When I lost my cat in 1999 I went to the Blue Cross and they took all our details and told us to look round and see if there was a kitten/cat we liked. While we were looking a woman came rushing out, asked us to leave the premises and said
"we don't give animals to people like you". I was really distraught and asked her what on earth she meant and she ranted on about people who don't let their cats go outside.

At the time I had a five storey house (which my cats adored) but it was on a main road. Ww had been quite honest about the fact that we kept our cats in and our vet said it was definitely not a problem as long as they had lots of room to play and run around.

I have never, ever given the Blue Cross a penny since that day.

The irony was that they had just taken in hundreds of cats from a research facility and we had made it clear we would have taken one of those.

Completely agree, many of the rescue organisations have been far too restrictive in who they will home cats and dogs with. I believe some may have changed their rules recently for that very reason, they have far more animals needing homes than they have people who don't work for a living who can offer a loving home.

I can sort of understand them not placing dogs with people who work full-time, but cats? Also, pet ownership is very expensive and at least if people work then the centres will know they have more chance of being able to afford veterinary care etc.

Rescue centres do re-home cats to people who work. I work full time and was accepted by both the RSPCA and Cats Protection. I also spoke to some other local shelters and was also accepted as a suitable adopter.

They do not re-home kittens to full time workers and I can fully understand that (though I was cross about it when I was refused a kitten before I acquired my Tabitha). I had my Tabitha (from an ad) from when she was about 9 weeks old and I found looking after her very difficult with the hours I worked. Kittens can get up to all sorts of trouble when left alone and they also need feeding 4 times/day. There are lots of young adult cats that working people can adopt and most shelters have a selection of cats suitable for indoor only re-homing.

I really admire the work that rescues do. There are just so many cats in shelter at the moment but they are restrictive for good reasons. It's worse when they re-home cats and the cat gets returned a few weeks later. There was a thread here recently with exactly that scenario - the OP could not cope with the reality of having a cat. Having invested time, money and love in a cat the shelter has a responsibility to find it a 'suitable' home in its best interests and not just 'any old home'.

Yeah, cos the OP did an amazing job 'rehoming' her unneutered cat for 4 whole days with a friend who had an unneutered tom. Genius choice *high five to funkyclub*

I don't have to justify myself to you.

You don't know about the fact I have 4 cats. 2 I've had since 8 weeks old and are from the same litter, both approx 15 years old now. Both have only ever been to the vets twice in their entire lives due to illness. And BOTH are in excellent health with shiny clean fluffy coats, bright eyes and are still very playful and fit and are fed on good balanced food.

The 3rd is approx 11 and has never needed to go to a vet. She is in excellent health too.

The fourth is just over a year old. And yes, while I made a mistake taking her to a friends house, and I bought her back, [at least I can admit my mistake.] I'm only Human after all!

She is fit and healthy and is doing a good job with mothering her 3 healthy kittens.

I personally saved the life of 2 of those kittens. All 3 kittens are in fine health, strong, and now starting to explore their safe surroundings.

These kittens will be re-homed after I see what the homes are like, and only after I check out it out. I will also ask for money to be paid for them to donate to my local charitable vet. Anyone who is willing to pay will look after them as far as I'm concerned.

All this is hardly the act of an iresponsible cat owner now is it?

But then, I don't suppose we can all be as perfect as thee high and mighty self.

You never made mistakes in your life before now? If you say no, you're a liar!

So get off your high horse now please and be thankful knowing that all of my cats are, and have been well loved, cared for and looked after ALL their lives!!!

I agree with everything you said exsept the BIB.. having the money does not make you a loving owner , Lots of pedigree cats and dogs get dumped too.

I would rather a poor loving owner than someone who just thought they wanted a pet.

No, you don't so why did you? Touched a nerve maybe?...


erm, good for you? Not sure what you want for that, a medal?


at least something good hsd come of it all then


wow,you'll be curing cancer next...


The fact that you didn't neuter your cat, gave it away for four days to a friend that had an unneutered tom shows how irresponsible you are. And frankly, after your first efforts at rehoming, I don't hold much hope of you making much of your next attempt.


I have of course. But as far as pet ownership goes, I haven't. And that's what we're discussing here.


That's what you're SUPPOSED to do anyway. Do you want me to tell you how great you are?

It's all right being poor when the cat is healthy but if you can't afford vet bills (or possibly insurance) and aren't financially able to have the cat checked and vaccinated at least yearly plus the cost of flea and worming treatment, then you shouldn't choose to have a cat.

People who take on pets without the ability to pay for treatment when they are sick are, in my opinion, slightly selfish because they are putting their own personal gratification above the animals' potential needs.

Ah the old sarcastic response. Lowest form of wit and used by people who are not worth bothering with. :sleep:

I would still rather let it go to a poor person who loved it than someone with money who "just thought" they wanted a pet.

