Teenage rejects - cats being rehomed

[dinahsmum]

Whilst I've been looking for kittens and keeping an eye on the various websites which advertise cats and kittens I've noticed a terrible number of young cats (say 14 - 20 months) being rehomed for various reasons.
I've been quite suprised. Is this a bit like the puppy syndrome, where irresponsible owners no longer want the kit when its baby-cuteness has worn off? These will all be 'last-year's kittens' being thrown out.:(
So sad - cats just get more and more lovely as they age - bit like dogs really!
Any thoughts?

[Sweet]

:( :( :( :( words fail me x

[Luke]

Its allways miffed me because i much prefer my babies when they are out of the terrible tots stage and over a year...but it seems people tend to only relish the kitten/puppy part n not consider the next 'umpteen' years!

[Kazz]

Well I can't comment in general as I have not being loking about but I do know a friend of mine went to a cat rescue in her area (not far from me but none who are on here) and they said 4 pens had cats in that were brought in and the rescue actually told the reason was "they wanted kittens" all different homes - such a shame.

I don't understand it as I prefer cats to kittens, dogs to puppies,:D

[Elaine]

Thats such a shame, the poor babies. I love 'em all cat/kittens, dogs/puppies. I still look at my old boy, Winston and call him my kitten. Eva is almost 2 and still has kitten features. Dont understand people and their behaviours towards animals.

[Donna]

I cant understand some people. Pet owners should have to sign to say they will look after their pet for life.

I love the cuteness of kittens, but can see the changes in my two cats as they mature. They are still adorable and I love they way they are growing up so would never ever give them up.

[Mags]

That is so sad...these people don't know what they are missing out on.
Yes, a kitten is very cute when you first get it but something special happens as it gets older. There is a knowingness there in the way the cat looks at you, the way it rubs up against you, the way it jumps onto your lap and feels safe, the way it runs towards you if you have just come in....I could go on and on!

[dinahsmum]

That is so sad...these people don't know what they are missing out on.
Yes, a kitten is very cute when you first get it but something special happens as it gets older. There is a knowingness there in the way the cat looks at you, the way it rubs up against you, the way it jumps onto your lap and feels safe, the way it runs towards you if you have just come in....I could go on and on!
Exactly Mags - added to which kittens are little b*****s really. Very sweet ones, but they climb the curtains, climb your legs, scuttle about under your feet and trip you on the stairs etc etc.....older animals are just so much more civilised!

[CJK]

A few months ago I was tlaking online to a woman who ahd a 14 month old girl for sale. Her reason?
Her 2 year old wanted a kitten so they got her an 8 week old at christmas and COULDNt keep the 14 month old!

I didnt take the cat from her. merely said to her " why are you shoving one cat out to get a kitten for a 2 year old who would lvoe a cat no matter what it's age?"

As if a 2 year old is going to say she prefers a younger cat, they dont care at two. Irresponsible idiots if you ask me.
I wouldnt want kittens forever, you take a pet on for it's entire life, not just until the novelty wears off.

[bobbie3917]

thats just so sad
and the sad thing is they will be out again looking for kittens just to sell them again next year

i also like them more after they are grown up a little Minx is great but some times just to much she runs around like a headless chicken sometimes

[dinahsmum]

The other favourite reason/excuse seems to be 'house move'. About two and a half years ago there was a strong chance that OH would get a secondment to Canada for 3 years. Things progressed and progressed and only fell through at the last minute but one of the first things I had sorted was that we would fly Air Canada or KLM because they allow small pets in the cabin and I'd found the travelling cases we would use..........
and these people won't even take their cat a couple of streets :( or they got them as fluffy bundles without looking to the future.:(

maybe we should make pet ownership much more difficult....a privilege rather than a right?

[CathyW]

i like kittens but prefere my boys now they have grown up, they have different personalitys now, not just the cute factor. they are more loving now they are older:D

[CJK]

I def think we should make it harder to buy pets.

how many pet shops can you walk in and buy a pet no questions asked?
How many BYB sell pets no question asked?

Bring in pet liceneses. stop selling in pet shops. thatd b a start

[Booktigger]

I have to admit that I would never choose to have kittens - I much prefer older cats!! It is such a shame that there are so many younger cats in rescues though, I do wish it were harder for people to get pets. I don't think pet shops are supposed to sell cats and dogs without a licence, but they don't do any checks. And don't get me started on BYB's.

