Homecheck guidelines - what to expect?

[Whiley]

As i was so let down when we were told Leon had already been homed elsewhere, we are now seeking a rescue kitten locally.

I was just wandering how my house would get on in a home check. And how bits i slip up on might be remedied?

I consider my home safe for a kitten, but having never had a kitten before i am unsure if my judgement in accurate.

I do have quite a few cables and wires tucked in corners in our front room, are kittens likely to try and play with them and tangle themselves up?

I generally have no trinkets on window sills and keep surfaces clear, apart from some in the living room with candles etc at waist hight so techincally out of reach of kittens.

All cupboards stay shut, all dangerous cleaning liquids etc are kept away. The rats live in their own area outside of the house in their extension, and the kitten would have no access to this strictly. Similarly, there is a run down shed type conservatory linking the house to the rat room, and it is a complete mess and junk yard, and is being junked and rebuilt in the next few months. Again, the cats would have no access to this either, i wouldn't say it was a risky environment, but its not nice, thats for sure.

Would things like the rats, the messy conservatory [despite the access being restricted for the kitten] and things i've mentioned pose a threat to my homecheck results?

[alexgirl73]

see, I would say it was a normal sounding home, but as I'm not a home visitor I wouldn't know what they are looking for. Hopefully Yola or someone else maybe able to give you better advice later. Good luck.

[angieh]

I'd really like to know what these homecheckers look for too - for future reference. It sounds about as complex as if you were looking to foster or adopt a child!

[Tinker]

I think it very much depends on the cat shelter in question.

My Mother in Law's hubby failed a home check from Bury Stray Cats because he was at work all day. I know of someone who failed a homecheck from CPL because she had no cat flap.

We passed an RSPCA homecheck despite working full time. The checker was a bit concerned that we don't have a cat flap, but until the kittens are spayed they won't go out, then to start with they will have supervised outdoor access while we have the conservatory door open.

We tidied all cables and covered as many of them as we could with something called "cable tidy kit" - a tough plastic cover. This is well worth doing as they do attack and play with anything and everything.

We also moved all house plants which we weren't sure if they were safe or not to a room where cats are not allowed.

The home checker came and met our existing cat, and coulnd't believe how fantastic she looks for 19 years old. She asked us questions about what vet we intended to use, insurance, who would take care of the cats when we are on holiday. Obviously since we have had cats for many years and Tinker's condition speaks for itself she didn't have any worries about or ability to care for cats. So we had a nice cup of coffee and a chat about Tinker, our previous cat, and the cats that the home checker owns.

[smudgley]

A homecheck should be an informal chat about cat care & your attidute to cats, not an exam or an assessment on your property.

Failing a homecheck is nonsense. Noone should fail a homecheck as such. Unless there are real issues about the health/welfare of the cat.

chill out you'll be fine. :)

What's the issue with a catflap? I don't get that at all?

[Tinker]

What's the issue with a catflap? I don't get that at all?

Nor do I perrsonally. Maybe they want to cat to be able to come and go as it pleases during the day?

I prefer not to have a cat flap as our old cat used to get stressed by other cats coming too near it. One took to attacking him when he went outside via the cat flap, but once that stopped he still felt like he needed to guard the cat flap. He was much more chilled when we moved to a house without one and now I am not sure if cat flaps are really a good thing for all cats.

[angieh]

Thanks Tinker and Smudgely - it's such a long time since I have had a kitten to think about I'd forgotten about cables and such like. "Cable tidy kit" sounds just the thing! Not that I am thinking of getting a new cat or kitten just yet.

[Whiley]

As a personal thing, knowing there are bully cats in the area, i prefer the idea of a house cat. I hugely intend walking the tinker most days, so i see no issue with that, especially if i can train him or her to stay within the boundaries of the garden.

I rang a private rehoming centre earlier and heard a voice message , they wanted to firstly know in a answerphone message your name, address, and stating that they are the house owner, don't live near a main road and do have a cat flap before they'll call you back!

Well i wanted to home from them, so i sent them a full application with my home conditions, hours we work to be the cat, my attitude to cat care, previous animals cared for, etc, in the hope they'd give me the time of day because i wasn't the home owner [we don't rent, Darren owns it, but its me doing the cat tracking-downing as it were!] and that we dont have a cat flap.

Well we'll see i guess.

[dandysmom]

I just don't understand the insistance on a cat flap! I live on a secondary road, it's a bus route and heavily trafficed, and am only 2 blocks from the woods and see foxes,possums and raccoons frequently; fortunately we got a leash law several years back so roaming dogs are no longer a problem. My cats have always been indoor only with walks on a harness; I would obviously fail a home test!!

[smudgley]

Whiley, what sort of cat are you looking for & are you anywhere near Axminster?

[Whiley]

Very close Smudgley! I'm in Exeter. We'd love a kitten or a cat under a year old. We don't mind gender, just want a scrummy temperment and i have to be honest, i'm slightly astetically selfish. But only slightly! I figure i've been rescueing and owning rats for a decade that i haven't picked myself, so i'd love to have a kitten that i actually 'want' if you know what i mean! Ah that sounds so shallow. :(

Do you know someone?

