How to place a cat in a shelter forever or give it up for foster care for a while

There are very few people and organizations in the world that help abandoned animals find homes. It is also not easy to place kittens in good hands if the cat has had offspring, or you are leaving for another country and cannot take your pet with you. But there are no hopeless situations - there are ways that will help you quickly give your kitten a new home and a comfortable life.

Why is there such a need?

Approximately 46% of Russian families buy cats. These animals are unpretentious and feel great in an apartment, regardless of how busy the owners are. People most often buy a pet in the hope that it will be with them all their lives, but circumstances sometimes develop such that the animal has to be given away. The need for this arises for the following reasons:

• Allergies often cannot be cured, and this problem forces the owner to say goodbye to the kitten forever. This is difficult for an animal if it has already lived in the house for some time and is accustomed to the environment.

• Moving – often when changing their country of residence, people have to leave their pets in good hands. This is due to the reluctance to bother with quarantine and paperwork. Also, renting an apartment with a pet sometimes turns into a real adventure, and people prefer to give their pet to those who have all the conditions for keeping it.

• Death or illness of the owner - in this case, a new owner is sought for the kitten, otherwise the animal will end up on the street.
• The appearance of kittens in a cat - if the animal is not sterilized, it produces offspring that will have to be given away for free or tried to be sold.

Options for adopting domestic cats

If you have no choice but to get rid of your pet, consider several placement options that will help you find new loving homes for your cat.

About “release into the wild”

For some reason, many people think that a pet will be able to adapt to the street environment, they say, “it’s a cat, it will catch a mouse and find food.” This is not true: people weaned animals from getting their own food, provided them with comfort and, with the help of vaccinations, crippled their immunity. Even for a self-walking cat living in a private home, being thrown out is a huge stress, which leads to a surge in diseases, and the apartment pet is doomed to a slow and painful death.

Once outside, domestic cats die very quickly.

The Code of Administrative Offenses of Moscow provides for a fine for irresponsible owners of 1 to 2 thousand rubles. However, in the future it is planned to tighten this punishment, equating “abandonment” with cruelty to animals, which carries up to one year in prison. In the meantime, pets are not protected by law.

Sometimes owners of an unwanted animal choose an alternative option - to release the cat near a construction site, canteen, farm or other farm, hoping that the animal will find shelter and food there, and thereby calm their conscience. But, firstly, such an action is tantamount to throwing it out onto the street, and secondly, there are so many stray animals near such places that will quickly get rid of the domestic “sissy”.

We are looking for new owners

At first, you can try to place the cat with someone you know. Talk to your loved ones, colleagues and friends, maybe there is someone who wants to get a pet.

I have a foster cat - a black panther. There are calls - but then suddenly the furniture will be damaged!... otherwise the child will torture her.... Damn, buy a plush toy - it won’t tear up the furniture, it won’t torture the child. Why do they all need a living toy? They are also offended that we don’t give it back.

mjo63

https://dobrye-ruki.ru/forum/40–995–1

You can also use online advertising. Before writing the appeal, it is recommended to do simple steps with the cat:

1. Get the animal in order. Sterilization or castration (applies only to adult cats), rabies vaccinations, treatment for worms, bathing - these manipulations increase the chances of the animal being adopted.
2. Take 5-7 close-up, good quality photos. As a rule, it is best to photograph a cat against a plain, contrasting background; add a photo “from life” - where the kitty is playing, washing itself or sleeping.

   A beautiful close-up photo will increase the chances of people wanting to buy your pet.

3. Make a competent ad: indicate the character traits and uniqueness of the animal. Try to evoke a feeling of belonging and sympathy in the reader, introduce the cat to him. The dry text “I’ll give the cat into good hands” will be drowned in a hundred similar advertisements, while at the same time, “The green-eyed handsome Mirage is looking for a home” will advantageously show the pet, and at the same time demonstrate the owner as a caring person.

