»

What Should You Do With A Cat You Can't Keep?

What Should You Do With a Cat You Can’t Keep?

[/searchwp_no_index]

“The cat distribution system.” Ever heard of it? It’s what people on the internet are calling the unexpected ways cats come into our lives. Cats really do have a way of finding humans, don’t they? Perhaps you recently found an abandoned kitten in your backyard, acquired a cat from a family member who passed away, or took in a stray that kept pawing at your back door.

While some people dream of having a cat “distributed” to them, not everyone can take responsibility for another pet. Maybe someone in your household is allergic. Maybe you can’t have pets at your apartment. Maybe your current pets aren’t taking kindly to a newcomer. If you have a cat that you can’t keep, but you want to do the right thing, you’re in the right place.

Try to find the cat's caregivers.

Pet Cats
First things first: If you found the cat outside, do a health check. If the cat seems healthy and well-fed, it’s likely they are someone’s pet or a community cat. If you think the cat probably belongs to someone, post to neighborhood Facebook groups and Nextdoor, make a found cat poster, or make a paper collar for the cat as an attempt to reach their caregiver. No luck finding the cat’s people? Take them to a vet or shelter to check for a microchip. If the chip is registered, you may have just found the cat’s family!

Community Cats
Community cats aren’t anyone’s pets, but they may be fed and looked out for by people in your neighborhood. They’re happy outside, and as long as they’re spayed/neutered and healthy, they don’t need an indoor home. If a cat has a tipped ear, it’s likely a community cat who has already been fixed!

Kittens
If you find kittens, don’t remove them from where you found them. Instead, wait a few hours for the mama cat to return. You can find more information on what to do if you find kittens here. Once you’ve done your due diligence to find the cat’s family, or you’re sure the cat doesn’t have human caregivers, there are lots of ways to find the right solution for the cat — whether you want to keep them or not.

A vet or shelter can check for a microchip to see if a cat has a registered caregiver.

If you want to keep the cat, we have ideas for making it work.

Get the cat spay/neutered and vaccinated.
If the cat is intact, you should get them spayed or neutered regardless of whether you hope to keep them! Spaying and neutering can help with a host of behavior issues, like spraying, yowling, escaping and fighting. If you’ve had issues with the new cat getting along with your other cats, you may find that getting them fixed helps to ease tensions. If cost is an issue, United Spay Alliance has a tool that will help you find a low-cost spay/neuter clinic near you. These clinics can provide surgeries and vaccinations for a fraction of the cost.

Find the right allergy solutions.
Allergic to the new cat in your life? You may find that after a few weeks, your body begins to adjust and your allergies feel less severe. No such luck? Here are a few other things to try:

Get an air purifier to help remove pet dander in the air

Vacuum regularly

Find and take the right antihistamine medicine

Of course, when it comes to taking medications, please consult a medical professional first.

Keep the cat contained.
Live with someone who doesn’t want to be around cats? While cats do like to have free roam of a house, you could consider keeping them in a separate room. If you do this, just make sure your cat has everything they need (food, water and litter) plus toys and vertical spaces for enrichment. You could also consider keeping the cat in a larger contained area, like a basement.

Slowly introduce the cat to your other cats.
If animosity from your other pets is a stumbling block, try a slow introduction. This can help ease tensions so they get used to each other’s scent. Here’s how:

Designate a small area. This could be a laundry room, bathroom or bedroom. Make sure the cat has everything they need in this small area (food, water, litter).

While you’re spending time with the new cat, let your current cats sniff under the closed door.

Do a cat swap. Start with toys: Let your older cats smell your new cat’s toys and blankets and vice versa. Then let the cats switch places so that they can get used to each other’s scent.

Starting as early as day two, let your new cat have access to a larger portion of your home. For apartments, this can be the whole unit; for family homes, upstairs or downstairs.

Allow your cats to see each other with some sort of barrier in place, like a baby gate or a carrier.

If you haven’t already, take your new cat to a veterinarian for a full exam. This will help make sure your pet is healthy and happy.

Supervise the first meeting between your cats. Hissing may be normal at first.

Your cat should now have full access to your home — and begin to learn to coexist with your other cats. Give it time. Cats take a while to adjust to each other!

Write to your landlord.
Can’t have pets in your rental, or can’t have more pets in your rental? It’s always worth asking your landlord for an exception, especially if you explain the situation or offer to pay a pet deposit. Need help on what to say or how to convince your landlord? Check out these myth-busting statistics about pets and this information on the Fair Housing Act.

Find pet-friendly housing.
If you’re moving soon, why not find housing that’s pet-friendly? Apartments.com and Zillow both have filters that allow you to see housing options that allow pets.

Apply for aid.
Not sure if you can afford to care for a cat? Shelters sometimes have grants available that will help people cover vet bills and buy pet food. There are also pet food banks in some cities! Reach out to your shelter and ask if they have any programs like this. You can also check out this listing of aid resources from Best Friends.

Find a temporary home for the cat.
If you want to keep the cat long term but can’t because of your current living situation, ask your friends and family if they’d be willing to foster the cat until you’re able to. No takers? Reach out to your local shelter and ask if they can reach out to any of their foster volunteers. Some shelters will even book cats for a temporary shelter stay until you’re able to come back and get the cat.

If you’ve considered all of these options and still can’t keep the cat you recently acquired, here are your options:

Rehome the cat.
Because so many shelters are already overcrowded and overwhelmed, it’s best if you can find a home for the cat yourself. Here are some strategies you can employ:

Ask your friends and family. Have cat lovers in your life? Send out texts to them and ask if they’d be interested in adopting another cat. Include the cutest pictures of the cat you have!

Post on social media. Start with posting on your personal social media channels. Then, post in local Facebook groups and on Nextdoor. Share the cat’s story along with pictures and what would make them a great pet. Just be sure to vet the people you’re talking to so that you can ensure the cat is going to a safe and loving home!

Find a foster home. If you’re having trouble finding a permanent home for the cat, ask someone to foster the cat for a few weeks instead. This can allow you to get the cat off your hands while still working to find them a permanent home!

Give the cat a safe outdoor home.
If the cat or cats you recently acquired came from the outdoors and you suspect that they are just as happy outside as they are inside, you can give them a happy life outdoors if you do the following:

Get them spayed/neutered and vaccinated. Outdoor cats are more likely to have kittens, and they’re more likely to get sick. Do not skimp on veterinary care if you are planning to keep a cat outside!

Help them stay comfortable. Provide your cat with a winter shelter for cold seasons. Here’s how you can build one! If it’s hot, provide shady spots and plenty of water.

Feed your cat and set out water at regular times each day.

Better yet, build a catio or let them live in a barn or an unused garage!

Take the cat to a reputable shelter.
So, you’ve tried everything to keep the cat, and you’ve tried everything to find them a home yourself, and you still haven’t found a good home. At this point, it’s OK to get your local shelter involved, as long as you know they have a good reputation and have a no-kill policy. Before you take a cat to the shelter, call the shelter first to make sure they have capacity for another cat. Provide them as much information as you can about the cat’s temperament, medical history and story. This will help make the cat more adoptable! Then, if you get the all-clear from the shelter, you can take the cat there.

Good luck as you gently redirect the cat distribution system and find the best, most loving home for the cat!

CONTACT US

BLOG

Blog

»

Helping Cats

»