Adopting a cat, anyone done this?

As you all probably know, I have been dying to adopt a kitty and finally get to home one in a month's time when we move into our new place.  I have read up on the websites and they do home visits, etc., to help place the animals.  Is this a pretty complicated process?  I am a bit concerned that they would have issue with me adopting a cat because we have a dog, but the dog is very sweet and wouldn't hurt a fly.  I expect a little jealousy, but I don't think there will be any problems, so long as I get a kitten who can grow up to live with the dog, as an older cat who hasn't been around dogs usually doesn't adjust as well when forced to live with one.  Also, I plan to keep the cat inside forever and always, is this a problem over here?  There wouldn't be anywhere for the kitty to go if it went outside, it would only get into trouble, and we only have a patio type thing, without any grass.  I am looking into a few local rescues affiliated with Cats Protection, but also looking at the shelters in Newcastle.  Where did you get your kitty?  (Also, feeling a bit of guilt that I don't want to adopt an adult cat, I would be more open to that if it weren't for the dog.)
Thanks for any advice!

We adopted our cat Milo from a (independent, not RSPCA/Cats Protection) shelter in April.  It was very straightforward- this shelter didn't do home visits, we just filled out a questionnaire and had a short interview with shelter staff.  Then they took us round to see the cats- the one we chose had been there for a month and had had all his vaccines up to date, etc so we got to take him home on the day!  And he is happily sitting on the couch next to me as I type.    

We adopted an adult cat, but the process wouldn't have been much different for a kitten except we probably would have had to wait a little while before a kitten was ready to leave the shelter.  As for outdoor/indoor- our shelter would have been fine with us adopting a cat for indoors only (Milo is indoor/outdoor though since we live in a good location for it) but some shelters here are more picky and want you to have a place for the cat to go out (we've had a whole long discussion about this before, suffice it to say do some research on the place you plan to adopt from before you go if you want an indoor cat.)

You might ask if there are any adult cats in the shelter who used to live with dogs.  Often when people move, they give up all their pets.  It would probably make the cat more comfortable, actually.   It also might make it easier for the dog to adjust, compared to having a kitten running around like crazy!  Depending on the dog, you wouldn't want to stir up his hunting instincts and treat the kitten like prey.

I think you'll have a hard time adopting a kitten if you and your husband work full time.  In my experience, it seems that animal shelters cater to OAPs and the unemployed.

In the past, we've tried to adopt a dog and a kitten and were refused because we work full time.  We ended up getting a kitten from a farm. 

I think you'll have a hard time adopting a kitten if you and your husband work full time.  In my experience, it seems that animal shelters cater to OAPs and the unemployed.

In the past, we've tried to adopt a dog and a kitten and were refused because we work full time.  We ended up getting a kitten from a farm. 

this is typical from RCPCA.  look at other shelters who will work with your lifestyle.  there are some around. 

this is typical from RCPCA.  look at other shelters who will work with your lifestyle.  there are some around. 

I don't believe the RSPCA and SSPCA are no-kill organisations.  That's what really irks me. 

this is typical from RCPCA.  look at other shelters who will work with your lifestyle.  there are some around. 

Absolutely- this is part of the reason we went with an independent shelter and stayed far, far away from the RSPCA.  The fact that we both worked full time was not even an issue when we adopted our kitty

Absolutely- this is part of the reason we went with an independent shelter and stayed far, far away from the RSPCA.  The fact that we both worked full time was not even an issue when we adopted our kitty

Ditto for our dog...

You might ask if there are any adult cats in the shelter who used to live with dogs.  Often when people move, they give up all their pets.  It would probably make the cat more comfortable, actually.   It also might make it easier for the dog to adjust, compared to having a kitten running around like crazy!  Depending on the dog, you wouldn't want to stir up his hunting instincts and treat the kitten like prey.

I'm not sure our dog has any hunting instincts, she is more like a bump on a log who just greeds off people while they eat!     It would be worth asking about, but finding an older cat who prefers to stay inside AND likes dogs might be a problem, which is why I thought a kitten might be better, as it could just grow up that way and be satisfied.  We do work full-time, but really only from about 8:30-4 with an hour long lunch and we are just down the street so we always come home for lunch anyway, so the cat wouldn't be alone too much, plus the dog will be going to MIL's house during the day while we are at work, anyway, so they wouldn't be left in the house alone together, at least not for a while until we see how they get on with each other.  If they get along great, then we would leave the dog home with the cat for company.  I thought maybe our dog would kind of mother a baby kitten, it seems they do that sometimes, but I am at least sure she wouldn't harm it in any way. 

There are a few local places, but I think they are all affiliated with the Cats Protection, and although I understand why they go through the trouble to make sure it's a good move before placing a cat, at the same time it sort of bothers me to feel like I have to prove I am responsible enough to own a cat.  It just seems weird to have to prove myself to a stranger.  Maybe I'm just too touchy about it, I suppose it is in the kitty's best interest.  Maybe I will just look around the shop windows and see if anyone has one to give away to make it easier.   

Yup, we adopted our kitty from a large shelter (Battersea Cats & Dogs Home) which isn't RSPCA/Cats Trust, but a large charity in its own right as well, and they gave us SUCH a tough time about working full-time and wanting an indoors-only cat!!  I almost thought we wouldn't get one, but they finally let us leave with our 10+ yr-old kitty on the promise that my husband would come home most days on his lunch breaks (which he only did for the 1st week - we only promised that to get them to give us the cat).  Their attitude seriously annoyed me, I have to say - I grew up with cats AND dogs my entire life and I did feel resentful that we almost had to "prove" we could take care of a cat! They did seem quite unreceptive to the fact that we had no outdoors access from our flat (durrr, it's central London??).  Anyway, I would definitely recommend finding an independent shelter, as others have said they are FAR more flexible and willing to work with animal lovers in all sorts of situations.  We definitely won't go there again when we're ready to get a dog (or another cat), even I fully support shelter programmes in principle and the work they do.

Maybe I will just look around the shop windows and see if anyone has one to give away to make it easier.   

Look in the newspapers as well.  

There is also a really good book that helped us a lot to help our pets coincide.  (They never really have, but we're working towards tolerance) It's called  Creating a Peaceable Kingdom: How to live with more than one Pet

Look in the newspapers as well.  

There is also a really good book that helped us a lot to help our pets coincide.  (They never really have, but we're working towards tolerance) It's called  Creating a Peaceable Kingdom: How to live with more than one Pet

Cool, thanks, I will look into that.  We will see what happens when the time comes.  I can hardly wait!!   

The attitude on display by some shelters would be more supportable if there weren't enough cats to go around. As it is, the world if full of lovely moggies who spend lonely months in little cages. More nice cats than good homes = back off a little.

The attitude on display by some shelters would be more supportable if there weren't enough cats to go around. As it is, the world if full of lovely moggies who spend lonely months in little cages. More nice cats than good homes = back off a little.

I kinda get it: just because there aren't enough homes, doesn't mean they don't want to be careful about where they place. However, there's no need to be such nits about it either: if they are worried about people being out of the house all day, advise them to adopt two cats instead of one, since the beasties will keep each other company. That's way more realistic that giving people crap about having to work and wanting indoor cats.

I kinda get it: just because there aren't enough homes, doesn't mean they don't want to be careful about where they place. However, there's no need to be such nits about it either: if they are worried about people being out of the house all day, advise them to adopt two cats instead of one, since the beasties will keep each other company. That's way more realistic that giving people crap about having to work and wanting indoor cats.

I totally agree! Everyone should adopt two cats instead of one ;-)