I just moved to the area and don't know many people, yet. We have had to make the decision to give our cat to a new home. Did I mention that we don't know anyone here very well? So, how do we go about doing that? This cat has always been an indoor cat, but I really think he needs to be an outdoor cat/barn cat. We knew lots of people where we were from, but not here.
Any ideas?
Edit: He is young (1.5 yo) and is really active and aggressive. He cannot seem to figure out the "appropriate" way to play with our kids. Otherwise, he is loving and loves his people like a dog would (waits by the door for us, etc.). I feel he would be a better fit on a farm or other outdoor area where he can use is playful aggression in a better circumstance. I agree that it would definitely be a switch for him, but it just isn't working indoors and we live in a subdivision right off a very busy highway. Otherwise, we would just let him outside here. :(
Has anyone used Petfinder.com? I just looked there and I can only "adopt" (sell) this cat for a reasonable cost (whatever that is). I cannot just let give him to anyone.
I decided on a "foster" for the cat. They have a good reputation for finding a cat a home - no matter what! We are going to really miss him, but not his bad behaviors. :(
put him up on petfinder.com not craigslist.
Also putting up a sign at your local vet office will help, they might even know someone that is looking for one.
Also Contacting Molly's Militia , the local pet foster group, might help as well.
ETA:
If he is not fixed fixing him might help with the aggression.
You don't say why you are giving up your cat but maybe you can find a home through your children's friends. Do they have school friends who may want a pet? Also, if your cat has always been an indoor cat then he won't know how to be an outdoor cat and will likely die soon. He simply won't be familiar with the outdoor dangers (cars!) and will not be able to protect himself.
Can you try a flyer at your church, school, grocery store? I wish I was closer to you.
C.
I know that this does not directly address your question, but I thought it might help, being that re-homing an adult cat can be difficult. We had a cat who was fairly aggressive, and even though I've had cats my whole life, I didn't think there was anything I could do about her "claws out" behavior. My husband, who has always had dogs, told me he was going to train the cat not to act aggressively toward us. I thought he was crazy, and told him so. Well, I'm here to tell you, he did it. His methods were unconventional, but they worked. Our cat would slash at us all the time, and hiss. Every time she did that, he sprayed her with water (he literally carried a spray bottle with him everywhere in the house). Cats hate that. She came to associate hissing/slashing with immediately getting sprayed with water, and within about 2 weeks, she had completely stopped her behavior. Additionally, I kept her claws very short. We trimmed them frequently so they were not long and sharp. (Now they have those little claw things that you can put over the cat's claws, which is a good idea too.) You can also get toys that are good for high-energy cats (we have one that is basically a feather on a piece of elastic cord, tied to a stick - kind of like a fishing pole, and we also have a laser pointer thing). The kids play with our crazy kitty using those toys so the kids are safe, and the cat gets exercise without hurting anyone.
If your kitty is otherwise sociable (sounds like he is), you might just try behavior modification with him. He might be a totally different cat within a few weeks.
Craigslist is a great place to find a new home.You can put up an ad for your cat and people can come and look at it, and you can see if you think that person would be a good match for your cat. Its like a cat interview.
Not sure I understand why your indoor cat needs to be outdoors??? Is he peeing? Does he sneak out? Is he aggressive? I'm not trying to be mean, I'm just trying to understand why he needs to go outside. He's been inside all his life, that's a BIG adjustment for a cat to permanently be put outside~
DO NOT DO CRAIGSLIST!!!! If anything, call all local vets, call local rescues, maybe petfinder..
Thanks for clarifying... I volunteer at a couple animal rescues that's why I was concerned.
I assume he still has his claws.. The only thing about a farm (because my friend rode horses at a farm) is that they normally can be in a rural area. The other "farm" cats can be aggressive because their self-taught to be fend for themselves and protect themselves. If your cat just likes to "play" and is not "mean", he might have a hard time adjusting to the farm life.. Not ALL cats on farms are aggressive, but they have to be able to protect themselves against other types of animals living outside.
If you have the ability to continue to keep it for a little while, go around to vet clinics and ask if they would mind if you put up a flier in their office for clients to see. They (probably) won't be willing to take the cat for you, but they would probably be willing to be your middle-man for you to advertise needing a new home for the cat. Good luck!
Try local vets, pet rescues, etc. Good luck!
