# Couldn't adopt kitten because we have Shepherds



## Cathygirl (Dec 29, 2006)

Today we were at Petsmart because I had told my brother-in-law about a couple cats there that needed adopted and he had been looking to adopt a adult cat. Well, they were doing an adoption day in there and as soon as Pete saw this big ole boy in there and read about him (16 lbs.) he said that is the one he wanted. So he talked to the lady for a long time and filled out the adoption papers and went home with his big ole kitty. We just called and he said the cat is already at home and following him all over.
So, to get on with the story. While my husband and I were there with his brother we were looking around and had been thinking about adopting a cat. We have 3 Shepherds and 1 cat and they all get along very good.
We absolutely fell in love with this beautiful 3 month old kitten. So we decided we wanted to adopt this little girl. I talked to the lady and she said the kitten was not going to be able for adoption until 4:00 when the foster lady would be there to interview. It was 2:45. When the lady asked me to give some info I told her that we had 3 dogs and 1 cat. She asked what breed and I told her. She said she doubted the foster lady would want the kitten to go to a home with 3 German Shepherds. I proceeded to tell her that we do have a cat already and that we would take every precaution to introduce everyone and make sure the kitten was always safe. 
I could tell right away that she did not want us to have this kitten. She said that they adopted a kitten out not to long ago and the peoples Shepherd killed the kitten. Well, that was there dog, not mine.
So she said fill out the paperwork and come back at 4:00 for the interview with the foster lady. We went back at 3:35 and waited. She knew we were there and just kept telling us to wait. So I watch a lady and her little boy go in the cat room and they are talking there and in comes the foster lady (well she was about 14) and first goes in and interviews the lady and the little boy. The AC Paws lady we initially talked to was pointing at us and talking to her. So this young girl (who fostered the kittenn but couldnt keep it because her mother wouldn't let her) come out and says to me. So you have 3 dogs? And I say yes, and she asked me which breed and I could tell she already knew. And she says "are they big? and I say yes, and she says "Are they rowdy" and I said no they are very calm in the house." That was it!!
Then she goes in back where the kitten is and talks to the lady and the AC Paws lady comes out and says that the other people were there first. Okay right! Then she said that they did not want to let us adopt a kitten with 3 big dogs in the house.
Honestly, it was apparent right from the start when they found out what breed we owned that they already had an opinion.
Do people normally have a hard time adopting a kitten because they have dogs? Just wondering, any opinions?


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## dd (Jun 10, 2003)

I have no experience with this at all, but I wonder if perhaps you would have more luck with adopting a dog-savvy grown cat? I think a foster would have more comfort in that kind of placement - lots of baby animals are not alert to danger and are therefore more vulnerable.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

No, I've adopted three cats (kittens) from the local shelter while having a dog, and having a dog never came into the picture. 

Though at the time, I had a Spaniel/Retriever mix, but they never even asked. But that is a shelter, busting at the seams with abandoned and surrendered kittens.


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## LJsMom (Jan 6, 2008)

Try having 3 huskies and wanting to adopt a cat! There was no cat for us.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

I've never adopted a cat from an organization (mine were mostly feral rescues) but I have never heard of anyone having that particular issue... We have 7 cats here right now (not all are mine) and Bianca gets along perfectly with them, as did my previous dogs.


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

There have been accidents even in the most careful of homes with the most laid back of shepherds.... any prey-driven breed, really. Cat rescues may be more picky but as with Lucia, you will probably have much better luck at a county shelter.


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## Crabtree (Jan 6, 2006)

Last cat I adopted was when I had two dogs at home. There was no problem. I think the problem you had is your typical breed predjudice. 
It's just amazing how some people that work in these animal adoption places haven't a clue.
I understand making sure the cat/kitten is going to a good home but to just turn you down with out giving you a chance is not right in my book.


