Info i should collect before giving the cat to new owner

Question

I just found a kitty in the road and brought it home i already have a cat so my parents forbade me to keep this one, i found this guy who is my friend's friend and he is ready to adopt this kitten,but i don't know anything about him, we texted and he said he will take care of the kitty but i don't really know if i should trust him,what should i do and what are the information i should collect about him before give this kitten to him?

Answer 1

What you're looking to do is generally referred to as adoption screening. I would suggest looking more into the subject, as I'm sure many have already written their opinions about it. I can think of several categories of questions you should be asking any potential adopter to help determine if you trust them enough to give them the cat. I would probably arrange to meet him, either in person or over phone or video chat, as the opportunity to have a real-time dialog will be helpful, and if he's not willing to do that for the cat, then already I would be questioning his level of commitment to pet ownership.

Is he knowledgeable about taking care of cats?

Any potential owner should have knowledge of how to care for cats going in, so ask questions to determine what experience or research into their care has he done. Keep in mind that even if he says he's owned a cat before, that doesn't necessarily mean he was the one taking care of it, as someone else in the household may have done so. But even that is the case, I would expect him to have some knowledge of cats from living with one, so I wouldn't necessarily rule him out based on that. Some examples of these types of questions:

• Has he owned a cat before?
• If so, who was taking care of this cat?
• If not, has he cared for another cat at all (for example he petsat a cat)?
• If none of the above, what research has he done about cat care?
• Basic care questions to verify he has knowledge about cat care, like how often should they be fed, how often to clean their litterbox, how to discipline them, and and so forth.

Does he have the means to properly care for a cat its entire life?

Ask questions to try to find out if the home is appropriate to a cat, and if you can have a reasonable expectation that he will be able to care for the cat its entire life. Of course, there's no knowing what will happen in the future, but at least he should either be independent with a stable job, or, if still dependent on his parents, the parents should be willing to take over its care if needed. Some examples of these types of questions:

• Where will the cat be living? A house? An apartment?
• Is there anyone else living in the home, and are they okay with having a cat?
• Are there other pets in the home?
• Is he independent with a stable job, or if not, are his parents willing to take over care for the cat if needed?
• A cat can cost over $20k over its lifespan. Can he afford that?

What plans does he have for its care?

These types of questions are to help you determine if he has the cat's best interests in mind, and also give more of a picture of how much thought he has given to owning a cat. Some examples of these types of questions:

• Will he spay/neuter the cat if it is not fixed already?
• Will the cat be allowed outside?
• How much time will he spend with the cat?
• Will he get it declawed?
• Does he have a vet?
• How many litter boxes will it have?

What is his temperament?

Any pet owner should be responsible enough to care for the cat, and also feel compassion for their cat. These are traits that will make him actually stick to his commitment of owning a cat. These questions are more squishy, but hopefully his answers to your other questions will already give you an idea of whether he is a responsible person who would prioritize his cat's wellbeing.

• Why does he want a cat?
• What does he like about cats?
• What kind of responsibilities does he have now, and how does he feel about that, and deal with them?
• Ask your friend if he thinks his friend would be a good owner, and why.