What should I do if I need to find a new home for my cat?
If you’re in a situation where you need to find a new home for a cat, whether it’s one that you need to rehome or it’s for a foster cat you’ve been caring for, you need to be as patient as you are diligent. It can be an overwhelming process if you don’t know where to start, so feel free to use this guide to figure out what you should and shouldn’t do.
Note: You should only adopt out cats/kittens that have already been spayed/neutered to reduce the risk of them producing unwanted litters. If a kitten is too young to be spayed, then create a contract which stipulates that the adopter will bring the kitten in for spay/neuter surgery once they are of age.
Don’t Rush
It can be easy to get flustered and harried when weeks of searching go by and you still can’t find a good home for your cat. However, you have to resist the urge to adopt them out to the next available applicant and take a deep breath. Even if it seems like no one will take your cat, you have to stay optimistic and understand that the right home will eventually come if you’re patient enough. You shouldn’t settle for a “good” home if what you’re looking for your cat is the “best” home.
The more rushed you are with the rehoming process, the more likely you’ll end up placing your cat in a home that might not be the best for them, or worse—dangerous. The last thing you want to do is regret the choice you’ve made, so try to stay level-headed throughout the process.
Utilize the Internet
The best way to find parties interested in adopting a cat is to post about them online. You can post on sites like CraigsList, GaijinPot, or different Facebook communities, but you absolutely must make every applicant go through a strict screening process. As long as you are thorough with your selection, there’s nothing wrong with advertising on sites that are “disreputable.” Posting about your cat on multiple sites simply ensures a bigger pool of applicants to choose from, so you don’t feel pressured to settle because there’s no one else to pick from.
NEVER Give Out a Cat for Free
When you give cats out for free, you can attract a lot of unwanted attention.
We’ve seen too many cases where people wanting free cats have less than savory intentions. Some may want a free cat (especially kittens) as snake feed. Some may want to take them to sell to research facilities for animal testing. Others might want to have the cat just to resell them or even hurt them. We’ve also encountered cases where individuals specifically seek out white cats to use for dog fighting (since blood shows up on white fur better) or shamisen making (because they’re traditionally made with the skin of a white cat).
Even if the applicant doesn’t want the cat for nefarious reasons, giving out free cats still isn’t a good idea. People see free cats available and want one may be acting impulsively and be unprepared for the reality of caring for a cat. Others who want a cat for free might not see inherent value in the cat’s life and only see it as a “thing.” If they can’t afford (or don’t want to pay) an adoption fee, can they pay for the cat if they need to go to the vet? Can they provide the cat with quality food and a good quality of life?
Making applicants pay an adoption fee helps weed out less serious applicants, provides you with a better peace of mind, and helps pay for some of the medical care of the cat (such as vaccinations and spay/neuter surgery), so you should always include a fee with every cat you rehome.
Screen Applicants Carefully
Screen every interested party carefully to make sure they’re responsible caretakers that you trust. Meet and speak with everyone who will be in frequent contact/care with the cat at least once to see if all of them are enthusiastic about looking after the kitty.
Often on the Internet, you’ll stumble across videos like, “My dad was against us getting a cat for years, but look at him now!” that are heartwarming and cute, there are an equal number of unseen scenarios where a cat ends up in an unfavorable situation because the family member never “warms up” to having a pet they never asked for, leading to neglect or even abuse.
Ask the applicant(s) why they want to take your cat. Is it because they already have a cat who needs a friend? Do they want a lifelong companion to share their days with? Beware of individuals who are looking to get a cat as a surprise or gift for someone because this may imply that the entire household is not in the loop and in agreement to caring for a cat. Keep this in mind, no matter how cute those videos where parents surprise their kids with pets are.
Confirm that the applicant’s opinion on cat care is aligned with yours. Ask them how they feel about indoors/outdoors cats. Do they know what kind of indoors and outdoors dangers can hurt a cat? Would they declaw their cat? Under what circumstances would they euthanize their cat? How would they curb unwanted behavior from the cat? What would they do if the cat damaged their home/furniture? Are they committed to caring for a cat, who may live up to 15-20 years, regardless of unexpected life changes?
If their answers aren’t satisfactory or make you uncomfortable, then they’re probably not a good match. It’s okay to decline people if you don’t think they’ll make a wonderful home, even if it can feel rude. You don’t ever want to second-guess your choice when it comes to placing a precious life into the hands of another person.
Check the Applicant’s Home In Person
Before you hand off your cat, make sure to go to the person’s home and inspect it.
Check for things that might be dangerous for a cat, such as small items strewn on the floor (choking hazard); strings, wires, etc. (choking/strangulation hazard); uncovered cables (electrocution hazard, especially for kittens that like chewing on things); plants (toxicity hazard); etc. You can use this chance to advise them on how to make their home safer as well as check if their home has any escape risks (lack of window/screen locks, lack of double door system, unsecured windows, etc.).
Never “inspect” a home purely through photographs or videos, as you won’t be able to get the full picture, so to speak. If an applicant won’t allow you to check their home, then it’s time to move on to someone else.
Make a Contract
Create a contract with certain stipulations and expectations that both you and the adopter need to honor in order to prevent issues from arising in the future. Including a contract with every adoption also makes it less of a casual exchange and more of a serious transfer of responsibility and binding agreement.
A contract can also clarify things like how often you’d like the adopter to update you about the cat, if you’re willing to take the cat back if the placement doesn’t work, if you have the right to remove a cat from their placement if problems arise, etc. You can also include a trial period before an adoption is made permanent, just in case.
In many cases where rehoming situations go awry, not much could be done to get the cat back because no binding contract was created. So to save yourself a lot of distress and heartbreak, have a contract ready to go when it’s adoption time.
Trust Your Gut
If at any point you begin to feel unsure about an individual, decline their application and move on to the next person. Sometimes, even if someone looks great on paper and does well in an interview, something about them just won’t sit right with us. In times like these, you should always trust your instincts. Though there’s a possibility your gut feelings are wrong and the person is perfectly fine, going through with an adoption even though you feel uneasy about the person can lead to a lot of regret in the long run.
In the same vein, we suggest sleeping on a decision before you make it. It’s often best not to be impulsive but to sit with a choice before finalizing it, just in case you realize that something doesn’t feel right later on. You have the right to change your mind at any time during a screening, so don’t be afraid to cancel the adoption, even at the last minute.
It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Maintain Contact with the Adopter
The first week or so after an adoption happens can be very stressful for all parties involved: you, the adopter, and the cat. Keep in touch with the adopter to help troubleshoot any behavioral issues that might be caused by the anxiety of being put into a new environment and provide support as needed, even after the cat settles in.
After all the time, love, and care you’ve invested into your cat, you’d of course want to know how they’re doing. Make sure that the adopter is comfortable with keeping sustained contact with you so you can follow along with the cat’s life. Getting to see a cat you’ve helped thrive in their new home is one of the most rewarding things about cat rescue, and you definitely don’t want to miss out on it.
Remember, rehoming a cat can be an arduous journey, but it’s always worth it in the end to see a happy cat in a happy home. It can be hard to let go of them, but know that you’ve done all you can to give them the best life they deserve, and be proud of that.