Who should I get?

[jenluckenbach]

I TOTALLY understand that you want what you want. But with that said, I (as a foster mom to rescue cats) would be leary to adopt to you. If only for the fact that I could never guarrentee how an animal will behave in another's home. I could only tell you how said cat behaves in MY home.

Which is a clue to where you should start looking. Contact a rescue group who's cats live in foster homes. These people should know their cats' pesonalities the best. A lot better than cats who live inside a cage all day.

The second best type of rescue is where the cats live free-roaming in a building/room. At least then you can go and sit with them and interact with them in their own environment. They will act more like themselves than if they were just released from a cage to meet with you.

I agree whole heartedly that shy cats are wonderful pets. The feeling of joy one gets as they blossom, is without description. I have several cats like that myself, but each and everyone of them will only develop to the best of their abilities and there are no guarrentees.

I wish you much luck and happiness in your search.

[Freedom]

I TOTALLY understand that you want what you want. But with that said, I (as a foster mom to rescue cats) would be leary to adopt to you. If only for the fact that I could never guarrentee how an animal will behave in another's home. I could only tell you how said cat behaves in MY home.

I agree. Plus, many of the cats I took in to foster needed time to adapt. Unless I'd had them a year (by which time I had adopted them myself), I really couldn't tell you what they will be like.

I agree whole heartedly that shy cats are wonderful pets. The feeling of joy one gets as they blossom, is without description. I have several cats like that myself, but each and everyone of them will only develop to the best of their abilities and there are no guarrentees.

I have 3 who still, after 3 years, are working on "blossoming."

[moosmom]

Jenlukenbach,

YOU hit the nail on the head. I agree that people want, what they want, WHEN they want it. That's the sad part these days. That's when pets wind up in shelters. Or dumped when the pet doesn't meet their expectations.

I adopted B@D @$$ Buddy to a guy named Hal, who wanted to mold him into his beloved RB kitty. Well, BAB wound up being swatted with a newspaper (he would cower whenever hal picked one up) and OVER squirted for doing what what comes naturally, wanting to be high up!!! BAB would knock stuff off the mantle, scratch in inappropriate places (he had NOT cat scratcher!!). After 6 months, I pulled Buddy. He's now at my house, happy as a clam!!!

I wish you luck, Tokolosh.

[tokolosh]

Jenlukenbach,

YOU hit the nail on the head. I agree that people want, what they want, WHEN they want it. That's the sad part these days. That's when pets wind up in shelters. Or dumped when the pet doesn't meet their expectations.

I should point out that I don't intend to mould anyone. If I thought I could do that you wouldn't be reading this thread. I'd just march in, grab whoever looked good to me for some shallow reason, and blame the cat for all incompatibilities once I had them at home. My point is more that I know well we're a specific kind of person and a specific kind of household, and I have some sense of where our show-stoppers are. I'm trying to be responsible about it. I'm worried about mistakenly picking a cat who wouldn't be 100% happy with us whatever we did, who could have been happier in a different home. And peeing . . . well, I can't see how it would help the cat either if the entire gang of us ended up living in a cardboard box on the street.

Which is a clue to where you should start looking. Contact a rescue group who's cats live in foster homes. These people should know their cats' pesonalities the best. A lot better than cats who live inside a cage all day.

Great advice, thanks. I've actually been in touch with a few but they don't seem to be feasible for our situation. They either insist on indoor-only - I get their point, it's just that I can't promise it - or they're winding down operations, or never return their phone messages. I've been going to the local SPCA and spending repeated time with a specific cat to give it time to make up its mind about me. I found one who was an utter charmer, but very shy after coming from a household where she was being bullied by the other cats. She'd sit in the back of her cage and chirrup at me for scritches, but at first she wouldn't approach to get them. The last time I saw her (Sunday) she was warming up. It took a while before someone came to unlock her cage, and she was leaning on the bars the whole time, begging for me to stroke her through them I would have taken her just based on that progress (permission being granted), only her profile has vanished online so I think someone else suddenly noticed what a honey she was and got her first.

[jenluckenbach]

They either insist on indoor-only -

It is true, many (if not most) rescues require this. (at least in the USA).

As for those that don't return phone calls, try using email. You might get better, faster response. At least this in my experience.

Take time to read the profiles of cats at shelters in your area posted on www.petfinder.com. Not all rescues take the time to really descibe each cat, but those that DO take the time make your search a bit easier.

[Freedom]

Seriously, if you can't keep a cat as indoor only, do everyone favor and get a stuffed animal.

I'm sorry but that is how I feel about it. The life span for an outdoor, or indoor / outdoor cat is just too short, and filled with pain. Cats have been domesticated and are not able to care for themselves outdoors.

[tokolosh]

Seriously, if you can't keep a cat as indoor only, do everyone favor and get a stuffed animal.

I understand people feel strongly about this. I'm not sure if you intended to be as rude as you sound or it was an accident though.

Here's the way I look at it. There are gazillions of cats (unofficial count) who don't have homes of their own, and there are not a gazillion people who want or can care for a cat. Nor will there ever be. Still less are there a gazillion homes that perfectly match every possible criterion for a 'perfect environment'. And there's a critical shortage of shelter space for all the overflow cats. There is no livable way for me to keep a cat indoors all the time if it's really determined to spend time outside, but what I can do is provide it with good food, shelter, clean water, affection, warmth, play time, scritching, protection from the elements plus many dangers and fears, socialization, gentleness and space of its own within its own home, comprehensive medical coverage and attention to any medical needs it might have through the course of its life. If you think that same cat would be better off and live longer taking up a shelter space that could be used by some other cat that's permanently - and without any choice in the matter - out on the street, that's your prerogative. But I guess I just don't grok that logic. Maybe every stray/feral cat where you live gets a shelter space, no matter what. And maybe every shelter cat where you live finds a home within a humane timeframe. That's not how it works here. Even in no-kill shelter they get depressed, they get sick and they die - sooner than they probably would if they were adopted out to even someone like myself who (horrors) leaves her windows open when it gets real hot.

I dunno. I let my cat Limpet go outside if she wanted to - and she did. On the other hand, I paid insurance premiums for her her entire life, and most people I know who have pets don't. But that directly influences the length and quality of a cat's life as well. I really can't see how I'm less worthy than someone who seals her home like a fortress but has to choose euthanasia at the local ER for no other reason than because they just can't afford whatever care the cat needs.

[cassiesmom]

The second best type of rescue is where the cats live free-roaming in a building/room. At least then you can go and sit with them and interact with them in their own environment. They will act more like themselves than if they were just released from a cage to meet with you.

I adopted my kitty from a no-cage shelter. Her personality (purr-sonality?) continued to develop for a long time after she came to live with me. Sometimes I think it's still a work in progress! She has never been a lap cat and it took me a long time to realize that I would never be able to make her into one. I'm sure any kitty you adopt will be a wonderful addition to your family.