Sourcing a Snowflake Emotional Support Cat
January 26, 2022 6:35 PM Subscribe
Mini Dancing Lamb has Emotional Support Cat needs and the internet is failing us so far. AskMe cat people, we need your plentiful expertise!
So Mini Dancing Lamb (MDL) is in the process of applying for an Emotional Support Cat (ESC). The school allows them and we have already submitted the request from MDL's doctor for a letter outlining the need for the cat. However, the school has indicated that the cat and MDL must have a pre-existing 'relationship'.
I had cats growing up for the majority of my life, in fact right up until MDL was born when we put down our literal psychotic cat (he was dosed daily with antipsychotic medication and it, uh, stopped working, and then attacked everybody including the dog). MDL's sister is mildly allergic to cats, and my husband feels that he also is allergic, although he lived with the aforementioned psycho cat for about 11yrs without issue.
To that end, we need to find a 'hypoallergenic' cat if at all possible for when ESC is home with MDL during breaks and the summer. I much prefer to go through a full breed rescue or a retired breeder cat, if at all possible. I'm running into dead ends on this front -- I know how to find Frenchies without a problem, but I can't seem to find the cat world equivalent. Is there some secret to this that I'm missing?
MDL's preference is a short-haired cat in the small to medium size range, chattier, and not one that is super crazy active. Lap velcro is highly preferred. We have been looking for rescues in both NJ and MA, and would also be open to CT, RI, and Metro NY. I guess we could also check out DE and MD. PA and NH would also be OK if it's not crazy far. In terms of a time frame, we realize that it's probably realistic to expect that this may not happen for a few months, or even the end of the summer. To that end, we'd be willing to work with a breeder that's aiming to finish out one of her female breeding programs.
MDL has the extensive animal experience required and is not new at all to care for both dogs and cats. We've already discussed at length the pros and cons of when, where, and how vet care would work and where it would be based (whether home in NJ or up at school in MA), should it be routine or emergent.
We looked around and it seems that most shelters are either closed, open only by appointment or just don't have cats. They may just be fostered directly into homes right now. More importantly, I don't think that I can depend on what people describe as breeds on Petfinder. As much as we'd loooooove to go snag a generic orange tom from Petsmart, we need one that will work for everybody and not run into an issue where we can't keep him come May when school ends for the summer.
Thanks for any suggestions or recommendations you may offer. We appreciate it!
So Mini Dancing Lamb (MDL) is in the process of applying for an Emotional Support Cat (ESC). The school allows them and we have already submitted the request from MDL's doctor for a letter outlining the need for the cat. However, the school has indicated that the cat and MDL must have a pre-existing 'relationship'.
I had cats growing up for the majority of my life, in fact right up until MDL was born when we put down our literal psychotic cat (he was dosed daily with antipsychotic medication and it, uh, stopped working, and then attacked everybody including the dog). MDL's sister is mildly allergic to cats, and my husband feels that he also is allergic, although he lived with the aforementioned psycho cat for about 11yrs without issue.
To that end, we need to find a 'hypoallergenic' cat if at all possible for when ESC is home with MDL during breaks and the summer. I much prefer to go through a full breed rescue or a retired breeder cat, if at all possible. I'm running into dead ends on this front -- I know how to find Frenchies without a problem, but I can't seem to find the cat world equivalent. Is there some secret to this that I'm missing?
MDL's preference is a short-haired cat in the small to medium size range, chattier, and not one that is super crazy active. Lap velcro is highly preferred. We have been looking for rescues in both NJ and MA, and would also be open to CT, RI, and Metro NY. I guess we could also check out DE and MD. PA and NH would also be OK if it's not crazy far. In terms of a time frame, we realize that it's probably realistic to expect that this may not happen for a few months, or even the end of the summer. To that end, we'd be willing to work with a breeder that's aiming to finish out one of her female breeding programs.
MDL has the extensive animal experience required and is not new at all to care for both dogs and cats. We've already discussed at length the pros and cons of when, where, and how vet care would work and where it would be based (whether home in NJ or up at school in MA), should it be routine or emergent.
We looked around and it seems that most shelters are either closed, open only by appointment or just don't have cats. They may just be fostered directly into homes right now. More importantly, I don't think that I can depend on what people describe as breeds on Petfinder. As much as we'd loooooove to go snag a generic orange tom from Petsmart, we need one that will work for everybody and not run into an issue where we can't keep him come May when school ends for the summer.
Thanks for any suggestions or recommendations you may offer. We appreciate it!
If you work with a fostering organization (maybe one on the larger side), you will not only get good descriptions of the cats, but you could also foster them yourself -- or act as a short-term respite fosterer. I can't think of a better way to allergy test a cat than to live with her for a few days.
