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RSPCA Stress - Adopting Kitten


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Old 12-06-2013, 14:50
Elissa Richards
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Putting aside the fantastic job they do in rescuing animals….are the inept at everything else?

Background: I adopted a cat from the RSPCA only a few months ago, prior to aggro we've been having recently with them.

I’m having a right palaver adopting a kitten at the moment, we reserved a kitten from an RSPCA fosterer (who's a work colleague) a couple of weeks ago, it turns out someone else within the RSPCA had other ideas for that kitten and we’re no longer getting him. It’s taken them two weeks to contact us from when they took our details from the fosterer, in all that time they’ve know they had other plans for the kitten. All I got was a text to say you can’t have it, and the RSPCA rep is too ill and unable to speak on the phone allegedly…..this is still two weeks after they took my number remember, does flu last two whole weeks?? .

Anyway, so after the disappointment of being pushed aside for a kitten we’d already had our heart set on (even so far as naming him), we’ve been told there’s another one available from another fosterer. So far so good you say….well this is where I’m getting annoyed and I’m not sure if I’m taking this to heart unnecessarily. We’re being asked to go through the whole ‘initial interview’ process again we went t hrough when we first adoped our 3 yr old a few months ago, and fill in forms, book time off work for a visit, even though the shelter visited us and interviewed us for a cat we adopted only a few months ago.

The RSPCA rep who keeps emailing me (as she still can’t speak on the phone it seems) is ignoring a lot of the things I’m saying to her and not explaining anything very well. I keep asking her do we really need a second visit bearing in mind we’ve just recently adopted from the same place and she keeps dodging the answer. We're already on the shelters records and she's taking to us as if we're brand new and barely know a cat from a dog.

Am I being taking for a ride here? I know there’s always hoops to jump through with adopting but I feel they’re being at best ignorant and inept, and at worst…deliberately overly bureaucratic for the sake of it??

It’s almost as though we’re being punished for daring to say we’re unhappy with how they handled the first kitten…the agent keeps ignoring my calls and only sending me half complete texts or emails when she can be seemingly can be bothered.

Are they always this infuriating with the admin and customer service side??? We’ve got plenty of friends with kittens but we wanted to give a home to a kitten in need, this whole palaver is putting me off the RSPCA.


Sorry it's a bit rambly but they've really p***ed me off and run me around the block emotionally. Speaking to my work colleague (the first kittens fosterer) she says they're terribly inept and useless at all the admin/ day to day stuff.
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Old 12-06-2013, 15:22
Elissa Richards
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There's more to story in the fact that when the RSPCA finally contacted us to tell us we couldn't have the 1st Kitten, they were saying the 'black kittens' you want are reserved etc .....I was down for a single ginger kitten. When I mentioned this to the rep (all via text as she won't accept calls) that we're being told no to kittens the foster isn't even looking after, she just repeated the same thing back to me!! After finally getting her to acknowledge it was only a single ginger kitten she came out with some long story about how it's all just a big confusing mistake but it wasn't their fault and it wasn't the fosterers....

I can't help but feel now we never got the 1st kitten because the agent wanted to save face, due to me pointing out the details didn't match up she was telling us with the reality of the situation, and this is now why she's being vague and awkward.
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Old 12-06-2013, 15:23
Rednell
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Heard too many bad things about the RSPCA to ever consider using them. They seem to think that they can stomp about in their shiny shoes and all bow to them, in my experience. When I lived south of the border, a neighbour had trouble with them trying to make out that they could get access to his farm and that he was mistreating his animals, which was rubbish. He gave them the nth degree, reminded them that they were powerless without the police, and to get off his land. Didn't hear anything from them again.

I'm sorry to hear you're having so much trouble with them, and I'm disgusted at the treatment you're receiving. I know you have your heart set on the kitten, but you might have to bite the bullet and walk away if it doesn't get resolved. Do you have a Cat's Protection or independent shelter in your area that you could adopt a kitten from?
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Old 12-06-2013, 15:39
molliepops
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TBH I am not surprised they don't rate highly in my experience and I have heard far too many stories like your own and worse too.
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Old 12-06-2013, 15:53
Elissa Richards
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Thanks, I'm relieved I'm not the only one to have issues with them...your words do perk me up a little.

One half of me wants to tell them to take a hike, yet the other half of me refuses to be deliberately beaten by beauracy and flaky staff. I feel awful there's this kitten needing a home yet I'm so disenamoured with the handling of everything. I couldn't live with myself walking away when it's just a dissatisfaction with the staff and it's ultimately a 'customer service' issue, yet I can't help but feel utterly hacked off at them.

I'm sure we'll get it sorted for the best
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Old 12-06-2013, 16:10
TWS
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I didn't even read the rest of your post I was too incredulous at you saying the RSPCA were good at rescuing animals they are the worst organisation for helping animals I have come across.
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Old 12-06-2013, 16:15
ic
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Theres far better cat rescue and adoption centres that truly care about the animals .All of my experiences with the RSPCA have been terrible .One of only 2 charities I REFUSE to donate to .
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Old 12-06-2013, 16:19
Elissa Richards
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I didn't even read the rest of your post I was too incredulous at you saying the RSPCA were good at rescuing animals they are the worst organisation for helping animals I have come across.
Ok....I said that to be polite, in all fairness If I'd just simply asked 'Are the RSPCA inept' I'd of got some response saying of course they aren't as they clearly rescue/rehome thousands of animals each year, and I would've been pulled up on that...it's how DS works.

