What makes happy cats, fulfilled owners and supports animal shelters?

Should you adopt from a rescue organisation, or buy from a private seller? If you love animals, adoption is the safest, most compassionate choice.

Thinking about getting a new cat? Adopting a cat from a rehoming centre has many benefits over buying from a breeder or a classified ads site. In this blog post, we’re going to go through some of the reasons to adopt a rescue cat.

Although the number of people adopting rescued animals increased during the pandemic lockdowns, there was also a rise in the number of pets being bought on a whim from illegal dealers. Many of these 'lockdown pets' have since joined the thousands of cats being looked after at rescue centres and foster homes all over the UK. You can make a huge difference to a cat’s life by providing it with the perfect forever home.

A Wonderful Feeling

There is a truly wonderful feeling you get when you rescue a cat. Every milestone feels extra special; the first time they sit on your lap, the first time you hear them purr, their first playtime in their new home. If you are feeling all of this from rescuing a cat, imagine how they are feeling!

Support Animal Charities

It’d be great to live in a world where cat rescue & rehoming organisations were not needed, but at the moment their services are in high demand. In 2019 alone, Cats Protection rehomed 41,000 cats and the RSPCA took in 29,432 - and that’s not even taking into consideration the many other shelters in the UK. By adopting a cat through a rehoming organisation you are reducing the number of homeless animals and your donation will go on to help future rescues. You are also helping two cats; the one you adopt, and the one that can now come into rescue because you have freed up a shelter place.

Healthy Cats

Did you know that each cat rehomed through a rescue will have a series of health checks before being adopted? They will also be neutered (if old enough), treated for fleas and worms where necessary and very often microchipped too. If you buy a cat privately you’re far less likely to get all of these benefits. If a cat does have any health issues, a rescue centre will make sure you are aware of those before adoption, whereas often a private seller will not.

Find the Perfect Pet

The staff and volunteers who manage rehoming centres take great care when matching each cat to the right home. This means that there’s a smaller chance there will be any problems in the future - but even if there are, the cat rescue team will be able to give you advice and support. Also, most rescues will take the cat back into their care if things don’t work out.

Help Stop Illegal Pet Dealers

Since the introduction of Lucy’s Law in England, Scotland and Wales, anyone wanting a kitten or puppy under six months old must now adopt from a rehoming centre or buy directly from a breeder, instead of a pet shop or other commercial seller. However, there are still plenty of illegal pet dealers masquerading as breeders or private sellers trying to con you out of hundreds of pounds, and more litters being bred purely for profit. The UK Government's Petfished campaign aims to inform people about these deceitful pet sellers. Help stop these con artists by adopting instead.

It's Not the Cats’ Fault

Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths surrounding cats looking for new homes. One we hear often is “there must be something wrong with the cat or the owners wouldn’t have given it up”. This is very rarely the case, most commonly pets are given up because of circumstances such as relationship breakdowns, accommodation issues, allergies or the death of an owner. The poor cats waiting for the right home to come along have not done anything wrong, so give them a chance!

These are just some of the reasons rescuing is the right choice - we’re sure if you asked rescue cat owners they could think of plenty more!

Don’t forget that there are thousands of animals in shelters all over the country, so no matter what type of pet you are thinking of getting you should always consider rescuing first. To find out more about why adoption is always the best option visit our Why Rescue? (and why not to buy) page.

Further Information

See Cats Needing Homes in your area
Want a kitten? Top 10 reasons to adopt
Find Cat Adoption Centres near you
The benefits of cat ownership
Avoid illegal pet dealers: Petfished

Contributor: Ella Street, Cat Chat Blogger
Published: October 2020 (updated January 2022)