There are some good allergy mitigation strategies out there, though, including good training, nightly cat wipe downs (damp washcloth), washable bed/couch covers for the cat to sit on -- and cats love sitting on small towels/sheets that are frequently washed, so it's not hard to do), HEPA filters, and good, careful, well-researched, affection-based cat training.
posted by amtho at 7:17 PM on January 26, 2022 [4 favorites]
There are some good allergy mitigation strategies out there, though, including good training, nightly cat wipe downs (damp washcloth), washable bed/couch covers for the cat to sit on -- and cats love sitting on small towels/sheets that are frequently washed, so it's not hard to do), HEPA filters, and good, careful, well-researched, affection-based cat training.
posted by amtho at 7:17 PM on January 26, 2022 [4 favorites]
You can search for "hypoallergenic cat breeds" such as this or PetMD. The first site listed some cats available for adoption; I didn't investigate further.
posted by blob at 7:34 PM on January 26, 2022
posted by blob at 7:34 PM on January 26, 2022
Just a note - while there are ways to deal with cat allergies, there isn't really such a thing as a particular type of cat (or dog!) that is hypoallergenic. It's a marketing ploy. So it might not be worth spending time and money on searching for that particular thing.
posted by Zumbador at 7:44 PM on January 26, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Zumbador at 7:44 PM on January 26, 2022 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Zumbador: No, there are no truly hypoallergenic cats (or dogs). But there are cats that produce less of the particular protein (Fel d 1) present in feline saliva that seems to cause allergies.
clarinet: Yes, Purina has recently come out with a new food that is supposed to cut down on the production of the Fel d 1 protein, although it can be hit or miss. It's not cheap, and I personally am not a fan of Purina products. I guess we could try it and see if it would work (I'd prefer to give higher quality food and have MDL wipe down the ESC if there was a choice).
Question about CL postings: In the bulldog world, it's generally assumed that if there's a dog listed on CL, it's stolen and the person is looking to unload the dog quickly and under the radar or the breeder is hinky. Is that not the same case with cats?
posted by dancinglamb at 8:46 PM on January 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
clarinet: Yes, Purina has recently come out with a new food that is supposed to cut down on the production of the Fel d 1 protein, although it can be hit or miss. It's not cheap, and I personally am not a fan of Purina products. I guess we could try it and see if it would work (I'd prefer to give higher quality food and have MDL wipe down the ESC if there was a choice).
Question about CL postings: In the bulldog world, it's generally assumed that if there's a dog listed on CL, it's stolen and the person is looking to unload the dog quickly and under the radar or the breeder is hinky. Is that not the same case with cats?
posted by dancinglamb at 8:46 PM on January 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
Keystone Cats (http://keystonecats.com/) is in PA. I believe they are the breeders of Seamus and Angus, internet-famous exotic shorthair brothers. My exotic shorthair cat (from a local-to-me breeder) wasn't the biggest lapcat when he was a kitten, but now at the ripe old age of 2, he pretty consistently hops up onto our laps.
They shed, but my husband is allergic and takes claritin as needed. This cat has been critical to morale during COVID and we love him to bits.
posted by batter_my_heart at 9:11 PM on January 26, 2022
They shed, but my husband is allergic and takes claritin as needed. This cat has been critical to morale during COVID and we love him to bits.
posted by batter_my_heart at 9:11 PM on January 26, 2022
Anecdata: I'm allergic to cats but fine with LaPerms (adore them, have had two for seven years) and Siberians (have spent a few hours with them). Several other allergic friends are similarly fine with Siberians. Neither breed might be particularly easy to find though. Best of luck locating a suitable emotional support kitty!
posted by harujion at 12:30 AM on January 27, 2022
posted by harujion at 12:30 AM on January 27, 2022
I’m sure some CL cat listings are sketchy and others are just people who are desperate. I understand your hesitation and think a lot would depend on the situation and the vibe you get when communicating with people. I have know of so many acquaintances trying to rehome cats for a friend or family member due to death, impending homelessness, a divorce that leaves a single parent overwhelmed, etc. The shelter is always an option but most people would try to find a home first on their own. And, yes, this includes some purebred cats.
posted by smorgasbord at 3:29 AM on January 27, 2022
posted by smorgasbord at 3:29 AM on January 27, 2022
I think the key for a more legit listing is that the cat is free. Whenever payment is requested, that seems sketchy.
posted by smorgasbord at 3:30 AM on January 27, 2022
posted by smorgasbord at 3:30 AM on January 27, 2022
Whereas the advice I have always seen for people who must rehome a pet is to always charge at least a token fee to weed out people adopting on a whim, people who may be planning to abuse or resell the pet, etc. So I would have said that sticking with only people charging a small fee may help you be more likely to get a cat who has been well cared for and socialized by people invested in their well-being, with both expensive and free listings being sketchy.