[smudgley]

Well I have some rescue cats here & some coming in to me this week who have always lived in a flat, so are used to being indoor cats. But they are 4 years & 2 years old.

However the only one that is as young as a year is this one....

She's 12 months old. Healthy, friendly, microchipped, wormed with panacur & treated for fleas with frontline.

I'm going to Axminster this week. If you are interested in her let me know. ;)

*SORRY ABOUT THE POOR QUALITY PHOTOS*


http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/smudgley/27e4298d.jpg



http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/smudgley/3ee792fc.jpg

[Whiley]

Smudgley she is amazing! The biggest thing for us is that she'd be okay with Shelby, and is uber friendly and cuddley and and playful, or has the potential to be!

Is she spayed? If not no worries we can do that :D

Whats her background? She is gooorgeous!

[Mags]

What an absolute sweetie ....... fingers crossed for this little girl! ;)

[Whiley]

Am getting really ridiculously excited now! :D :D

[dandysmom]

What a pretty little girl she is, and those green eyes!

[Whiley]

Mineminemine. No one else touch her :D :D

[smudgley]

Her background is this.... she tricked her way into rescue. :shock:

A lady has been feeding a colony of feral cats at a large supermarket carpark. Some are pregnant, some with kittens at foot. There's loads of them, she went one day & Molly came to her & was really hungry when she put the food down. Then the lady noticed a fat belly & thought she was pregnant. She didn't seem too timid, so she tried to grab her, she got her & ran to her car & popped her in the basket. She called me straight away & said she'd caught a pregnant one & that she can't be from the feral colony as she's too friendly & wouldn't stop purring. I told her that we don't have space for an adult cat unless she really is pregnant...... She came in, she didn't even look at all pregnant! :roll: I am fortunate enough to have an ultrasound scanner as I have to diagnose pregnancy in dogs as part of my job. I scanned her anyway, just for the hell of it, but she didn't look pregnant and the scan showed there was no pregnancy. :roll:
She went to the vets the next day for a health check & a FIV / FeLV test (negative) and the vets gave her a clean bill of health, they thought she could be spayed but with cats there is no way of knowing for sure without doing an operation. :? It was so close to Christmas we have just left it over the Christmas & New Year period. She's not been calling at all. So thta's her story so far. She's as good as gold, friendly as they come. clean as a whistle. Eats, drinks & entertains herself with her toys, she's no trouble.
She hasn't been put on our website yet as we haven't been homing over Christmas. I'm off to Axminster later on in the week, I'm even taking another cat with me as the people I'm visiting are having the pure white long haired one that's coming in this week from the flat!
She seems to be ok with other cats, although we don't mix them so I can't say for sure, but she was hooked up with a gang of cats & seemed ok. Introducing an adult cat is never easy & they wouldn't be best buddies straight away.

PS - Just a thought! - I'm off to Axminster again in about 4 weks time, so if you did decide you wanted to see how she settled in, you could see how it went for 4 weeks?

[Whiley]

Pretty pretty please come via Exeter :D :D

We would so so love her!! Shes perfect!

[Moli]

I do home checks for the CPL, and a cat flap has never been a concern..

[Moli]

Aww Smudgley, she is just gorgeous, how can someone not want her...

[smudgley]

I do home checks for the CPL, and a cat flap has never been a concern..

Same here, Cat flaps are a pain in the a**e if you ask me. :roll:

[smudgley]

Pretty pretty please come via Exeter :D :D

We would so so love her!! Shes perfect!

Well I have a 3 hour drive & may be leaving here at 5.30am :shock: as I may then be travelling back the same day, so I don't realy want to have to detour at all, but will happily bring her if you meet me at my friends house.

[Whiley]

I didn't mean strictly to please to come to Exeter - more of a can she come to Exeter :D Sorr yhte excitement boggled my brain a tad :D

[smudgley]

:lol: I will ahve one very excited cat when I tell her tomorrow that she may have a home. :lol:

[Whiley]

She is utterly beautiful. Such a blessing, i know we'll make each other so so happy!

Getting out all her things now! :D Lots of presents i got for Christmas on her behalf! Toys, beds, harnesses, books, even an 'i love my cat' photo frame! I loved her before i met her!

You've made my Christmas AND New year Kelly, thanks so much!

[Mags]

Whiley, I'm sure you will be well pleased with Smudgley's kitten ....... the members here who have already adopted from her will verify that! :D

[alexgirl73]

aww, ace!!!!!!! Flippin 'eck Kel, at this rate everyone on Catsey will have one of your rescue kitties lol.

