i want a cat, RSPCA charge like £53 so where can i get a free one?

Yes but the RSPCA spay/neuter them, inoculate them and chip them don't they?

What fox says, if you do get a free cat then you have the expense of doing all that which will probably end up costing you more

Most cat rescue places will make some kind of small charge to cover their own costs involved in giving you the cats. For example they will be spayed/neutered or you'll get a voucher to get it done, they will have their initial injections that would cost you 50 quid down the vets etc..

It's not really a big cost considering. If you can't afford to lay out *any* money for a cat maybe you shouldn't be getting one anyway, as they do cost money to have.

Yes but the RSPCA spay/neuter them, inoculate them and chip them don't they?


what does spay, neuter, inoculate and chip mean?


i had a cat 12 years ago

Doreen Webster
Cats Protection League

2425018

Got mine from her. Loverley lady.

But it would be good to give a donation, as they give you vouchers for health care. And she needs to feed her kittens. We donated £20 for the pair.

The cats are great.

what does spay, neuter, inoculate and chip mean?


i had a cat 12 years ago
Spay/neutering means having it 'done' so that it can't have or father kittens.

Inoculate means having the usual injections against common feline diseases.

Chip means having a microchip embedded in the cat (between its shoulder blades) which has the cat's identification details programmed on it, in case the cat is lost.

what does spay, neuter, inoculate and chip mean?


i had a cat 12 years ago

spay/neuter = no baby cats in future

innoculate = injections to protect the cat from illness

chip = electronic tagging in case cat is lost

(sorry I went to the door and forgot to press enter)

what does spay, neuter, inoculate and chip mean?


i had a cat 12 years ago

Spay/ neuter= taking away their ability to breed
Inoculate= getting their injections against a variety of diseases
Chip= a microchip with all the cats details and your details so it can be traced back to you if you lose it.

If you seriously didn't know about any of these things then I would do some research before getting a pet of any kind.

spay/neuter = no baby cats in future

innoculate = injections to protect the cat from illness

chip = electronic tagging in case cat is lost

(sorry I went to the door and forgot to press enter)

I have no excuse I'm just slow:hihi:

i want a cat, RSPCA charge like £53 so where can i get a free one?

if you cant afford a small fee of £53 you cant afford to keep a cat.

what does spay, neuter, inoculate and chip mean?
Please don't get a cat, it'd just be cruel. :(

Please don't get a cat, it'd just be cruel. :(
be fair, it MIGHT be cruel, but she might be a fantastic pet owner. you don't have to know everything in order to give a pet loads of love and feed it twice per day. parents let children have pets, do they not?

be fair, it MIGHT be cruel, but she might be a fantastic pet owner. you don't have to know everything in order to give a pet loads of love and feed it twice per day. parents let children have pets, do they not?
Un-spayed and un-innoculated? It could get cat flu within days and die. Or get pregnant, have unwanted kittens, which could end up getting destroyed.

It just angers me that people don't look after pets responsibly.

Remember people, a cat is for life, not just for Christmas, or Easter in this instance.

It just angers me that people don't look after pets responsibly.

ditto. maybe she just doesn't know the words for neutering/jabs though. *crosses fingers and hopes*

It's worth noting that, from April 6th in England, if you have a pet, you also have a legal responsibility to provide it with proper accommodation, food, and protection from and treatment of, illness and injury.

So you probably should find out about the things mentioned in this thread if you're considering a pet.

Of course, you'd have done that anyway being a responsible pet owner, no? :)

It's worth noting that, from April 6th in England, if you have a pet, you also have a legal responsibility to provide it with proper accommodation, food, and protection from and treatment of, illness and injury.

So you probably should find out about the things mentioned in this thread if you're considering a pet.

Of course, you'd have done that anyway being a responsible pet owner, no? :)

MY MUMS CAT HAD KITTENS 5 MONTHS AGO I KEPT ONE AND SHE IS LOVELY SHE IS PART OF THE FAMILY SHE IS HAVING HER INJECTIONS NEXT WEEK

I even Have my pet insured ;) :D

what does spay, neuter, inoculate and chip mean?


i had a cat 12 years ago

If you don't know what any of those terms means, then you shouldn't be thinking of getting a cat.

The new animal protection laws now make it illegal for anyone to own a pet, unless they can look after it properly, which includes vet's bills, food, good home, and general TLC.

what does spay, neuter, inoculate and chip mean?


i had a cat 12 years ago

innoculations, and spaying/ neutering were definitely around 12 years ago:- I think "chipping" was just coming in.

I will add my voice to the "please.... think carefully, don't get the animal on impulse, and make sure you can provide properly for it" brigade.

get insurance, too!

also to add, what is so awful about paying £50-odd quid for a cat from a rescue? do they not need support for the costs they've racked up of keeping the pet in the centre?

what does spay, neuter, inoculate and chip mean?


i had a cat 12 years ago

O-K...now I am getting worried - if you don't know these basic terms, I have some real concerns about you owning a cat.

Spay -see neuter
Neuter -to spay or castrate (a dog, cat, etc.) ie remove organs or reproduction SO IT DOESNT HAVE (if female) OR CAUSE (if male) KITTENS
Innoculate - inject/protect against known cat diseases
Chip - insert a microchip that identifies who owns the cat and where it lives in the event it gets lost/ knocked down/ becomes stray

By the way, the Animal Welfare Act comes into effect from 6th April 2007 and that puts some very important responsibilities on pet owners, so think very carefully before you decide to introduce a pet into your life:

From the Defra website:

What does the new law do?
It makes owners and keepers responsible for ensuring that the welfare needs of their animals are met.

