddle pussy cat.

[omgus]

freenote said:

Well guys, we thank you for all your advice. Didn't really get too far with rescue homes and ended up finding a cat that needed rehoming on Gumtree. She had been bullied by the other cats in the household so was very nervous.

She's been with us a couple of days now and is starting to come out of her shell a little.

[princeperch]

ehasler said:

Celia Hammond were fine with me rehoming 2 kittens, and I'm in a 2nd floor flat with no access outside. The guy who did the home check just made sure that they wouldn't be at risk of falling out the windows.

was it Neil the cat man that came round?!

we text and called him constantly for about 6 months until he got us a lovely little ginger cat who we named Alfred..

[Tincan]

freenote said:

Well guys, we thank you for all your advice. Didn't really get too far with rescue homes and ended up finding a cat that needed rehoming on Gumtree. She had been bullied by the other cats in the household so was very nervous.

She's been with us a couple of days now and is starting to come out of her shell a little.

Well done she beautiful

[BlackVanDyke]

Cats Protection would be DELIGHTED to have an indoor home for a couple of the not-that-unusual younger mogs who actually need to be indoor: I've got 1 with a dicky hip and another who had mild brain damage as a kitten, neither would be safe out and about so they're a perfect fit for my place which is a handful of metres from a very very busy main road and not a safe place for any outdoors-going cat to live.

Bit of an offputting thought to take on a slightly wonky kitten but I don't feel like I missed out on any of the great stuff about cat ownership - they just triumphantly bring me plastic bags and milk-bottle pulls rather than bits of the local wildlife.

[omgus]

BlackVanDyke said:

Bit of an offputting thought to take on a slightly wonky kitten but I don't feel like I missed out on any of the great stuff about cat ownership - they just triumphantly bring me plastic bags and milk-bottle pulls rather than bits of the local wildlife.

After last nights massacre of the rodents from my two i would settle for that. Six mice, all dead and delivered within 25 minutes.

And this was done about an hour after i attempted to get to bed.