Rehoming Your Cat
Surrendering cats to shelters and rescue organizations by their owners is a nationwide problem. A study of 2,255 rescue organizations and animal shelters reported that 660,807 cats were relinquished by their owners in 2016 alone.
Most cats, especially senior cats, are overwhelmed by shelters. Because they are stressed and depressed, they may act antisocial or even aggressively. This greatly decreases their chances of being adopted. In the worst case scenarios, cats will shut down and stop eating.
For the sake of your cat, and others without homes, it is important to take every step possible to avoid surrendering your cat.
Behavioral issues: Most behavioral issues an be solved! While many problems can be resolved or greatly reduced just by spaying/neutering your cat, some require patience and consistency. However, the payoff will be sparing your cat from intense emotional distress - and quite possibly saving her life!
Click here for solutions to common behavioral problems such as:
Financial reasons: If you are considering surrendering your cat for financial reasons, there are organizations that can help you keep her.
Click here for a list of pet food banks (listed by state).
Click here for organizations that give financial aid grants for medical costs, and a list of low-cost and free clinics (listed by state)
--Skip the shelter!--
In the event that other circumstances outside of your control force you to seek a new home for your feline friend, the best thing you can do for them is find an adopter yourself, rather than taking them to a rescue or shelter. Passing your cat directly on to another loving home will save them pain and heartache. It will also help keep other cats in shelters from being euthanized due to lack of space.
The following steps can potentially make it easier to place your cat yourself:
If all else fails, most states have cat sanctuaries dedicated to providing lifelong care to uprooted cats. ACR keeps a directory of known sanctuaries, but you may also wish to ask your local veterinarians or shelters for recommendations.
Most cats, especially senior cats, are overwhelmed by shelters. Because they are stressed and depressed, they may act antisocial or even aggressively. This greatly decreases their chances of being adopted. In the worst case scenarios, cats will shut down and stop eating.
For the sake of your cat, and others without homes, it is important to take every step possible to avoid surrendering your cat.
Behavioral issues: Most behavioral issues an be solved! While many problems can be resolved or greatly reduced just by spaying/neutering your cat, some require patience and consistency. However, the payoff will be sparing your cat from intense emotional distress - and quite possibly saving her life!
Click here for solutions to common behavioral problems such as:
- Not using, or missing, the litter box
- Not getting along with family members or other pets
- Scratching and chewing on household items and furniture
- General aggression toward humans
- General aggression toward other cats
- Excessive meowing/yowling
- Urine marking
Financial reasons: If you are considering surrendering your cat for financial reasons, there are organizations that can help you keep her.
Click here for a list of pet food banks (listed by state).
Click here for organizations that give financial aid grants for medical costs, and a list of low-cost and free clinics (listed by state)
--Skip the shelter!--
In the event that other circumstances outside of your control force you to seek a new home for your feline friend, the best thing you can do for them is find an adopter yourself, rather than taking them to a rescue or shelter. Passing your cat directly on to another loving home will save them pain and heartache. It will also help keep other cats in shelters from being euthanized due to lack of space.
The following steps can potentially make it easier to place your cat yourself:
- Ensure that the cat is vaccinated, neutered, and that their veterinary records are up-to-date.
- Be thorough and transparent about your cat’s history and behavior. If they have any medical issues, behavioral quirks, or just things to keep in mind, being honest about them from the start indicates that you are trustworthy to adopt from. More importantly, it helps to ensure that your cat will go to the home that is best prepared to offer the care they require.
- Your local veterinarian, shelter, or rescue may accept advertisements, either by allowing you to place flyers on their premises or even posting a listing to their website. Some of these agencies also offer dedicated rehoming services, so check to see if that’s the case in your area.
- Other public spaces such as churches, schools, or even your office can be good places to leave flyers. You can also advertise with a local newspaper.
- These days, there are some great (free) websites and online communities that can connect you to potential adopters. Please browse through the links below to find the platforms that are right for you:
Rehome by Adopt-A-Pet
GetYourPet.com
Home To Home
You may also wish to consider social media options such as Nextdoor and Facebook groups for your area.
If all else fails, most states have cat sanctuaries dedicated to providing lifelong care to uprooted cats. ACR keeps a directory of known sanctuaries, but you may also wish to ask your local veterinarians or shelters for recommendations.