Has anybody adopted a cat after returning one?

bluecapps · Jun 2, 2015

i got a cat a few months back but then i returned it to the rescue group.

Now i want to adopt again (since the situation changed a week back) but i am scared that a new rescue group might not let me adopt if i tell them i have returned a cat in the past. So what should i do?

i don't plan to tell them that i had a cat before and that i returned it, but if they ask then ofcourse i will have to tell them otherwise i would be lying and they could take the cat back. right?

what should i do i am confused but i really want a cat because my entire family's so excited about it and we all have already planned who's gonna be doing what and we have the vet planned and everything.

nansiludie · Jun 2, 2015

Can I ask why the cat was returned previously? Are you sure your current situation will not change in the near future?

bluecapps · Jun 2, 2015

nansiludie said:
Can I ask why the cat was returned previously? Are you sure your current situation will not change in the near future?

Yes 100% sure the situation will not change again, but the rescue group might not believe me. so what should i do? should i not adopt again?

nansiludie · Jun 2, 2015

But why was the cat returned, did she not fit well with the family or was it due to something else?

red top rescue · Jun 2, 2015

Honesty is always the best policy. Although some groups will not adopt a cat to you if you have returned one previously, the reasons for the return are always taken into consideration. Other groups may adopt to you if they understand why you returned the cat in the past, and how you ended up in that situation, and why you do not think it will happen again. It is usually good to go back to the first rescue group, and don't think one group won't know what happened in another group. Most of us are in close contact with each other even if we work with different local groups.

Certainly if you only had the cat a few months, and responsibly returned it to the rescue group (and they are a no kill rescue group), they might be willing to give you a second chance if there was a good reason for your returning the cat. Ideally you should go back to the first rescue group and ask if the cat you returned is still available for adoption and offer to re-adopt her. THAT shows integrity, especially if you adopted a cat as a kitten, kept it until it got a little older, and then returned it when it was less adoptable (everyone wants the littlest kittens). I know our rescue group would certainly give you a lot of credit for that kind of honesty and caring about that first cat you had to return, and they would probably be glad to give you a second chance with the same cat.

You have not said what the situation was that forced you to return the cat, so we can only imagine. You said it just changed a week ago and will not change back. Perhaps it was a family member who was living with you and was allergic but has not moved out for good? Perhaps it was a change of residence, i.e. YOU moved out? Just tell the truth. Nobody wants to deprive you of having a cat, but everyone in rescue wants to do their best to find good matches and good PERMANENT homes for their cats. That should be your first prority as well. To paraphrase a famous saying, "Think not what your kitty can do for you, but think what you can do for your kitty." Don't adopt again until you are quite certain you can provide a permanent loving home and can afford good quality food, flea protection, and regular annual vaccinations.

bluecapps · Jun 2, 2015

nansiludie said:
But why was the cat returned, did she not fit well with the family or was it due to something else?

A guy sharing our house tricked me into returning it. He said he was allergic after i got it and then everybody decided that i would have to return it. He said his allergies were so bad that he wouldn't be able to breath in the same air. I was stupid to have returned the cat and not standing up to that liar. He lied and after i returned it he told me that he lied just to see what i would do. Anyway, i was stupid. I should have fought for my cat because that guy hadn't told me about his allergies when i told everyone of my decision about getting a cat. Everybody seemed fine with it but this stupid immature guy has probably killed my chances of ever getting another pet. I regret it so badly now. I felt empty for days after that.

That guy is not living with me anymore, so i say the situation has changed.....but i still feel very guilty (because after all i was the stupid one to have given up on the cat so easily)

bluecapps · Jun 2, 2015

Red Top Rescue said:
Honesty is always the best policy. Although some groups will not adopt a cat to you if you have returned one previously, the reasons for the return are always taken into consideration. Other groups may adopt to you if they understand why you returned the cat in the past, and how you ended up in that situation, and why you do not think it will happen again. It is usually good to go back to the first rescue group, and don't think one group won't know what happened in another group. Most of us are in close contact with each other even if we work with different local groups.

Certainly if you only had the cat a few months, and responsibly returned it to the rescue group (and they are a no kill rescue group), they might be willing to give you a second chance if there was a good reason for your returning the cat. Ideally you should go back to the first rescue group and ask if the cat you returned is still available for adoption and offer to re-adopt her. THAT shows integrity, especially if you adopted a cat as a kitten, kept it until it got a little older, and then returned it when it was less adoptable (everyone wants the littlest kittens). I know our rescue group would certainly give you a lot of credit for that kind of honesty and caring about that first cat you had to return, and they would probably be glad to give you a second chance with the same cat.

You have not said what the situation was that forced you to return the cat, so we can only imagine. You said it just changed a week ago and will not change back. Perhaps it was a family member who was living with you and was allergic but has not moved out for good? Perhaps it was a change of residence, i.e. YOU moved out? Just tell the truth. Nobody wants to deprive you of having a cat, but everyone in rescue wants to do their best to find good matches and good PERMANENT homes for their cats. That should be your first prority as well. To paraphrase a famous saying, "Think not what your kitty can do for you, but think what you can do for your kitty." Don't adopt again until you are quite certain you can provide a permanent loving home and can afford good quality food, flea protection, and regular annual vaccinations.

