How to rehome a cat
At Battersea, we make every effort to match you with the best animal for you. That's why we look at everything from your living situation to your preferences. Because getting it right leads to something very special.
As our cats have individual characters, behaviours and needs, you might not find an animal to rehome from us. But if that’s the case, we offer plenty of guidance to help you continue your search beyond Battersea.
Battersea's rehoming process
If you’d like to rehome a cat, please register with us.
We’ve been placing rescue pets with new owners for 160 years, which means we have a lot of experience. When you rehome an animal with Battersea, we’ll guide you through every step of the process.
We ask that you keep an open mind and see the registration form as a way of telling us that you’re interested in rehoming, not making an application for a specific animal. Every rescue at Battersea has a unique character, quirks and lots of love to give — and it’s our job to help you find the one that’s perfect for you, your home and your lifestyle.
Battersea relies upon donations to raise the vital funds needed to keep our centres running, and we need the continued support of the public to ensure we can continue to be here for every dog and cat. If you can help, please make a donation.
Rehoming your new Battersea cat: Five simple steps
Step one: Register
Before we can match you with a cat, you will need to register your details and answer a few questions related to your current living circumstances as well as your preferences. As you progress through the registration form, we will share additional information that will help you better understand why it might take us longer, or in some cases why it might not be possible, to find you a cat. We use our 160 years' of rehoming experience to match you with your perfect pet, which is why we encourage people to not apply for a specific animal as, chances are, we might be able to find you an even more suitable cat.
The form should take no more than 15 minutes and will help us find a cat that’s right for you.
If you are unable to complete the online form, send an email to info@battersea.org.uk to request the registration form in an alternative format.
If you are interested in rehoming a working cat, please visit our working cats page for more information.
Step two: Receive automated reply
To ensure successful matches between people and pets, we use a combination of extensive rehoming experience, our staff expertise and analytical tools. After registering, you will receive an automated response from us with an indication of your likeliness to rehome based on what you've told us, as well as the next steps of the process.
Step three: Leave it with us
Making good matches between people and pets is the most important thing to us, but it can take time. So if you don't hear from us for a while, rest assured that in this time we're busy caring for our dogs and cats and ensuring each one gets the best possible chance of happiness in a new home.
Step four: Speak with a rehoming team member
When we think there's a good chance we can find you a match, we will contact you to arrange a call. One of our expert rehoming team will then get in touch to chat about a few more details.
Step five: Rehome
If we find you a match, you’ll be able to virtually meet your potential new cat through watching footage we’ve filmed of them at our centres or in their foster homes or through a video call. This is where your new friendship begins!
Then we’ll arrange a visit to a Battersea centre or we'll deliver your new cat to you. We know that rehoming a pet is an exciting and emotional experience, so we’ll give you plenty of expert pet advice and support to help your new cat settle in.
How much does it cost to rehome a Battersea cat?
Our rehoming fee is £95 for cats (over six months), £125 for kittens (under six months) or £170 for a pair of cats and £225 for a pair of kittens. We accept debit/credit card as payment (we are unable to accept cheques). Included in this cost are the following:
- Microchipping
- Initial vaccinations, flea and worming treatment
- Neutering
- An identification tag
- Starter pack of food, advice and special offers
- Four weeks’ free Petplan insurance as your cat settles into their new surroundings.
If you need any more information about adopting a cat please read our cat rehoming FAQ.
