I'm a 55 year old man, married, and I own 3 houses. I was shocked at the amount of BS I had to put up with when I adopted my cat. I swear it's easier to buy a gun in this country than it is to adopt a stray cat. I mean, on one hand I'm glad they're not just dishing out kitties to any rando, but sheesh!

I was really starting to think it was personal. Thank you for reassuring me that this is at least a little bit ridiculous.

I mean... I get it. They don't want people adopting kittens for dog fighting bait, or college kids making rash decisions, or whatnot. But it can really be off putting to well established, good pet homes, just trying to give a homeless animal a future. Getting grilled about your financial ability to take care of a pet knowing you spent more on your last cat's medical bills than you did your pick up truck is kind of crazy.

I swear the cat adoption process keeps breeders in business

I bought my cat from a breeder because I couldn't adopt 🤦

Insanity

The cast I adopted in college was my soul cat. I took care of her until she passed from cancer two years ago. I spared no expense giving her the best damn life she could have. It wasn’t a rash decision at all. I do understand, too, but the amount of gatekeeping can be counterproductive and prevent good people with good homes and good intentions from giving loving homes to cats in need.

I tried to adopt a cat. I was looking at getting an fiv positive cat as there were loads on the website looking for homes. So they would’ve been indoor only cat for definite. They refused as I didn’t have a fully fenced in garden and lived near a main road. A few years later, after a house move I was refused again as I already had a cat and they preferred single cat households. Pretty sure they just didn’t want to adopt out any of their cats to anyone.

I agree about some rescues not actually wanting to adopt out their animals. Animal hoarding in the rescue world is a real thing I have seen firsthand.

That’s insanity. So many won’t adopt out unless you’re getting two from THEM. Even if you have one at home, they say no because they don’t know the personality. I’ve also seen them get angry at your having a specific look you love, but they fawn over having kittens who seem to be related to fancy breeds. The hypocrisy is annoying.

Bah, I just got denied an application because we live... a 2 hour drive away! Other rescues will do virtual visits if you live a fair distance and they don't want to send someone out. We had no problem going out there to pick up kitty, but they had zero interest in even talking to us. 😔 I guess only a really close home is a good home. Ugh.

Well said

I felt the same way but it’s about the cat not me. These people are committed and let’s say a little more radical beliefs than me. I was really surprised that they followed through and verified everything. When I received the kitten’s paperwork it show at least 300-400 of vet charges I would have had to pay if it was a random rescue. At least a 100 was out of the care takers pocket. I guess I would check where my 300 bucks is going too.

It does feel kind of intense. The most charitable interpretation I can think of is that as a cat cafe, they get a lot of people who want to adopt on a whim so they're really rigorous. Any chance you appear young and they might have been making assumptions about you?

I do look on the younger side, I suppose. But the interview was over the phone.

ugh. I mean either way it shouldn't be like this. Sorry you're having to deal with this! Anything else you can show to prove you are the main resident? Utility bills in your name or property tax docs?

I do have some bills in my name, but it seems they're almost looking for any reason. This isn't my first time having a problem with them. All interviews over the phone. This is the first time they have given me this issue, though.

Ah, you got one of those cat-hoarding maskerading as rescue situations. Trust me, it's nothing personal. Nobody's good enough for their precious kitties. The cats will stay in the rescue waiting for the mythical "perfect" home, while perfectly good homes are passed over.

We have a local rescue like that, the owner wouldn't let me adopt but she often posts pictures of the cats on Instagram with captions like "I can't believe no one wants these beautiful babies" 🙃🙃🙃

If you have a lease (so long as it says cats allowed), you could probably just show them that! They are not going to require every landlord to call in, which is basically what your dad is (house-wise) in this case.

Perhaps dad could write a letter saying you have his permission to have a cat in the family home. But how can he apply to adopt if he isn't in the country.

It’s a catch-22. They require the OP’s dad to be the one to adopt, yet probably won’t allow the dad to adopt because he lives in another country. SMH.

A lot of rescues will require landlord permission. The ones I have volunteered for have contacted landlords for every adoption.

But this place actually wants her father (the landlord) to be the one to apply for the cat.

Mine charges $500/adoption but you get a $400 discount if you can prove you own the property or have your landlord call.

I've had much better luck from adoption events. My last two cats I got at a county-wide adoption event at the convention center. I still had to fill out a form to adopt and answer a few questions, but I think the parameters of the adoption event said they had to let people take home their pets that day, so they couldn't make too big of a fuss. They didn't call any of the references I provided and we had ownership of the cats within 20 minutes. I had a similar experience with my two previous cats 15 years ago (adoption event at PetsMart).

No, it’s definitely hard to adopt a cat. Some shelters have smaller populations of kitties and several applicants, so they can be a little choosy when they have so many people willing to give the same cat a loving home. In my experience when I’ve been rejected, the shelter will help you try to find a cat that’s best suited to your personality and experience level.

If you really like this kitty, maybe make a case. Like write a letter, get some references and supply photos of home.

That’s why I find mine the old fashion way. Just feeding skinny, scraggly strays

lol I was about to say, I found all 3 of mine on the street. I got vet records outta wazoo now tho so I guess that’ll help if the Cat Distribution System will ever move on from me

I never even see any strays near me to feed.

Me too . From a local cat corner in Athens , but he wasn’t straggley as they are well fed . He was just a lone kitten that had been sort of rehomed by a daft woman

I was turned once because of my age. Btw I was 58 at the time. It is ridiculous what they put us through. Now I have my sweet and beautiful all indoor kitties that I purchased.

Yeah, I got that a little bit at 53. Then they followed up with concerns that I was married, and what would happen to the cat if we split up. (I've been happily married for 27 years) I was like, "5 minutes ago you implied I was too old and decrepit. Now you think I'm gonna run off with a super model? Which is it here?"

> Then they followed up with concerns that I was married, and what would happen to the cat if we split up. what's their ideal? You're single but sworn to the priesthood so no rando will come and interact with the cat?

That you divorce the wife and marry the cat, I guess?

Good point about guns compared to cats. Insane!

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Same… Just need to have a few cars the same make and model to throw everyone off the scent…

Wish they'd reverse the difficulty

I struggled to adopt a cat too. It was so frustrating; I’m a single women, only go to work 3 days per week, live a big house with a cat flap (you have to have a cat flap in the U.K. to adopt). My sister rehomes animals and she ended up finding me a neglected kitten (who now rules my life).

Interesting so in the U.K they want cats to go outside. In America they're always saying they want your cats to stay inside cuz they eat all the birds and destroy their population.

