Adopt A Cat
Please read our guide to cat ownership. It is important to understand what caring for a cat involves.
You can browse through our Adult and Older cats and Kittens.
Ring 01525 875993 or 07985662712 to visit adult cats at the shelter, or for kittens ring the number under the kitten's picture.
Once you've found the perfect cat or kitten for you there will be a simple home check. You're then all ready to go and collect your cat. There's an £85 donation with each adult cat adoption, to help pay for flea and worm treatment, micro-chipping and neutering (for adult cats), and inoculation, and a £65 donation for each kitten adoption. If you're adopting a younger kitten, or we haven't yet been able to chip, neuter or inoculate, the adoption fee will be less, but you'll need to sign to accept the responsibility for chipping and neutering your new friend. Donations are payable by cash or cheque. You'll be asked when you donate about filling in a gift aid form, details are on our Gift Aid page for more information.
Directions
Our shelter is off the A5120 near Toddington, Bedfordshire, UK (pictured below). The shelter is 10 minutes drive from junction 12 of the M1. Bev will give you directions when you call to arrange a visit:
Opening times
We do not have set opening times as we are run entirely by volunteers. Ring Bev at the shelter to arrange a visit to see our lovely cats. If you do not get through please be patient and keep trying, Bev may be busy caring for our cats.
You can browse through our Adult and Older cats and Kittens.
Ring 01525 875993 or 07985662712 to visit adult cats at the shelter, or for kittens ring the number under the kitten's picture.
Once you've found the perfect cat or kitten for you there will be a simple home check. You're then all ready to go and collect your cat. There's an £85 donation with each adult cat adoption, to help pay for flea and worm treatment, micro-chipping and neutering (for adult cats), and inoculation, and a £65 donation for each kitten adoption. If you're adopting a younger kitten, or we haven't yet been able to chip, neuter or inoculate, the adoption fee will be less, but you'll need to sign to accept the responsibility for chipping and neutering your new friend. Donations are payable by cash or cheque. You'll be asked when you donate about filling in a gift aid form, details are on our Gift Aid page for more information.
Directions
Our shelter is off the A5120 near Toddington, Bedfordshire, UK (pictured below). The shelter is 10 minutes drive from junction 12 of the M1. Bev will give you directions when you call to arrange a visit:
Opening times
We do not have set opening times as we are run entirely by volunteers. Ring Bev at the shelter to arrange a visit to see our lovely cats. If you do not get through please be patient and keep trying, Bev may be busy caring for our cats.
Bringing your cat home
The most important thing is not to let your cat outdoors for at least a month, this includes cats you already own as they may run away before they are used to the new cat. Do not let unneutered cats or kittens outdoors at all, not even in a garden you consider safe. Make sure they are vaccinated and microchipped before letting them explore the garden gradually.
After adopting a cat, especially for first time owners, it is important to remember that cats are not animals that like change. It may take a cat a while to settle in and feel comfortable in a new home.
A simple way is to put the new cat in one room with its litter tray, food and water and leave it to settle overnight.
Over a few days go in and let it get used to you, stroke it and let it get to know every member of the family.
Other cats will smell and hear the new cat through the door. Feed the new and old cats either side of the door so they associate food with each other (this means set meal times not leaving food down all day).
After a day or so open the door a crack (or use a baby gate) for the current cats to see the new one.
When there is no longer hissing, which may take days, let the new cat out to explore in its own time. Have supervised playtime with your new and old cats in the same room.
Put the new cat back in its room at night. Once the new cat and current cats are ok with each other let the new cat roam the house 24/7.
See the following video for helpful advice on introducing your new cat:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZrwcoiy_gY&feature=youtu.be
It is important to remember that you are not alone and you can always contact Stray Cat Rescue for help or advice as well as your local vets.
The most important thing is not to let your cat outdoors for at least a month, this includes cats you already own as they may run away before they are used to the new cat. Do not let unneutered cats or kittens outdoors at all, not even in a garden you consider safe. Make sure they are vaccinated and microchipped before letting them explore the garden gradually.
After adopting a cat, especially for first time owners, it is important to remember that cats are not animals that like change. It may take a cat a while to settle in and feel comfortable in a new home.
A simple way is to put the new cat in one room with its litter tray, food and water and leave it to settle overnight.
Over a few days go in and let it get used to you, stroke it and let it get to know every member of the family.
Other cats will smell and hear the new cat through the door. Feed the new and old cats either side of the door so they associate food with each other (this means set meal times not leaving food down all day).
After a day or so open the door a crack (or use a baby gate) for the current cats to see the new one.
When there is no longer hissing, which may take days, let the new cat out to explore in its own time. Have supervised playtime with your new and old cats in the same room.
Put the new cat back in its room at night. Once the new cat and current cats are ok with each other let the new cat roam the house 24/7.
See the following video for helpful advice on introducing your new cat:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZrwcoiy_gY&feature=youtu.be
It is important to remember that you are not alone and you can always contact Stray Cat Rescue for help or advice as well as your local vets.