Adopting a Cat

Many of the cats in our care come to us through no fault of their own. They may have been found straying, their owner circumstances may have changed, their owner may have died, or they are simply just not wanted anymore. Our cats are housed in a range of facilities, including our most recent state-of-the-art cattery. All cats are socialised each day by our dedicated staff and volunteer cat cuddlers. Many people give little or no thought to adopting a new pet. When things go wrong, or when owners find they are unable to cope, the poor creature finds itself back in our care.

Please make sure you consider the following before taking on a new cat, or indeed any animal, from us :

• Are you aware of the general needs of a cat?
• Do you have the time to look after your new pet?
• Will it fit into your circumstances or will you have to adapt your lifestyle?
• Where will your cat go when you go on holiday?
• Can you afford routine vet bills, vaccinations and pet insurance?
• A cat can live for many years, in some cases 15 years and over – can you commit to caring for your cat long term?

At any one time we have approximately 100 cats at Bath Cats and Dogs Home. Not all of our cats are available for public viewing, only those housed in the New Cattery or if we are completely full some may be moved to other units. Upon arrival at the Home all cats receive a medical check, vaccination and microchip. They are then housed in our isolation facilities for a period of 7 days where staff ascertain their behaviour. These cats are not published on our website until they have completed their 7 day assessment. Our procedure We are always pleased to welcome people who are thinking about adopting one of our cats and aim to provide you with the right information for you to make an informed decision.

We are open for viewings between Tuesday and Sunday (11am-4pm) but are closed Mondays unless it is a Bank Holiday.

Appointments are not necessary to view our animals however we do recommend arriving no later than 3pm to allow yourself ample time.

• Upon arrival at BCDH, please sign in the Visitors Book on Reception (signing in desk at weekends)
• Visit our cattery - information boards relating to each cat is displayed inside on their pods
• Once you have found an animal you like take a note of its name, reference number and return to Reception
• Reception will help you complete a questionnaire and give you more information about the cat you are interested in, assess its compatibility with your personal circumstances and if you still wish to adopt then you will need to place a ‘reserve’ upon him/ her whilst at Reception
• We will then organise a convenient time for one of our Home Visitors to visit you - this can take anything from a day to a week to arrange depending on where you live. Our Home Visitors like to see all the family and existing pets
• If you have not heard from us within 3 days of your Home Visit please telephone us on (01225) 787321 to find out if you have been successful
• An appointment is then scheduled for you to complete the adoption

If you do not see a cat you like on your first visit please make a return journey. Our turnover of animals is impressive and we usually re-home between 15-20 cats every week so regular visits are advisable.

Documents to bring with you Please bring with you one form of identification that has your full name and address on it. If you live in rented accommodation then we require you to have written consent from your landlord/housing association that they are happy for you to have a cat at this address. Adoption fees Our adoption fees rarely cover the full cost of the treatment and care your chosen animal may have received whilst at the Home. Fees are necessary if we are to continue helping unwanted animals in need and we always welcome additional donations! All of our adult cats are vaccinated, neutered/ speyed, wormed, de-flea’d and micro-chipped before they are adopted.

Adult cats £55
Kittens (not neutered or spayed) but micro-chipped when old enough £45

Pure breeds are individually priced and reductions are often available for elderly cats

Adopting a kitten
We frequently have kittens available for re-homing, however during the winter months there is generally a lull until the spring when the kitten season starts all over again.

Because we have such a demand for kittens the reservation system is different to that for older cats. However, if you are interested in adopting a kitten from the Home, Reception will help you complete a questionnaire and will then organise a Home Visit. If this is successful your details will be passed on to our Kitten Co-ordinator who will get in touch with you.

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