Loved For Life Service FAQ's

If you are thinking about asking us to take care of your cat when you pass away, we understand that you’ll probably have a few questions about our Loved for Life service.

Here are the answers to some of the most common questions we get asked:

How do I register for the service? 

To register for Loved for Life please go back to our main Loved for Life page here and click on the blue 'register' button.

Please also remember to inform your family, neighbours etc and leave instructions in your will so that everyone is aware of your arrangements with us. 

If you require a postal application form please email [email protected] or call us on 01535 647184. 

How much does the service cost?

The Loved for Life service is free of charge. However, many people who register also choose to leave us a gift in their will, as a way of saying thank you for promising to make arrangements for the care of their feline friend. Gifts in wills are vital to the work of Yorkshire Cat Rescue and any gift could make an incredible difference to the lives of the cats and kittens we help in future. You can find out more about how a gift in your will could make a difference to the lives of cats and kittens in the future in our Gifts in wills section. 

How many cats can I register as part of the scheme?

While we don’t have a formal limit on the number of cats we will take into our care, there are obvious difficulties in finding space at short notice for a large number of cats. If you have more than three cats, please email [email protected] or call 01535 647184 to speak with us about your circumstances.

What if I get a new cat?

Once you have registered with our Loved for Life service, we will promise to look after any cat(s) you may have when you pass away, not just the ones you have when you register. However, please be sure to keep us updated about your cats, including if you get a new cat or if a cat passes away. Having the most up to date information about your cats is always useful, as it ensures we can provide the best possible care for them when the time comes.

How will you find out I've died?

Once you register with our scheme you should let your family, friends, neighbours and the executors of your will know that you have made arrangements for YCR to care for your cats in the event of your death. If you pass away and your cat needs to come to YCR someone will need to contact us on 01535 647184 to let us know.

Furthermore, we will provide you with a wallet card, which can be kept on you at all times, and a poster/notification form, that can be kept with your personal documents. These items have all of our relevant contact details.

What will happen once you have been informed of my death?

As soon as we are informed that someone who is registered with our Loved for Life service has died, our dedicated team will liaise with your family or friends to make arrangements for your cats to come into our care.

What happens if my family offer to take the cat?

Our Loved for Life service is to cover eventualities where alternative provisions cannot be made for your cat’s care. If a family member or friend is subsequently willing to offer your cat the care they need then we will explore that option first, providing it is in the best interest of your cat.

How quickly will my cat be rehomed?

You can rest assured that we will never give up trying to find your cat a loving new home, no matter how long it takes. Once in our care your cat will be subject to our normal policies and procedures, including neutering, vaccination and microchipping. We would ensure that any potential new home matches your cat’s individual needs and requirements. We appreciate that some cats are harder to rehome than others – but you can rest assured that we never put a healthy cat to sleep, no matter how long they stay with us before we find them a home

Can you rehome my cats together?

If you wish for your cats to be rehomed together, you should mention this to us. Although we cannot guarantee that this will be possible, we will do everything we can to honour your wishes.

In every event, we always do what is in the best interests of the cats in our care. If trying to find a single owner for more than one cat results in them spending longer than necessary at our centre, then we would have to review the situation. However, in the vast majority of cases it is often understood that it is better to keep these cats together and we pride ourselves on being able to find them a loving new home with this in mind.

Do you assess the suitability of potential new owners?

To ensure we are finding the cats in our care the right home, we have a comprehensive procedure for any potential new cat adopter. 

How do I ensure my wishes are acted upon?

As part of the registration process we ask that you include a clause in your will or codicil about these arrangements.

Our suggested clause is as follows: "My Executors should contact Yorkshire Cat Rescue, Lower Pierce Close, Cross Roads, Keighley, BD22 9AQ,  registered charity number 1160138 , to arrange for the care of any cats that I may own at the time of my death."

Your executor will be the person responsible for carrying out your wishes, so we further recommend that you inform them of the arrangements you have made with us and provide them with the contact details found on the materials we provide.

Can my family be kept up to date on my pet, or visit them after it has been rehomed?

If you have any other specific questions or queries please contact us

by email [email protected] or telephone 01535 647184

Yorkshire Cat Rescue, Lower Pierce Close, Cross Roads, Keighley, BD22 9AQ