What to expect from a Home Visit
A Home Visit, before you adopt, can be discussing with you the range of cats we have available and whether a cat would suit your needs. Some people who have never had cats before are unsure about this and so benefit from an initial home visit to discuss these matters. All potential adopters have a full Home Visit from our Branch after they have viewed the cats in our care and have selected the one they want to adopt. For us, the Home Visit is making sure that YOU know everything you need to know about the cat t e.g. personality, date of vaccinations, how to register the microchip number, etc, and we give you paperwork to keep to remind you about this.
In the case of kittens, the Home Visit is also about making sure they are kept 'safe' while they are still young and given the care and confidence to grow into loving, family cats where their welfare is always of prime importance.
At the Home Visit we answer any questions you have about the adoption process and we also let you know more about our work and ways that you can get involved, if you wish.
We like to meet all the members of the family, if appropriate, as we want to make sure that you have all thought through how best to settle your new cat. Everyone in the home should understand how the first 7-10 days is crucial in helping your new cat adjust. We give you advice and suggestions on how best to do this (e.g. where to put the litter box; how to give the cat a safe 'hiding place', etc) and what to expect from your cat in the first few days.
We want your chosen cat to have a new 'forever' home and for both you and the cat to be happy so a Home Visit is necessary in making sure that you have chosen the right cat for you and how best to make this work.
OLDER CATS - THEY ARE NOT AS OLD AS YOU THINK!
Many people are worried about adopting a cat who is over 5 years of age and won't even look at a cat who is "mature" at 8, 10 or 12 years old. In fact this is the time that a cat is in it's prime and possible less than half way through its life, since many cats are living in to their 20's! Taking on ANY cat is a lifetime commitment (for you and the cat). Ask yourself if you would like somone to discriminate against you solely on the grounds of your age?
At St Albans Cats Protection we believe that the most important quality about a cat is its personality. If you are looking for a friendly, adoring cat for yourself or your family ALL our cats need to be visited by you. They have great personalities and there is a cat out there to suit your lifestyle. We ask you to think about the adoption of a cat carefully, as it is a committment of years no matter what it's age.
Sometimes we do not know a cats age when it comes into out care can can only guess. ALL our cats are vet checked, vaccinated, micro-chipped and treated for fleas and worms as well. We will tell you a cats age to the best of our ability and cats possibly between the ages of 9-10+ also get a special assessment from the vet so we can tell you if we know of any health problems. "Mature" cats (any cat over 7 years old) are still playful and love a fuss and so can adapt to a new household and will probably settle in more quickly because they are adults and understand humans. Please NEVER dismiss a cat solely on its age or colour or you might be missing out on the perfect cat for you.
BLACK CATS
Sometimes being a black cat is not always lucky for the cat. Cats Protection has found that black cats (and black and white ones) tend to be the most overlooked cats when it comes to adoption. We think this is because people think they are too common and, sometimes, would prefer a cat with a more 'unusual' colour.
We have found that black and black & white cats do tend to be the most friendly and family-perfect cats not to mention being extremely regal and handsome.So, please, don't skip over our black or black & white cats. If you are looking for a cat that offers good company, please go and visit all of our cats and choose the one that charms you and suits your lifestyle best. You won't go wrong with a black cat!