Homecheck guidelines - what to expect?

[Whiley]

As i was so let down when we were told Leon had already been homed elsewhere, we are now seeking a rescue kitten locally.

I was just wandering how my house would get on in a home check. And how bits i slip up on might be remedied?

I consider my home safe for a kitten, but having never had a kitten before i am unsure if my judgement in accurate.

I do have quite a few cables and wires tucked in corners in our front room, are kittens likely to try and play with them and tangle themselves up?

I generally have no trinkets on window sills and keep surfaces clear, apart from some in the living room with candles etc at waist hight so techincally out of reach of kittens.

All cupboards stay shut, all dangerous cleaning liquids etc are kept away. The rats live in their own area outside of the house in their extension, and the kitten would have no access to this strictly. Similarly, there is a run down shed type conservatory linking the house to the rat room, and it is a complete mess and junk yard, and is being junked and rebuilt in the next few months. Again, the cats would have no access to this either, i wouldn't say it was a risky environment, but its not nice, thats for sure.

Would things like the rats, the messy conservatory [despite the access being restricted for the kitten] and things i've mentioned pose a threat to my homecheck results?

[alexgirl73]

see, I would say it was a normal sounding home, but as I'm not a home visitor I wouldn't know what they are looking for. Hopefully Yola or someone else maybe able to give you better advice later. Good luck.

[angieh]

I'd really like to know what these homecheckers look for too - for future reference. It sounds about as complex as if you were looking to foster or adopt a child!

[Tinker]

I think it very much depends on the cat shelter in question.

My Mother in Law's hubby failed a home check from Bury Stray Cats because he was at work all day. I know of someone who failed a homecheck from CPL because she had no cat flap.

We passed an RSPCA homecheck despite working full time. The checker was a bit concerned that we don't have a cat flap, but until the kittens are spayed they won't go out, then to start with they will have supervised outdoor access while we have the conservatory door open.

We tidied all cables and covered as many of them as we could with something called "cable tidy kit" - a tough plastic cover. This is well worth doing as they do attack and play with anything and everything.

We also moved all house plants which we weren't sure if they were safe or not to a room where cats are not allowed.

The home checker came and met our existing cat, and coulnd't believe how fantastic she looks for 19 years old. She asked us questions about what vet we intended to use, insurance, who would take care of the cats when we are on holiday. Obviously since we have had cats for many years and Tinker's condition speaks for itself she didn't have any worries about or ability to care for cats. So we had a nice cup of coffee and a chat about Tinker, our previous cat, and the cats that the home checker owns.

[smudgley]

A homecheck should be an informal chat about cat care & your attidute to cats, not an exam or an assessment on your property.

Failing a homecheck is nonsense. Noone should fail a homecheck as such. Unless there are real issues about the health/welfare of the cat.

chill out you'll be fine.

What's the issue with a catflap? I don't get that at all?

[Tinker]

Originally Posted by smudgley

What's the issue with a catflap? I don't get that at all?

Nor do I perrsonally. Maybe they want to cat to be able to come and go as it pleases during the day?

I prefer not to have a cat flap as our old cat used to get stressed by other cats coming too near it. One took to attacking him when he went outside via the cat flap, but once that stopped he still felt like he needed to guard the cat flap. He was much more chilled when we moved to a house without one and now I am not sure if cat flaps are really a good thing for all cats.

[angieh]

Thanks Tinker and Smudgely - it's such a long time since I have had a kitten to think about I'd forgotten about cables and such like. "Cable tidy kit" sounds just the thing! Not that I am thinking of getting a new cat or kitten just yet.

[Whiley]

As a personal thing, knowing there are bully cats in the area, i prefer the idea of a house cat. I hugely intend walking the tinker most days, so i see no issue with that, especially if i can train him or her to stay within the boundaries of the garden.

I rang a private rehoming centre earlier and heard a voice message , they wanted to firstly know in a answerphone message your name, address, and stating that they are the house owner, don't live near a main road and do have a cat flap before they'll call you back!

Well i wanted to home from them, so i sent them a full application with my home conditions, hours we work to be the cat, my attitude to cat care, previous animals cared for, etc, in the hope they'd give me the time of day because i wasn't the home owner [we don't rent, Darren owns it, but its me doing the cat tracking-downing as it were!] and that we dont have a cat flap.

Well we'll see i guess.

[dandysmom]

I just don't understand the insistance on a cat flap! I live on a secondary road, it's a bus route and heavily trafficed, and am only 2 blocks from the woods and see foxes,possums and raccoons frequently; fortunately we got a leash law several years back so roaming dogs are no longer a problem. My cats have always been indoor only with walks on a harness; I would obviously fail a home test!!

[smudgley]

Whiley, what sort of cat are you looking for & are you anywhere near Axminster?