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## Mandalay (Apr 21, 2008)

When you went back at 335 you should have brought 1 or 2 of the dogs to show them in person that they are well behaved. I dont know that ot would have made a difference in this case, as I agree that it seems they had their mind made up at the word Shepherd.


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## sitstay (Jan 20, 2003)

There is a well defined "kitten season" for many parts of the U.S. You might want to try adopting a kitten during that time period. 

Here in Idaho, shelters and rescues start to see an increase in kitten surrenders in April and the peak hits in August when hundreds of kittens are surrendered weekly. The peak hits in early August, but kitten surrenders continue on through about mid-October.
Sheilah


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

Way back when I had Noiya (GSD/Greyhound mix and MY first dog) I wanted to adopt a kitten friend for her and me. I had just bought my first house and moved in and I thought Noiya would enjoy having a buddy while I was at work.

I took her to meet a friends cat to see what she thought of it and she was TERRIFIED!!

So I went to the local shelter and told them I wanted a kitten. They asked all the questions, found out about the GSD mix and tried to steer me towards an adult cat (they said it could defend itself better if something happened). It took some time but I finally got them to understand that she was TERRIFIED of adult cats.

Noiya tried to hide under my bed the first day the kitten came home.









By the end of the week they were best friends.


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## FuryanGoddess (Dec 26, 2009)

I always see cats/kittens on Creigslist... I know some don't like to use that site, but there are a lot of innocent cats and dogs that need good loving homes. 

I don't care that Zeva isn't AKC reg, she's my baby and I love her. I"m grateful to CL for her.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Usually cat rescue people like kittens to go in twos, or with a confirmed other cat friendly cat. If you know your cat likes other cats, that will help, but if you don't know, an adult cat is better than getting a kitten. 

And if you put yourself in the place of the foster kid, and all you knew was a kitten was killed by a GSD...it would take a lot of convincing to get you to put the kitten you wanted but couldn't keep with three of them. 

Of course we might adopt to a 3 GSD home before one with a little boy, so you keep trying until you find someone who will work with you to find a match. Just like with dog rescues who adopt without proper screening and attempts to make good matches, finding a cat rescue who educates and works with you to find a cat to fit your family is really important.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

Hmmm yeah it looks like Bianca is ready to kill my cats...


















I've had cats leap after a toy and accidentally land on Bianca's back, and she barely even looks over to see what's going on.


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

I have always had both dogs and cats and when I foster cats I am happy to adopt the dog-compatible ones to people with dogs, as long as I feel like the people are responsible and the dogs are friendly to cats. However, I totally understand why a rescue in their situation might make a different call under the circumstances. 

Imagine you have a puppy, be it a foster dog or one you bred, and you sell/adopt out this puppy to a family on a farm who, I don't know, let's say - uses a tractor. Shortly after they get the puppy you hear that the owners accidentally and tragically ran over the puppy with the tractor and the little puppy that you had lovingly cared for was literally ripped apart limb from limb and died an agonizing death. 

You have another puppy from the same litter and you get an application from a family who also uses a tractor in the area where the puppy will be staying. And you have another family who does NOT use a tractor. Otherwise, both applicants look great. Which one do you go with? 

There's no right answer, it's just different people's comfort level. Yes, this rescuer could have "given a chance" to more people with the same kind of dog that killed her other kitten, or she could decide to adopt the kitten out to people where she doesn't have to worry about a dog hurting it. Rescue is stressful enough, you don't need to add more things to worry about. 



> Quote:It's just amazing how some people that work in these animal adoption places haven't a clue.


I think she had a clue! Anyone who has seen what dogs can do to a kitten will be traumatized by it for life. I knew one rescuer who came home to discover her kitten's head lying in the doorway of the front door. You don't forget an experience like that in a hurry. She always kept the dogs and cats separate but one of her kids didn't close the door all the way, freak accident, just one of those things etc. But stuff like that happens.









But anyway, there are, unfortunately, about a gazillion cats and kittens out there who are desperate for a loving home and I don't know any shelters that have no dog requirements. I think they're extremely thrilled for any of the kittens to be adopted to nice people. Hopefully you can adopt one of them.