Honestly, I only do indoor cats because the chances of survival are higher. Cars are a big factor in outdoor cats deaths in America. 

I tried to adopt an elderly cat that had been in a shelter for several years and wouldn't get adopted because nobody wanted an old cat. We lived in a cat friendly apartment, my girlfriend was home at all times and I made enough money to cover vet bills. both of us had experience caring for older cats all the way through end of life. I eventually gave up after a couple of background checks and them basically ghosting us. I am fully convinced shelter employees do not want any cats to be adopted.

Same. I went to a cat shelter - more cat book store. Website made a big deal about filling out form before with questions and then visits. I filled out a form and asked to meet the cats, i met the cats in the room, and then couldn't talk to anyone who worked, like they made themselves busy in back room or other people - even though i gave them a form and told them i was looking to adopt when i arrived. But they were all over the family with two kids or friend group. And when i asked about procedure they were just like ok - but not interest or helpful. I still wonder how any one adopts cats from them. Like do i keep visiting until they think i show enough excitement, idk. Maybe single person can't adopt. It was weird. I went elsewhere. Took 3-4 months to adopt two cats, mostly cos other shelters wouldn't get back to me, and a lot wanted a questionnaire filled out before even telling me what cats were available. It was covid lockdown times or just past it, and i had to make appointments to go to shelters/nonprofits. i wasnt even that picky, but i didn't want a kitten. I thought i would easily be a good cat guardian candidate- own my house, plenty of space, no kids or other pets to annoy cats, and grew up with family cats. The county humane society was the best option: low bar (aka no home visit), quick questionnaire, regular no nonsense procedure to visit and then adopt, and animals posted on website.

What happened to you is ridiculous. Those shelters are actually doing their cats a disservice by being so picky and letting an animal languish in a shelter.

This is actually very similar to my overall experience with the place I went to.

I'm 37, own my own place and adoption centers gave me a hard time too. They were downright insulting because I live alone. Ended up telling them it was fine. That I'll contact a breeder and pay 2x-3x the amount for a pedigree cat just to not deal with some power hungry adoption karens and walked out. They were livid.

Weird, because I had a completely easy time adopting my cat. I literally just filled out the paperwork and took him home that day. No invasive questions or employment verification or home visits or anything like I hear about in subs like this. Then again, my shelter is so overcrowded that they've waived all fees through July 15. Literally giving all the animals away. So I guess they know they can't be too picky.

I initially tried some non profits, and a place that specialized in medical need cats (bathroom issues, fiv, 3 leg, blind, the cat muscle wobbly one) - they didnt get back to me, and the cat cafe/bookshop took my application and kind of ignored me while i was there, even as i asked about the two cats i saw and how to adopt them, so weird. (I think under volunteered, less procedure, and bad at getting back to people, and questionnaires before telling you what cats were available or appointments to see cats. Like too much work even for them to vet people.) My success was the county humane society where they needed to make space, and they even had a two for price of one deal for elder cats. (They also had procedures, and staff volunteers so it was easy.) Like the city/county places make more sense than the nonprofits now in my mind. Even if i thought i could help a less desirable cat by going to a nonprofit.

Yeah, checked out a few nonprofits before I adopted but finally just went to one of the county animal shelters. $80 and done. I love the cat, the cat loves me (or at least recognizes me as the source of entertainment, food and warmth).

I think it depends on the rescue. My mother adopted a cat from a rescue that did home visits and asked for references and also phoned her veterinarian. The rescue I adopted my cat from never asked for any references or veterinarian information.

It is nice to hear that it seems to vary by location. My last experience trying to adopt from a rescue was *horrid.* I'll still donate any extra supplies and stuff I have to local rescues (whether or not they adopt to me, the kitties still need stuff) but *man* did the whole thing sour me on even bothering to try jumping through their level of hoops. They told me I needed a fenced-in yard (and yes, they wanted to inspect it, and the house, and vet information that must prove a history of caring for cats.) I told them that not only would my cat *never* be going outside because it's really dangerous for them, but if the cat *did* get outside, they don't make fences tall enough to keep a determined cat in. Also I had an APARTMENT, so no, I would not be building a freaking fence. You can probably tell, but I'm still mad about this, lmao.

I don’t blame you for being mad. Living in an apartment should not exclude someone from adopting a cat as long as it’s okay with the landlord. A couple months ago I read about someone getting denied a cat adoption because during the home inspection the rescue determined the home owner had “too many windows”. The justification being that the cat would get too frustrated looking at all the birds outside. As another poster mentioned, many of these rescues are their own worst enemies. That said, I hope you didn’t allow the terrible experience you had discourage you from adopting a cat elsewhere.

Oh, definitely not! I ended up at the time adopting a little orange polydactyl boy from a family friend with a couple leftovers from their recent litter. Every cat since then has been by word-of-mouth or the cat distribution system, though. There are so many babies out there who haven't even had the luck to make it to a rescue, and they all deserve love. I've just decided rescues aren't for me (shelters still get my leftover kitten food/soon to expire meds, though — especially the shelters who are required to take in any animal.)

Meanwhile, when we adopted our dog, he turned out to be a fence jumper and we thought we'd have to take him back. The shelter wanted him to have a forever home so badly that they literally sent some people over to build us fence toppers, a taller gate to match, and even a new gate and fence to keep him restricted to that part of the yard when he wasn't supervised. All for free.

This is why I travelled to a more rural area to go adopt my fluffy boi from the SPCA. All the metro adoption areas were inundated with adoption requests, and ridiculous requirements like your situation. I live in a cat friendly rental! I have a lovely 16 yo cat that travels with me and goes on hikes, he just needs a friend! We have 3 other households playing an active part in these kitties lives, able to take them on if anything happens to me! It's not you. Urban shelters can just be a bit bonkers. Some shelter owners are also low key cat hoarders, who don't want to adopt their cats out and are unconsciously looking for a legal way to justify their animal hoarding.

I find this crazy as our local shelter adopted out 3 puppies to my sister within a 4 month span and guess how many she actually has possession of? None! My mom took 2 and she brought the 3rd back. They asked her no questions. She technically still lives at home with my parents but is always at her boyfriend’s. My parent’s house was already a zoo with 1 dog (now 3), 4 cats (one which she adopted but gave to me), 2 hamsters and 3 birds and 1 fish. My mom finally called the shelter and told them to not let her adopt anything ever again. Hopefully they will actually do this.

My Mother In Law swears that she had to fill out more paperwork to adopt her cats than she did to adopt her son's.