But when re-homing a cat, how would you know the adopter's caring character traits? Many 'poor' people on benefits are just as likely to want a cat because they 'just thought' they wanted a pet.

If I was re-homing a cat I would only let it go to someone who was willing and able to afford its care. Love isn't always enough.

what about the rest of my response? Or could you not reply to any of at because you haven't got a decent answer and decide to rely on 'lowest form of wit' response? :sleep: indeed. The only thing you and pet owners (I use the term loosely) like you are 'responsible' for are keeping the rehoming and rescue centres full to bursting.

amen to that. some sense at last.

Really?

Would you like to back up your claim that I am personally responsible for keeping rescue centres "full to bursting"? After all, that is what you're saying, isn't it...?

Not once have I been responsible for placing ANY animal inside a re-homing centre. EVER!

This is the 1st litter any of my cats have had in the 15+ years I have had cats.

Hardly keeping re-homing centres <cough>"full to the brim"<cough> now, is it?

My point was to the OP's point about only letting it go to someone who was willing to pay money for it, as that would mean they really wanted it.

Anyone who is willing to pay will look after them as far as I'm concerned.

When you take someones posts out of the context they were posted in it loses its meaning

I don't want to get involved in heated arguments but I don't see the point in constantly berating the OP for her lapse in enabling her cat to get pregnant. Many other posters here have had this happen and I know they have then had their cats neutered at the earliest opportunity.

Surely, now that it's happened it can't be undone so the OP is doing her best to deal with the consequences?

The time for remonstration has passed. I'm sure the OP will now do the responsible thing - she has learned her lesson I'm sure.

Okay, point taken. I still stand by what I said with regards to being able to afford to keep a pet. If you don't know the person then the fact they are willing to pay for the cat implies a certain commitment to paying for its future upkeep. It's an important criterion but obviously not the only one - having access to outdoors, not living on a busy road etc. are others.

The fact that you're responsible for another 3 unplanned cats in the world which you want to rehome may well now mean that 3 cats that are already in rescue homes could miss out on the homes that your kittens may fill. Therefore the rescue homes are still full. Or is that a bit too much for you to grasp?

Those facts don't necessarily correlate. Lots of people get cats from local ads rather than rescue centres because they may not meet rescue centres' criteria - there has even been discussion on this thread about the restrictions imposed by the centres. I got my first cat, Tabitha, as a kitten from an ad because I was refused by rescue centres as I was a full time worker. I have no objection to the rescues' restrictions but I would source other ways of acquiring a kitten if I really wanted one.

I also took on my second cat, Bernard, from a friend at a time when I had no prior intention of taking on a second cat so would never have approached a rescue centre.

Most of my friends and family have cats and nearly all have come from friends/neighbours whose cats had kittens - up to then they hadn't even thought about having a cat so wouldn't have considered rescue centres.

Do you know what? In all honesty, after considering your nasty sarcastic responses, I don't actually give a shit what you think.

I know my cats are looked after, very well and have been for 15+ years.

Seriously, your argument is flawed anyway, as pointed out by the previous poster to this. Who's to say the new owners would have even considered using a homing centre anyway? Most people get kittens from word of mouth from friends and neighbours.

I'll take this opportunity to un-subscribe from my own thread now, as I consider you to be rather rude.

Yes I wasn't disputing your point.

If I had to choose between a poor person who loved animals to someone with spare money who loved animals it would have to be the person with the money.

You clearly do give a sh1t, as you keep replying to me. And I bet you come back to this thread just to check if I've replied again

But you went to a rescue centre first....I think my point is made.


Good for you. A lot of my friends have got their cats from rescue centres though. And clearly, a lot of people DO get their cats from rescue centres otherwise they woudln't still be running!

I guess I'm just frustrated. If people took a bit of responsibility i.e getting their pets neutered in the first place, depressingly head-slapping threads like this would be a thing of the past. Cause/symptoms, stable door/horse bolted etc.

How is your point made? I was refused by the rescue centre but was still determined to get a kitten. If I took on one of the OP's kittens now (I still work full time) I wouldn't be depriving a rescue centre cat of a place

My 2 latest additions are rescue cats and I love them to bits but they were obviously the product of unwanted irresponsible pregnancies - they're not siblings. And a lot of people are not currently getting cats from rescue centres, my own cats were there for up to 7 months from when they were small kittens. Most of the cats that were there at the same time are still waiting

I understand your frustration. All my cats (even in my childhood) have always been neutered and I've never had a cat have kittens (and I grew up on an Irish farm ). It's hard to understand why owners aren't more responsible but I think the OP understands that now.....

As you say, the horse has already bolted but, hopefully, there will be no more kittens produced in that house.