The cat has already been adopted

nansiludie · Jun 2, 2015

Oh, I see. I'm sorry that happened. Have you tried adopting from a local shelter or possibly looking in the classfied ads, although with classfied ads, the cats are usually free but not fixed or vaccinated? Would you be willing to do that instead? I don't think the rescue will hold it against you so long as you explain what happened as you told us. You brought the kitty back and you did not dump her or anything like that.

bluecapps · Jun 2, 2015

I can definitely afford all of that. and no it was none of the above listed reasons. the reason was pretty stupid, a guy living with me lied that he was allergic but he doesn't live with me anymore.

nansiludie said:
Oh, I see. I'm sorry that happened. Have you tried adopting from a local shelter or possibly looking in the classfied ads, although with classfied ads, the cats are usually free but not fixed or vaccinated? Would you be willing to do that instead? I don't think the rescue will hold it against you so long as you explain what happened as you told us. You brought the kitty back and you did not dump her or anything like that.

I can afford all vet exams/spaying-neutering/vaccines and everything, but there aren't as many cats up for adoption in my areas privately.

nansiludie · Jun 2, 2015

I think you should try the rescue again, so long as you left in good terms and they know the reason why, they should let you adopt again.

mingking · Jun 2, 2015

I think if you explain this to the rescue group, they will understand. I've heard of one case where a veteran cat owner had to return a cat because she was allergic to it and it is very possible a person can be allergic to only one cat and not to others. Plus, it helps that it wasn't you who is allergic to the cat, but someone who tricked and lied to you.

bluecapps · Jun 2, 2015

nansiludie said:
I think you should try the rescue again, so long as you left in good terms and they know the reason why, they should let you adopt again.

Their agreement said something along these lines "I have never abused/neglected a cat, nor have i ever returned a cat to a shelter/rescue organization."

It seems like they consider returning a cat something similar to abuse or neglect. Would they still let me adopt?

bluecapps · Jun 2, 2015

mingking said:
I think if you explain this to the rescue group, they will understand. I've heard of one case where a veteran cat owner had to return a cat because she was allergic to it and it is very possible a person can be allergic to only one cat and not to others. Plus, it helps that it wasn't you who is allergic to the cat, but someone who tricked and lied to you.

Alright. I'll be honest with them and tell them this entire story. I hope they let me adopt again, but i'll probably start crying. I normally get very nervous :')

rubysmama · Jun 2, 2015

What reason did you give the original shelter for returning the cat?

bluecapps · Jun 2, 2015

rubysmama said:
What reason did you give the original shelter for returning the cat?

same. the guy was allergic.

rubysmama · Jun 2, 2015

Then hopefully they will understand and agree to let you adopt another homeless cat. At least you'll be telling the truth, so that should help with your nervousness. Is there someone you can take along to the shelter for support?

bluecapps · Jun 2, 2015

rubysmama said:
What reason did you give the original shelter for returning the cat?

same. the guy was allergic. (but he wasn't family)

rubysmama said:
Then hopefully they will understand and agree to let you adopt another homeless cat. At least you'll be telling the truth, so that should help with your nervousness. Is there someone you can take along to the shelter for support?

Thank you

I'll ask a friend to come along.

rubysmama · Jun 2, 2015

Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

nansiludie · Jun 2, 2015

I hope they'll let you adopt.

misty8723 · Jun 2, 2015

Yes, we adopted a cat last year and returned her after 2 weeks. The biggest reason we were adopting was because one of our cats died and our other cat, Swanie, was sad and grieving (and so were we). We wanted Swanie to have a friend, and it's really nice to have two cats around. We told the resuce going into it that was what we wanted and that Swanie came first. Turns out new cat was very sweet to us, but very mean to Swanie. He was hiding in the closet and worse off than before, so we took her back. This shelter has a policy that they want to make a good match and that if it's not you should bring the cat back. We were in tears taking her back, but it was the right thing to do for all of us. She was adopted by a young man maybe a month or so later who thought she was the perfect cat. We were not going to try again for awhile, but they introduced us to Darcy and we took to her right away. She was the perfect cat for all of us, and it hurt so much when she got FIP and died. We went back to the rescue and began "courting" Cricket, who is now our cat. Not only did this rescue allow us to adopt again, they didn't charge us an adoption fee for either Darcy or Cricket. We did offer, but they flat out refused. So after we got Cricket and made sure she got along with Swanie, we gave them a good donation.

So I guess it depends on the shelter. I felt okay taking the first cat back because this is a true no kill shelter and because their policy states they will take the cat back. Since I've gotten to know the place better (I ended up volunteering there), I really think it is an incredible place, and they care very much about their cats.

I do agree that honesty is the best policy. I know when we filled out the application one of the question is if you ever applied anywhere to adopt and what happened, so you would basically have to lie, and that's never good.

Good luck and I hope you find the perfect cat!

Has anybody adopted a cat after returning one?

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