Cat adoption: when did it become so difficult?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really can’t relate to people saying a *shelter* is making them jump through hoops. I have adopted 4 cats from different area shelters (one just a few months ago) and the process consisted of filling out a one page form with my information and a few silly leading questions. Then poof, my application was “approved” and I walked out with a cat.

If you rent you had to show a lease proving you could have a pet, but I own so I didn’t need to show anything. Of course, they are looking for you to say “no” for the question about keeping your cat entirely indoors. If you choose to have that be the hill you die on (or don’t just say yes and then do whatever you want once the cat is in your possession) then you are not very smart.

Again, I have easily walked out of multiple area shelters with multiple cats with no issues whatsover. Every time this comes up, I can’t help but think it’s all a little hyperbolic.

You need to list the actual shelters that you are talking about for this to be the slightest bit useful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can absolutely adopt a singleton cat, just not a kitten. Kittens suffer if they aren't socialized properly and are usually very active and playful. Thus the shift to requiring they be adopted in pairs. If you're not willing to adopt a cat that's one year old+, that's your issue and an indication that you're only thinking of your own interests vs. a baby animal's well being.

That is a myth that cats need to live in pairs.

My experience is that if they are in pairs they tend to bond more with each other than the human. The only thing is you have to be up for some serious kitten rowdiness (which I would have no problem with).

This hasn't been our experience. Our two kittens were adopted together and never bonded together. Flash forward to a few years later where we adopted two sister kittens off the street and our one kitty has bonded with them!

Yep. You'd think I'd learn this ^ since I've had multiple cats for 30 years. You really can't predict which cats are going to be bonded partners and which aren't.

We got a 2nd cat to be a friend to 1st cat when 1st cat was 1-yr old and pestering the hell out of the dog to play cat games. 1st cat stopped torturing the dog, switched to provoking the new 2nd cat, and never bonded with 2nd cat.

2nd cat — alone, young, and without cat friends — bonded deeply with the …. dog. 2nd cat thinks he's a dog.

Two cats who were not from the same litter rarely bond. They will most likely hate each other. Cats are not pack animals, but often (but now always) they will be pals and playmates with littermates. It’s not a good idea to get a second cat ‘later’ as a companion to the first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can absolutely adopt a singleton cat, just not a kitten. Kittens suffer if they aren't socialized properly and are usually very active and playful. Thus the shift to requiring they be adopted in pairs. If you're not willing to adopt a cat that's one year old+, that's your issue and an indication that you're only thinking of your own interests vs. a baby animal's well being.

That is a myth that cats need to live in pairs.

My experience is that if they are in pairs they tend to bond more with each other than the human. The only thing is you have to be up for some serious kitten rowdiness (which I would have no problem with).

This hasn't been our experience. Our two kittens were adopted together and never bonded together. Flash forward to a few years later where we adopted two sister kittens off the street and our one kitty has bonded with them!

Yep. You'd think I'd learn this ^ since I've had multiple cats for 30 years. You really can't predict which cats are going to be bonded partners and which aren't.

We got a 2nd cat to be a friend to 1st cat when 1st cat was 1-yr old and pestering the hell out of the dog to play cat games. 1st cat stopped torturing the dog, switched to provoking the new 2nd cat, and never bonded with 2nd cat.

2nd cat — alone, young, and without cat friends — bonded deeply with the …. dog. 2nd cat thinks he's a dog.

Two cats who were not from the same litter rarely bond. They will most likely hate each other. Cats are not pack animals, but often (but not always) they will be pals and playmates with littermates. It’s not a good idea to get a second cat ‘later’ as a companion to the first.

[Anonymous]

I adopted through AARF. They’re a Baltimore area rescue group but they have events in Olney and Rockville. They pull from high kill shelters in WV and MD. I filled out an app saying what we were looking for- basically a young adult (1-2 years) that was friendly and good with kids. We had a one year old at the time and our vet refs were a few years old. We met our kitty at an event and took her home the same day.

I’d try them. They were excellent.

[Anonymous]

Adopeted recently from PetSmart “last chance rescue.” Both times walked in and left with a cat, one was 4m okd and the other 6. They were adopted 6 weeks apart (so, not paired).

I know spring is kitten season and in 2017 they were euthanizing about 20 kittens/day in shelter in WV. So, branch out your search or go to petsmart.

[Anonymous]

We just adopted through PetMac on Wisconsin. Easy -peasy. I was actually shocked that they did no background check recommendation- nothing. Just handed us a lovely cat after an application and a brief phone chat. Also were great at matching us with exactly the type of cat we were looking for. Lori is the contact person. Give them a try.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We just adopted through PetMac on Wisconsin. Easy -peasy. I was actually shocked that they did no background check recommendation- nothing. Just handed us a lovely cat after an application and a brief phone chat. Also were great at matching us with exactly the type of cat we were looking for. Lori is the contact person. Give them a try.

We recently adopted through the Derwood animal shelter (went home with a cat same day), but heard good things about Lori.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really can’t relate to people saying a *shelter* is making them jump through hoops. I have adopted 4 cats from different area shelters (one just a few months ago) and the process consisted of filling out a one page form with my information and a few silly leading questions. Then poof, my application was “approved” and I walked out with a cat.

If you rent you had to show a lease proving you could have a pet, but I own so I didn’t need to show anything. Of course, they are looking for you to say “no” for the question about keeping your cat entirely indoors. If you choose to have that be the hill you die on (or don’t just say yes and then do whatever you want once the cat is in your possession) then you are not very smart.