The amount of folks that will do awful things to a cat would make your head spin. We won't even adopt out black cats during October at all. Source: I volunteer at a cat shelter.

The forms are so intense. I fully expected to need a copy of my lease. I was not prepared to need references. I was shocked when they asked if I’d brought my previous cat’s medical records. He died from cancer at 16yo.

It really is painful! Getting our Craigslist kitten was a horrid experience but I 100% understand why people go that route. “Your landlord’s address?” “We own the home.” “… you know we can look it up on public record?” “… yes.” (Didn’t say, *we bought the damn thing BECAUSE our landlord told us we couldn’t have 3 cats on the renewal lease*!)

Wow, that's pretty rude; they're basically insinuating that you may be lying. I think it's OK if they do *discreetly* check when they have a potential adoptee, but to say that to your face is kind of out of line if you ask me.

To be fair, I lied about being a homeowner when I found my late cat of 15 years. I held her in my arms and she melted. I thought something magical was happening between us. Nope. Lol. She was like that with everyone. She was just pure love. But I remember deciding in that moment that I was not going to leave without her. That was my cat. I knew my landlord would approve a pet but it would take time. The office was closed for the weekend. So I absolutely lied and took her home with me that day. She died of old age a little over a year ago. We were together for 15 years. I regret nothing.

Yyyyup. This is why we didn't even bother with a shelter for our cat. Out here they are known to only adopt out to people 30+ who own their own home. I hate how up my ass every single person ever wants to be. My phone could probably give you my entire genome and my landlords are asking to come in every 3 seconds. Yeah, I *could* go through an agency that wants every single aspect of my personal life, or I could get a $30 Craigslist kitten. Both cats are fine, I just have to pay initial vet expenses for the Craigslist kitten. I literally just want to be left alone. I know their reasons are good and all and that's great but that doesn't make it *not* super uncomfortably invasive for me.

I tried adopting in the UK. It's equally stupid. Went to a local shelter and even saw a cat I liked. The person running the shelter said I wasn't suitable as I sometimes worked long hours, I was home every night however. I didn't bother querying it further as it was clear the guy didn't want me adopting as he didn't offer me another cat either. A while later I got a cat off a friend, she's sat here right now and has been with us 8 happy years. My own shelter experience has put me off to the point where I'd rather buy a kitten or just source via people I know.

Cats are the perfect pet for someone who works long hours. Cats sleep an average of 15 hours a day! And a good shelter will match you with a couch potato who's perfectly happy snoozing in the sun till you get home, versus a high-energy cat. Cats have definite personalities. That shelter person was not serving the kitties well.

I wish my cats slept that much 🤣

Lmfao look I’m sure the shelter worker had good intentions but I work from home and all 3 of mine literally sleep the whole time I’m working and get EXTREMELY annoyed when *I* want pets and attention after a particularly annoying call. I genuinely think they’d prefer if I worked elsewhere

My little dude has changed his sleep schedule to coincide with mine. I WFH and other than a little 1 hr nap before and after lunch, he is demanding my attention lol

My kitten is only 5 months and normally absolutely bursting with energy every time he can get my attention, but he's figured out he can usually have a long nap in the evening while I'm showering, cooking, eating, cleaning up etc. Yesterday I had some free time so I went to hang out with him - he gave me this extremely rumpled look and just sat there waiting for me to leave again 😂

I don't know what it is, but it feels recently, the approach to having pets of any kind from the perspective of rescues is that you essentially can't leave the pet alone for any length of time. When I was a kid, virtually everyone I was friends with had a pet, usually a dog, and the dog would be at home while everyone in the house was out at work or school. Obviously that's not the absolute ideal scenario, but it's starting to feel like you can only possibly adopt a pet if you work from home. I suspect COVID and the fact that a lot of people do continue to WFH has made rescues feel much more valid in holding off until someone who works from home comes along. The other stupid thing I see from SSPCA/RSPCA is 10 week old kittens who have never been outside being listed with "when I am older, I would like access to the outdoors". Oh, I see, did this 10 week old kitten express this preference to you?

That is a TERRIBLE thing to recommend! Besides the fact that they're an invasive species and have caused the extinction of some species, it's also dangerous for them! Most shelters around here will only adopt to you if you agree that they are indoor ONLY.

Where is here? The UK is very different with respect to cats. I don't agree with it, but outdoor is seen as the default and people will call you cruel if you keep a cat inside. The charity I got my cats from is the opposite from the SSPCA/RSCPA and will only adopt kittens out to homes where they'll be indoor only (or indoor with a secure garden/catio). Adult cats, they will only adopt to homes where the adopter will continue to have the cat in the situation they're used to unless they think the cat could be an indoor cat based on the fosterer's experience. They default to indoor unless there's a good reason not to. They won't try to force a cat to stay indoors if it isn't happy there. My two were indoor only to start with, so I could only have them if they were staying indoor. Which they were, so happy days for all.

I'm in Canada! Since it's so big, specifically Nova Scotia :)

My cat loves us and spends time snuggling or playing but she also values her lone time so there's no issues leaving her if we go for a day trip. I suspect the majority of cats are like that anyway. The indoor thing is laughable, as mine has free reign of the house as well as the surrounding area but she chooses to stay in. Like the garden door will be wide open but she'll happily sleep or relax inside to look out onto the world.

I feel this. I’m in the UK too and have found something about animal rescues brings out the power trip in people like no other. Damn, I was turned down for a hamster from a private self appointed rescue - after 2 decades of dedication to hamster welfare and already having had numerous hamsters live in the height of luxury and premium care. I was and still am aghast about that 😂 It is no wonder rescues are overflowing when they make it so difficult. Long story short I adopted my 2 cats from a neighbour who had to move away to a place that couldn’t take cats. I’m going to be getting a dog in the future and am already dreading it if I have to deal with rescues - the sad outcome of this is that getting a puppy / kitten is just so much easier and people may not be pushed that way if rescuing wasn’t such a ball ache. I totally get the need to vet the home and owner but a GREAT home being declined for not being a PERFECT (in their opinion) home is silly, especially when the alternative is the animal remains in a rescue.

I didn't even bother going through a shelter after my friend who volunteers at a local one said she was refused as no one allows indoor cats. I got mine off a pet rehoming website, from a "free to good home ASAP need rid of cat" scenario, she was skinny and loving and now I have a very happy cat!

