Why do beautiful cats end up in cat shelters or rescues? Exactly why so many cats end up in shelters or rescues – some even more than once is a complex issue. A fair proportion, but probably less than you think are strays or ferals. In American, once ferals enter the shelter system they are nearly always doomed because they are deemed not to be adoptable. Feral kittens sometimes do make it out as they can usually be socialised if caught early enough.
Thankfully organisations such as Alley Cat Allies in America and Celia Hammond Animal Trust in the UK work hard to educate the pulic and businesses on the needs and value of feral cats. But these organisations are in a minority. If homeowners don’t superise their cats properly they can find that there cats get into the shelter system thanks to over zealous animal control officers. In the UK with the RSPCA and SSPCA focusing more on cruelty cases, the future of stray cats is bleak.
- Mia – Available For Adoption
Next you have the unwanted litters. Too many people are still failing to get their pets neutered. Of course some know that they should but don’t. Others persuade themselves that neutering or spaying can wait. Too many cats and kittens are owner surrendered. Sometimes people take on too many pets. Others have a change in circumstance. It appears that cats end up in shelters or rescues because their owners are only ‘fair weather friends’. They give up their pets too easily, without thinking through the alternatives.
Sadly while many resues and shelters work hard to rehome as many animals as possible, it is likely that their process simply ‘recycles’ a fair proportion of cats within the shelter or rescue system. Such is the pressure of numbers in many cases just the absence of a crimminal record is sufficient to adopt a cat or kitten. The fact is that cats once adopted many not settle in their new homes. This is often because rescues and shelters are not geared up to assess the needs of individual cats or crutinise the homes they go to.
All too often homing is reduced to a beauty contest. Of course, it’s also possible to go too far the other way, and put up too many barriers to adoption. We are aware of one UK organisation who falls into this bracket.
Adopting (or buying) any cat is always a risk. But cat rescues who take the time to place cats in a home likely to suit them offer potential adopters the best chance of a problem free adoption. You can also be assured that if things don’t work out the cat can be returned and it won’t put the cat’s life at risk.
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