   Unusual photos or facts about your pet will attract attention to the ad

4. Each cat has a unique and individual character. When writing your ad, try not to distort the truth. Doesn't like children - "only for adults." If the animal has spent its entire life in an apartment, indicate this point. There may be difficulties adapting to other pets. If you want to comfortably arrange your cat’s future life, indicate all the features in the ad.
5. Under no circumstances write that you are giving away a “dowry” with your pet - beds, carriers, bowls and trays. There is a great chance of attracting the interest of scammers who, after purchasing, will simply get rid of the cat in the nearest forest belt. If you want to give something away along with the animal, give it as a gift to someone who needs a pet.
6. Write on social networks, ask for reposts. Tell us why you are giving away the cat. Submit an ad on free sites such as “Avito”, “Yula”, “From Hand to Hand”, etc. in thematic sections. Update the information from time to time when it comes to social networks - vary the texts of the announcements, personally contact your friends with a request to spread the information.

We give it to a shelter

Many people hope that the cat can be taken to a specialized shelter. There are three options - either they will refuse, or they will take it, but for payment, or they will agree to take the pet for free. The author of this article came across the third option once; the cat was purebred and had prospects for further adoption.

The number of animals in need of temporary homes is large, so shelters are usually overcrowded

As a rule, all shelters are private and overcrowded with abandoned animals; they are maintained with money from philanthropists and volunteers. In addition, it is mostly stray cats that end up in shelters that are in terrible condition. Most likely, placement of a prosperous pet purr will be refused. If the shelter turns out to be the only option to place a cat, get ready for long calls. Fortunately, there are people everywhere who care about the fate of abandoned animals, and in large cities there are now several shelters, so if you are rejected somewhere, do not despair.

If a cat from the shelter does not fit in at home, then he can be returned back to the shelter - they immediately say at the shelter that if something happens, call, come, return. Just be sure to castrate non-pedigreed animals; there is no need to breed the same unnecessary stray kittens and puppies. Castrated animals have a better character, they do not mark, they are less allergic, they do not have a number of diseases and tumors.

Guest

https://www.woman.ru/home/medley9/thread/4142248/

Websites of some Moscow shelters:

• "Murkosha";
• "Tender Beast";
• "Biryulyovo";
• Municipal shelter "Pechatniki";
• "Kozhukhovo";
• Charitable Foundation "Forest Shelter".

Features of the kitten device

A domestic cat can give birth to about 90 kittens in its life, although this figure is very average. The world record belongs to the outbred Dusty from Texas with an offspring of 420 babies.

Finding an owner is usually easier for a kitten than for an adult cat.

Of course, finding kind and responsible owners for so many kittens is unrealistic. The best solution is to neuter the domestic cat, unless the owner plans to become a breeder.

Announcements about the distribution of kittens attract the attention of scammers who are ready to take away the entire litter at once, and then, using the “cuteness”, they lure money from gullible citizens supposedly to feed the animals. As a rule, box cats are not interested in adult cats. Kittens are kept in terrible conditions and die within days or weeks, leaving short-lived owners looking for advertisements again.

If the kittens are purebred, then they are hunted by resellers who sell the animals on the streets, near the metro, and at “bird markets.” If the animals are not bought, they are either thrown out into the street or destroyed.

To prevent cubs from becoming victims of deceivers, you should know simple rules.

1. Never give away the entire litter at once.
2. Be wary if the person responding to the ad is not interested in the characteristics of the kitten, its nutrition, age and character. Fraudsters do not purchase animals for themselves, so they do not ask questions.
3. Do not agree when callers offer to adopt kittens for a certain amount - this is a scam!

Finding an owner for a baby is easier than for an adult animal, so don’t despair. If finances allow, promise to help with future sterilization or castration. And in order to avoid having to deal with such situations in the future, be sure to castrate or neuter your pets!

Optimal time to search for a home

An already grown-up pet will more easily tolerate changes in its usual lifestyle than a small kitten. Before looking for a new owner, it is important to teach your baby to feed himself, use a litter box, and treat people without fear.

Also, the animal must be in good health, it must be treated with special flea products and checked by a veterinarian. After 8-10 weeks, vaccination is mandatory. Now you can start looking for a new home for the kitten.

Vaccinations for a selected pet

Cats need vaccinations. It will provide protection against common diseases. The timing of drug administration and dosage must be determined by a veterinarian. Please note that vaccinations are given only to healthy cats that have been treated for worms. You need to go to a veterinary hospital after the end of quarantine. Pets are vaccinated against:

• calicivirus;
• rhinotracheitis;
• chlamydia;
• panleukopenia.