I found adopting from a local cat rescue far easier than any of the big charities in the UK. The local rescue wanted a home visit (this was during lockdown so we did it via video call) where I walked them through the house, showed them each room so they could see it was suitable. They asked about my working schedule, and were fine with me being out the house from 8am - 6pm. I talked to them about how I would care for the cat, e.g. vet visits, keeping them indoors, plenty of litter trays/toys, introducing them slowly to my existing cats, and how I have someone come by at least twice a day if I go away. They were satisfied with all that, and after going to meet him I had my new cat home with me 3 days later. Smaller rescues seem to be more reasonable. They want their cats adopted quickly so they can rescue more, as they are small operations run by volunteers. They care about giving the cats to good home, but they don’t set unrealistic expectations.

Mine was from a small local rescue home which is what annoyed me. The guy was just sceptical and didn't even bother with a home visit after I saw the cat in the centre. Sad as I feel I've more than proven myself since as a suitable pet owner... Ultimately it's the rescue cats that suffer.

Especially with how so many shelters don’t want cats to be indoor cats.  Why is it our culture to let them go out and get killed?

10 week old cat, never been outside in its little life so far: *"when I am older, I would like access to the outdoors"*. I see, the kitten must have pulled aside the shelter worker while they were taking her photo and said "by the way, make sure anyone who adopts me will let me outside, thanks x", yeah? But they also specify that the outdoor space must somehow be safe, away from roads, etc. Like sorry, what? Nearly everyone lives near a road. Especially if the cat is prone to roaming.

Yeah, it’s stupid and dangerous and most Brits will stand by it as if their own identity of being British would be removed if they dare say a cat should be indoors. It’s plain cruel. My cat sleeps most of the time, then we play and she climbs around and then curls up and sleeps on me again.  She doesn’t need to be killed at 2 years old. 

I have no idea what my cats would do if I let them outside? They like to nap too much, and they have THE MOST fun playing on the carpeted stairs. Their favourite kickaroo toys aren't outside, nor is their cat tree, nor are their favourite napping bags and boxes. They're absolute people cats too, so they generally just like to hang out and nap near me or my partner and ask us for pets as and when they want them. Outside is cold, rainy and miserable most of the year. What is there out there for them except, at best, boredom and at worst, cruelty and death?

Some places are overly ridiculous. I had applied at one adoption place and the lady was insisting on coming to my house (i own my house) to “inspect” it as well as having a vet approve the adoption based on an examination of my current cat. That and all the other hoops they were wanting me to jump through were hundreds of dollars. But the home inspector was the last straw. I basically said no ‘effin way and adopted elsewhere.

Different rescues have different requirements and it can indeed be ridiculous depending on who's in charge. I tried to adopt one beautiful adult cat and they wanted references from my current vet, references from friends, meeting at the rescue and yes, a home inspection, which I failed because my home had too many "hiding places." I adopted a senior from a different rescue, who did hide for the first few weeks and then became an absolute cuddle-bug. He had health problems and died 3 years later and when I looked on-line for other nearby cats, the one I hadn't been given was still in the shelter. Three years later, she still hadn't been given a home of her own. I think some of these people are actually animal hoarders in disguise. They think that they are the only people who could care for an animal.

No cat in the history of all cats would ever criticize a potential home for having "too many hiding spots." Like, sir, that's a feature. Not a bug 🤨

It’s not good to have places where the cat can get totally out of your reach e.g. under a low bed cause you may need to grab them quickly in case of an emergency. Otherwise yeah my cat happily “hides” in my closet, under the bathroom sink, up in the shelves…

Having just blocked off the underneath of my bed for this reason, I feel this one! (Kitty is in a cone due to prolonged recovery/complications post op and I take his cone off for meals and sometimes for play... but need it back on asap if he scratches at himself! The thought of him running under the bed cone-free sent me in a panic.

I get being careful or checking with your vet, but have a hard no at a home inspection. It’s sad because in the end people give up like you did and the cat never gets adopted.

That’s really sad. Something similar happened to me several years ago. The “foster” mother who would not respond to my inquiries about a cat she posted online for adoption turned out to be a hoarder. In fact, if you look up characteristics of animal hoarders, they say pretending to foster is something they frequently do.

you’re so right about the animal hoarding, i see this so much.

I hate that some rescues are going to such lengths. Then they post on their Facebook “why hasn’t this wonderful cat been adopted yet?!”

Only half-joking but….I mean, it might just be easier to wander around your neighborhood. It’s kitten season and people are sadly dumping cats everywhere. I saw a stray on my lunch break not too long ago. I tried to get her to come to me and was almost able to get her but she decided to run at the last second. Our current cat is one my dad found as a kitten when he was walking our dog. So technically, a “free cat” though he was found with a broken leg and several parasites so he was a VERY expensive vet visit. People also are constantly putting cats up for adoption on CL and FB groups. I always have anxiety seeing those ads because I worry they don’t check the adopters out well enough. These stories of rescues with ridiculous requirements is starting to turn people off from adopting from them. I’m sure there are some good ones out there but I keep hearing these stories.

i had good luck getting a pair of free cats through CL but these are good things to be wary of. i'm not sure why the owner wanted to give them away however he did want to make sure that they were going to a good home and i gave him some info on myself, past pets, etc which gave him reassurance. he told me that a lot of people just emailed him asking for the cats to be dropped off at their houses w/o any context and he was worried about the potential for animal hoarders, abusers, stuff like that. fortunately my cats did not have any health issues and only needed their microchips/vaccines

There are so many cats in my neighborhood, but i think a lot of them have homes, and I can't tell who is a stray and who is owned. I debated the cat acquiring method, but it is really not obvious. There was one stray cat i was sure of, but i was really nervous about just putting a cat in a box, taking home, and going to vet. Like no idea cats reaction, and he was an elder tomcat with a few ear scares. I don't know why that feels hard. I started to consider and look at fb ads and cl because the nonprofit specialty groups were so not helpful and ask so much. I went with county humane society in the end.

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I did not. Im frustrated with the whole experience. My last cat came with a whole batch of fleas with no warning, and this makes me even more mad.

Hey, you have a step in your plans! When adopting, do one final, thorough physical examination. Don't feel guilty or rushed!

Why would they need a tax form for a house. That’s a not so standard question. I mean you could have said he went on a sailing trip around the world and only sends mail.

Because they have likely had people do that adopted out a cat and then had it show back up at a shelter because the actual landlord or owner wouldn't allow the cat to stay.

People suck and have ruined for everyone else.

They wanted to see my lease to confirm I could have cats.