[Snoof]

It's sad. It always makes me think - you don't throw children out when they stop being kittens. Only two of the 6 cats I've had started out as kittens (well :roll: they all started out as kittens, but I only got two when they were kittens) and it's never made any difference to how much I loved them.

I feel kind of bad that we can't get older cats this time around, but with Ninja the way he is I think it's important that he be able to be the Big Bad Boss - which is certainly more likely with kittens.

I comfort myself by remembering that he was a year old when we got him, and that nobody wanted him. Poor things. It's disgraceful.

[Moli]

Typical of todays socitey, out with the old, in with the new...I must admit like my boys now they are that bit older...

[Rosie]

I think the one thing on either cat or dogs forums that people forget is that the majority of people out there don't share our passion. They just "acquire" animals as they do any other commodity and when they become a nuisance - out they go. It is a sad fact of life that children are abused on a horrendous scale but a child can't be got rid of (although I am sure some parents would if there were rescue homes for children!). We live in a sick disposable society.

[CathyW]

We live in a sick disposable society......... i was just about to say that. unfortunalty its not just animals they tend to throw away, its children as well. :( how many young girls use a child to get a council house and benifits.:?

[Booktigger]

SAdly, most of us on cat forums are too aware of the fact not everyone feels the same way, and there is normally at least one person doing independent rescue on each one, which has certainly enlightened me into what society is like. And actually there are a lot of children in foster care, so kids can be got rid of - but some people have them to get more money, so will keep them regardless, and they are the ones who don't get discipline and end up following their parents (when I worked for the DSS, we did have families of claimants, very sad).

[CJK]

my cousin had her first child two months after her 16th birthday! there was girl in news at 12 or 13 recently.
It crazy.
When my little family of cats are all moved on to rainbow bridge I WONT be getting a kitten ( i figure i could be 50 by then and would then outlive a kitten possibly) I will wait until the last one I have now passes over and then go to a rescue and adopt some oldies.

sure kitens look cute, but who wants a kitten forever? And what on earth makes people shove one kitten out to get another is beyond me entirely.

Must admit I havent seen a pet shop selling kittens or puppies in yeas and years.

All too easy to get these pets though. Look how many are in rescues unwanted now, how many are looking for new homes on free ads etc. It's so sad.
"got to get rid of it as pregnant" that's my pet hate one!!!!!!

seems a lot of people are using the excuse that they have allergies now, yeah really? so why are you getting rid of ONE cat and keeping the other younger ones? hmm!!

[Rosie]

Regarding pregnant women wanting to rehome I think this is down to the warnings issued by doctors and hospitals about cat poo and pregnant women. They are warned not to touch cat litter etc. Also when my daughter had her second child the cat had to be watched all the time as she wanted to sit on everything that smelled of the baby, any clean clothes towels and tried to get in the pram/cot etc with the baby. It became totally intollerable in the end as you had to makes sure the doors were closed all the time therefore the cat could not have the run of the house anymore. She eventually rehomed her to one of my friends.

[Julie84]

I think it's very sad. :(

I love kittens and I do often regret that perhaps I didn't appreciate my boys when they were little kittens because they so quickly grow into bis boys. But that doesn't mean I love them any less, I love the cats they have grown into and I probably didn't sit and appreciate the kitten stage because I was trying to stop them climbing the curtains and shredding toilet rolls! :lol:

Unfortunately, kittens and puppies are still be sold in lots of pet shops. When I went to Blackpool in October we passed a pet shop that had about 30 puppies in cages in the window (with people banging on the glass - grr!) all different coloured mongrels, cute admittedly, but very small (barely weaned), very scared and a bit sickly looking (they were being kept on sawdust!). They also had kittens apparently but I refused to go in the shop as I was so disgusted. I'm rather anti pet selling pet shops anyway.

