Hi! I'm trying to get 2 kittens but in homecheck hell! Please advise?

[fishwalker]

Hiya cat lovers! My partner and I bought our first home a year ago yesterday and we are now ready to get 2 kittens (with me having had cats all my life...late 20's now). My boyfriend was supposed to be buying them for my birthday the other week but kitten season hadn't really started then and I wanted a brindle Tortie (like my last kitt Trixie RIP). So I have had to wait and have advertised and scoured websites daily for 3 weeks now for signs of my kitts but I have now found my baby's, a brindle tortie and her sister, a calico (very pretty, my mum says) at the local animal shelter after seeing them online! They are very naughty I am told by staff and the calico is a little piggy with her food apparently and after many phone calls and questions, they have finally agreed to reserve them for me, after me ringing non stop every day since last Wednesday 7th May!

The thing is, and reason for my long post is that they have to do a successful home check before they'll put me out of my misery and let me have them! They are 6 weeks old now and still with mum at the centre and their 2 black brothers. Now I'm sure they're in good hands (but I worry if they're getting handled enough and socialised, cos when I first held them the staff member said they hadn't been held much?), also I have had sooooooo much trouble trying to convince the staff there, that I only work 20 hours a week and do shifts, which combined with my partner who works full time, means they will definitely get seen and loved every 4 hours (I work shifts between 8.30am and 8pm, 6 days on, 8 days off and OH 8.30am til 6 mon to thurs, early finish friday. We also have my mum who is retired and is willing to stand in when we need her.

So why is it that every time I call to see if they will give me any news on when i'll get a home check, do they again ask me if I work and how long the kittens will be left for??and seem exasperated by my asking by saying "you will get a phone call!"??? I feel like they think i'm a liar about my work, like a 27 yr old couldn't possibly work part time and have time for kittens!? Also cos they'll only ring my landline (understandable as charity) I have to stay in when i'm off work, when its blazing sun lately and I want to be out but instead I have to sit waiting for THE phone call and to prove that i'm not at work and it isn't coming!

What do you guys think of my chances and about home-checks? I live on a 'dead end/cul de sac' street, where cars only come down slowly to park and its very quiet at night and my garden is fenced with no access to a busy main road. I want to know I'll get these kitties! I can't stop looking at the photos and video footage I took of them and its so stressful waiting! I'm obsessed! P.S Sorry for the essay!

[yola]

Hi - sorry you seem to be getting the runaround from your local charity. Do they have a specific rehoming officer to whom you can direct your enquiry? It seems as if you're just getting message takers who keep to be taking you around the same loop.

It sounds as if you are a good candidate for adopting these kittens - I feel sometimes rescue centres can set themselves up to work against too stringent criteria for their own good.

Good luck - I hope you get your dream kittens home with you soon

[fishwalker]

Hi Thanks for vote of confidence! Turns out I may have been just a tad highly stung over the weekend cos I got THE call first thing this morning and am having my homecheck at 8.30pm tonight! Also just by some bizarre coincidence, me and the other half decided to blitz the whole house last night and it is looking mighty fine and clean! The lady sounded very nice and said it should take about 20mins. I'll keep you guys posted! Wondering though whether to visit the kitty's at lunch today as i'm working during their opening hours tomorrow and still a bit worried about them being socialised enough but have all Wed and next 7 days after to visit them so perhaps I should leave it til I get the all clear!?

[smudgley]

Chill out. If they've told you the kittens are reserved for you, pending the homecheck - then they will get round to doing a HC soon. I'm sure they are extremely busy.

I help run my local branch of CP. I work full time, have a young family, have lots of my own animals and then in my own time have to deal with all the CP stuff. It's my choice to have such a hectic life (although I would be more than happy to sit back and let others take over, but unfortunately because it's all voluntary & very time consuming, there are very few genuine people who want to help) This means our branch - like most of these organisations are running with just a few core helpers, which means we are very busy.

On another point, if you are unhappy with the situation either because you think they are questioning you too much or that the kittens are not going to be well socialised enough for you, then why not look elsewhere, there are litterally numerous kittens around now.

If you were closer - I'd say come & get one from me!

edit to add - just seen your post above. Hopefully you will feel more positive now.

[kado]

Hi and welcome to catsey. I sure that you will be able to have these babies soon. Because i live in a flat just outside of hull i didnt try any rescue places and i tralled the websites daily as well just incase i was turned down. We now have four cats and like mine i am sure yours will be loved to bits. Please let us know on how you get on and we all want pictures as well.

jane Kado Guinness Kay and Simon(at the moment they are all 2yrs old)

[angieh]

Hope your home check goes OK and that you have the kitties of your dreams in your arms soon! Pictures please as soon as that happens! Good luck.

Welcome to Catsey too!!!!

[bobbie3917]

Hello and welcome
im glad you found your new babies, fingers crossed the HC goes well, i should think as you are getting 2 kittens working part or full time should not be much of a problem as they will have each other to play with,
im sure after you pass your home check popping in to see the kittens is a great.

[MrsH]

Welcome to Catsey hope the homecheck goes well!

[Elaine]

Fingers crossed for the home check xxx

[Kazz]

Hiya hour and half to homecheck time now. Sure you will sail through, you sound ideal - I imagine they are ultra busy with the kitten season.

What names are you thinking of for the kittens?