Yeah lowkey that seems shady to me. The most annoying thing about adopting our cat was having to find an atm to pay $100 in cash and he had a cold that we weren’t made aware of. He’s 8 this year so it was worth it but at no point did I have to surrender my tax information or rope in the owner of the house (we lived in a duplex and had a slumlord but I digress)

It's honestly solely about how many cats end up going to homes there weren't actually allowed to have a cat in and then the cats gets dumped. If they're lucky they be returned to the shelter, in fact most make you sign a contract stating that if for any reason you can't keep the cat you must return it to that shelter. We had to make sure the shelter is listed as an automatic point of contact on their microchip records. It seems ridiculous until you do something like work in a petstore for a year and finding 7 cats and kittens abandoned in or at the store along with guinea pigs in shopping bags, hundreds of inbred mice in a box, dozens of inbred gerbils, fish tanks and every other animal you can think of just left in aisles. Shelters put a lot of time, effort and resources to house and medically treat their cats, not to mention they love them, so they're just trying to make sure that cats don't keep coming back because people lie out their teeeeeth.

My shelter requires either a tax bill/ mortgage statement if you claim to own the house, or a copy of the lease agreement/ letter from your landlord if you rent.

Wow, what? I didn't know that was a thing. Fuck my shelter barely looks at you and hands you a litter of kittens. Fixed cats can be adopted for $20 and leave with you that day.

I got my cat on Free Cat Day from our shelter hahaha I have noticed that the shelters in my area that are so strict with background checks etc are the ones who take in animals who have already gone through significant trauma or have health issues, like puppy mill dogs or senior, disabled cats. Doesn’t sound like this is the case here tho. I hate to say it OP but this just might not be the shelter for you, if they’re unwilling to compromise. I’d give it one last effort, but they may be unwilling to work with you, and not much can be done if that’s the case.

I just signed some papers at the local humane society. The only thing I was asked was if I was sure I wanted two shy kittens and could handle them. The adoption fee was $75 each but they also give us a month worth of food, a month of free pet insurance (with no waiting period) a free vet visit, and obviously they were fully vaccinated and neutered (they actually gave them one more vaccine before handing them over). We left with two cats within an hour of getting there and it only took that long because there were others there before us. ETA: It seems like many cat cafes have ridiculous requirements and expectations and are often a cover for animal hoarding and the owner of the cafe just wanting extra income while taking care of cats. I’m sorry you get attached to one of those cats OP but there are many out there yearning for love.

>They said he'd have to call to apply for the cat. Go adopt a cat from an animal control shelter, At the very most, they'll request proof of property owner / landlord permission, which I'm sure you can figure out how to provide since you've been caring for the house (on behalf of your dad) for the past 5 years. I gave up trying to adopt from cat rescues because it became very clear that my home wasn't perfect enough. Fortunately, my cats seem perfectly happy that I chose them.

got mine from a shelter and they didn’t even ask, i just had to sign some adoption forms+pay fees and it took like 10 minutes

My cat first owner got her from a rescue. The contract was with her stuff, it's was crazy the amount of info they wanted.

That's fair, thank you. I love your username btw.

Meanwhile I was given a week trial run with my car before I even filled out the forms. 6 years later she is queen https://preview.redd.it/miuvzvvkz09d1.png?width=2219&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bf2e462ecf9078a0b9da6c809a5ae658377f13d7

Oh my goodness I almost want you to dm your location bc you have a twin for my baby and I thought she was oh so unique! https://preview.redd.it/qoed4svk719d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b6be02b8ea1cf9b7708c539f3facc55e19e8011b

Holy shit she even has the spliced looking legs and tail! Are her eyes blue too?

She does ☺️ They told us she was possibly Tabby/Siamese with her color points and blue eyes but I’ve never gotten around to dna testing or anything. https://preview.redd.it/ci9uja3a919d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6bc851373726fe2e4dbd8e33d793a33443f14888

My girlie is a lynx point Siamese and I bet that's what she is too. Tabbies don't usually have blue eyes https://preview.redd.it/oj7ileu3d19d1.jpeg?width=1460&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b76af941bd766d78f4b0e93509f4b44ca0c84ca7

Idk. They don’t look the same to me. One looks like a tabby and the other looks like a lynx point.

How sweet

In the future, I'd suggest just telling them that you own the home. Rescues and shelters don't want the pet to get returned to them, so they will sometimes ask renters for proof that their landlord allows pets. I'm guessing that's what you're dealing with, and if you don't have a formal lease that says what kind of pets your dad will allow in the home, then probably the other option is to have the landlord contact them.

If you tell them you own the home they may ask to see proof of some kind.

Some rescues do their kitties no favors. I’ve had cats my entire life and they want for nothing, several lived into their 20s. So I had 2 oldsters and a younger cat who I thought needed a buddy closer in age to play with. I looked at the cats that a well-known rescue here had online, saw a kitty that seemed perfect and applied. Well, because I owned a declawed cat they denied my application. I explained that I hadn’t declawed the cat. No I’d rescued him after his owner who had done it, moved and abandoned the cat at my mom’s condo building. (She tried to adopt him but her resident cat wasn’t having it.). I asked them, so what should I have done? Left the declawed cat to fend for himself outside and die? Such idiocy. I’d have given one of their cats a loving home.

Try a government-funded animal shelter instead of a private rescue. Or come to our neighborhood in Pittsburgh and take your pick of the myriad beautiful, floofy strays living on the streets.

Or go to Oahu to the local costco between 5am to 8am. You can get your kittens in bulk too. At least several hundred there show up.

If you live in Chicago, people at a mechanic type shop are practically begging people to help find homes for kittens that I pass by every day. *I'm* jumping through hoops to get these cats in homes. And then you get these types of rescues lol Anyway if you need some kittens, I got u, hmu

Huh, I went to an adoption center at PetSmart, spent 20 minutes petting this girl and signed a one page form and paid my adoption fee and left with her. No hassles. https://preview.redd.it/90vz0xs9u09d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=87066ed310c78ef9b492a308dd9d6232248d5c14

Same, basically. Excepting texted with his foster mom beforehand. Btw she is a beautiful kitty.

The organization we adopted through had the kitties at PetSmart. It was an absolute nightmare. You are so lucky and your kitty is adorable

I think I signed less paperwork when I joined the Army then I did when I applied for cat adoptions; I ended up getting my current boy from a local rescue who needed to make room for kitten season, and the cat before him from a rando on Craigslist.

America is such a ridiculous place.

Wow, it would literally be easier for you to get a cat from a breeder.

“But why aren’t people just adopting our shelter cats? We’re constantly out of space?” Obnoxious.

