If you had (no choice but) to rehome your cat...

[cloversandlions]

Would you let a college student (one you did not know) adopt it?

 

We're moving in less than three months. We'll be going from owning a home, to renting, which means that of our eight pets (4 dogs, 4 cats), we will likely only be able to keep two, or if we're lucky, three of them. :crying:

 

One of my cats is a rather handsome Maine Coon cat. Because we adopted him from a rescue, I have asked them to post a courtesy listing on PetFinder to see if they can find another home for him. About a month ago, I was contacted by a college student. She lives four hours away, and wanted her brother/cousin/friend (I can't remember which it was) to pick up the cat and bring him to her. I told her that I did not feel comfortable with sending him off to her especially if she had not met him, but that I also did not feel comfortable adopting him to someone who lives so far away. After all, what if she decides she doesn't like him?

 

Finally, after she kept contacting me to please reconsider, I said that I would if 1) her parents contacted me to confirm that were agreeable to her adopting the cat, and 2) if I could bring him to her home myself.

 

She was fine with #1, but repeatedly deflects #2: "Coming there is no issue at all. I'm really looking forward to bringing Beau home- the sooner the better!"

 

I'm trying to be reasonable, but...I googled her name, found her FB page, and saw that she's announced a couple of times that she's going to (hopefully) bring this kitty home (she's posted his picture, and now has his picture as her avatar - weird?), and once, she adds "But don't tell my mom!" I know she lives at home, so this...confuses me. How do you hide a cat? Especially a 16 lbs cat? And why?

 

Her dad has called and left a message. She wants to pick up Beau this weekend, which is not at all convenient for me. Personally, I think college can be a time of considerable instability, and Beau has had at least one doctor visit which cost over $400 (UT/bladder infection). She assures me she has a savings account that will be sufficient to provide for Beau's care.

 

What would you do? My intuition isn't being very reliable here - I don't doubt that she wants him, and I can see that both of her younger siblings (ages 9 and 10, I think) seem excited about him, too, but I can't shake the feeling that this is just...weird. Why would she drive (well, she's not driving - she's hitching a ride with a friend) four hours to adopt a cat she's never seen, especially when she lives in a big city where there are surely other cats looking for homes? I asked her that - she said that Beau looks intelligent :001_huh: which is especially funny because he usually looks like a bewildered owl. :lol:

 

If she were to come to a local adoption event, I probably would not have the opportunity (or perhaps even any reason) to know her story, so am I overthinking this?

Edited November 9, 2011 by WorkInProgress

[LatinLover]

I think if you're having this much doubt, I would trust my instintcts and try to find a different home. Is there a Maine Coon Rescue in your area? The breed-specific rescues usually have pretty strict requirements for new homes.

 

Good luck!

[mom2scouts]

No. I live in a University town. College students may like animals, but they usually aren't able to care for them long term and they get abandoned. The fact that she lives at home might actually be better though since there is a family who might keep him if she couldn't.

[houseofkids&pets]

:iagree:I have also lived in a college town where pets were abandoned at the end of the school year. Even though she lives at home, this sounds very suspicious. Your gut is telling you that something is off. I wouldn't do it.

[gingersmom]

I would not let her adopt your cat. Its weird that she won't let you bring the cat to her.

 

And I would hope that a local rescue group would not let her adopt a pet either.

[JudoMom]

Go with your gut :grouphug:.

[jplain]

I wouldn't let my sister (a recent college grad) take any of my three cats. And I was extremely disappointed by how unconcerned my college-age cousins were about some litterbox problems (urinating outside the box) their young cat was developing.

 

Maybe this is an unfair generalization, but in my opinion many college students are not mature enough for anything more than fish, if that. :glare:

[katilac]

She lives at home, and her parents are aware and willing? Yes, I probably would let her adopt him. Falling in love with a picture of a cat sounds rather typical for many young girls, lol, so I don't think the avatar and such are weird. Your kitty is adorable, and Maine Coons do tend to look smarter than other cats (and also more "kitten-ish" when grown, which is very appealing). The "don't tell my mom" posts sound like a joke (she lives with her mom, posts about the cat on FB, and was willing to let you talk to them).

 

Plus, as you said, you would likely let someone you don't know at all take him from an adoption event. In this case, you at least know there are parents to help, siblings that appear excited, and so forth. Sounds just as likely to work out as any other adoption with people you don't know, kwim?

 

Grown cats are very hard to place, at least in my area. This seems like a reasonably good placement.