Thank you for your interest in rehoming a Battersea cat. Our cats are just waiting for a home to call their own.
Answers to the most frequently asked questions that we receive about our cat rehoming process can be found below.
Registering to rehome
You can start the process by registering online. We’ll ask you questions to find out more about your lifestyle, and to help us determine the sort of cat you’re looking for. This information will help us match you with the right cat for you.
We have a simple four-step rehoming guide that explains every stage in the journey to finding a pet – learn more about our rehoming process here.
Here at Battersea, we assess all of our cats individually and create a rehoming profile for them. We’ll then use this profile and the information you give us during your registration to match you with a cat that we think would be best for you.
This may not always be the cat you thought it would be, which is why we ask that you see the registration form as a way of registering your interest in rehoming, not an application for a specific animal. In general, the more open-minded you are about the type of animal you are looking for, the likelier it is that we’ll be able to make a match. Don’t worry - we’re experts in making sure we find the right home for our cats and the right cat for your home, and we’ll advise you if we think we’ve found a potential match.
If the cat you like isn't marked as rehomed or reserved on the website, this means they are available for rehoming, but may already be in the process of meeting a new owner who has already registered. We do everything to ensure our animals have a short stay in our cattery and get out to their new homes as swiftly as they can.
Once you’re registered we’ll have a better idea of any cats we have that could be a good fit for you and your home.
Our rehoming fee is £100 for cats (over six months), £130 for kittens (under six months) or £180 for a pair of cats and £225 for a pair of kittens. The fees include a full vet and behaviour assessment, microchipping, flea and worm treatment, neutering, initial vaccinations, starter pack of food and four weeks of free Petplan insurance. Each cat also goes to their new home with their own blankets and a favourite toy, such as a knitted mouse.
It’s important to consider not just the initial cost of getting a cat or kitten, but the regular cost of insurance, food, equipment and fees at your local veterinary centre so that you are fully prepared for the financial implications of owning a cat.
Once you’ve completed our online registration form, we’ll handle the rest. Your rehoming registration will be open for up to three months, and in that time, we’ll do our very best to try and match you with a pet that best suits you and your lifestyle. It’s true that it can take a bit of time for us to try and match you with a pet – but we promise it’s time well spent. We’re committed to getting to know every animal at our centres before finding a match that works for our cats and for you wherever possible.
If we are not able to match you with a cat within three months, we’ll let you know and offer guidance to help you continue your search beyond Battersea.
Where we are regrettably unable to make a match, this can be down to a variety of factors, including the many cats we regularly take in with specific medical and behavioural needs. In these cases, we promise it isn’t personal – it simply comes down to the individual needs of our dogs and cats at any given time.
Yes, working cats are not featured on our website. If you are interested in rehoming a working cat, please email animalpartners@battersea.org.uk or call our team on 0207 6277886.
Where you are able, we ask that you complete the online registration form to register your initial interest in rehoming from us. However if accessibility issues are preventing you from completing the form, please call us at 0800 001 4444.
YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES
Yes, we often have cats available for rehoming who would fit perfectly into a family home with children.
Saying that, we take your safety, and our animals’ safety very seriously, so we can be cautious about rehoming to families with young children. This doesn’t mean we won’t have a cat that’s suitable for you, but unfortunately, it might be harder for us to find you one.
But don’t worry, if we can’t find the right cat for your family, we’ll direct you to other ways to continue your search beyond Battersea.
Congratulations! We do rehome cats to people who are expecting a baby, however please bear in mind that we can be cautious about rehoming to families with young children. We take your safety, and our animals’ safety very seriously, so it might be harder for us to find you an animal.
A lot of the animals we rehome need owners with first-hand experience as they have unique needs, and in some cases, require specialist care. Matching you to the right animal is important to us, so it can mean that if you haven’t owned a pet before it might take us longer to find you a perfect match.
If we can’t find the right cat for you, we’ll be happy to direct you to other ways to continue your search beyond Battersea.
Depending on when you plan to move, we may recommend you wait until after you have moved and settled in before rehoming a cat. This is because moving to a new home is a very unsettling time for a cat. The fewer changes in the settling-in period, the better in terms of making a new cat feel at ease.
You are still welcome to register now, and continue the next steps after you've moved.