Nowadays complex preparations containing components for vaccination against all common diseases are used. 2 vaccinations are required with an interval of 4 weeks. Rabies vaccination is done annually. There are new drugs with a validity period of 3 years.

Prepare your ad wisely

If you craft your ad correctly, many more people will respond to it. Take several beautiful and high-quality photos in which the kitten will look cheerful, cute, and active. Add text to them - it should be exciting, creative, but truthful.

Tell us about the character of the animal, its external characteristics, try to find a lot of advantages. In the ad, be sure to indicate the breed, age, birthday, color (since not all users can download photos from the Internet). Be sure to indicate whether the kitten has a pedigree, whether it is vaccinated, whether it is trained to a tray or scratching post.

Proper feeding of your pet

Many cat owners prefer ready-made food. These products provide balanced, high-quality nutrition. But if it is not budget category food that contains harmful substances that lead to liver and kidney diseases. It is important to choose products that are appropriate for the age of the animal. For owners who do not have the opportunity to regularly purchase ready-made “extra” class food, it is better to feed the kitten with natural products, ensuring an optimal supply of all necessary microelements.

It is understandable to want from the heart to feed a hungry homeless animal. But you need to understand that street life does not contribute to the proper digestion process. Most likely, the system functions are impaired. At first, the cat needs to be fed dietary food. Volumes should be reduced, overeating during the period of getting used to homemade food is unacceptable.

Proper feeding will allow the body to adapt to a new diet without stress and will avoid stool disturbances and diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration.

Preparing the animal for transfer

If you did everything correctly, applications from potential owners will begin to arrive very soon. Make sure the kitten is in good hands. Sometimes people who resell animals look for kittens through advertisements. They often ask to reduce the price. If something confuses you in a conversation with a person, it is better to refuse him - new applications will definitely come.

It is worth getting a phone number or other contact information from the future owner. It is better not to give the kitten to minors or people who live in a rented apartment - the owners of the property may prohibit them from keeping pets, and the kitten will again end up on the street or in a shelter. If your pet already has a veterinary passport, it should be given to the new owner. After 1 week, you can call him and ask how the kitten is adapting to the new environment.

Objectives of the funds

The activities of foundations helping homeless cats and dogs are varied. The main objectives include the socialization of stray animals and their subsequent placement into families, as well as the formation of a positive public opinion regarding the problems of interaction between stray animals and humans within large cities. In Russia, with the support of foundations, there are many shelters where animals are examined, treated, advertised, and tried to find homes.

Thanks to the activities of funds that help cats and dogs living on the streets:

• Responsibility and humanity towards animals is promoted (placement of homeless people in shelters, sterilization of pets).
• Forces protecting stray cats and dogs are uniting.
• Ideas are being developed to improve laws to protect animals.
• Homeless animals kept in shelters are actively popularized, information campaigns, PR on social networks, and various promotions are carried out.
• Continuous work is being carried out, the meaning of which is an integrated approach to solving the problem of animals deprived of a home.

The foundations maintain shelters (sometimes even two or three dozen shelters), provide them with a variety of assistance (sterilization, treatment, finding a home), deliver food and medicine for animals, organize charity events to distribute stray dogs and cats, and regularly hold fundraisers for shelters. . Applications are accepted from shelters that need some kind of help. Foundations are trying in every possible way to advertise their activities so that the idea of ​​adopting a shelter pet becomes more and more popular among Russian residents. Also, informing the population about charity attracts volunteers who are ready to care for animals in shelters.

Sometimes shelters under the care of foundations are home to other domestic and farm animals, animals from closed private zoos, former circus and movie stars, and exotic animals.

The money that volunteers give to charities (and they all exist thanks to private donations) helps to increase the number of shelters for homeless animals, where everything is done to ensure that dogs and cats feel safe and much better than on the street. And for some of them there is a chance to find a good owner.

Usually, a good fund for helping stray animals has its own veterinary service or an agreement with certain veterinary clinics so that proper care is provided to a cat or dog that is sick in a timely and efficient manner. Some organizations operate hospices that house terminally ill or old animals. There are special rooms where disabled cats and dogs live or those that have suffered serious injuries.