Which is to say, I guess, that all of this is a crapshoot. If there's any way the allergy situation would permit for fostering, fostering until you become a foster fail with the right cat would be the most foolproof way to do this.
That said, I'll put in a little plug for Russian Blues if you happen to find an RB rescue or a partially-RB shelter cat. My understanding is they tend to be less allergenic than many breeds, and I have had allergic friends be around my two part-RBs without much difficulty, though we do a thorough clean before they come over so there may be fewer allergens around than usual. Both of mine fit the breed stereotype of being very loving and affectionate and chatty, and one has thoroughly committed to the breed stereotype of being deeply bonded to one specific person. He would be in physical contact with my partner every second of the day if he could. (Cat #2 splits her affections equally.) They are prone to a jumpy nervousness which I understand can also be a breed stereotype, so I'm not sure they'd travel well. They talk a lot in their carriers on vet trips. But perhaps if I had accustomed them to it from the beginning, or if they had some calming meds, it would be fine. If I could clone Cat #1 and hand him off to you to bond with MDL, I think he'd be exactly the cat you're looking for.
posted by Stacey at 4:55 AM on January 27, 2022 [6 favorites]
Which is to say, I guess, that all of this is a crapshoot. If there's any way the allergy situation would permit for fostering, fostering until you become a foster fail with the right cat would be the most foolproof way to do this.
That said, I'll put in a little plug for Russian Blues if you happen to find an RB rescue or a partially-RB shelter cat. My understanding is they tend to be less allergenic than many breeds, and I have had allergic friends be around my two part-RBs without much difficulty, though we do a thorough clean before they come over so there may be fewer allergens around than usual. Both of mine fit the breed stereotype of being very loving and affectionate and chatty, and one has thoroughly committed to the breed stereotype of being deeply bonded to one specific person. He would be in physical contact with my partner every second of the day if he could. (Cat #2 splits her affections equally.) They are prone to a jumpy nervousness which I understand can also be a breed stereotype, so I'm not sure they'd travel well. They talk a lot in their carriers on vet trips. But perhaps if I had accustomed them to it from the beginning, or if they had some calming meds, it would be fine. If I could clone Cat #1 and hand him off to you to bond with MDL, I think he'd be exactly the cat you're looking for.
posted by Stacey at 4:55 AM on January 27, 2022 [6 favorites]
If I had specific behavioral requirements for an adopted cat (especially sociability and velcro potential) I'd go with cat cafes. They're a great way to offer yourself for a test drive and get picked by the right cat. With a short list of less-allergenic breeds, you should be able to call around to see who they have available beforehand.
posted by notquitemaryann at 5:04 AM on January 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by notquitemaryann at 5:04 AM on January 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
PAWS in Philadelphia is a great rescue. Most of their animals are fostered until they find their forever home, so you get more info about their personality.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 7:13 AM on January 27, 2022
posted by misanthropicsarah at 7:13 AM on January 27, 2022
I thought about cat cafes, but even a very affectionate cat in a cafe might be over it :) Almost any cat at a cafe will likely be more affectionate once they leave their cafe job, I'd think.
posted by amtho at 8:16 AM on January 27, 2022
posted by amtho at 8:16 AM on January 27, 2022
For an affectionate cat, look into Ragdoll cats. They have medium length hair, and will play fetch, and are beautiful.
posted by Enid Lareg at 9:48 AM on January 27, 2022
posted by Enid Lareg at 9:48 AM on January 27, 2022
I think the key for a more legit listing is that the cat is free. Whenever payment is requested, that seems sketchy.
Disagree - charging for a cat is a good way to prevent animal abusers getting a free cat to harm. I mean, if someone is charging an arm and leg, that's a little weird, but there's nothing odd about asking for the cost of shots/etc. being reimbursed.
This is anecdotal, but the last kitten I adopted was supposedly "half Russian Blue" - we have no proof of this, but he does have several Russian Blue features, and my partner (who is allergic) didn't have much of a problem with him.
Honestly, the best recipe to have a sweet cat is to adopt whenever you'll have a ton of time to play and bond with them. We adopted the half-Russian Blue a month before the pandemic hit, and I've never had a sweeter cat - it's fair to say he got a ton of attention in his formative months, given both of us were cooped up during lockdown. My previous cats were adopted after I lost a job and was on unemployment - both also turned out sweet. There is some science to back this up - the sooner and more kittens are touched, the more they tend to enjoy humans later on in life.