Again, I have easily walked out of multiple area shelters with multiple cats with no issues whatsover. Every time this comes up, I can’t help but think it’s all a little hyperbolic.

You need to list the actual shelters that you are talking about for this to be the slightest bit useful.

Animal Welfare League of Arlington
Animal Welfare League of Alexandria

[Anonymous]

The fact that charities/shelters, who good deeds, do not have faith that generally people are good and will be good-enough pet owner, it makes me a little sad. It makes me less inclined to support their efforts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can absolutely adopt a singleton cat, just not a kitten. Kittens suffer if they aren't socialized properly and are usually very active and playful. Thus the shift to requiring they be adopted in pairs. If you're not willing to adopt a cat that's one year old+, that's your issue and an indication that you're only thinking of your own interests vs. a baby animal's well being.

That is a myth that cats need to live in pairs.

My experience is that if they are in pairs they tend to bond more with each other than the human. The only thing is you have to be up for some serious kitten rowdiness (which I would have no problem with).

This hasn't been our experience. Our two kittens were adopted together and never bonded together. Flash forward to a few years later where we adopted two sister kittens off the street and our one kitty has bonded with them!

Yep. You'd think I'd learn this ^ since I've had multiple cats for 30 years. You really can't predict which cats are going to be bonded partners and which aren't.

We got a 2nd cat to be a friend to 1st cat when 1st cat was 1-yr old and pestering the hell out of the dog to play cat games. 1st cat stopped torturing the dog, switched to provoking the new 2nd cat, and never bonded with 2nd cat.

2nd cat — alone, young, and without cat friends — bonded deeply with the …. dog. 2nd cat thinks he's a dog.

Two cats who were not from the same litter rarely bond. They will most likely hate each other. Cats are not pack animals, but often (but now always) they will be pals and playmates with littermates. It’s not a good idea to get a second cat ‘later’ as a companion to the first.

Not true in our case! We adopted two cats off the street and now they are very best buddies with my first cat (she is like their mother) We couldn't bring in the mother because she didn't like our dog but, we found her a good home. These three cats, ( two sisters) plus my original cat groom each other and sleep together right next to each other all the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Adopeted recently from PetSmart “last chance rescue.” Both times walked in and left with a cat, one was 4m okd and the other 6. They were adopted 6 weeks apart (so, not paired).

I know spring is kitten season and in 2017 they were euthanizing about 20 kittens/day in shelter in WV. So, branch out your search or go to petsmart.

Summer too

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The fact that charities/shelters, who good deeds, do not have faith that generally people are good and will be good-enough pet owner, it makes me a little sad. It makes me less inclined to support their efforts.

Shelters are very reasonable and will give a cat to pretty much anyone wiling to fill out the paperwork. The issue OP was hitting was with rescue orgs, which sometimes attract crazy cat ladies who “foster” 10 animals and don’t really want to give any of them up so they create unnecessary barriers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can absolutely adopt a singleton cat, just not a kitten. Kittens suffer if they aren't socialized properly and are usually very active and playful. Thus the shift to requiring they be adopted in pairs. If you're not willing to adopt a cat that's one year old+, that's your issue and an indication that you're only thinking of your own interests vs. a baby animal's well being.

That is a myth that cats need to live in pairs.

My experience is that if they are in pairs they tend to bond more with each other than the human. The only thing is you have to be up for some serious kitten rowdiness (which I would have no problem with).

This hasn't been our experience. Our two kittens were adopted together and never bonded together. Flash forward to a few years later where we adopted two sister kittens off the street and our one kitty has bonded with them!

Yep. You'd think I'd learn this ^ since I've had multiple cats for 30 years. You really can't predict which cats are going to be bonded partners and which aren't.

We got a 2nd cat to be a friend to 1st cat when 1st cat was 1-yr old and pestering the hell out of the dog to play cat games. 1st cat stopped torturing the dog, switched to provoking the new 2nd cat, and never bonded with 2nd cat.

2nd cat — alone, young, and without cat friends — bonded deeply with the …. dog. 2nd cat thinks he's a dog.

Two cats who were not from the same litter rarely bond. They will most likely hate each other. Cats are not pack animals, but often (but now always) they will be pals and playmates with littermates. It’s not a good idea to get a second cat ‘later’ as a companion to the first.

^ that is 100% false

if you've ever had more than one cat, you'd know how much they socialize - they play, they sleep together, they do all kinds of things. they are friends. and, no, not just if they came form the same litter!

[Anonymous]

I got a cat from Humane Rescue Alliance in DC. The steps were:

* see adorable cat on petfinder
* visit the cat at the foster home she was in
* go to the shelter and fill out a form--I had to promise to keep the cat indoors, take her to the vet within 2 weeks, and not declaw her, all of which was fine with me.
* give them $25 plus $5 for a cardboard carrier to take the cat home in (I hadn't expect things to go so fast so I didn't bring a carrier)
* go get the cat

It was definitely easier than my 2 previous adoptions from rescue groups and it would have been simpler still if we hadn't picked out a cat who was in a foster home (but she is so awesome! don't regret that part at all).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP from above: Also as a liscenced Breeder I can tell you a feral cat will ALWAYS be feral. Love won’t change that. Breeders put a lot of effort into kittens young lives so they will bond with people. It’s a developmental phase that is critical and has to be done in a timely way.

I've rescued several feral kittens. Some stayed pretty feral, others were great housecats. That's true of many cats, some are skittish and some are loves.

I'm another poster who has rescued a feral kitten that later became a sweet and affectionate house cat. Vet confirmed the cat was feral when I adopted him.