Where to give a cat: shelters, online, cat cafes

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:

Where can you place a cat if you don’t need it and why can’t you kick it out into the street?

A cat may no longer be needed for many reasons: moving to another country, the inability to keep the animal, or the owner’s allergies. But in any case, you need to try by any means to accommodate your pet. Under no circumstances should you throw him out into the street because:

The domestic cat is not accustomed to life on the street: it does not know how to get food and is extremely careless.
Many dangers await a cat on the street: cars, dogs, cruel people, cold weather in winter.
A cat can become seriously ill and die if it eats something poisoned or spoiled, or becomes very cold.

And these are not all the dangers that an abandoned cat can face.

There are many dangers awaiting a cat on the street.

However, there are ways to house a cat without kicking it out:

Give it to a shelter.
Agree with volunteers about foster care.
Give to friends or relatives.
Place an ad in a newspaper or on the Internet.
In large cities, a cat cafe can become a home for a cat.

Each option has its pros and cons.

Under no circumstances should you throw your cat out into the street - the life of a stray animal is too hard for a pet.

Shelter

A shelter is the first thing that comes to mind for a cat owner if she needs to be adopted. But this is an extreme option, which should be resorted to only if the animal cannot be accommodated.

Most shelters in Russia and the CIS countries (especially public ones) are in a deplorable state:

Due to the large flow of animals and lack of space, shelters are forced to house several animals in a tiny enclosure or cage.
Overcrowding means that any infection or other disease can become an epidemic and kill many animals.
The lack of funds does not allow the animals to be provided with proper care: visits to the veterinarian, feeding twice a day, treatment, vaccinations and parasite prevention. In addition, the quality of food and medicine, if they exist, leaves much to be desired.
Shelters often lack staff to ensure cleanliness, and animals live in unsanitary conditions.

In addition to all these problems, shelters very rarely accept unwanted pets, since it is much more important to help street animals.

An animal shelter is not the best place to adopt a cat.

If, nevertheless, a shelter has become the only option, then try to find a small private or public one with foreign or permanent sponsors and a sufficient number of volunteers. The best in Russia are:

Murkosha is a shelter for cats in Moscow;
Public Friend - a private shelter for cats and dogs;
shelters of the BIM Foundation;
"Nika" relief fund.

Overexposure

Overexposure may be another option if the cat cannot be accommodated. Some volunteers who help animals can take a cat for a while and try to find him owners.

To find a volunteer, you can:

place an advert looking for a foster home for a cat;
come to the shelter and talk to a volunteer on the spot;
contact a volunteer organization that helps animals.

Not every volunteer will want to adopt a domestic cat instead of a shelter or street cat that needs help more. But there is still a chance that you can place your pet with a knowledgeable person who will not abandon him and will do everything to find him a home.

Overexposure is an alternative to a shelter

If the reason why you are giving away a cat is not of a financial nature, then you can agree on paid foster care for the animal. The volunteer only provides the cat with a place to live and care, and you provide feeding, trips to the veterinarian, and anything else that may be needed until the cat is adopted. However, the volunteer must report all expenses, providing receipts and certificates.

Friends and relatives

If among your friends there are animal-loving, reliable people who already have a pet or are thinking about getting one, then you can offer them a cat. Most likely, they will not refuse to help you and will shelter the cat. Another option is to give it to relatives. It is easiest to come to an agreement with relatives, and, as a rule, the family does not refuse help. Also, if you have a lot of friends on social networks, you can offer the animal to them.

Friends and relatives can adopt the cat

Catcafe

Recently, cat cafes—restaurants where cats are kept—have begun to open in large cities. People come there to eat and interact with the cats. In addition, very often cat cafes provide accommodation for their clients. At the facility, cats are kept clean, well fed and safe.

If there is a cat cafe in your city, be sure to contact them. It is quite possible that they will agree to accept another cat into their “pack”. But remember that this is only possible if your cat is neutered, has a playful, non-aggressive character and gets along well with other animals.