On the websites that each charitable foundation has, there is always information on how to visit the shelter and how to take an animal home from the shelter. It also describes in detail what and how you can help the fund. Usually the sites have a constantly updated catalog of dogs and cats for transferring them into good hands.

Here you can not only find a friend - a dog or a cat, but also find out what to do if you find an animal, how to adopt a pet from a shelter, how to become a volunteer, and buy a souvenir in a charity store (such stores are created at many foundations).

The algorithm for finding an owner for a homeless animal is most often the following: at the shelter, the cat and dog are given the necessary tests, and after it has been determined that the animal is healthy, it is sterilized and brought into a well-groomed state. Funds try to act so that an animal that will be placed in a shelter has a curator responsible for vaccinating the cat or dog, vaccinations, and sterilization. Then we need the help of volunteers for PR on the Internet. What is important here are excellent photographs and a heartfelt story about a homeless dog or cat.

There is not always an owner for an animal. Some people are hired literally in a day or two, others wait months for the owner. Stray cats and dogs are given to families for free. Then there is unobtrusive tracking of the further fate of the animal. This is necessary to keep him safe. In some cases, the pet goes back to the curator. But volunteers do not despair and are busy trying to place a cat or dog in good hands again and again. Therefore, it is important that there are as many people interested and helping the funds as possible.

For the normal functioning of the funds, both monetary donations and other varied assistance are extremely necessary.

Where to place a cat: the first option is foster care

Overexposure is the temporary transfer of an animal to people who can house it if the owners are leaving or they have other reasons to be without a pet at the moment (for example, relatives who are afraid of cats are coming). Many similar offers can be found on the Internet.

If you decide to use foster care, you need to give the person looking after the animal all the care products, as well as your favorite toys. It is important to leave money for food and pay for the service.

Overexposure has many advantages. First of all, it is a calm home environment to which the kittens get used. You can also always keep in touch with the person providing supervision, asking if everything is going well. The disadvantages include the presence of other animals in the house and the inability to check the conditions in which your pet is kept.

Catcafe

If you do not have the opportunity to keep a kitten, you can give it to a cafe where visitors come to chat with cats. Recently, such establishments have become very popular. Perhaps your city also has such a cafe, and you won’t need to worry about where to place your pet.

The advantage is that the cat will be well looked after, and a large number of visitors will definitely ensure constant communication. The disadvantages are the high demands placed on animals. In addition, there may not be a similar cafe for animals in your city.

Also read a separate article about the cat cafe.

It's easy to help the fund

Do you have a desire to help homeless dogs and cats? All you have to do is contact the nearest fund for helping homeless animals. The organization does not necessarily need monetary contributions. It is quite possible to direct your energy to placing animals in families, walking dogs in shelters. Volunteers are always needed to care for animals, clean dog enclosures and repair them, make beds for cats, and perform simple medical procedures. Your help may be needed in transporting the animal. Volunteer participation in events held by foundations makes it possible to purchase everything necessary for shelter pets: food, medicine and other necessary things, to raise money for the treatment of dogs and cats, and for their sterilization.

Funds always need voluntary assistance from people of various professions: dog trainers, programmers, journalists, translators, marketing and PR specialists, accountants, photographers, lawyers, designers. You can help in the design and creation of souvenirs, leaflets, booklets, and posting advertisements.

You can purchase many necessary goods for the shelter by first calling the website of the foundation responsible for a particular shelter (to find out exactly how you can help). Most often this is various food for shelter pets, medicines, and household items.

Even if you just witnessed someone cruelly treating a pet, you can safely contact a charity organization so that the fund takes all necessary measures to stop this situation. Your stories on social networks about homeless animals kept in the shelter, about shelters and their features, are also a good help to the funds that make the shelters exist. Volunteers also write about how to properly raise your dog or cat, what every responsible owner should know, how to become a volunteer, and how to help animals that live in shelters.

