Basic Rescue Decisions: Where,what, and how?

Basically there are two directions to take with your group's rescue efforts, shelters and/or individuals.

You will have to decide which breeds the rescue will tackle. That's an individual decision but depends on a lot of factors. We do NOT recommend a "newbie" take on general purebred cat rescue, because it it takes experience not to become quickly overwhelmed. We suggest focusing on one common breed, like Siamese, or the breed with which you have the most expertise to star with. Then, if the leadership and resources are there, gradually take in other breeds.

You will need to have guidelines as to what cats qualify for your rescue. Having a written list of well thought-out guidelines is one of the most important steps in well-organized rescue program, keeping in mind that they are simply guidelines. Policies and procedures are a work in progress. The one constant in rescue is that there are no set rules and exceptions will always occur. There will be many occasions when your team will have to make a difficult judgment call on what is best for the cat and your organization.

Determining A Purebred

Determining whether a cat is a purebred is sometimes difficult. Some circumstances will require the rescuer to make a close judgment call, determining whether, for instance, the cat in that cage really is or is not a particular breed (rarely are papers relinquished with the cat). If you have established a good relationship with the shelter, you may encourage them to retain whatever documentation is available that establishes the authenticity of the cat's genetic background. Generally, any genuine doubt should be resolved in the cat's favor. Your rescue should not start rescuing a breed until you are expert in the identification, care, and any special needs of that particular breed.

You will also have to decide whether you will accept "mixes", i.e. appears to have several significant characteristics of a breed but which lacks the combination of features, colors, and/or conformation that are expected in that breed. Keep in mind that the major registries have some significant variance in the breed standards, and that commercial and back yard breeders may also use very poor quality representatives of the breed and produce pets that deviate significantly from the breed standards.

Health

Health is the most important criteria of them all, unless you have unlimited resources. One very ill cat can totally drain the funds you have set aside to rescue numerous cats. A good rule of thumb is the cat is a candidate for your program if the cat is only slightly ill with something that can be easily treated with a week of antibiotics. If you have to deal with a major illness that would take weeks of treatment, major surgery, or extensive and expensive medical attention, you may have a difficult decision to make as to whether or not to accept the cat in your program.

Remember, your goal is to place these cats in loving homes, not to become a way station for critically ill cats, thus draining your resources and reducing your ability to help others. It's important to keep in mind that there is no way any of us can save them all. Reality imposes limitations. With that in mind, however, you may also want to explore some of the emergency resources available like "Itsy's Fund" and IMOM.org, to help with such bills. There are also resources out there for FIV positive cats you may want to explore working with and referring to as FIV positive cats are more difficult to place.

Temperament

Temperament is a serious factor when dealing with rescue cats. Quite often a cat will be stressed in the shelter environment and may simply be reacting defensively, but later be a total love in the foster home after a short period of time. If there is any chance that the cat, with a little time and patience, can be socialized, it certainly is worth the effort to give it a try. On the other hand, if the cat is totally unmanageable and aggressive with a history of biting, we would recommend not taking the cat into your program. More than likely than not the cat will be returned to you. Also there is the possibility of the cat hurting someone, which could have legal ramifications and liability issues.

Once your volunteer has determined that the cat qualifies for rescue, here are some suggested easy steps to follow.

	Shelter Form Fill out the shelter's rescue contract, asking for one copy to take with you.
	Veterinarian Take the cat to the veterinarian for health inspection. Have the cat tested for FeLV and FIV if not already done by the shelter. Have the veterinarian complete Health Inspection Form. All whole cats and kittens must be altered as soon as possible; absolutely no intact cats should be adopted out. If the cat turns out to be so ill that it needs to be euthanized, the shelter may offer to take the cat back and euthanize the cat. If not, mail a report of euthanization, stating reason, to shelter.
	Foster Facility Take the cat and all your forms to your foster facility and foster homes. Leave a copy of all forms with the whoever is fostering the cat; they will need to give one copy to the new owners. Always keep another set for your rescue programs records.
	Advertise Once the cat has been cleared health-wise and assessed at your foster home, inform your Rescue Coordinator that the cat is now available for adoption so they can advertise the new purebred rescue cat now available. You will find a Petfinder.com page for your rescue will be very helpful. You may also find it helpful to advertise cats on our message board. You can also advertise your cats on breed, breed rescue, and cat-related lists online and on facebook. It is helpful if you have a digital camera - "a picture is worth a thousand words" does apply!