Cat cafe is an interesting way to house a cat

Advertisements on the Internet and newspapers

The most effective way to adopt a cat is to advertise. As a rule, if a person needs an animal, preferably for free, then he looks at advertisement sites, thematic forums and pages on social networks.

First of all, open a thread on animal lovers forums. There they may well help you with the device. Find ad sites in your city or region and place an ad there. Contact animal groups on social networks so that they can also publish your ad.

Kittens, cats with interesting colors, mixed breeds and purebreds fit best. But adults and mongrels adapt much worse.

Every cat needs a loving owner

This method of placement has only one drawback: the cat can be taken away by a not very good person. To avoid this, you must:

Ask the potential owner in detail. How old is he, is it possible to keep a cat, does he have experience in keeping cats, does he know the specifics of keeping cats (about vaccinations, feeding, care), for whom the animal is being purchased. If a person answers questions willingly and constructively, and even if he doesn’t know something, but is actively interested, then we can consider his candidacy. And you should be wary, if a person answers reluctantly, and already at this stage does not strive to take care of the animal, then it is better to refuse him.
Be sure to ask whether the potential owners live in a rented apartment or in their own home. Tenants can get rid of the animal when moving. But if their landlord doesn’t mind (you should ask him about this), you can give the animal away.
If the potential owner has passed the first “test”, find out what kind of house the cat will live in. If the family is prosperous and has the financial ability to keep a cat, then donate the pet without fear on the condition that you can monitor its future life.
The most important thing: you can only give a cat to an adult. If a teenager or child calls you with assurances that their parents have definitely allowed it, do not believe them and ask for confirmation from adults.

Be sure to ask the future cat owner in detail

And under no circumstances abandon a cat if it cannot be accommodated! Sooner or later there will be people who can take care of her.

Tips on how to place kittens in good hands

When a cat gives birth, the kittens are small, cute and fluffy, but time passes and you need to look for somewhere to shelter them. It’s easier for owners of purebred animals - kittens with a pedigree are in demand, some even have queues. What if she is a “Ural street servant”? It may be difficult to give it away. Perhaps some tips will help you:

Kittens should be given away no earlier than 2.5-3 months of age. By this time they will get stronger and will receive good immunity from their mother’s milk. The kitten needs to be trained to use the litter box, otherwise the new owners may get rid of the nasty pet and throw it outside.
Try offering kittens to friends, colleagues, and family. Perhaps someone wanted to take a mustachioed baby into their home or give it to elderly parents.
You can place an ad - in a newspaper, social networks, on classifieds websites and cat breeder forums. Don’t forget to take beautiful photos and describe the kitten’s character and habits.

How I gave away kittens

We have a cat, Maruska, not a purebred, a street pick-up. I found it in a supermarket parking lot when I was just a kitten.

For a long time we could not determine the gender of our pet - his fur was so shaggy. We found out that it was a cat too late - 3 weeks after she ran away, took a walk and a couple of days later came home happy.

The returning dog had to be washed, combed out, fleas removed again, and treated for parasites. Then our Maruska began to get fat and after two months she gave us four kittens - all of different colors, and not one of them looked like her.

Our cat, although very young, turned out to be a good mother. The babies were well-fed, calm and growing quickly.

After 10 weeks, it was a cheerful gang that had taken over the entire apartment and had already tormented everyone a little. Maruska was also tired of the endless feeding.

My wife said it was time to give them away. The kids were already eating on their own, had mastered the litter box, and were ready to move to a new home.

There weren’t any of our friends who wanted to take a kitten into their home. Someone advised taking them to the poultry market - they say they sell them quickly.

On Sunday, my wife put a rag in a box, gave me water and food, and sent me and the cat gang to the market. I found a row where kittens were being sold and given away. There were many people like me with boxes.