Depending on how soon your holiday is, we may recommend you wait until you return before bringing a new cat home.
You are still welcome to register now, and continue the next steps after you return.
We rarely rehome to people with cat allergies unless these are very mild, as allergies are one of the most common reasons why cats are brought in to us for rehoming.
Truly hypoallergenic cats are a myth. There is a common misconception that some breeds of cat are hypoallergenic, but the protein responsible for causing cat allergies is found in a cat’s saliva. This means a hairless cat could still cause an allergic reaction in someone who has allergies to cats.
Battersea does have Foster Carers who can provide a safe and calm foster home for our cats, including pregnant mums and their kittens.
We don't rehome animals as surprise gifts for family members or friends.
Adding a new cat as a member to your family is a big commitment, so it’s important that every member of the household is fully on board with the reality of having a cat and the personality of the cat itself, including any behavioural or medical challenges it could have.
The new home
We generally like to place cats in homes where they have access to a garden or another form of outside space because we feel it’s important for their welfare that they have the opportunity to explore the great outdoors.
There are some exceptions to this because we do treat each cat individually, but we want to be honest that it’d be likely to take us longer to find you a cat.
If we’re unable to find you a companion after three months, we’ll let you know and offer guidance to help you continue your search beyond Battersea.
After registering, we might ask for photos or videos of your home or garden. This is decided on a case-by-case basis. If you live in rented accommodation, we may ask you to provide written permission from your landlord or housing authority, confirming that they are happy for you to keep a pet in the property.
Yes, Battersea is appealing to landowners, farmers, stables, garden centres, and rural homes with outbuildings to come forward to help provide a safe home for cats that wouldn’t be able to cope in a traditional pet home.
Visit our working cats page for more information.
If you are interested in rehoming a working cat, please email animalpartners@battersea.org.uk or call our team on 0207 6277886.
Living with other animals
We do rehome some cats to live with existing cats in the home.
Some cats are happy to live with other cats, but many are happier with the home to themselves. This may apply to your existing cat as well as the new cat you'd be bringing home. Each animal that comes into Battersea is different, so it doesn’t mean we wouldn’t find a cat for you, but it might take us longer. In some cases, it might not be possible at all. We always want to ensure the health and happiness of all the animals involved, including your current pets.
If we’re unable to find you a cat that’s happy to live with other cats, please consider another rescue centre. You’ll find a list of other rescue centres here.
Many of the animals we see at Battersea thrive in homes where they’re the only pet so it could take us longer to match you with a cat to suit your home environment and your dog. We always want to ensure the health and happiness of all the animals involved, including your current pets.
Rescue pets are the best pets, so if you’d like to expand your search, you’ll find a list of other rescue centres who may be able to find you an animal here.
Types of cat
We do have kittens available for rehoming on a regular basis, but once they are ready to go home they are adopted very quickly. Don’t forget – we often have adult cats who are also energetic and playful, and older cats who can be particularly friendly and fond of a lap to sit on. If you are open to a wider range of ages, our expert staff will be able to advise you on the best cat to suit your needs and may be likelier to find you a match.
Battersea does occasionally have these breeds of cats available for rehoming, though most of our cats are domestic short-haired or longer-haired cats.
Please bear in mind that even if you fall in love with a specific breed of cat you’ve spotted on our website, there is a chance that you might be better suited to another type of cat. In general, the more open-minded you are about the type of animal you are looking for, the likelier it is that we’ll be able to make a match. At Battersea, we use our extensive rehoming experience to match you up with a cat that we think would be best for you.
Yes, some of our most famous ex-residents (such as Larry the No. 10 Downing Street cat) hold or have held important government positions as chief mousers.
We would of course first need to check that your home matches the cat's needs. And as we don't test for mousing ability, we can't guarantee any cat's success in actually catching mice.
Yes. Hundreds of cats that are not well socialised to people come through our gates every year. These cats are so used to fending for themselves they’re not well suited to being a traditional pet.
Rural homes, including farms and stables, can make a good alternative for these cats as it gives them the space they need to roam, hunt, and exhibit their natural behaviour. It also gives them the choice and control over how they live their lives, whilst providing a safe environment for them to live in.
Please note, these cats are not featured on our website. If you are interested in rehoming a working cat, please email animalpartners@battersea.org.uk or call our team on 0207 6277886.