I just did a quick search, but I've had luck with places like this one. Privately run shelters by big-hearted people who really know all of the cats, and can help recommend you a specific cat based on your preferences.
posted by coffeecat at 10:38 AM on January 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Disagree - charging for a cat is a good way to prevent animal abusers getting a free cat to harm. I mean, if someone is charging an arm and leg, that's a little weird, but there's nothing odd about asking for the cost of shots/etc. being reimbursed.
This is anecdotal, but the last kitten I adopted was supposedly "half Russian Blue" - we have no proof of this, but he does have several Russian Blue features, and my partner (who is allergic) didn't have much of a problem with him.
Honestly, the best recipe to have a sweet cat is to adopt whenever you'll have a ton of time to play and bond with them. We adopted the half-Russian Blue a month before the pandemic hit, and I've never had a sweeter cat - it's fair to say he got a ton of attention in his formative months, given both of us were cooped up during lockdown. My previous cats were adopted after I lost a job and was on unemployment - both also turned out sweet. There is some science to back this up - the sooner and more kittens are touched, the more they tend to enjoy humans later on in life.
I just did a quick search, but I've had luck with places like this one. Privately run shelters by big-hearted people who really know all of the cats, and can help recommend you a specific cat based on your preferences.
posted by coffeecat at 10:38 AM on January 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
I have mild cat allergies and own two cats, and I only get clogged up when I spend a lot of time with my face in a soft kitty belly (or when I've just woken up, because the cats sleep on me, including one right by my pillow). Antihistamines clear that right up.
The problem with looking with a hypoallergenic cats, really, is that most of the breeds listed are either long-haired (Siberians) or almost entirely hairless, and as such, require a lot more maintenance than your average random short-hair cat.
I would suggest a Ragdoll if you can cope with some grooming being required (they have semi-long hair, but they are super affectionate and you're very likely to end up with lap velcro if you spend a lot of time bonding a Ragdoll), or a Siamese (very chatty, very affectionate); or finding a shelter that fosters their cats out and will offer extremely accurate descriptions about the cats' personality.
posted by sailoreagle at 11:00 AM on January 27, 2022
The problem with looking with a hypoallergenic cats, really, is that most of the breeds listed are either long-haired (Siberians) or almost entirely hairless, and as such, require a lot more maintenance than your average random short-hair cat.
I would suggest a Ragdoll if you can cope with some grooming being required (they have semi-long hair, but they are super affectionate and you're very likely to end up with lap velcro if you spend a lot of time bonding a Ragdoll), or a Siamese (very chatty, very affectionate); or finding a shelter that fosters their cats out and will offer extremely accurate descriptions about the cats' personality.
posted by sailoreagle at 11:00 AM on January 27, 2022
Siberian cats are wonderful and meet all your criteria except that they are long haired and tend to be expensive and big boned. But truly wonderful, affectionate and therapeutic creatures.
but no matter what cat you get, invest in the Muji Lint Roller. Life changing!!! order a refill pack from the jump you'll be glad you did because they make any cat hair cleanup a magical joy.
posted by wowenthusiast at 1:19 PM on January 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
but no matter what cat you get, invest in the Muji Lint Roller. Life changing!!! order a refill pack from the jump you'll be glad you did because they make any cat hair cleanup a magical joy.
posted by wowenthusiast at 1:19 PM on January 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Well, you’ve gotten a lot of opinions and advice on this: the bottom line is that we all found something different that worked for us and we’re all very happy with the outcome. This tells me that you are almost guaranteed to find a good match eventually, however hard now, and that’s great news! Please update us when you do because I’m super curious and am sure others are too.
posted by smorgasbord at 2:57 PM on January 27, 2022
posted by smorgasbord at 2:57 PM on January 27, 2022
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I don't have the allergy issue but I did want a cat with a lot of cattitude and found the same issue of not being able to meet cats in person. I found a local shelter with AMAZING detailed descriptions of personalities from their foster families; the more specific and random the details, the more likely it is to be accurate. I'm grateful because I couldn't meet him in advance! My other cat I found literally on my doorstep. Both are lovely, healthy, and maybe the best cats I've ever had. You may even find the perfect cat on Craigslist: there are lots of people who buy fancy cats only to have life situations change. While I'm all about adopting strays and shelter kitties, pure breed cats also are an option and perhaps the best for your specific needs. A good, responsible breeder could really help you out! Otherwise, I'd keep an eye out and pounce on any rescue or shelter cats that seem good, asking for more information and taking it from there.
posted by smorgasbord at 7:05 PM on January 26, 2022