Adopting a cat from Cats Protection is generally straightforward. It's important that you give some thought to the amount of time and space you can spare and that you have a good idea as to what sort of cat or kitten you are looking for. We try to be as helpful as we can and pride ourselves on matching the right cat to the right owner.
 











deciding what you want...
... the first step in the adoption process is to give some thought to the reasons why you want to adopt and what kind of cat will suit your needs. Do you live in a cat-friendly environment, away from busy roads and railway lines. Have you got a garden or do you live in a high-rise flat? If you have small children, then it usually best to avoid very young kittens as they can be scratchy, so maybe think about something a little older. Do you have any other pets in the house already and if so, do you know how they would react to a newcomer? Are you out at work all day - small kittens take some settling in and watching-over so if you value your soft furnishings, it would be wise to consider something a little older. It's important too that the whole family are happy with the idea of a new pet as it will affect everybody's lives.

give us a call...
... once you have decided to go ahead, please call us and our homing officer will be happy to discuss things with you. We are not a very big branch so we may not have just what you're looking for when you call but we will do our best to help you.

put the kettle on...
... home checking is standard procedure within CP and no cats or kittens will be homed until a successful home check has been carried out. You will be contacted by one of our members who will arrange a visit to discuss the adoption with you and make sure that the environment is suitable for any, or a particular cat. The purpose of the check is not only to ensure that the home on offer is a suitable one, but also to make sure potential owners fully understand the commitment they take on when they adopt a cat from us.

making your choice...
... assuming the home check is ok and if we have a cat that we think may suit, you will be invited to go and meet him or her at the foster home. Take your time with the cat - you will not be under any pressure to make an instant decision (although for most it does tend to be love at first sight!). Once you have decided, you will be asked to fill in and sign an adoption agreement and a date will be agreed for collection. A follow-up home visit is carried out a few weeks later, just to make sure you and the cat are happy and settling in together ok.

all packed and ready to go...
... unless you are advised otherwise, all our cats over 6 months will be neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. If you are adopting a kitten, you will be asked to agree to have the kitten neutered at 6 months old and will be required to send us back a neutering form, signed by your vet, once this is done. We are generally not fully aware of the history of our cats and sometimes they surprise us once homed. We try very carefully to match the right cat to the right owner, but if there are any problems afterwards we will do everything we can to solve the problem.