FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here at BCWR we pride ourselves not only in the love care our cats receive but also in finding fantastic homes for all of our cats and kittens. We are happy to answer any questions you might have before deciding whether or not to adopt a cat or kitten and also at any point after an adoption too.


Here are some questions we are sometimes asked:

Q: Can I adopt a cat if I work full time?

Yes.  Most cats will spend over three quarters of their day asleep.  We would expect you to provide a stimulating environmental with indoor access/ shelter for your cat whilst you are out at work.

Q: What if I live in a flat or near a very busy main road?

We would ask you to adopt a cat which is not used to going outside or which has shown a marked preference for staying indoors. We would not normally consider as suitable, a cat which has been allowed to roam freely, although we may revise this for cats with certain medical conditions which make them vulnerable or a threat to other cats.

Q: Have the cats had any medical or preventive care whilst at BCWR?

Yes. Included in the adoption  all cats are neutered, adult cats will already be neutered however, kittens will be neutered at 5 months old and the cost of this is included in the adoption donation. All cats and kittens are health checked by our vet, have had at least their 1st vaccination, micro-chipped, treated for worms and treated for fleas. We also check their teeth and have any necessary dental work undertaken.  If the cat is suffering from any other condition we will treat this. In some cases we will re-home the cat with appropriate medication,  in other cases the cat will stay with us until the treatment is completed.  We will tell you about any treatment that the cat has had.

Q: Do I have to pay for the cat?

Yes.  We charge a minimum donation to help offset some of our veterinary costs.  The minimum donation for individualcats and kittens is £90, or £150 for bonded pairs homed together. The minimum donation requested is less than it costs us, and significantly less than it would cost you if you were to take the cat to the vet yourself to have the same treatment done independently. We appreciate any additional donation you are able to make over and above the fee charged.

Update: BCWR now has a card reader for taking donations to help with contactless payments.

Q: Where are you based? 

We are based at 1 Ashbourne Avenue, Bradford BD2 4AW. Please note our opening times (see our Facebook feed for any changes) and please park courteously and with respect to our neighbours. We are usually open each weekend Saturday and Sunday 1-4pm. Please note that we are currently only open by prior arrangement only due to the COVID:19 Coronavirus pandemic.

Q: What food donations do you accept?

We feed our cats and kittens mostly on Felix in Jelly (kitten and adult) or any supermarket variety pouches in Jelly. Sometimes we may need specialised food for any special diets we need to help cater for. We try to keep our Amazon wishlist up to date but if you keep an eye on our Facebook feed this will tell you what is most important to us depending on the care needs of our current cats and kittens. If we have a lot of kittens that we’re handrearing we generally use Royal Canin Babycat Formula.

Q: I can’t get to the rescue, do you have any food donation bins near to me?

We currently have a food donation bin located at Morissons Five Lane Ends 275 Bradford Rd, Bradford BD10 8EG. This is emptied regularly but if you happen to notice it is full feel free to let us know via social media as sometimes our volunteers’ time can be limited for checking this depending on the high care needs of our cats and kittens.

Q: Why don’t you use Whisker cat food pouches? 

Our Care Coordinator did some research about the nutritional contents on different brands of cat food and found Whiskers to be higher in sugar and salt than other brands. The health of our residents is of the upmost importance to us.

Q: What does S.E.N.S.E stand for?

This is the framework by which we ensure our rescue provides the access needs for all our cats and kittens no matter their access needs. We aim to ensure it is a Safe, Enriching, Nurturing Sensory Environment.

Q: How to I get involved with volunteering for BCWR?

Whether you wish to help at the rescue, fundraise or foster for us. Please contact us – we’d be so very grateful for any help you can give. Of course, an easy and free way you can help is by simply sharing our events, campaigns and social media posts and help us spread the word of the fantastic work our volunteers do to help make the difference to our cats and community. We’re on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Please note that we are not currently taking on any new volunteers due to the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic