C4.9 Adopting or Buying Cats and Dogs

How to Adopt or Buy a Cat (Pet) in the UK?

Darling, promise me—once you bring it home, you’ll take care of it for life.

You’ll have many beloveds in your lifetime, but its whole life will only have you.

Be a little more responsible, take on a little more commitment,

and be a cat parent who sees things through to the end.

Of course, if you can,

adopt, don’t shop.

Why has keeping cats suddenly become popular? Because as long as I have the money to buy dried fish, it will never leave me. But people won’t even if I cook a whole table of braised pork, they’ll leave without looking back, no matter how much meat is there.

About Adoption

Well-known UK animal adoption organisation: RSPCA

Website: https://www.rspca.org.uk/

 

The Adoption Process Isn’t as Troublesome as You Might Think

After registering, the organisation will assess whether you’re suitable to keep a pet—checking factors like your living environment, financial situation, and whether you pose a risk of animal abuse. Then you’ll pay an adoption fee. Yes, the animal itself is free, but an adoption fee is required.

Speaking of this adoption fee, every organisation charges one, usually around a few dozen pounds. It’s extremely good value, because the adoption organisation will have already given the pet vaccinations, health checks, and neutering/spaying. They’re only charging a small amount to cover basic costs. The adoption process is also quite simple, after all, the UK encourages people to adopt small animals.

Even Wang Sicong, the famous internet personality from our country, adopted a "princess among dogs"—he named her Wang Keke. Now this little princess is a minor internet celebrity with millions of followers (her dad Sicong has over 20 million followers). She even has her own Taobao store, and its sales are doing great.

Sicong: Will you be my dog again in the next life?

Keke: Can we switch roles?

Sicong: Woof?

 

Look at the picture—its profile even says it’s a "dog that’s living its best life". So that’s why they say "adopt, don’t shop"! Who knows, maybe you could be the next Wang Sicong, or the next Wang Keke. Hehe… Hahaha…

In the UK, you might get away with hitting someone, but if you harm a small animal, you’ll be arrested by the police. You could also face a huge fine, or even be locked up (in jail).

This reminds me that Singapore has similar laws. If you abuse a small animal, or if a dog suddenly runs up and bites you while you’re walking down the street, and you get angry and injure the dog in return, the dog won’t be punished—but you will face a fine, or even be arrested and sent to jail by the police, with a maximum sentence of 18 months. The reason is that humans are rational and can control their actions, but dogs cannot.

How to adopt from the RSPCA in the UK?The official website has detailed tutorials to guide you—it’s really very simple. Find a small animal you like, fill out a form, visit the centre, meet with a staff member, and that’s it.

The organisation will handle all the other steps for you. You can pick up an application form from the RSPCA centre nearest to you, or download it online.

Adoption process and application form address: http://www.rspca.org.uk/findapet/rehomeapet/process

As shown in the picture below: the RSPCA adoption process and where to download the application form.

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home – A Well-Known Animal Adoption Organisation in the UK

Website: https://www.battersea.org.uk/cats

The adoption process at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home is even simpler—it only has three steps, a three-step routine. Isn’t there a song that goes like this: "Play the three-step cat adoption tune for you, in memory of the cat that’s come to me"? It sounds just like a cat’s "meow," which is really nice.

Register, match, take it home.

This process is quite similar to the rhythm of a blind date!

First, go to the marriage registration office to register. Then, you’ll be arranged to meet a few potential partners. Once you hit it off, you take them home.

Of course, there’s no guarantee you can take home someone you’re interested in on your own. But you can definitely take this cat home—hahaha.

As follows:

 

The link to the adoption process at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home is as follows:

https://www.battersea.org.uk/cats/cat-rehoming-process

Cats Protection

It specifically helps you search for cats available for adoption near your area.

The website is: http://www.cats.org.uk

 

The link to contact information and addresses for all regions is as follows:

http://www.cats.org.uk/find-us/?pc=cv1%202df

The following is for the Coventry area:

Coventry

Email: coventrycats@sky.com

Tel: 02476 594 116

Website: http://www.cats.org.uk/coventry

Coventry Charity Shop

146 Jubilee Crescent, Radford, Coventry, West Midlands,

CV6 3ES

Tel: 02476 596 852

In fact, there are many small adoption centres in various regions across the UK. You can easily find them by searching on Google—it’s very simple. Alternatively, you might come across one someday when you go to a shop to eat.

