Kitten adoption & things I noticed

yeahimhere

I had a litter of kittens that I needed to re home and thought it would be really hard as I exhausted all options through people I knew and only homed one. However I put an ad online and the response was really surprising!

Why is this? Is the fact that they were home reared that people preferred this to feral cats / kittens? Or have people gotten really good at neutering cats so there is a lack of kittens around?

I also received a lovely email from a woman to keep an eye out for people who take kittens for baiting / snake food ( ). Luckily I was quite strict with who I let take them as they really were lovely little guys, but I was still nieve that this went on so glad to get her email. Is it a wide spread problem?

The last of my cats has been spayed now so I shouldn't have anymore kittens but just curious about the whole issue!

Zapperzy

I had two kittens for rehoming in sept/oct. Didn't put an ad online but put up posters in the local shops, asked around everyone I knew and put photos on facebook on both my page and the OH's page. Not one of the little contact number slips from the posters were taken, didn't have a single enquiry from my facebook page and every single person I asked said either they hated cats (the majority said this) or they already had cats/dogs and weren't in a position to take another.
I don't know whether I just had particularly bad luck or I'm surrounded by non-cat lovers but I was really taken aback by it. I didn't think I'd have any problem finding homes for such cute kittens, thought I'd have the pick of good homes!

Eventually we found good homes for both. One went to a housemate's girlfriend's friend by word of mouth and was renamed Toby The other was spotted on facebook by a girl the OH knew and was renamed Fred

I wonder is it that the online buying craze has spread to pets also? Is it that people want the convenience of looking up one online source, picking a kitten, sending a few emails and bobs your uncle?

rannerap

I've always wondered about that too. Every kitten being adopted is probably not going to a good home. I wasn't checked or vetted getting either of mine. (One from done deal. One from animal rescue) I just went online. Saw ones I liked and got them.so I think maybe it's the convenience of it? And that you can just look up endless ones and pick.my two have a great home luckily for them. But not every one is so lucky. I keep in contact with the lady from done deal and send her updates on the cat every few months

Pumpkinseeds

I put up posters everywhere about our little foster kitten. I had 4 enquiries about her, 2 wanted to put an 8 week old un-neutered female outdoors, so they were obviously not getting her. The other 1 was a time waster and 1 didn't know if they wanted a small dog or a kitten

Oh, I almost forgot about the woman who rang a few days before Christmas saying she'd collect her that day, it's like so many people see getting an animal as like buying a pint of milk. She's not going anywhere without a homecheck. I'd say she'll be with us for quite a while.

boomerang

Was this just recently? If so to be honest I think you just struck it lucky with the time of year. There are precious few kittens about for rehoming right now so your ad got more attention and responses than it would have in kitten season. (Most kittens are advertised for rehoming between April and October.) Go back to the online listings in a couple of months and your jaw will drop with pages and pages of ads about little kittens needing homes. It's actually really sad.

yeahimhere

Zapperzy wrote: »

..... every single person I asked said either they hated cats (the majority said this) or they already had cats/dogs and weren't in a position to take another.

I used to be a person like this! Was never a cat person growing up, always a dog lover, but changed my mind later on but it originated terribly. I came home to visit my parents to find three kittens in their house, puzzled by this, I heard the story.

An "acquaintance" of their's arrived one day with them, pretty much with an ultimatum....can you take them or they will be in the river. Of course my dad took them even though he "hated" cats but the alternative was unimaginable to him. Now they have four cats, all roaming outside (with sneaky visits inside for cuddles) and are FANTASTIC for the farm. Haven't seen a mouse or bite holes in animal feed since.

I wonder is it that the oline buying craze has spread to pets also? Is it that people want the convenience of looking up one online source, picking a kitten, sending a few emails and bobs your uncle?

I think you do reach a wider audience online. One of my kittens went to Louth, another to Armagh. And I got contacts from wider a field than that but I wasn't prepared to travel further. But it is the online age these days. I would first look online for something myself if I'm honest.

Sarannewrap wrote: »

I've always wondered about that too. Every kitten being adopted is probably not going to a good home. I wasn't checked or vetted getting either of mine. (One from done deal. One from animal rescue)

Personally, I found the contacts from Done Deal worse than the ones I got from adverts.ie. Just seemed a little off the cuff or not serious about owning an animal after I chatted to them.

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

.....Oh, I almost forgot about the woman who rang a few days before Christmas saying she'd collect her that day, it's like so many people see getting an animal as like buying a pint of milk. She's not going anywhere without a homecheck. I'd say she'll be with us for quite a while.

Yeah, I held off homing the kittens before Christmas for that very reason. They may have been a couple of weeks older and bigger but I didn't care. I did NOT want someone to take them as "present" for someone who never expressed a will to have one, or just have one as a whim. Worse case scenario I would have kept them. Slightly missing them now though as the last went this morning.

But about my other question; is it a big problem with people trying to get kittens for baiting?!? Or is it just a thing that happens but just 0.00001% of the time?

yeahimhere

boomerang wrote: »

Was this just recently? If so to be honest I think you just struck it lucky with the time of year. There are precious few kittens about for rehoming right now so your ad got more attention and responses than it would have in kitten season. (Most kittens are advertised for rehoming between April and October.) Go back to the online listings in a couple of months and your jaw will drop with pages and pages of ads about little kittens needing homes. It's actually really sad.

Yes the ad was recent. They were 11/12 weeks old though. I didn't want to let them go too early so about now was probably about right even though I was told "they'll get past their cute stage if you leave it too long"!! grrrr......

They had a great time with their siblings before this and thought it was important they play together and learn.

I think I won't be going back to look at the times you mentioned. It'll just make me sad

rannerap

yeahimhere wrote: »

Personally, I found the contacts from Done Deal worse than the ones I got from adverts.ie. Just seemed a little off the cuff or not serious about owning an animal after I chatted to them.

I know my case was the exception and not the rule.I think the lady could tell I was genuine. She wasn't just handing them out to anyone. My cats two brothers went to people she knew so she could get updates on them. And I keep her updated on mine so she can see how she's getting on. I drove from Dublin to mullingar to get her and gave the lady money towards her even though it wasn't asked for. But if I had a kitten to give away I definitely wouldn't put them on there!

Pumpkinseeds

Molly's been with us for about 6 weeks and as tempting as it is to keep her it wouldn't be fair on our own 4 cats, I'd also like to foster kittens, our own cats wouldn't tolerate another adult. From day 1 I felt very protective of her and it's a bit scary trusting someone to adopt her. It's just such a big responsibility finding her a safe and loving forever home and she's not going anywhere until we find the right one.