Employees of foundations for homeless animals and volunteers who provide regular assistance to shelters maintained by foundations believe that a well-thought-out strategy is needed to reduce the number of animals living on the streets in the Russian Federation. To achieve this, foundations work with the population, promoting sterilization as the only optimal way to reduce the number of stray animals. It is also necessary to control the breeding of cats and dogs, and systematic work aimed at reducing the number of situations when an animal finds itself without a home.

Through the Internet

Nowadays, on the Internet you can find addresses of hotels for animals or contacts of people willing to adopt a pet free of charge. Plus the speed of finding the owner. The downside is the lack of verified information about it. Resellers often hide on websites.

You can post information on online message boards in your region, as well as make posts on social networks. You can use the website avito.ru.

In good hands with friends

You can ask your friends and relatives if they would like to get a pet. Perhaps someone was just about to do this. Taking a pet that is already litter trained and vaccinated is always beneficial. That's why people often agree to it.

The advantages are that the owner can be found quickly, in addition, you can visit the kitten from time to time. There are practically no downsides - except that a person may later abandon the animal and begin to look for somewhere to place it.

Other options

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of advertisements in which people are ready to adopt kittens that have just been born. With their entire appearance, they show that they are doing a good deed, relieving the owner of the need to support the kids and bear all the associated expenses. These are the so-called “box breeders” who use homeless or newly born animals in order to pity passers-by and get money.

Fraudsters do not feed the animals, but simply throw out their corpses and go for a new batch of “goods.” This is why it is so important to look at who exactly you are giving your pet to.

Cat's House website

This is one of the well-known resources that publishes photographs and data of animals that owners plan to give away for various reasons. The site has strict moderation and high requirements for the preparation of advertisements, since the more complete the information, the easier it is to place an animal. That is why, when composing an advertisement, indicate:

• age, date of birth, gender;
• presence or absence of diseases, vaccinations;
• habits and skills.

On the site they are looking for new owners for adult animals - newborns cannot be placed here, but an older kitten can be offered by making an advertisement.

Mr. Cat offers: tips when a cat is found on the street

If you see an animal on the street, you need to immediately take it to a place where it will feel safe. Examine your cat for wounds or illness. It’s good if you can keep him at home until you find the previous owner or place the pet in good hands. The cat needs to be fed, washed, treated with anti-parasite medication, and shown to a veterinarian. Then you can take a photo of it and post an ad on websites to find the owner.

If it is not possible to keep the animal at home, you can find a shelter for it and bring food there every day. Join forces with other people who care about the fate of homeless animals. It is better to keep information about where the shelter is located secret, devoting it to a minimum number of people, so that no one kills or steals the cat.

Where can you give a domestic adult cat if it is no longer needed?

When they encounter an advertisement for an adult cat, animal rights activists panic: according to statistics, 81% of stray animals end up on the street due to the fault of irresponsible owners.

The reasons why a family has to part with a pet can vary. If this is a necessary measure, it is necessary not only to find a new home, but also to make the move as gentle as possible: the animal has a hard time with a change of place of residence. Particularly sensitive individuals may even die.

According to statistics, cats live in almost half of Russian families. Once she came to a person’s house, she became a real mistress. Animals have adapted to life in city apartments so much that only rare individuals dream of “walking wherever they please, taking a walk on their own.” However, sometimes life with a beloved owner comes to an end - the family wants to give the pet into good hands. Why?

Some reasons why even the most loving owners have to part with their pet can be considered valid:

1. Allergy. Contrary to popular belief, most often this is a reaction not to fur, but to saliva, skin particles and fleas that can live on the cat. In 80% of cases, antihistamines are ineffective. The only way out is to eliminate the cause of the allergy, give the cat to a shelter or new owners. Adaptation to new conditions will take time.
2. Moving. In advertisements about where to place it, it is mentioned as the most common reason why people try to give away a cat. It is unlikely that truly loving owners will part with a family member. Moving is an insignificant excuse; people are not moving to the moon. However, residents of rented apartments have to reckon with the demands of the owners.
3. Death of the owners. Love for a four-legged friend is not always typical for the whole family. Sometimes a cat left behind after the death of an elderly person is no longer needed by his children. The question arises: “Where should I give the cat?”