For example, the other day I went to the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, the hometown of Shakespeare. I was thirsty and suddenly spotted an interesting milkshake shop called Blueberry Balloons. So I went in, tempted by the thought of milkshakes. I have to say, they had a variety of flavours, and you could choose either a single flavour or a mixed one. They were absolutely delicious! What’s more, the milkshake guy there was really good-looking. Oh, I instantly wanted to have milkshakes every day :)

Well, milkshakes are certainly not the focus here, and neither is the good-looking guy. The key point is that there was a TV on the shop’s wall, which kept playing introductions of cats on a loop and welcoming people to adopt them.

At that moment, I thought, "This is so loving!" Oh, what a caring milkshake shop this is—I even wanted to open one myself.

Some time later, while I was out shopping again, I noticed a tiny, similar shop had opened in Coventry, right next to WHSmith!

If you think it’s hard for someone to love you sincerely in return when you love them sincerely, it’s because human feelings allow for pretense, and that pretense can be hidden deeply for a long time. But when it comes to cats and dogs, their love for you is genuine and simple—they won’t lie to you, and they’ll never leave you. When they act coquettishly or cling to you, even if you’re angry, you’ll be instantly comforted.

As shown in the picture below, I really wanted to kiss the guy closest to me.

Guy: Oh no, don’t kiss me!

Me: Wow, so you want to kiss me instead? Alright then, just one quick kiss—right here. Not even one more, okay?

Guy: .......................

 

Reminder:

Dear friends, please don’t worry about the adoption fee—it’s really good value for money. The fee covers the cost of the comprehensive health checks, vaccinations, neutering/spaying, and other services the organisation provides for the cats. If you were to take a cat for vaccinations and other treatments yourself, it would be quite expensive, and you’d also have a lot to worry about.

After adopting a cat, remember to send the cat’s microchip number along with your own details to the microchip company. Then, register and take the cat for a check-up at a vet, and book the next vaccination appointment based on the vet’s advice.

Make sure the cat is vaccinated after being microchipped; otherwise, the vaccination won’t be recorded. This means you’ll have to take the cat for another round of injections if you want to take it back to your home country later.

Once you’ve adopted the cat, remember to buy pet insurance. It’s recommended to purchase the top-tier insurance from the post office—it only costs a few dozen pounds a year, and you can get nearly half of the money back as a cash rebate, which is equivalent to a 40% discount. Having insurance means you won’t have to worry about high medical bills if the cat gets sick.

Regarding Purchasing

Reminder from ShishengMao (Ten-Litre Cat): If you buy a cat or dog from a private seller, be sure to ask them for the cat’s health certificate, identification documents, and other relevant information. If you don’t, and the cat has health issues or no identification once you’ve bought it, you’ll face a lot of trouble when getting it treated or registered later—and the costs for these will be quite high. Please buy with caution.

UK Gumtree

Website: https://www.gumtree.com/pets

 

UK Pets 4 Homes

Website: https://www.pets4homes.co.uk

This website sells various pets, including cats, dogs, horses, fish, birds, rabbits, and more.

UK Breeder

Website: http://www.breedersonline.co.uk/

It only has cats and dogs.

Preloved

web：http://www.preloved.co.uk/classifieds/pets/cats

Freeads

web：http://www.freeads.co.uk/uk/buy-sell/pets/cats

Finally,

If you love it, love it well for a lifetime, through all winds and rains.

If you don’t love it, don’t get involved with it from the start.

Don’t wait until the cat has gradually fallen in love with you,

and slowly become unable to live without you, before abandoning it.

When you choose it, it means you choose responsibility.

Be a warm person—only with love can there be a home.

Below is a photo of Master Cat Jimo, who often comes to my house in the UK to mooch food from my neighbour.

Master Cat: Hmm? I’m already lying down comfortably, and you’re still wearing clothes?