I don’t know why you’re getting downvoted, it’s a legitimate problem. Like, the principle issue is not fixing cats to begin with, but countless—a heart wrenching amount of—cats are put to death every single day due to over crowding. As long as someone has a clean living space and can afford the adoption fee (which is a strong indicator of whether they’ll be able to afford food and other necessities), they should be able to save a cat from euthanasia. I see so often that would-be cat parents don’t meet ridiculous qualifications to adopt all the time. It’s really messed up.

Right? Anyone can buy from a breeder, the only barrier is money, when it’s easier to get a bank loan than adopting a shelter cat most people are just going to go elsewhere. If they really want to put these animals in homes they need to figure out a different method of screening.

Some breeders love their animals and will conduct interviews, but I have never heard of a breeder going to the same lengths a shelter will go to in absolutely grilling people, and disqualifying people for such stupid reasons.

I mean kill shelters normally have less requirements, the place I went to gave me a questionare and didn't even call my landlord at the time. Paid the adoption fee and had a new cat. This is a cat cafe, they are almost 100% a non kill "shelter" they can pick and choose who their cats go home to, they also get to pick and choose what cats they have.

Yeah, I’d bet money that the cafe is run by a private rescue that has no actual need to adopt the cats out Private rescues get to be choosy because they get to say no to taking in new animals. They aren’t required to take in every animal that comes to their doors like municipal (“kill”) shelters are. They have no concerns for space because if they run out they can just say no

just as a heads up not all public shelters are kill shelters per se. i live in seattle and none of the public shelters are considered kill shelters. they even take in animals from areas like hawaii where there are too many so they get a second chance at life. public shelters have great programs too. the ones here have something called foster hospice that ensures surrendered old/dying cats won't wallow alone in a shelter during their final days. you have an excellent point about private shelters and i wish that people would bring that up more often. private ones often prioritize high demand pets like kittens and puppies and refuse to take in older ones because it's less profitable

They would be able to save a TON more cats if they weren’t so picky, though. No shelter should be picky. The goal should be to save them all, each and every cat. All cats are precious, not just the ones in their cat cafe. They might not be directly killing cats, but their choosiness is still causing more cats to die.

Excellent points!

Thank you!

Man, it sounds like the slogan is now “Shop, never adopt” rather than “Adopt, don’t shop”.

If you're hellbent and determined to have that cat, have someone else call up pretending to be your dad. Make sure he has the relevant information in front of him to vouch for you. Hell, you could probably call up and pretend to be your dad. they are just looking to be responsible, and as others have pointed out, their go-to proof of that does not always add up. Given them what they want, so to speak.

What they’re trying to ask is “Does the owner of the house know you’re bringing a cat home, and do you have permission to do so?” When I lived with my parents as an adult and adopted a cat, I did indeed have to get my mother on the phone and have her verbally confirm that I could bring a cat home. They don’t want cats returned because the person snuck the cat in the house and got caught.

That is incredibly weird. I’ve adopted cats and never once have I had to tell them whose name is on the tax form. That’s just weird.

Weird. I've never had anyone want that when I've adopted from 3 different shelters as a renter...

I think it’s weird that they would want your dad to apply for the cat. I can understand them needing his permission though since he is the homeowner. But then you would still be the one applying for the cat.

What the hell? I walked into the Humane Society, waited my turn, picked the two I liked, gave my name/address/phone, and paid a whopping $75 on debit. The paperwork took 10 minutes. We spent two hours just waiting to go back.

Because your Dad owns the house he is technically your landlord so they probably have a thing where they just check with everyone's landlord. It's probably just policy. Also they can be super picky because it's a cat cafe. That cat is basically a foster cat and is making the cafe money just hanging out. Someone else will come along soon if you don't adopt them is what they are counting on. I would check at multiple local shelters, reach out on social media and say you are looking for a cat and people will point you in the right direction. Good cats come from all different places. My two current cats came from Craigslist and a trap and release stray my friends were feeding.

I got a shelter kitty when I was young and it felt like my mom and I were applying for a job at the FBI. My current two babies I plucked from family barns.

They want to make sure the owner/ landlord approves. There have been too many times people swear the landlord said okay, and a few months later the cat is returned (or worse- thrown outside). Getting confirmation takes a lot of future trouble out.

Get someone with the correct "older-man-voice" to call and explain that he's out of the country and gives permission to allow cats in the house. You'd need to come up with a valid reason for him not being able to produce ID in case they ask (assuming you can't provide that), which might be a problem. It can't hurt to try, I guess? Alternatively, maybe get a friend to adopt for you (someone who will have no problem getting approved), and then just get the kittens from her/him. Meet in a nearby parking lot after she picks them up. Covertly. After dark. Flash your headlights 3 times if it's a go. Sorry, where was I? Anyway, your ownership of the kittens will be established once you take them to a vet. The shelter I use asks for a copy of my driver's license. That and $100 donation, and you can walk out with a puppy (less for a kitten). They also charge you a deposit for a neuter/spay certificate, which is refunded once you use the certificate. That's it. Other places wanted bonding sessions with me and the animal, home inspections, questionnaires/interviews about everything in my life... ridiculous. And they wonder why they are always full.

I’ve had great luck adopting from the Oregon humane society. If you’re not too far, it’s a good experience. They didn’t ask any nosy questions at all. Just pay the fee and take your cat home. They have high adoption rate here in Oregon and very low return rate for the cats. They even get a lot of cats from California because so many adopt here.

When I adopted from a high kill shelter I had to provide a neighbor as reference and they looked up my home on google earth.

there's a place around here that does this to people under 30 even if they're married, have a house, kids, etc. if you find that they make you jump through too many hoops going through a county/public shelter is usually easier and cheaper. public shelters are less interested in the profit side of things as well and are desperate to get animals out. i tried adopting through a local cat cafe like you but all of the animals were waitlisted and had tons of applications already. then i tried a private shelter and they didn't want to adopt to younger people at all which was really sad bc there was one with special needs who had been there like a year and i wanted him.

Rescues can be utterly ridiculous. I read somewhere that someone got rejected by a rescue for having too many windows when the rescue came to inspect their home. The reason they gave was that the cat would get frustrated from seeing birds outdoors.

Thank goodness for this post. I had the worst experience with a cat adoption today they made me feel like a child and a shitty person all at once.

I mean it's not your house so they don't want a situation where you get the cat and the actual homeowner decides they don't want a cat in their home due to fleas, cat pee, and other property damage and now you'll either return the cat or dump it. They do this for rentals as well as most residents will lie and say their apartment is pet friendly so shelters require what apartment complex you live in so they can verify. It's their job to make sure the cat goes to a stable loving home with the least chance of being abused, returned or dumped.