Owners of free-ranging pets also have to deal with the problem of accommodation. Having happily spent the summer at the dacha, Murka gives birth to kittens, and the owners are forced to solve the problem of finding new owners for their mustachioed offspring.

Usually owners see several ways to give their cat:

1. Find owners among friends or by advertisement. The ideal option is if these are good friends who love animals.
2. Give it to a shelter. Those who decide to get rid of a boring cat have high hopes for them. But there are not enough shelters in cities, and life in them, even for those who are “lucky” to get there from the street, is not sweet. Cage, lack of food. And there is very little hope that someone will take you into the house, caress you and take care of you.
3. Send to the street. Zoo defenders know: domestic cats that are not accustomed to street life die on the street in the first year of life. They do not know how to hide in case of danger, are unable to obtain food, and are not adapted to life on the street. Stress causes a surge in diseases even in vaccinated and healthy people.

What to do with purebred kittens, and how to check the future owner

Breeders with experience rarely have problems placing purebred kittens - on the contrary, a waiting list forms for them even before the babies are born. But beginners may find that there are still very few applications. This means that you need to look for buyers or give animals away for free. Many, after a series of painful searches, renounce raising animals for sale altogether.

To avoid such situations, remember the following:

1. It is better to breed a female through a club, with the help of which you can find a purebred cat. Its owners may already have contacts of potential buyers.
2. It is better to look for clients before mating in order to understand the level of demand - it even changes depending on the season. For example, in summer animals are bought less often than at other times.
3. Use social media and the internet to post your sale. Also, buyers often pay attention to certificates and pedigree.
4. If you plan to breed for a long time, create groups and communities in which you will post photos and information.
5. Kittens with good photos are successfully sold on websites, so there is no need to skimp on this.

The new owner can be checked on social networks to see if there is any negative information about him. It is also important to exchange contact information with him and call him within a week to ask how the kitten is feeling. You can even ask permission to come and visit him. You need to be wary if a person arrives drunk, is confused in answering questions, is nervous, or bargains.

Monitoring a cat during quarantine

During the quarantine period, the kitten must be closely monitored. Important indicators are appetite, consistency, and color of stool. There should be no foreign inclusions, impurities, blood or purulent discharge in feces and urine. You should pay attention to the mucous membranes of the eyes and mouth. They should have a light pink tint. The appearance of a yellow, bluish color is the reason for a visit to the veterinarian. You need to go to the hospital if you experience:

• lack of appetite;
• loss of shine on the coat;
• depressed state;
• temperature increase.

If no negative signs appear within two to three weeks, then you can stop quarantine, allow the kitten to move freely around the apartment, and get to know other pets.

Animals are not allowed on the streets

Often, desperate to find a new owner, or simply due to lack of time, people simply let their animals go outside, believing that nothing will happen to them - this is how stray cats and dogs live. But you should not compare a pet, accustomed to comfortable conditions, with a yard pet.

A kitten or even an adult will die from relatives or from hunger. The animal is not accustomed to defend itself, hide from the cold, or get food. It also doesn't know how dangerous cars are on the roads. Only a tenth of abandoned kittens survive on the streets. Therefore, it is better to take them to a shelter than to kick them out of the house.

Remember, buying a pet is a serious responsibility. Plans and circumstances change, but this should not prevent the owner from remaining human to the end, making sure that the pet continues to live in comfortable conditions.

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Stay during departure

Sometimes it is necessary to find not a permanent, but a temporary home for a cat - for the duration of treatment in a hospital, going on a business trip, vacation, or sanatorium. There are several options where you can give your cat:

• close relatives - the most reliable option in which you can control the well-being of the animal;
• to specialized hotels for animals. There are specialists working there, and veterinarians will monitor the pet’s health. The disadvantages of pet hotels are the high price, the need for vaccination and confirmation of the pet’s health certificate. In many hotels, they are kept in cages, and this is a lot of stress for a pet;
• for paid overexposures. Most often, this type of service is provided by animal rights activists and volunteers. Thanks to commercial foster care, charities and shelters receive additional funding.

Where to give a cat will depend on the financial capabilities of the owner and on the character - many have a hard time being separated from the owner and changing homes. It is possible to leave your pet at home under someone's care - it is better not to transport it anywhere.