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## StGeorgeK9 (Jan 5, 2008)

My Heidi girl actually raised two motherless kittens........


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

I volunteer for a cat rescue in my area and have done the adoption days and even a home check or two.

If we get a bad feeling about a potential owner then we do a home check and ask to be introduced to everyone in the house - including pets.

Owning dogs, no matter the breed does not disqualify you from adopting, atleast for us.

I have 2 GSD's and have adopted 2 cats. I have adopted cats/kittens out to people who own mastiffs and other dogs as well. No biggie.

One lady, I got a little worried about because she said her dog was a rescue and unsure of cats or small rodents. After a meet and greet and a introduction to the new kitty (someone else at the rescue did this meet and greet not me) he was fine. She actually came back two years later and just adopted another adult/senior cat from us!

I think you should contact the rescue directly (head) and talk with them.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Oh, and just for the cuteness factor... 

My ferocious GSD's and my sweet as can be cats.. oh wait.. it's the other way around!


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## Cathygirl (Dec 29, 2006)

Thanks everyone for responding. I guess what I really didn't like was the way it was handled. The older lady from A.C. Paws had already made up her mind before the foster girl showed up. She really did not care what I had to say, didn't ask what type of home we had, where the dogs slept, how long we had them or anything!! 
The foster girl was young, and really wanted to keep this kitten herself, and I can't blame her. This kitten, if you saw it would grab your heart and make it melt.
JeanKBBMMMAN, do you think it is better to adopt an older cat than a kitten? I would not mind adopting a adult cat, and I guess I just thought that Sammy my kitty would accept a kitten before an adult. Do you think bringing in a female adult would be easier than a male when I have a male allready? Just wondering.
I know we can get a kitten anywheres for that matter. The paper, craigslist, humane society. As a matter of fact, I just took a bunch of cat food to the no kill shelter about 30 miles from here. They have a cat room there and you get to go in with them. They all have free access to the room and there were over 40 of them in there. They were all over us. I thought about getting one of them but my husband wasn't with me and I want him to be part of it all.

So my question is, and I appreciate the input. Would I be better off getting an adult cat? Sammy is almost 11. He loves the dogs, and is always rubbing all over them. We did bring a kitten in about 8 years ago, and sammy loved him. He died 2 years later (and broke my heart). So it has been 6 years since Sammy has seen another cat.


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## Cathygirl (Dec 29, 2006)

Love the pictures Elizabeth!!


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## SuzyE (Apr 22, 2005)

that is absolutly ridiculous! I have 3 cats and two dogs, used to have 2 shepherds and 3 cats. that is stupid and irritating.


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## dd (Jun 10, 2003)

Maybe this was not handled the best way, but I don't think the rescue was being "stupid and irritating" - they are trying to protect an animal in whom they have invested love and care.

I think it would be useful if every now and then people stopped a moment and tried to see the other person's point of view - would you hand over* your* pet to someone without seeing their situation or meeting any of their other pets?


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## StGeorgeK9 (Jan 5, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: dd
> I think it would be useful if every now and then people stopped a moment and tried to see the other person's point of view - would you hand over* your* pet to someone without seeing their situation or meeting any of their other pets?


But that was the problem, no attempt was even made to do just this? Not even a suggestion to bring the dogs in for a meet and greet. It was discounted out of hand based soley on someones feeling about the dogs.......I dont think anyone here objects to having someone check out the situation. I would not send a rescue dog to a home that wasnt checked out for sure!


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

Here are my blood thirsty beasts... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrz95kuWPlk


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## SuzyE (Apr 22, 2005)

To eliminate someone simply on the basis of breed bias is ignorant, maybe that is a better word.


