Rehoming a cat is a marathon, not a sprint, with many factors to take into account. From finding the right family type, to ensuring they’re healthy, this guide will walk you through the process. First, read our “Found” resource page to try and get the cat back home to their family. Fill out a found report with the Winnipeg Humane Society (WHS). After a specified hold period you will, legally, be able to rehome the cat. Ask friends, family and coworkers if they would like to give the cat a home. If that isn’t an option, follow these tips to find the best home you can. Being confident in the choice you’ve made means you’ll be able to sleep at night.

Have the cat spayed or neutered. It’s important to do that BEFORE rehoming them. This will ensure the cat will not be involved in producing more cats. At WHS, sign up for Care-to-Adopt, or bring the cat to them for an ID check, and sign up for Accelerated Care-to-Adopt. WHS will spay/neuter, vaccinate, deworm and tattoo the cat for a nominal fee. Charge an adoption fee to cover your costs. Never give cats away for free. If you absolutely cannot afford even the lowest cost option, you can still have the new family make a spay/neuter appointment with their vet to have them done after they’ve been adopted, but before you bring them to their new home.

Do not use Kijiji, or other unmonitored online platforms, to advertise your cat for rehoming. Many cats, and kittens, have been obtained by animal abusers through these websites, including four Manitoba cat/kitten killers between 2022-2025. They posed as loving families, to dupe people out of their animals, only to torture and kill them. While the use of the resources provided on this page increase the chances of finding a legitimate, loving home, advertising online can bring you people pretending to be animal lovers. You want to avoid this scenario at all costs.

There are some monitored, rehoming pages/groups that are a better option. One such page is Manitoba Pets for Rehoming on Facebook. Request to join this group. They will ask you questions before allowing your post. You will be required to ask the adopter to make a donation, to a rescue of their choice, in lieu of an adoption fee to you. This group monitors its members. You can also access Home-to-Home to advertise your cat. There, the adoption fee goes to Home-to-Home.

Advertise where responsible animal-lovers go. Ask your local pet store if you can put a small poster up. Go to cat shows, talk to people attending and hand out brochures about your cat. Ask your vet if you can put a poster up on their bulletin board. Talk to people at work. Get creative with your advertising, but be targeted in your approach. In the end, it’s the entire process that will help you find the right home for the cat. Use all the tools available to you, watch for red flags, and listen to that little voice in the back of your head, too.

Have prospective families fill out an adoption application. It is important to know who you are adopting a cat/kitten to. Are they an adult? Are they living in a pet-friendly building? Do they have intact pets? Have their pets received appropriate vet care? Do they have a prey-driven dog at home? Do they have time for the cat?

The adoption application allows you to contact references and provides for a visit of the applicant’s home. Note that it is unwise to allow a visit with the cat/kitten before approving an adoption application. Awkward, or potentially dangerous situations, can arise if the applicant meets the pet, knows where you live, and then you turn them down.

Interview all prospective adopters and call all references provided on the adoption application. A good adoption interview sheet is indispensable. Ask open-ended questions and have a conversation. Do you feel comfortable with the responses? Do they seem genuine? Are there any questionable responses that need a follow-up?

Using an adoption agreement specifies expectations and allows you to take the cat back under certain circumstances. The agreement should include:

– name, address and contact information
– an emergency contact
– a clause that states you will take the cat back if they can no longer care for them
– how you expect them to treat the cat
– circumstances where you would reclaim the cat (e.g. cruelty)
– the date
– their signature
– your signature
– their ID (driver’s license number, etc.)

If the adoption candidate’s application looks good and the interview has gone well, visit their home to meet them, their family and pets. There’s nothing like seeing where the cat will be living. Meeting everyone will give you a sense of how well the cat will fit into their home. It will also provide you with a sense of how accurate the information they’ve provided is. If you are not comfortable with a home-visit, arrange to meet the family in a public area or ask for a virtual home visit to ensure the home is suitable. Do not allow the family to meet the cat until you have approved their application. Do not bring the cat with you to the home visit.

Once you approve the adoption, ask the family to come and meet the cat. If they are confident they’re the right match, proceed with the adoption and deliver the cat to their new home in a secure carrier. For adopters who are paying your vet for spay/neuter, ensure you get them to their surgery appointment on time. You can pick them up from the vet, settle them into their new home, and pass on post-surgical care instructions. Do not ask the new family to get the cat from your home, or the vet. You are responsible for getting them to their new destination, safely. Provide the new family with a copy of vet records and the Adoption Cat Care Resource. Instruct the family to put the cat in a smaller room until they become confident with their new surroundings.

Call to check on the cat after a week. Assist with any issues that come up, as support is very important. Transfer the cat’s tattoo to the new family by providing the clinic with a copy of the adoption agreement. In case of emergency, if you don’t want the cat going to a shelter, ask the clinic to keep your number on file.

Cat Adoption Application (Contact veterinary references)
Cat Adoption Agreement (Obtain a driver’s license or other official documentation, in person, as proof of identity)
Cat Adoption Interview Sheet (Use your gut here, too)
Adoption Cat Care Resource (Provide this to the new family)