I am getting silly about a home check, who can tell me about it

[Mycathasnoears]

The rational side of me says I am being silly but I have my heart set on a kitten and just have to pass the home check and I am starting to worry about it.

We live in a detached 4-bed with garden and 2 children under 5. Due to the children the house is never tidy and never sparkling clean either, (I don't think it is so bad that you would catch any diseases if you entered).

We are in a quiet cul de sac with a busy-ish road a about 200 yards away.

What do I need to do to make sure the checker says we are ok??

[SpookTheCat]

I just answered your other thread i tought the kitten was definitly coming to live with you didn't realise you needed a homecheck first but anyway...

I have never had experience of the home check procedure personally but from what i gather each individual rescue has thier own criteria for rehoming.

Some will/wont home to families with children under 5
some will only home to indoor homes.
Some will only home to indoor/outdoor homes.
Some require you to have a catflap some dont.
Some will only home kittens in pairs
some wont home to families out at work all day.
The list goes on. So depending on the rescue you have contacted i coudn't say for sure.

Usually they will be looking to make sure you dont live in absolute squalor, they will expect the organised chaos of everyday family life so as long as your house looks clean wont be an issue.
They will want to see how/where the kitten will be living, so show them where he/she will be sleeping and eating.
They will make sure you can afford the upkeep of food, vets bills etc.
And that you have access/transport to the vets, ie what would you do in an emergancy in the middle of the night

They will want to know if the cat will be indoor/outdoor and if outdoor will look at how secure your garden is, how busy the roads are etc.
If you are in rented accomodation you will have to provide consent from the landlord.
They will want to know how often the kitten/cat will be left alone.

All in all they will need to see that the cat will be looked after and you are willing to take on a long term commitment.

Good Luck!!

[Mycathasnoears]

The kitten is reserved and waiting for us subject to the check.

They say she is suitable for a family so my real concerns are the state of the house! They know we have children and their ages.

We are not in rented and I am at home most of the day to let her out when she is old enough as we don't have a flap - yet.

As long as it doesn't have to be super tidy and clean, then it sounds like we will be ok.

I think I may be getting my knickers in a knot about nothing but I really appreciate your reply.

[SpookTheCat]

Sounds like you wont have a problem!
They are obviously quite happy to consider you. Your house sounds like a normal everyday family home so just be yourself and just have a quick tidy before they come. I'm sure that everything will be ok and you will have your new addition in no time!!!!

[MinkyWinky]

Don't panic, it's sounds like you'll be fine.

When we had our homecheck, she literally had a very brief look at the kitchen, the garden and the roads. (She did know the area quite well). We explained we would be getting a cat flap, but as they were going to be in for the first three weeks they didn't need this immediately. She was fine with this.

(We didn't have time to tidy either... she didn't seem concerned!)

They did say they would come back and see if they'd settled in, but we haven't seen them since. That's probably because we've been posting photos of them on the rescue's Facebook page:)

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Home checker asked to see where cats were fed and bowls. Where cats slept ( sofas and our beds). Saw the garden - failed me because of the A4 outside my front door. I argued my point that never let cats out front and what self respecting cat would go to road with lorries rushing past with 190 feet of garden. The accepted and actually agreed that cats on quieter roads where one really fast car comes past every 10 minutes are more likely to be crossing and be hit. Got my cat and they are reviewing their road policy.

[QuietTiger]

OP - speaking as a cat rescuer and someone who has done hundreds (quite literally) of home checks for various organisations that specialise in cats-collies...

The home checker is absolutely not going to give a flying fig if your house is "untidy". They are looking to see you are what you've said you are, e.g. you aren't near a busy road when you've said you live on a quiet rural lane. That you don't have kitten-eating rottweilers who will rip it apart in 5 minutes, when you said you have no dog - that sort of thing. They will want to check that you are not complete morons who know sod all about cats and that you've thought about your decision properly.

If you have under 5's, they will want to see their "natural" behaviour at home - e.g. are they reasonably well behaved and do what they are told most of the time with you being in control, or are they demon hell-children who smear crayon on the walls, boil the pet fish in the kettle, run around screaming, fighting and trying to kill each other all the time and refusing to do anything they are told?

If it was me checking, I'd be looking for somewhere that was safe and quiet for the kitten have "time-out" from the family - it's own basket or bed in a quiet place away from children, where it was going to eat, where you'd put the litter tray, what your garden was like, what arrangements you had to let it in/out, they'll give advice on feeding (My own bug bear is DON'T feed supermarket dried food like Go-cat or Whiskas as it is full of cereals, fillers and artificial additives) and give you the opportunity to ask questions.

An experienced home checker can usually tell what the home is "really" like and whether you are suitable in the first 5 minutes, so don't be shocked if it seems a really short visit. OTOH, don't be shocked if it takes 2 hours either. Especially if you start talking about pets etc.

Good luck, I'm sure it'll be fine. :)

[TheWickedWitch]

Thanks all.

We passed!!

My new baby is now settling in, although very nervous. I am sure she will like her new home.

Thanks for all the tips.

[cozietoesie]

Of course you did! (But well done anyway.)



We're waiting for those pics on your profile, though.