A British animal rescue organisation, which I can’t name today, insists that cats adopted from them are allowed to roam outside entirely freely. On what I have heard first hand, it makes no difference if you live in London or if you live in a place where there are many other dangers for a cat.
And it also appears to make no difference if your cat is 4 months of age, still not fully socialised and not fully grown despite the fact there are unneutered toms, foxes and dogs in the area. Of course, there is always the possibility of being run over even if the road is 400 yards away.
I have discovered that where I live there have been a number of attacks by an unneutered tomcat on other cats including my late and loved Charlie. A neighbour has lost two cats. In the past, many years ago I have lost a cat on the road, which has altered my views. I think a cat caretaker has to experience that to fully understand the potential dangers to free-roaming cats in urban areas in England. This is not a criticism of people who allow their cat to roam because each owner makes their own decisions and those decisions should be respected.
The rescue organisation’s spokeswoman told me that if they’d known my plans for Gabriel, they wouldn’t have allowed me to adopt him. This was deeply upsetting to me. I was his foster carer when he first came to me at about 6 weeks of age. He was semi-feral. It took countless hours of play and interaction to socialise him. I achieved a lot and praise from the rescue organisation. In fact my cat is better socialised than his sister who is being cared from by the organisation’s senior employee. However, he is still not fully socialised and he may never be fully socialised in the way we would like cats to be (relaxed with anyone and other animals).
Because of the genuine dangers for a cat where I live, despite the wonderful and extensive grounds, I plan to keep my cat inside until he is a few months older and thereafter, leash train him (if possible) and simultaneously build a decent sized mobile-enclosure outside in the back garden until I can move to a house with a good sized enclosed garden (quarter acre). That is what I consider to be a thoughtful plan with cat welfare uppermost in my mind at my expense.
I have plans to move to the country in the summer where I can ensure my cat has a good-sized, safe outside space. If the area where I buy is obviously safe for a cat and if my cat behaves in a way which reassures me that he will be as safe as possible, I’ll let him wander outside but even then I will supervise to a certain extent.
All this is unacceptable to the rescue organisation. They simply insist on free-roaming outside cats. For me this is a ridiculous policy which lacks refinement. Whether a cat is allowed free access to the outside depends on where the cat lives. That is obvious but from the organisation’s spokeswoman’s perspective “accidents happen” and even if Gabriel were to be killed roaming outside within the first 6 months this is preferable, according to her, than doing what I plan to do. That cannot be correct and tens of millions of Americans would agree with me.
In addition, provided the adopter complies with the contract (and I have) the organisation have no right to lecture a cat caretaker/guardian on day to day cat care after the adoption has taken place.
They have the responsibility to make a decision on adoption at the time of the adoption. They can’t go back on that. There are no rights to do that under the contract.
So, having had a nasty experience at the hands of what I consider to be a strident, argumentative and even bullying spokesperson for the animal rescue organisation, I am deeply despondent. It has undermined the whole foster/adoption process and even my relationship with my cat.
I realise that many people will say I am being overly protective but each cat guardian must make their own decisions based on the circumstances that they face. Provided the decisions are well thought through and respect for the cat respect and the cat’s welfare are a priority, they should be accepted.
The photo, taken today by me, is of Gabriel.
Michael, many of the UK cat rescues prefer cats be given free access to some time outside during the day. Though from experience, they’ve always insisted the cat be at least 6 months old and be spayed/neutered and vaccinated first. I’ve heard that rescues may also refuse to re-home in areas with heavy local traffic if it poses a danger to free-roaming cats. They consider that an indoor-only lifestyle is best suited to cats with a disability or health issues.
I’m surprised that the organisation you’ve been dealing with didn’t mention their policy earlier. Surely if this is something they feel strongly about, they should have discussed the matter when you decided to officially adopt Gabriel? Perhaps they just assumed that like the majority of the people in the UK, you’d be allowing him out when he’d been neutered?
This is very strange because as you say in the USA cat breeders and perhaps some rescue centers demand the exact opposite: that the cat is kept indoors.
I think policy of this rescue organisation is misconceived and naive. There are places where a cat can roam free and be pretty safe but in London, if we are honest, there are no such places except for a large garden which is securely enclosed.
I am waiting on them to get back to me. They are discussing me!
I agree that it is important to give our cats as natural a life as we can but safety comes first and there has to be a balance between safety, health and welfare and freedom to roam outside.
Thanks Cal. I hope you are okay.
I think I understand what the unmentioned rescue is trying to do, let cats live more “natural” lifestyles, but this is ridiculous. We have taken away any “natural” habitat and therefore lifestyle by domesticating the cat, that was kind of the purpose. Sure, in a perfect world our cats could roam free, free of care and dangers that lurk nearly everywhere in the real world. Urban or countryside, at least here in Missouri, there are ALOT more “bugs” to worry about once you get out of the cities, and other natural predators.
I think an easy, brutal, even disgusting…but effective and affective “solution” to their “roaming” policy, is to make each proponent have to go “clean up” a feline that has been hit by a car. It is a traumatizing experience, especially if the cat is still alive, in pain, and obviously terminal. I have had to do some very horrible things because people let their cats roam the streets, things I care not to remember..but cannot forget. Cars are obviously not the only danger as mentioned…many terrible fates lie outside the safety of ones home, particularly to a “good” cat. My cat will trust ANYONE I let into my house, but if you even try to take him outdoors he will fight you with claws, they ONLY time he will fight you like that really. For that, I am very thankful.
I know it sounds rather cynical, but perhaps the unmentioned agency has this policy to increase adoptions because I bet there is a higher mortality rate for their “roaming” cats versus our indoors only cats. That organization or at least that representative sounds pretty shady…
Any chance you think we can change their minds? The fact that many breeders make you sign a contract confirming the exact opposite, that is the cat must remain indoors, or the contract is violated, and here they can an will come get the cat back for breach of contract in a court of law; only further confounds me with that unnamed organizations said roaming policy….its nonsense. What justification do they give for this “roaming” requirement?
Michael, what is most interesting to me, is that you mention your need, always there, in place, waiting to “POUNCE!” upon it like a …i don’t know what. Recently I had a mouse run up my pantleg? after rescuing it from Meowth, a favorite neighborhood cat, and ok, my keyboard is giving up on me.
Michael, I don’t know about your needs, but I believe with all my heart and soul, that you have had that most humble experience of being unconditionally one whole being with your feline companions, Your Cats. What else can we ask for from any species? <3.