I Need to Rehome My Cat. What Should I Do?
There are probably a few sentences that feel harder to say as a cat guardian:
“I think I need to rehome my cat.”
Maybe your circumstances have changed. Perhaps you've lost your job. You're struggling financially. Your relationship has broken down. You've had a baby. Your housing situation has changed. Your health has changed.
Perhaps your cat is struggling with another animal in the home.
Or maybe you're dealing with behaviour that you simply don't know how to manage anymore.
Whatever the reason, I want to say something before we go any further:
Needing to rehome your cat does not automatically make you a bad guardian.
Sometimes responsible guardianship means admitting:
“The situation I'm in isn't working for my cat anymore.”
And sometimes, loving an animal means being willing to make an incredibly painful decision because their welfare has to come first.
But please don't make that decision in a panic. Let's look at what you can do.
First: is rehoming definitely the only option?
Before surrendering your cat, it's worth exploring whether there is support that could allow you to stay together. The RSPCA specifically recommends looking at alternatives before giving up a cat, including support around financial difficulties, behavioural problems, health and living situations and major life changes.
For example, depending on your circumstances, there may be help available with:
pet food
veterinary costs
behaviour
housing
introducing another pet
temporary fostering
changes in family circumstances
And if behaviour is the reason you're considering rehoming, please speak to your vet first.
Pain or illness can sometimes contribute to changes in behaviour, and we recommend ruling out medical causes before seeking qualified behavioural support.
Sometimes the problem isn't:
“My cat is difficult.”
It is:
“My cat is struggling, and we haven't worked out why yet.”
🐾 Through Their Eyes
Imagine your cat could understand everything you're saying.
They still wouldn't understand:
“We're moving because our landlord changed the rules.”
Or:
“We're having a baby.”
Or:
“I can't afford your vet bills anymore.”
Or:
“I'm struggling with my own health.”
They don't understand the human reason behind the change.
They understand:
People. Smells. Sounds. Places. Routine. Safety.
So if rehoming really is necessary, our job is to think about how we can make that transition as safe and understandable as possible.
If you do need to rehome your cat...
1. Use a reputable organisation or responsible rehoming service
Please don't feel that you have to solve this alone.
There are established animal welfare organisations and responsible rehoming services that can help you work out the safest route.
The RSPCA recommends using a reputable rehoming organisation and researching the organisation carefully before handing over your cat.
2. Please don't advertise your cat as “FREE TO A GOOD HOME”
When you're desperate, this can seem like the quickest and easiest answer.
But your cat's future is too important to hand over to the first person who responds.
Please don't:
advertise your cat as “free to a good home”
hand them to somebody without asking questions
hide medical or behavioural information
abandon them
leave them outside a rescue centre
assume that anyone who says they love cats will automatically be the right home
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Instead, take a breath and get some help to avoid your cat ending up in the hands of those who will cause suffering.
A reputable rescue, rehoming organisation or responsible direct-rehoming service can help you think about who your cat actually is, their personality, needs, history, health, fears, preferences and the type of home they're likely to thrive in.
Because the goal isn't simply to find anyone who will take your cat.
It's to find the right person for your cat.
3. Tell the truth about your cat
This is incredibly important. Tell the organisation or potential adopter about:
their personality
their likes and dislikes
food
medical history
medication
litter habits
indoor/outdoor lifestyle
other cats
dogs
children
visitors
fears
things that trigger them
how they behave when frightened
how they like to be handled
their normal routine
Don't be tempted to make your cat sound “easier” than they are.
That might feel helpful in the short term. But accurate information gives a rescue or adopter the best chance of finding a genuinely suitable home.
Your cat's history is their biography.
And the more accurately we understand that biography, the better we can advocate for them.
4. Consider direct rehoming
Not every cat necessarily needs to enter a rescue centre.
PetRehomer is one option for responsible direct rehoming. It connects people who need to rehome their pets with potential adopters, with support through the process. PetRehomer describes its approach as finding the right match rather than rushing pets into new homes, and it was created by Charity Buddy, a registered animal welfare charity.
This can be particularly useful if you're able to keep your cat safely with you while a suitable new home is found.
But direct rehoming still needs to be responsible rehoming.
This isn't about putting an advert online and accepting the first person who messages.
It's about finding the right match.
5. Find a reputable local rescue
If you need a rescue organisation, there are several places you can start.
ADCH – Association of Dogs and Cats Homes
ADCH has a searchable directory of member rescues. You can search by postcode or county to find organisations in your area.
Cat Chat
Cat Chat has a large directory of cat rescue and rehoming organisations across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland.