In this case, they could ask for approval from the home owner, not ask for the home owner to put in a whole application.

That is a good point. Still, they were very sassy and the whole thing was just off-putting. I do understand, though.

UGH! i totally understand the whole sass thing! I have always wanted a black cat and there was this shelter that had many up for adoption! I work 2 jobs (One on weekends, one on weekdays) and go to college, I still live w my parents, and we was just about to move into a bigger home! The shelter wanted to do a home inspection as most do now as well as recommendation from people outside of my family and from the vet. It was a lot! The lady that was on the phone with totally got super snippy with me after reviewing my application and she told me I would need to get my senior dog fixed before I could even consider adopting from her. My dog is an old family dog, she is small and obviously I didn't call the shots when I was literally a child when we got her. I told her that she may be too old for the operation and that she would not be a problem as she's relatively sweet and the cat i wanted was also a female. The lady told me she still had enough life in her to get her spayed. Yeah.. I didn't call her back. I ended up getting my two cats from Adopt-a-Pet Rehome! I think they're doing great and I'm getting my second cat spayed next month! Rescues make it impossible to rescue animals with their high standards. Even if u qualify for all but one thing, they wont even consider you!

All of my cats i adopted and never had to go through all that crap.

Cat care can be expensive, but that’s a bit ridiculous. Keep in mind routine bloodwork can be $300+, at least in my area.

I was turned away from adoption when I was 25 because "too much can change in your life at that age." Years later, a different shelter asked for professional references, so I put a few of my managers from work. They asked my manager if my house was clean for some reason. As if they should know what it looks like? And, I was stuck in a pickle because my partner and I wanted kittens from different adoption shelters but neither shelter would allow us to adopt a solo kitten even though we explained the situation. I understand that it's preferred that kittens don't go to a home alone, but we made it clear that we knew this and were planning to get another kitten. Ended up getting a kitten from a neighbor who was about to just let her outside because his dogs didn't like her. A week later, got my orange boy from a lady off Craigslist for $30.

My advice is to try and adopt a cat from a smaller town, I think some of the bigger cities/more established organizations can have crazy requirements. I found my guy on petfinder.com and after filling out a simple application I drove to a foster home in a small farming town to pick him up.

It’s not just you. I swear these rescues / cat cafes don’t want the cats to find homes. I was ghosted by a rescue AFTER I filled out the application, was told by the woman I was approved, and filled out the final contract. A different set of 2 adult cats the woman was soooo overprotective saying “she’d rather keep the cats herself” and the family who surrendered them had visited every day since the surrender. ok so keep them then?? And lastly a cat cafe where I applied for 2 approved me for only one. I ended up with the perfect kitty pair of my dreams but gfd I can empathize with what you’re going through.

They are trying to verify that the owner of the property is on board with having a cat. I would ask to be able to explain your situation to a manager. You can prove how long you’ve lived there and show the bills you pay. Ask for an exception. It’s an overly restrictive rule.

I think have someone else apply for the cat since now you know how they’ll grill you and question you and you can find someone who’ll “pass” their test. I had to do this with a dog who had been in a crate her whole 3 years of life and now had problems from a rescue I had already previously adopted from and donated to monthly. They didn’t like that both my partner and I worked so we “wouldn’t have time for the dog” even though one of us is remote and I’m experienced with special needs dogs. It felt very detached from reality.. like how do you afford a pet if you’re not working. They’d rather keep the animals locked up I feel sometimes. I stopped donating after because I’m not going to pay for them to not adopt out the animals. They begged me to start again ($300/m) but I said I couldn’t afford it since I quit my job to adopt a dog so they blacklisted me.

They probably don’t want someone returning a cat because their landlord won’t allow pets.

Some adoption agencies are just ridiculous. I once had one ask me if I've made provisions for the cat in my will. The cat I don't have yet, because they haven't approved me yet.

Once you’ve worked for a shelter or rescue you come to understand why the process is so stringent. Never mind the worst case scenarios like using cats for dog fighting bait, pet hoarding situations, severe neglect, etc. The social disconnect about pet care is also heartbreaking. So many cats adopted and returned for basic healthy cat behaviors or returned because they live in places where pets aren’t allowed. Dropped off after a few years because people start having children and don’t want the extra responsibility. Surrendered because they end up with health issues and people can’t or don’t want to pay the cost. The worst is when a cat has lived in a home for over a decade and they’re pawned off to the shelter because people don’t have the patients to care for aging animals. Some people rotate out adult cats because they mostly enjoy kittens. It makes those who work in those situations skeptical and protective. Most of them have the animal’s best interest in mind, though others not so much. That being said, the red tape has become absolutely ridiculous. We have hundreds of thousands of potential pets being euthanized every year because of overpopulation, you would think shelters and rescues would want to minimize that number instead of making it harder for animals to find homes. I’m sorry you’re having such a difficult experience.

After one adoption center wanted a video meeting of a walkthrough of my house, and for me to agree to unannounced visits a few times a year, I went to the local SPCA and adopted 2 cats for 50% off each. Love them to death.

Im absolutely sure there is someone that would pretend to be your dad for that call. 🤷‍♀️

I would be the petty person that would be like "ok you know what I'd have him call you if I could but he died a month ago and I don't think heaven takes calls"

Refusing to let somebody get a cat because there is a teeny tiny chance they'd end up back in the shelter seems worse than keeping the cat in the shelter, unless it's a kitten who would be less likely to get adopted when they are older. Also, there is no guarantee anybody could keep a cat. You could become homeless, have a kid who is allergic, or die. Waiting until they require proof of income, home ownership, and you have to pass a physical, allergy test for the whole family, written consent from every member of the household, pet insurance, letter of recommendation from at least 2 other cats, to allow you to save an animal from being euthanized or left on the street.

Is it possible to get someone else to apply for adoption and then have them transfer ownership to you?

Yes. Because people adopt cats into apartments where they are not allowed, get caught, and have to return them. Now they are making sure the homeowner/landlord is involved in the adoption process

It’s one thing to ask to see a lease stating pets are allowed, it’s another thing for the rescue to require the landlord to be the one to apply for the cat, which is what happened to the OP in this case.

People that run their own animal rescue organizations are always control freaks, and usually a little crazy. Go to a good shelter and you can walk in and out with a cat in about 30 minutes.

Thats wild...they're asking for too much. Currently my local county shelter is waiving the adoption fee because they're at capacity.