I stood next to the woman, in front of whom there were three boxes with assorted kittens. She and I started talking. The woman turned out to be a retired teacher. In order not to be bored at home, she began to volunteer at the shelter - she places shelter kittens.

After two hours of standing, all four of my well-fed, cute butuz were still in the same box, and the woman managed to sell 4 half-dead ones - three for 100 rubles, and one minke whale for as much as three hundred!

I was already starting to get nervous. The woman understood this and said:

- Okay, give us yours, I’ll find a place for them. 100 rubles each.

I told her:

- What are you talking about?! I give it away for free, I don’t need money!

She:

- You did not understand! You give me 100 rubles. give for everyone! I need to feed them, take them home by taxi if they don’t pick them up.

In short, I was happy that all the kittens were being taken in bulk, and I gave her 500 rubles. (100 from above for kindness) and went home happy. Along the way, I decided to walk down the row to see who was handing out what.

I walked around once, came back - only two of mine were left in the box. Two kittens were taken by decent-looking people, I saw it myself. I thanked that woman again and went home.

Already at the very gates of the market there was a boy of about 13-14 years old with a box in which kittens were also squeaking. I became curious what they were like, so I bent down to look. And the guy looks with pleading eyes and says:

- Uncle, watch them for 3 minutes, I’m running to the toilet: there’s no urine, but I’m afraid to leave them - they’ll steal them!

I nodded - I’m still not in a hurry.

The guy didn’t return after 3 minutes, or after 30, or after an hour. I realized that he simply deceived me, leaving his kittens to me. In the box there were 6 small minke whales, a little over a month old, and one larger one - about 3 months old already.

It started to rain. Both buyers and sellers at the market quickly fled. I had no choice but to pick up the box and go home. I couldn’t leave the kittens in the rain, and the security wouldn’t allow it.

When I came home with 7 other people’s kittens, my wife twirled her finger at her temple, and the cat looked like she was crazy and snorted contemptuously and hid somewhere. I decided not to report that Maruska’s babies cost the family budget 500 rubles.

In general, for a whole week we taught this gang to lap up milk and go to the tray on their own. Our Maruska “didn’t talk to me.”

The next Sunday, my wife again packed a cat box for me, and I went to the poultry market to adopt the kittens. I found that woman, explained the situation, she laughed and said it was an old scam. In short, she took these too - for 1000 rubles.

I immediately ran out of the market without stopping! Arriving home, I immediately called the veterinary clinic and arranged for Maruska sterilization.

Source

We write a sales ad (if we are looking for a new owner ourselves)

The expression: “Advertising is the engine of trade” also applies to the case if you need to find someone to give kittens or an adult to. A simple announcement: “I’ll give the cat into good hands. Grown-up, beautiful,” is, of course, not enough. When preparing an ad:

Get the animal in order - cure all diseases, treat it for worms and fleas, give it a bath. Vaccinate, sterilize (if necessary).
Take selling photos – be sure to be close-up, preferably against a plain background. Preferably, not just a portrait, but also photographs of life: the cat sleeps, washes itself, plays.

In the ad, describe not only the color, but also the features of appearance (perhaps a very fluffy tail, like a squirrel, piercing green or blue eyes). Be sure to describe the characteristics and habits of your pet - so as to interest the reader:

“Playful and cheerful Thomas is looking for a friend with whom he can have fun, and then purr sweet songs in each other’s ears”;
“A lady with character - the Siberian cat Sonya - dreams of meeting a life partner without housing problems, who is ready to fulfill her feline whims - comb out her velvet fur, feed her treats.”

Such advertisements will give potential pet owners the opportunity to choose their own pet. Some breeds cannot tolerate loneliness - they should not be taken by those who spend a lot of time outside the home, others have spent their entire lives in an apartment - and this must be indicated in the ad, since living in a private house will be difficult.

Important! In the ad, write only the truth - does the cat love children, is it healthy, does it have problems with digestion, hygiene, how easily the animal adapts to new conditions.