I've had two very contrasting experiences with the RSPCA so it would be wrong for me to generalise and say everything they do is terrible. As if you found it 'incredulous'...you just found an angle to have a dig and waded in.

Thanks for being sympathetic to the subject in hand and not taking the time to read past the first sentence yet still having enough interest to make a post berating me. Kudos to you...
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Old 12-06-2013, 16:28
TWS
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Ok....I said that to be polite, in all fairness If I'd just simply asked 'Are the RSPCA inept' I'd of got some response saying of course they aren't as they clearly rescue/rehome thousands of animals each year, and I would've been pulled up on that...it's how DS works.

I've had two very contrasting experiences with the RSPCA so it would be wrong for me to generalise and say everything they do is terrible. As if you found it 'incredulous'...you just found and angle to have a go and waded in.

Thanks for being sympathetic to the subject in hand and not taking the time to read past the first sentence yet still having enough interest to make a post berating me. Kudos to you...
you're welcome any time

though I will say I did have one RSPCA centre (well its staff) go out of there way to hold a dog for our rescue rather than putting it straight in the pound on a pts
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Old 12-06-2013, 16:33
stud u like
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I wouldn't waste your time with the RSPCA.
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Old 12-06-2013, 17:32
NoseyLouie
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You should go to cats protection, up here it is certainly run very well by great volunteers and they are always desperate for homes for kittens although they do have a strict criteria that they won't rehome a kitten with a family with under 5 kids, which is a sensible blanket policy. And they do a smashing job with follow up vet appointments they will fund them if the cat developed any within a month of adoption, might have changed now my experience was a few years ago..I have been considering fostering for when my partner and I move in together for cats protection, such a dedicated group all the best x
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Old 12-06-2013, 17:40
TWS
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Cats protection vary from area to area our local ones are so strict I don't think they want homes for the cats or kittens in their care
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Old 12-06-2013, 18:41
Isambard Brunel
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I wouldn't give a penny to the RSPCA or go anywhere near them when it comes to 'adopting' a cat. I've heard too many stories to know how they're far too interested in operating as a business and politically motivated and staffed by idiots to want them to even know I exist!

I've even heard horrible stories about them stealing terminally ill cats from the owner's front garden and just putting them down before they were ready, despite the owner already regularly visiting a vet for treatment/management of the disease and the cat not yet being ready to be put down. Can you imagine how distressing that was for the family, to phone them and be told the pet they were nursing to their death was already dead without any goodbye, and before it needed to be put down?

In my opinion, too many people working under the banner of the RSPCA are little Hitlers on power trips, relishing their own command over life and death, and with no regard to the serious distress they cause to people who have known pets for 15 years or more.

When they rescue a small number of donkeys from a nasty owner, it makes the national news. But you never hear the other side of the story.

In my experience, the best 'organisations' to deal with are a couple of mad old women operating under some kind of 'trust' who just care about animal welfare and want to find practical homes for abandoned/damaged/old/sick/ animals. And they get virtually no donations because no one really hears about them. I suspect sympathetic vets keep them going.
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Old 12-06-2013, 21:01
alicehatter
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I've even heard horrible stories about them stealing terminally ill cats from the owner's front garden and just putting them down before they were ready, despite the owner already regularly visiting a vet for treatment/management of the disease and the cat not yet being ready to be put down. Can you imagine how distressing that was for the family, to phone them and be told the pet they were nursing to their death was already dead without any goodbye, and before it needed to be put down?
That's awful. I don't even have proper words for that. Just...... horrible.
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Old 12-06-2013, 22:45
NoseyLouie
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Cats protection vary from area to area our local ones are so strict I don't think they want homes for the cats or kittens in their care
Yeah its a rum do, they need a bit more policy centralization (not sure that's a word, but hey)then they might be able to move with the times too. First starting with relinquish cats to good homes, the one I dealt with rehomed cats and kittens straight from the folk who couldnt look after them, they only had cats with fiv and other medical needs in long term housing kennel set ups..

My last dealings with the sspca was an injured chick that had fallen from a tree (did not know the bird) 'oh just leave it the mother bird will come back, lol they expected me to believe it! My pal phoned a vet described the chick, the vet told her it was a baby pigeon, lol either leave it to the foxes the mother won't bother or feed it milk and crushed worms and bugs via pipette, she did and it grew bigger in two weeks then she released it after it got proper feathers..lol it probably got gobbled tbf