These include the need:

For a suitable environment (place to live)
For a suitable diet
To exhibit normal behaviour patterns
To be housed with, or apart from, other animals (if applicable)
To be protected from pain, injury, suffering and disease
The new law also increases to 16 the minimum age at which a person can buy an animal and prohibits giving animals as prizes to unaccompanied children under this age.

Anyone who is cruel to an animal, or does not provide for its welfare needs, may be banned from owning animals, fined up to £20,000 and/or sent to prison.

eg if you leave you cat overnight on its own without food or water or someone else to care for it, you could find yourself in big trouble - and if it develops an illness or allergy and you fail to treat this or seek veterinary help, you could fall foul of the new act.
read about the Animal Welfare Act here
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/welfare/act/index.htm

if you cant afford a small fee of £53 you cant afford to keep a cat.

Totally agree - make the commitment with time/love and finance.

You can't be that fussed in getting a cat if you won't pay to get one.

If you can't afford or be bothered to pay out for a cat then it might suggest that you are not really that bothered about getting a cat.

They are expensive to feed and vet you know.

Most places charge for this very reason!

If you can't afford or be bothered to pay out for a cat then it might suggest that you are not really that bothered about getting a cat.

They are expensive to feed and vet you know.

Most places charge for this very reason!

...and to dissuade people who want to get a free pet on a whim then dump it when it is no longer new and interesting (or sicks furballs all over the rug/ scratches the sofa/ eats the houseplants/little jonny or clarissa is 'allergic' to it).

If you really want a cat, you should be prepared to pay the small sum most rescue centres ask for - they have invested a lot of time and money into each animal that comes through their door and they will only release a healthy animal that has been vet-checked, neutered and innoculated.

GL Note I've had to remove some posts on here, please think carefully when replying and make sure you're responding with something helpful. Thank you :)

English Girl, why not do some research first, ask plenty of questions here on the pets forum (people here are very helpful and will give you plenty of advice), find out what a cat actually needs and how much it would cost for you to keep one.

When you realise how much they cost to keep you may find that paying out £50 to rescue a needy one from a shelter (a shelter that needs the money they're asking for the cat) may not be that bad after all.

Good luck in your search :)

For goodness sake people. So he doesn't know what the terms mean, that doesn't meant that it would be cruel or irresponsible to get one, you have all told him what he needs to have done, and I am sure he will find out more, like we probably all had to at some point.

People are allowed to have children without knowing anything about them, I am sure it is easier to find out and research a cat.

It's called PERSPECTIVE!

pennypie,

the person may not know what the terms mean, but, surely, anyone with a hap'orth of gumption would have looked the terms up, as part of the research they would be doing into the "ins and outs" of taking on a pet...

or is that just me...?

you would not post in this manner when asking about taking on a pet, and then say "bedding? what's that? You mean.. My pet will need a bed...?"*shocked face*. "OMG! I didn't think they'd need somewhere to sleep.

lathers... rinses ... repeats...

PLEASE Do not take a pet on as a whim. think carefuly about the expense, effort and time, as well as the emotion involved when taking on a pet. it's a lifetime committment.

For goodness sake people. So he doesn't know what the terms mean, that doesn't meant that it would be cruel or irresponsible to get one, you have all told him what he needs to have done, and I am sure he will find out more, like we probably all had to at some point. !

Any genuinely responsible prospective pet owner would find out the basics before getting an animal. And begrudging a nominal fee to a rescue charity doesn't speak of a committed animal lover. Especially when you compare that cost to even routine vet fees.

People are allowed to have children without knowing anything about them, I am sure it is easier to find out and research a cat.

Yes, and look at the apalling levels of child cruelty and neglect that result! That's no defence.

It's called PERSPECTIVE

How about the perspective that Yorkshire annually has the worst record of animal cruelty - and cruelty isn't just overt sadism, it's complacency and ignorance too.

He hasn't got a cat yet, he is asking for advice which you have all so "kindly" given him. Surely that is responsible, My husband didn't have a clue what the above terms meant when we first got our cat, am I now irresponsible?!

There is a way that you can give advice, and the way that everyone just jumped on the post he sent was just ridiculous. Because he doesn't yet know about these things does not mean that he is cruel or irresponsible, as he will find out. Like I said, everyone needs to learn at some point.

Cool it people...

Pennypie, you are not irresponsible, so your husband didn't know the terms, but I assume you did? I didn't when I was a young child and my mum rescued two cats - but she did.
Had the OP asked for advice on what a cat needs and said she didn't understand the terms, people would have had a very different reaction, but she wanted a free cat, and hadn't asked any advice on how to care for it.

Englishgirl2 - you need to take on board what's been said. Don't rush into getting a cat, get some books, have a read of what a cat needs and ask as many questions here as necessary, we'll all be willing to help where we can.
You might decide that a cat doesn't suit your lifestyle right now, or you might decide you can't afford the veterinary, food and insurance bills that come with having a cat.
However you might decide that after researching it you know more than you did before and are now happier in your decision to get a cat.

I think you'll also realise after checking out how much cats cost in the long run, that paying £50 to an animal charity isn't much for a companion who will reward you over and over with love and affection :)

Good luck, and please don't hesitate to ask anything you need to know.

hi, im not speaking out of turn here, but even people with a learning difficulty can and do look after pets very well, they just need to be shown and encouraged how to do so. It helps their development and the pet makes a great friend for anyone. So if someone doesnt know all the "right words" does not matter. So English girl, go to a shelter and speak to them about the ins and outs of owning a cat Im sure they will be more than willing to help you in the right direction.