Sometimes scammers respond to advertisements - so be careful: it is not a fact that in half an hour your cute kitten will not end up in a forest belt or become a victim of cruel reprisals. If possible, try to find out as much as possible about the future owners if you care about its future fate. Feel free to ask questions:

Were there any animals in the house, what was their fate?
In what conditions will the cat be kept?
For what purpose do you take a pet into your home?

When giving the animal away, take contact information and agree with the new owner that you will periodically receive information about the pet from him.

Where can I donate?

Overexposures and shelters

In case of a long absence, pets are given for foster care, but this service is paid.
Foster care is the temporary placement of a four-legged friend. This method is used by owners who are forced to leave their cats for a long time when going on business trips abroad. The temporary method is also useful for elderly owners who undergo preventive treatment in the hospital for several weeks or months. It’s convenient to search for people who will host a cat for the right time via the Internet. During the conversation, the owner should explain the reasons for the separation and agree on the conditions of detention. During the period of foster care, the owner buys the pet food, litter, hygiene products, and medicines. It is important to note that four-legged friends are accepted and kept in a comfortable environment for a fee.

Shelters are establishments where found stray kittens are kept, animals that the owners for some reason decided to throw out into the street, depriving them of their home at one point. You can also take an unwanted domestic cat to a shelter, but this option is considered the most undesirable. The fact is that in Russia and other CIS countries there are practically no good shelters where animals are kept in comfortable conditions. Often such an establishment is a separate extension, not heated for the winter. Cats are not always kept there in a favorable environment. In addition, most shelters operate on funds raised by volunteers, and they are often not enough to maintain at least acceptable living conditions. Many cats and dogs taken from the street are forced to spend their entire lives in unfavorable conditions. The owner of the pet will no longer be able to see it or take it back.

Cat cafe establishment

An absolutely healthy and sociable cat can be placed in a cat cafe, where it will bring pleasure to visitors.
This is an exotic establishment where, for a fee, cat lovers are allowed to spend time with animals, chat and play. Pets are accepted at the cat cafe according to strict rules. The cat must be absolutely healthy, socialized, adequate, and easy to make contact with strangers. In essence, the animal gets a permanent job, where the main duty is to bring pleasure to humans. If the establishment decides to adopt a pet, we can assume that he has drawn a lucky ticket.

Relatives, friends

If a cat owner is thinking about the question of where to put the cat, he is recommended to ask friends and relatives, maybe someone will help solve the problem and take the pet home. Placing your cat in good hands with people you trust is the best option. You can visit the animal at any time, find out about its health, and be sure that it will be taken care of properly.

Through the Internet

You can try to place a accidentally found kitten or an adult pet that the family does not need by placing an ad on a social page or on one of the free sites “Avito”, “Yula”, “From Hand to Hand”, OLX. In order for your cat to quickly find a new family, it is recommended to ask friends and acquaintances to spread the information online by reposting the message.

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.

If you meet a stray cat on the street

Don't pass by, don't remain indifferent. The best way to help an animal is to take it home, at a minimum - get rid of worms, wash it, clean its eyes and ears. Inspect for skin damage or wounds.

The cat needs to be taken to the veterinarian, even if he seems healthy. An examination by a doctor and tests will show possible pathologies. The veterinarian will tell you the approximate age and give recommendations on treatment and nutrition. Cats found on the streets quickly adapt to home conditions.

If you do not plan to keep your pet, take measures to accommodate the animal. Inform animal rights activists about the “find” - many animals are lost on city streets, perhaps a mustachioed stray - a “lost one”, and they are looking for him. Take photos and post on social media, local message boards and online.

Animals trust their owners, and cats have their own Hachiko. It is important not to give away a cat on a whim, but only when there is no other option. Shelters, the street, the basement are not a place for a cat. It is better to find her kind hands and a warm home, where the pet will not experience stress, but will feel loved again.