Another time was a swan cygnet I found wandering the bank next to my street, squeeking a lot, it looked lost, I was told to leave it the parents would return..wtf it was almost on the street, I left it a day, could hear the noise In the night, phoned them again, oh you need rspb, not us...towel, swan, put cygnet in park..done it was their baby I took a chance..arrghh! Luckily I am a stones throw from the big park here!
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Old 12-06-2013, 23:05
Rocket Queen
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I wouldn't waste your time with the RSPCA.
Have to agree, always used to support RSPCA, until a wee cat turned up here one day, she was soo friendly, I fed her, she was starving, but I had 2 cat shy dogs at the time, but she found a home in our shed, I phoned the RSPCA about her, they didnt want to know,I was like, wtf am I supposed to do with her? advertised her as a lost cat, took her to the vets to see if she had a microchip (nope)tried to get her a new home, then the tom cats arrived, so thought, bugger, will have to take her back vets,long story short, paid to have her spayed, so had to keep her in home, my 2 dogs ended up loving her, and 13 yrs later, still have her,she's a darling!
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Old 12-06-2013, 23:20
WinterLily
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I have only had one dealing with the RSPCA when I adopted my 10 week old puppy from them in 1993. Never had a problem at all....although the little pup was covered in fleas when I got him home.

He lived to a grand old age of 15 years and died peacefully in my arms in June 2008.

Miss him lots
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Old 12-06-2013, 23:38
Rocket Queen
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I have only had one dealing with the RSPCA when I adopted my 10 week old puppy from them in 1993. Never had a problem at all....although the little pup was covered in fleas when I got him home.

He lived to a grand old age of 15 years and died peacefully in my arms in June 2008.

Miss him lots
Aww, bet you do, it's soo upsetting when they die, I keep thinking why do I keep on doing it, but wouldnt be without a dog, back in the 90s, RSPCA were different, you could go and visit the dogs, cats etc, not soo apparently these days, you have to tell them your details, and they'll tell you what animal will suit you, so you cant look at the animals, cos they get stressed out, what aload of bollocks, sometimes, you think you know what you want, but some little bugger with big eyes will come up to you, and thats it, hearts sold
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Old 13-06-2013, 00:00
MarellaK
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Aww, bet you do, it's soo upsetting when they die, I keep thinking why do I keep on doing it, but wouldnt be without a dog, back in the 90s, RSPCA were different, you could go and visit the dogs, cats etc, not soo apparently these days, you have to tell them your details, and they'll tell you what animal will suit you, so you cant look at the animals, cos they get stressed out, what aload of bollocks, sometimes, you think you know what you want, but some little bugger with big eyes will come up to you, and thats it, hearts sold
The RSPCA centre near me lets us visit the cats in their cattery and choose which one we want to adopt. We obviously then have to pass the home test. The only thing that really put me off when I was adopting 2 years ago was their insistence that I take the selected cat immediately when I wanted to reserve her until after a planned holiday. I also found the staff quite cold and business-like (at the time I was grieving for my late cat so was very tearful).

In the end I got 2 cats from Cats Protection whose volunteers had better people skills, they seemed to care more about the cats too.

However, when my Lucy went missing last year, the RSPCA lady I spoke to was lovely and full of good advice. I suppose it just depends on who you encounter on any given occasion.
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Old 13-06-2013, 12:13
Lost_Soul
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try the cats protection league or any local cat shelters in your area...they'll all have kittens that need a good home...good luck! x
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Old 15-06-2013, 11:02
Shrike
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You should go to cats protection, up here it is certainly run very well by great volunteers and they are always desperate for homes for kittens although they do have a strict criteria that they won't rehome a kitten with a family with under 5 kids, which is a sensible blanket policy. And they do a smashing job with follow up vet appointments they will fund them if the cat developed any within a month of adoption, might have changed now my experience was a few years ago..I have been considering fostering for when my partner and I move in together for cats protection, such a dedicated group all the best x
I got my cat from CPL at New Year - they still give a months free insurance. They also give the cat their jabs, you can take the cat to their vet for the follow up jab for free too if its not finished the course. Their cats are also chipped and neutered - they wanted a £65 donation which if you work out the costs of the above means you actually get the kitty for free
I'd certainly recommend them for adopting a cat.
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Old 15-06-2013, 20:07
duffsdad
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The RSPCA are a business these days and seem to have little interest in rehomng and potential owners. My friend was trying to get an older dog from them and it seemed they were deliberately going out their way to make things difficult. Insisting they could only visit on the one day a week she actually works for instance!
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Old 15-06-2013, 20:33
avasgranny
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Not sure about cats/dogs but they sure as hell don't rate seabirds of any description. They would rather leave them to die of starvation than do something to help them.
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Old 15-06-2013, 22:29
MarellaK
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I got my cat from CPL at New Year - they still give a months free insurance. They also give the cat their jabs, you can take the cat to their vet for the follow up jab for free too if its not finished the course. Their cats are also chipped and neutered - they wanted a £65 donation which if you work out the costs of the above means you actually get the kitty for free
I'd certainly recommend them for adopting a cat.
The RSPCA do all that too. I think their donation fee is higher that CP's, at least in my area, but not by much.

I donate to Cats Protection and adopted my cats from them but small RSPCA branches do offer a very similar service. In fact, all the local rescues I spoke to offered the same - neutering, vaccinations (but just for flu and enteritis), a month's free insurance and microchipping.
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Old 16-06-2013, 09:18
bornfree
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Try Battersea. They are fantastic IMO
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