Doctors do advise of a risk of toxoplasmosis from cat faeces but cat owners are already likely to be immune to the infection (and good hygiene practices should make the risk minimal anyway) and pregnant women are at far more risk from other things. Most doctors and midwives do seem to over emphasize the risk and can seem to encourage people to rehome animals - I know of quite a few women with small caged animals (like rats) who have been told the animals need to go and they pose no risk at all! :o

My cats are part of my family and when we decide to have children we will all have to adjust but the cats won't be leaving. If I already had a child, and then had another one, I would have to make time and love for both of them so I don't see why I won't have time or love for the cats when children come along (and the cats are here first! ;) )

[CJK]

all my midwife said when I was pregnant was if possible get hubby to change the cat litter, if not wear gloves,w ash hands and be carefull.
Never herad of midwives saying get rid of animals (not saying it doesnt happen but how ridiculous is that?)

like u say, if you follow basic hygeine rules there should be no problem. My cats used tog et in my baby's cot when he was little, so we simply put a cot net over it, kept clean laundry in the cupboards etc instead of leaving it laying around, and made a few tiny adaptations. No reason at all, in my opionion just an EXCUSE to rehome an animal cos of pregnancy.

[Julie84]

No reason at all, in my opionion just an EXCUSE to rehome an animal cos of pregnancy.

My sentiments exactly, especially as so many people are able to be responsible pet owners as well as loving parents. I'm sure sometimes there are valid reasons why new parents might need to rehome an animal (if the child was born with a severe allergy to pets or something maybe?) but I think the majority of cases new babies or pregnancy are just an excuse and it is so sad for the animals. :(

[CJK]

granted there are GENUINELY people who have allergies or kids turn out to have asthma etc, but other than that i think it's a bit of a lame excuse really.
Even when i had my stroke and my mum said "oh you'll ahve to get rid of all them bloody cats (we had 2 then) and rabbits (we had one)" I said now ay, i would keep them for as long as i possibly could.

The only time i will ever re-home a cat would be for severe health reasons, mine not thiers!

[Rosie]

No one said the midwives or anyone else said they had to get rid of their cats but some women get very protective when they are pregnant and fear any potential threat. I think we need to have a bit of leeway here and not condemn people out of hand.

[Julie84]

I don't think anyone else did mention it Rosie, just me - I heard from quite a few people who have their midwife/doctor/health visitor has suggested getting rid of their animals. My mum fell pregnant last year (but miscarried) and her midwife tried to convince my mum she shouldn't look after my rats while I went on holiday (I don't live with my mum, so it would have been her popping in once a day to check they had water, food and for a quick run about) which is nonsense!

I wasn't try to condemn anyone and I suggested that sometimes there are valid reasons but I don't think as a cat lover I could condone people 'getting rid' (which sadly also involves PTS for some animals) just because they get pregnant and have kids. I personally can't understand how you could share your life with an animal and then choose to get rid of it because of a potential risk (which is fairly small and can be minimised) or simply because you can't be bothered?

As CJ said, sometimes situations do dictate that an animal might need to be rehomed but I think this should be when it is in the best interests of the animal, such as severe health problems for the owner.

I expect it is me being narrow minded but I just can't understand.

[Rosie]

I have a dog and a cat who I love dearly and have had for many years and would personally not "get rid" of them in those circumstances but at the end of the day the welfare of my child(ren) would always come first and if I suspected that they could come to any kind of harm through my animals they would have to be rehomed (which I would make sure was done properly). If I had lost a baby and there was the slightest doubt that my cat/dog could in anyway have caused it (through parasites etc) then I most certainly would not take that chance again.

[Snoof]

When I was pregnant my (then) husband took care of the litter tray. Dishrag adopted my son during the first day (the day after he was born when I came out of hospital) and was hugely protective of him from the start, but he never ever went into the cot, just hid things under it (he would hunt for my mother-in-law's soft toys, rip them to bits and put them under the cot :lol: she had about 500 all in a heap in the spare room) and sat by it looking accusatory when the baby cried :roll:

My uncle did have to rehome his cat Rommel when my cousin was born as he was forever attacking her.

I think an animal should get a chance to adapt to the new situation, under close supervision, until the owner knows how they feel and whether they're ok with in. In some situations supervision may remain necessary and there the potential safety issues need to be thought about - but rehoming an animal without giving it a chance or the tools to show you that it can adapt to the new situation is irresponsible pet ownership, in my opinion.

Health issues like asthma/allergies/whatever may force your hand and that's fair enough - my son will always come before any of my pets. But I do think that very often, people are either looking for an excuse to rehome or giving up at the first sign of trouble.