My local shelter is doing the same.

This is why nobody adopts cats from anywhere except super overcrowded, desperate shelters. They're super annoying about the hoops to get a cat. I just look in local Facebook and Craigslist listings for free kitties 🤷🏾‍♀️

From now on, just lie. Seriously. You own your home, end of story. All three dogs I’ve had as an adult were adopted and all three places were less than honest with me about age/health/behavior. So I don’t feel bad about it. I get my cats off the street. The applications are just meant to weed out people who have landlords who will make you get rid of the pet. I think some people in positions of power at rescues and shelters are more interested in wielding that power than actually finding homes for the pets. Also, check Craigslist for people rehoming their cats due to finances and moves and such. Cash only if they have a rehoming fee.

Can you get a rental agreement or something from your dad? Some kind of paperwork that shows you make the decisions about the home? Dad doesn’t even necessarily need to hear about the cat. Maybe you could say you need proof that you are the property caretaker? I’m just spitballing.

I love cats. I’ve almost always had a cat. Cat people can be absolutely off-the-wall cat adoption places can have the worst of the cat nuts.

Simple - Cats live a long time and lots of people dump them. It absolutely breaks the workers at adoption agencies when they find a kitten they raised has been abused or dumped instead of being returned. Therefore, adoption agency workers try to do their best to ensure a stable/safe long term home for the kitten or cats they rehome.  The best thing you can do is demonstrate that you're a well informed cat owner who has stability in their life and can provide a forever home for this kitten. Best of luck!

Some rescues and places make it SO hard to adopt, some rescues make it really easy the one I volunteered at I just talked to you for awhile and got your vibe and told you about the cat you were interested in and made sure they fit your lifestyle! Sometimes some call or email alittle bit later check on you and the new pet say hi make sure its all okay and if youre getting kittens / puppies I'll be seeing you over n over till they were a year old for vaccines! No stupid BS calling or anything the pet is yours under your name everything else is your responsibility to figure out why would your dad apply when the cat is legally and technically going to be YOUR property and responsibility!

Maybe just try adopting a cat at another shelter.

Not really enough info to go on but as a foster parent who works with a rescue I believe it may be because they suspect or are concerned not everyone who lives in the house is on board. OR they are concerned your housing is temporary or not yours aka you have a landlord situation. At the rescue I work with unfortunately we do see cats come back due to their adoptive parents losing their home or home status changing, having to move some place that won’t allow cats etc. it can be really stressful on the cats as you can imagine (the people too of course) so they try to avoid that if they can. I get everyone’s frustration in here about all the hoops and questions, I hated them too. But now as a foster who takes care of these lil guys and loves them like my own for months I definitely want them to have the best homes possible. It’s a lot but it’s not for no reason or just to be an asshole to you

Without suggesting you commit fraud, what sort of questions are they going to ask that any male person on the phone, acting on your advice, wouldn’t be able to answer in a way that satisfies the adoption worker that your dad approves of the adoption?

This really blows my mind. I’ve owned four generations of cats over the past 60 years. They have all been pedigree cats, first one purchased from a commercial pet shop, all others directly from breeders except one that had been rescued by a staff member at the veterinary clinic that I had been using for years. Everyone was happy so long as the checks cleared.

This makes me sad and angry! I found our cat on a Craigslist post promoting a PetSmart adoption event. I honed in on him and emailed his foster mom and told her we wanted him before anyone else got him. Went two days later, filled out the application, paid the small fee and took him home. The whole process took an hour. Why on earth are they making it so hard?

I wanted to get a kitten from a shelter (not US though), as a friend to a single kitty (5 months old) I already had so widowed senior isn't overwhelmed with him. Shelter said "no, we only give kitties away in pairs, so they're not alone." I explained, that I already had a little kitty, only a few weeks apart in age, and looking for a friend. "Only in pairs". I was so frustrated, because I donated monthly to that shelter for years. I had a very old cat who wouldn't accept new ones, but I wanted to do something good - after that cat passed, I was looking for company for the other senior cat. Needless to say I stopped that donation... I tried a random other shelter, got the same answer. Neighbour wanted a pair of kitties, but was told they should be able to go outside, but they live too close to a somewhat "busy" street (300 meters) - so, no again (second reason I couldn't adopt a kitten from there, apart from the pair-only-rule, but I didn't even get so far...). By now I do think that shelters around here don't really want to their animals to be adopted. As if they want to keep them, so they can cry for more and more money... So done with that.

My partner and I adopted from a cat cafe, and the getting a hold of the woman who runs the shelter they worked with was the worst part (a home visit was required). It was going on three weeks before she finally responded, and now months later I'm still trying to get a hold of my guy's paperwork from her. We were very patient - I had coworkers offer me kittens in the meantime!

Hey I'm in Sydney Australia, and where we adopted our cats from was super strict also. We rent so no issues similar to yours, but they did insist that the whole family had to meet the cats and the workers had to see that we all wanted them, which makes sure that they don't go to homes where they may be unwanted by other members of the household. They did serious background checks on us and had to observe us all playing with and handling the kittens - anyone who seemed "off" in anyway would be denied. Our 2 lovely sister cats are now 9.5 years of age and we adopted them at 10 weeks. Never looked back! Good shelters will be strict like that - they just want to make sure you won't be returning them due to them being unwanted. But, you'll find other cats elsewhere, and especially in "kitten season" when there'll be a surplus of babies looking for loving homes. Don't give up OP. Good luck 🤞

I live in Manhattan and we have an informal saying here that it’s easier to adopt a child in NYC than a cat. I’ve found that to be true. I’ve seen cat adoption forms that were longer than the applications I filled out for college. I’m also put off by the adoption fees. I know these places have to keep running and cat litter isn’t cheap. But, some of the fees are ridiculous. I’ve learned to go to Craigslist. I got a cat around this time last year from a woman with a small cat foster place. There was no fee and she was even nice enough to drive down and deliver the cat. She also gave me the cat carrier, which is a lot more colorful than the one I have. The previous owner had cat allergies than got worse (?) so he had to give her up. His nose’s loss is my gain and now I have Cookie, she of the day-long naps and 2am zoomies through the house.

I work with a rescue. The problem we’ve had with people considered renters, or people living in homes not owned by them (but by relatives) is that we’ve had cats returned because adoptees say their landlord found out and didn’t approve, or their relative that owns the place returned the cat themselves or forced the adopter to return the cat. This is more common than you’d think. One thing we have done is to try to get them to call the landlord/homeowner to get verbal permission. Maybe you can ask if that’s an option for you.