This is particularly useful if you don't know what's available in your area.
🐾 Nationwide organisations that may be able to help
Cats Protection
Cats Protection has local branches and centres around the UK and provides advice about giving up a cat. Availability and waiting times can vary, so contact your local team as early as possible.
RSPCA
The RSPCA provides advice and support around giving up a cat and can signpost you towards appropriate organisations. Its national centres generally cannot take unwanted pets, so you'll need to contact your local branch or another suitable rescue.
Blue Cross
Blue Cross provides advice and rehoming support, including a Home Direct service in suitable circumstances. Their team assesses each situation and considers whether their rehoming services are appropriate.
PetRehomer
For people who may be able to keep their cat safely at home while a suitable adopter is found, PetRehomer offers a direct-rehoming route rather than automatically moving the cat into a shelter.
Cat Chat
If you need to find other cat rescue organisations in your area, Cat Chat's directory covers rescue organisations throughout the UK and Ireland.
6. Prepare your cat for the move
If a new home has been found, think about the transition from your cat's perspective.
What can you send with them?
Their:
favourite blanket
bedding
familiar toy
food information
medication
feeding routine
litter information
favourite hiding place information
personality notes
anything else that smells or feels familiar
A new home is already going to contain unfamiliar smells, sounds, people, and spaces.
Familiar items can help provide a little continuity. And don't expect your cat to immediately behave like their “normal self”.
They may hide.
They may eat differently.
They may be quieter.
They may seem unsettled.
They may need time.
7. Make sure their microchip details are transferred
If your cat moves permanently to a new guardian, make sure their microchip registration is updated appropriately.
The point of a microchip isn't simply that your cat has one.
It's that the information attached to it is accurate.
That could make all the difference if they ever go missing in the future.
What if you're desperately trying to rehome your cat?
Please don't wait until you're at your breaking point.
If you know a change is coming, a house move, relationship breakdown, financial difficulty, a new baby, a care-home move, or anything else, start looking for support early.
Rescue spaces can be limited, and organisations may have waiting lists or specific procedures. The RSPCA, for example, advises contacting organisations and planning ahead where possible.
Asking for help early isn't failure. It's responsible guardianship.
And if you are giving up your cat...
Please remember that your cat doesn't need you to spend their final days drowning in guilt or doing the basics.
They need you to help make the transition as safe as possible.
Keep their routine familiar. Keep their environment calm. Give the rescue or new guardian honest information. Send familiar belongings where appropriate.
And advocate for the things you know about your cat that someone else might not immediately understand.
Remember, they are sentient- they feel, think, and suffer just like we do.
Because you know your cat.
You know the way they ask for food.
You know which noises frighten them.
You know where they sleep.
You know whether they like being picked up.
You know that they hate the hoover.
You know that they hide when strangers come over.
All of those little details matter.
The Furrever Wellness perspective
At Furrever Wellness, I don't want us to think about rehoming as:
“Where can I get rid of my cat?”
I want us to think:
“What does my cat need from their next home to thrive and receive the life they deserve?”
Those are two completely different questions. The first is about solving a human problem.
The second is about protecting an animal.
And sometimes, the kindest thing you can do is recognise that your circumstances mean you can no longer provide what your cat needs. That doesn't make the decision painless.
It doesn't mean you won't grieve. It doesn't mean you don't love them.
Sometimes responsible guardianship means being brave enough to put their welfare ahead of your own feelings. Because rehoming isn't simply about finding somewhere for a cat to go. It's about finding somewhere where this particular cat can feel safe, understood, and able to thrive.
So ask:
What kind of environment does my cat need?
What does my cat find comforting?
What scares them?
What does their ideal day look like?
Who is the right person for this particular cat?
That's attunement. That's advocacy.
And that's what I mean when I say:
Our cats deserve more than the bare minimum. They deserve to be understood.
Because they matter too and that's real love.
🐾 Furrever Wellness: Where to Get Help
If you're facing a difficult situation with your cat, you don't have to work it out alone.
Lost cat: Cats Protection – Lost & Found Cats
Need to find a local rescue: ADCH – Find a RescueCat Chat – UK & Ireland Rescue Directory
Considering rehoming: Cats Protection – Giving Up a Cat
One important note: these organisations don't all work in the same way, and availability varies by location and circumstances. Always check directly with the organisation before travelling to a centre or assuming they can take your cat. The RSPCA, for example, specifically says its national centres generally cannot take unwanted pets, while local, smaller rescues and other rehoming organisations may be able to help.
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