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If you are looking for a kitten (or two) to become part of your family - did you know that between April and November there are literally THOUSANDS of kittens in rescue and rehoming centres right across Britain and Ireland? In fact with the warmer winters we've had lately, some recues have had kittens needing homes throughout the year.

Yes, they're gorgeous aren't they...? Cute, playful, cuddly, inquisitive, funny, soft, adorable...

SO WHY ARE THOUSANDS OF HEALTHY KITTENS DESTROYED EACH YEAR IN THE UK?

Every day hundreds of healthy kittens, cats, puppies and dogs are destroyed across the UK just because there are simply not enough homes to go round. There is a tragic imbalance between the number of animals born and the homes available.

Some of the major animal welfare societies are so inundated with unwanted animals that many end up being destroyed. This is a totally unacceptable situation, and one which can be helped by adopting from a rescue centre instead of going to a pet shop, and by neutering your pet at six months. If you are looking to add a kitten or two to your family, you can help save a life by rescuing from a shelter, rather than buying from a pet shop.
Save a life - Rescue, don't buy!

WANT TO ADOPT A KITTEN? Here's When & Where...
When: April to November is main 'Kitten Season', and most rescue centres across the country will have mums & kittens needing homes. If there are no kittens available for homing when you contact your local rescue, you can usually put your name down for when some are ready for homing - you can normally arrange for the home-check to be done in advance, so that when there are kittens old enough for homing you are ready to adopt.
Where: Full contact details of Rescue Centres and Rehoming Groups across the UK here: >> UK Shelter Listings
Some rescues already have an overload of kittens needing homes... >> Rescues with Kittens

AND Here's Why...

Why go to a Rescue and Rehoming centre?
Rescue centres are first and foremost concerned with the health and wellbeing of the animal. The vast majority of rescues are very careful about placing each animal in the right home, and will offer advice and support where necessary even after adoption. If for whatever reason things don't work out (such as not getting on with another pet), the rescue will take it back into their care. Kittens from rescues will have been vet-checked prior to adoption, including being de-flead and de-wormed where necessary.
By Rescuing you save a life - by freeing up that place for the next unwanted cat...

• Rescue centres put the animal's health and welfare first - not money.
• Kittens and cats will have been vet-checked, de-wormed and de-flead prior to adoption.
• Rescues are careful to match the right animal to the right home - better for all concerned!
• A rescue centre will offer you cat-care advice and support even after adoption.
• Many rescues offer help with neutering costs if you are on a low income.

Please Remember - A kitten becomes a cat, and a cat is for life!
Rescuing can be one of the most rewarding things you will ever do, but please think carefully first. It is a long-term commitment, much like a marriage, for better or worse, in sickness and in health. The average life span of a cat is 12-16 years, but many can reach 20 years or more. Food is relatively cheap, but vet bills and cattery fees must be considered. Taking out a good pet insurance plan is a very sensible idea, and we would recommend Petplan as the best choice. Right now, there are thousands of incredibly loving, intelligent and unique cats and kittens waiting patiently, in rescue centres all over Britain, for someone like you to give them a new life. If you can offer a secure, 'forever home' to a kitten or cat >> Check out your Local Shelter

And here are the alternatives...

Why not go to a Pet Shop?
Kittens sold through pet shops are often obtained from dubious establishments, often no more than 'kitten farms' where very little attention is paid to the health and welfare of the animal. Conditions of care in many pet shops are often far less than ideal. The bottom line is that Pet Shops are run as a business for profit, therefore money is the main motivator. They will happily sell a helpless kitten to anyone who pays their money, with no thought to whether that animal will end up in a suitable home, or if the customer is prepared to neuter it at 6 months and care for it for the rest of it's life. Many cute, fluffy kittens bought in pets shops grow up un-neutered, un-cared for and find themselves eventually joining the two and a half million strays struggling for survival on the streets - often victims of hunger, cruelty and disease. Every kitten bought through a petshop has then used up a home - and so somewhere in the country another healthy kitten will be put to sleep because there are not enough homes to go round.
Even if you have the perfect home to offer - by buying from a petshop, you are helping to perpetuate and fund this thoughtless trade. By rescuing, you are giving a home to an animal who really needs it, and not helping those who breed and sell for profit.
You may feel sorry for the kitten in the window - but if you buy, a kitten elsewhere will die.

What about Breeders?
Although there is no doubt that most breeders of pedigree kittens take far more care with their animals than a pet shop, there are still a number of unscrupulous 'back yard breeders' who do not ensure the health of the kittens they sell. If you are set on having a pedigree kitten, please check very carefully the record of the breeder, and ensure they are properly registered. Please remember though, breeding further litters ultimately uses up homes that cats or kittens from a rescue centre could have had.
You may think it's 'safer' to go to a breeder - but do we really need yet more litters?

Can I rescue a Pedigree Kitten?
If you are thinking of going to a breeder because you want a pedigree kitten, you may be interested to know that pedigrees too end up in rescue centres! Although it is more normally adult pedigrees who find themselves in need of a home, and not often kittens, it is worth making enquiries through the breed club's welfare divisions, and also at your local rescues. Most of the pedigree breed clubs have a welfare division, which operate a rehoming scheme for unwanted pedigrees. Visit our Pedigree Rescues page, or ask your local rescue centre.