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

> Quote:But that was the problem, no attempt was even made to do just this? Not even a suggestion to bring the dogs in for a meet and greet. It was discounted out of hand based soley on someones feeling about the dogs.......I dont think anyone here objects to having someone check out the situation. I would not send a rescue dog to a home that wasnt checked out for sure!


But it sounds like they had another potential adopter without the dogs. If they turned down the dogless adopter to go check out the poster's situation they might end up with no adopters at all. Also, just meeting the dogs, you can't really guarantee it's a safe situation. There's still going to be that risk. Having just had a kitten killed, I can see their hesitancy.


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## SuzyE (Apr 22, 2005)

yeah that's for sure Lin, the GSD would probably be running around with a kitten clung on to it like mine saying "mom get her off of me!"
No one messes with my eldest animal (cat) Angel, she walks around demanding the dogs do what she wants.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: pupresq
> But it sounds like they had another potential adopter without the dogs. If they turned down the dogless adopter to go check out the poster's situation they might end up with no adopters at all. Also, just meeting the dogs, you can't really guarantee it's a safe situation. There's still going to be that risk. Having just had a kitten killed, I can see their hesitancy.


If they have a policy against adopting to people with large dogs, they should clearly state so in their information rather than hemming and hawing about it.


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

> Quote: So my question is, and I appreciate the input. Would I be better off getting an adult cat? Sammy is almost 11. He loves the dogs, and is always rubbing all over them. We did bring a kitten in about 8 years ago, and sammy loved him. He died 2 years later (and broke my heart). So it has been 6 years since Sammy has seen another cat.


Hard to say... I can see where Sammy might adjust better to a kitten but it's really going to depend so much on the chemistry between the cats and that's tough to predict. If you get an adult, definitely get one that has been checked out with dogs. Other people's experiences may be different, but I have not had great success getting adult cats who weren't raised with dogs to be truly comfortable with dogs, even with a good adjustment period. Kittens and adult cats who were raised with dogs are another story of course! Several of my cats have thought they WERE dogs.









Glad you're going to adopt even if this particular situation doesn't work out. The number of cats out there needing homes is so heartbreaking. It's even worse than the dog situation. Most of the shelters I work with have a nearly 100% euthanasia rate on cats/kittens.


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

> Quote:If they have a policy against adopting to people with large dogs, they should clearly state so in their information rather than hemming and hawing about it.


But they probably don't have that policy if they'd recently adopted one out who was killed. And unfortunately - while I agree with you it would be nice to state all policies up front so potential adopters don't waste their time - sometimes when you spell out too much up front you just invite people to lie to you.

I think anyone who has done adoptions can tell you that people lie ALL the time to try to get whatever animal they've picked out. I've had people try to conceal that they have kids, dogs, other pets, you name it. And all I'm trying to do is try to help match them with an appropriate pet to their situation - I may know that my foster dog is terrified of small children - but so many just want what they want or they think they know better.


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## StGeorgeK9 (Jan 5, 2008)

Well, there is another way of looking at this too.......there is another kitty out there that needs you Cathy.......you just havent found it yet!

I do agree with you pupresq, people lie and misrepresent themselves all the time. I guess I feel it is very unfortunate that you cannot always trust people and good people get overlooked because of it. I do understand the point about one person being there without a "dog" issue......lets hope that person didnt lie themselves....


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

Yeah, I totally agree with you (about all of it!). I hate that bad people make adoption tougher for good people.

Hoping this means that another kitty, maybe one still in the shelter, gets a good home.


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## Cathygirl (Dec 29, 2006)

I don't know about the other people that were there. I could not hear them talking so I don't know if they had any dogs, other kids, cats etc. 
The one really good thing that came out of it was my brother in law taking home the big ole cat. He came over today and said the cat slept in bed with him last night wrapped around his head. Sounds like the perfect match. Pete lives by himself and really needed a companion.


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## SuzyE (Apr 22, 2005)

oh, that's really really sweet.


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

That's awesome! And kudos to him for giving a chance to an adult cat! Sounds like a nice guy with a nice kitty.


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