[smudgley]

Whiley, I'm sure you will be well pleased with Smudgley's kitten ....... the members here who have already adopted from her will verify that! :D

Yes, they are all thoroughly pleased... Erin & Erins mate & Grete & Kittykat........ & in a roundabout way Alex had a cat off me once, but I got it off her origionally, well just the day before really, long story but it was basically because another catsey member was going to have her, then it all fell through. :-D

Edit to add, another member WILL have a cat or a kitten or 2 off me one day, when she's ready. ;)

[Mags]

How many Smudgley kits have we got on Catsey now?

[smudgley]

How many Smudgley kits have we got on Catsey now?

Erins 3 {all litter mates} (well 2 she had and her friend had the sister)
Gretes Fizz
kittykats Jack

anyone else :?

[alexgirl73]

Yes, they are all thoroughly pleased... Erin & Erins mate & Grete & Kittykat........ & in a roundabout way Alex had a cat off me once, but I got it off her origionally, well just the day before really, long story but it was basically because another catsey member was going to have her, then it all fell through. :-D

Edit to add, another member WILL have a cat or a kitten or 2 off me one day, when she's ready. ;)

I'll fight you fer her missus!:lol: :-D

[Mags]

Yes, they are all thoroughly pleased... Erin & Erins mate & Grete & Kittykat........ & in a roundabout way Alex had a cat off me once, but I got it off her origionally, well just the day before really, long story but it was basically because another catsey member was going to have her, then it all fell through. :-D

Edit to add, another member WILL have a cat or a kitten or 2 off me one day, when she's ready. ;)

:smt017 .....now I wonder who that could be?!! ;):lol:

[Whiley]

Ah how exciting!

Now you can add me to that list! We've decided to call her Artemis - definately needed a Goddess name! I can't get her off my mind, shes so perfect!

[Mags]

Ah how exciting!

Now you can add me to that list! We've decided to call her Artemis - definately needed a Goddess name! I can't get her off my mind, shes so perfect!

So will you be getting her this week Whiley?:D

Artemis is a lovely name for her!

[dandysmom]

What a lovely name! I think she's adorable and going to be a very spoiled puss!! :D

[Kazz]

Edit to add, another member WILL have a cat or a kitten or 2 off me one day, when she's ready. ;)

I'll fight you fer her missus!:lol: :-D



Now now ladies, I assume this is me I am not worthy of being fought over believe me:-D .

[angieh]

Why do I hear the name Artemis Pussums in my head?

[Whiley]

No Artemis isn't coming to us until next week, but so looking forward to it! :D

Artemis Pussums? Is that the name of a character or am i having a moment of the blonde variety?

[angieh]

Sorry Whiley - no it's not you having a blonde moment. It's just a name that came unbidden into my head when I read you were going to call your cat Artemis - if it is someone else's character, I don't know whose. Sorry if I have caused confusion.
:cry: :cry: :cry:

[Whiley]

Ah mate don't worry :D I thought i might have missed out on something thats all :D I ban frownie faces in my presence :P

[smudgley]

No Artemis isn't coming to us until next week, but so looking forward to it! :D

Artemis Pussums? Is that the name of a character or am i having a moment of the blonde variety?

It's THIS week I'm off to Axminster. :shock:

[alexgirl73]

lol, you ladies better get your timetable sorted out!!

[Mags]

Ooops....panic stations!! :shock:

[smudgley]

no panicking here.
Check out post 12 ;)

[kitty cat]

ive got one of smudgleys kittens here and he is an angel .well he is when hes not knocking down plant pots and climbing up the curtains .hope you have great fun with your cat she looks lovely. jack is black and white as well

[Whiley]

Ah in the excitement i got myself all befuddled :D

Yay i get my kitty this tomorrow, i'm so excited!

[truthisouthere]

Cat flaps are a neccessary evil or a mixed blessing, alot depends on how secure the cat feels. Mine have cat flaps, but if you had a partic nervous cat who wasn't used to the area or there were lots of 'bully cats' in the vicinity, well, how would you feel if a person came in to your house at night, helped himself to the contents of your fridge, used your loo, then went out the same unlocked door he came in..next night word gets round and he brings his friends!You'd be terrified! Had some foster kitts once, one of them disappeared in the cavity thru a tiny hole in the wall that formed part of the boiler casing! Fortunately he stuck his paw out which I managed to grab and pull thru. Worried the life outta me! I was more shaken than the cat, which didn't seem at all phased by the whole incident! So, yes, you've gota be really diligent with kittens. They have abs no fear or sense of danger.

[Rosie]

Cat flaps are a neccessary evil or a mixed blessing

Always been a blessing for me. My cats love it and so do I. It has to be said though that whilst I have always had a cat flap I have also always had dogs so the issue of unwanted guests doesn't arise unless they are suicidal!!

[Steph]

I`ve never had a home check in my life-our first was via a friend who knew a friend whose cat had kittens,Cleo did come from the CPL but I guess my attitude served me well enough-as for the others-they just turned up looking for a home-or in the case of Rags I found a very poorly girl and took her home.

I do agree with home checks in some ways though-it`s easy to offer a place on a whim-not so easy to think it`s years of love required,and then the pain when they move on