A cat's best friend (Cats Protection)

Member Name: cerys82

Product:	Cats Protection
Date:	20/07/09 (41 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Wonderful staff, caring ethos

Disadvantages: They have strict rehoming policies which may be an issue to some

Cats Protection League

The Cats Protection League, as the name may suggest, is a registered charity which looks after cats in need, providing a care and rehoming service.

Having grown up with cats, I wanted to have one of my own as soon as I feasibly could, so when my partner and I managed to buy our own house a while back, I had the perfect opportunity!

On arrival at the front desk of the rehoming centre we were asked to fill in some forms giving our basic details and also information about what type of property we owned, how much garden and if we had any other pets or children. We then went to the part of the centre where they keep the cats. They were all in pens which had glass doors and a lower bit which was more external. Each pen had a sign detailing their names, ages and the circumstances that had led them to be in this position. Visitors are free to open the pens themselves and handle the cats as they please.

There are, as you would imagine, a variety of different cats there from kittens to senior cats to feral cats which need to be homed on farms where they can work (this is clearly indicated)

After your first visit it will be arranged for a CPL worker to come and view your home to assess what type of, if any, cat could be homed with you. On receiving this information you are then free to attend the centre and pick a cat as long as it is agreed that you can have one and if it meets the criteria for your household. I live in a built-up area with not much in the way of a garden; as such we were told that we could only adopt a slightly older cat, aged from 7 upwards as they would be less likely to roam. So we went off and chose our beloved feline, a 7 year old brindle female whose previous owners had been evicted from their home.

You are then given some details of the cat's medical history, such as when they had been vaccinated last and any health concerns that there may be. Ours had had severe gingivitis on arrival at the centre and had had all but 4 of her teeth removed. We were told that if she had any recurrence of this, then the CPL would pay for any treatment. To this day, she has been ok but even if it does come back we wouldn't expect the charity to pay for it.

The centres ask for a donation of at least £40, which is very lenient considering it costs well over £100 to them to look after a single cat.

Cats are microchipped and your details are forwarded to the microchip company, from whom you receive a confirmation letter a couple of weeks later. All cats come with 6 weeks free pet insurance from PetPlan also, which can be extended at a special price.

Obviously some of the kittens that they rehome will be too young to have been neutered and vaccinated so an appointment is made with the centre to arrange for this to happen. The Cats Protection League are particularly strong on getting cats neutered, thereby preventing unwanted kittens and cats being born and offer a means-tested neutering service.

Three months after the cat is homed, a volunteer from the shelter will arrange to come and do a follow-up visit to check everything is ok.

I have to say that I found the Cats Protection League wonderful to deal with. Their dedication to their animals is unquestionable and quite touching. They do receive criticism for being too strict with their rehoming policies, however. I have heard of instances where they have refused to home cats in 'rough' areas or if the home is too near a main road. Maybe I feel like this because it didn't affect me, but I am on the CPL's side with this although it may be because I am an over protective cat mother.

Our cat settled relatively easily with us, although she was unsurprisingly very nervous at the beginning. I'm not saying it is easy peasy, though, and patience is needed to turn a nervy moggy into a family friend. We found playing with her helped to create a bond with her which developed quicker than it might have done otherwise.

The centres are full of leaflets which contain handy information, particularly when relating to the initial homing stages. For example, you should let the cat approach you rather than vice versa in the beginning and not let them out of the house for at least 2 weeks.

I receive semi-regular post from them asking for donations, but it isn't excessive or aggressive and I have never been contacted by phone. Once a year they do send some raffle tickets, but only in small numbers and these are easy to sell or purchase yourself.

All in all, other than if I adopt a stray that wanders into my house I cannot imagine going to any other charity or to a private buyer to get a cat. I have been rewarded with the most quirky, lovely affectionate animal who I love to bits. The only thing that I might do differently next time is to adopt more in one go, although I think my partner might have something to say about that!

Summary: If only I could take them all home with me!