Kittens “graduate” from the Kitten Shelter Diversion Program on the day of their spay-neuter surgeries, and then it’s time for their caregivers to find them loving homes! Remember, KSD kittens must be rehomed through the caregivers’ social networks and the community, NOT through a shelter or rescue. We’ve prepared here a list of rehoming resources to make it easy to find adopters for friendly, sterilized kittens!
Rehoming Websites:
There are several websites you can use to rehome a pet or seek homes for pets:
On these websites, you can make a profile for your kittens, and people interested in adoption them can send you inquiries. Feedback has shown that many adopters are looking for pets on these sites, but not many rehomers are posting there, so it’s definitely worth tapping into a market with low competition.
Rehoming on Facebook
If you are on Facebook, posting on your own page and inviting your friends to share the post can help you reach a wide audience of potential adopters. Be sure to make your post “public” so that others can share it.
There are also several private rehoming groups that you can join and post your adoptable kittens.
We highly recommend:
Pet Rehoming Gainesville and Surrounding Areas
This group, moderated by local animal welfare professionals, is singularly targeted to people looking to rehome pets and people looking to adopt rehomed pets. This clear purpose makes it so that your posts are not competing with content unrelated to rehoming, and reaches a wide audience of potential adopters.Gainesville Community Cats and Kittens
This group, moderated by Operation Catnip staff and volunteers, is primarily a forum for the discussion of humane community cat management, but, as the KSD program is integrally connected to Operation Catnip, it serves as a natural place to advertise and seek adopters of KSD kittens.
We also recommed (though less highly):
Official Florida Pets! Cats, Kittens, Felines for Adoption, Rescue, Foster
This group is moderated by individuals unknown to us, and we cannot speak to their policies or general atmosphere within the group. The group is also Florida-wide, and may be difficult to find local adopters.
If you do not have a Facebook page of your own, our team is happy to post on Gainesville Community Cats and Kittens for you. You’ll need to provide photos and any bio information of the kittens to share with adopters, along with your preferred method of contact (phone number and/or email address.) Our team will make the post for you, but all adoption inquiries will be directed to you. You can email us at info@ocgainesville.org for help with this!
Rehoming on Craigslist
Craigslist can be a helpful resource if used responsibly and cautiously. There is a dedicated “Pets” section where posts for rehoming and adoption are welcomed, or where you can review posts from people seeking to adopt.
Tips for Rehoming
· Utilize ALL the resources available. You never know where you’re going to find the perfect adopter!
· Includes photos at every opportunity. People are drawn to visual content, and high-quality, clear, and engaging photos of your adoptable kittens might draw in someone who wasn’t even looking for a pet, but fell in love with your photos!
· Emphasize the vet care the kittens have already had. Spay-neuter, even at low-cost clinics, can be out-of-budget for some adopters, so knowing that the kittens have already been fixed and had their first vaccines might seal the deal for someone looking for a new pet.
· Go beyond digital. Word of mouth discussions with friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, church members, and more might connect you with someone you might never have met otherwise. Make a poster with photos to keep at your desk at work, or include photos in your email signature.
· Break down barriers. We know it can be hard to let go of kittens you have loved and tended to for so long, but putting up too many barriers to adoption can hurt your kittens’ chances of finding loving homes. Be open to first-time adopters, people with other animals, young adopters, elderly adopters, people who can’t afford pricey adoption fees, people who just want one kitten, etc. Try to assess someone’s heart, and trust that our community has resources to help them with the rest. Learn more about how a conversation-based adoption process can break down barriers and match pets with loving homes. View the Adopters Welcome Manual Here!
· …but trust your gut. Someone may not fit all your desired characteristics on paper, but a conversation could reveal a wonderful, committed adopter. At the same time, someone might tic all your boxes, but give you a funny feeling in person. Trust your gut if you don’t feel comfortable.
· Arrange to meet in a public place. This can be tricky with cats, who might not show off their wonderful personalities in a scary public setting. It’s safest to connect with your adopters first virtually, showing them videos or zoom communications of the kittens in their most natural state, and allowing them to make a decision from there. We recommend offering to take the kitten(s) back after a short trial period, which would give the adopter a chance to let the kitten(s) adjust to their home and family, and ensure it’s a good match all around.
· Avoid rehoming fees. It can be tempting to ask for compensation for the time and resources you put into caring for these kittens, but rehoming fees can be a barrier that limits your adoption pool to people who probably would be visiting a rescue or shelter anyway and pay an adoption fee there. Studies have shown that there is NO correlation between the amount of an adoption fee and the quality of home provided by an adopter. Check out this study, performed by OC alumni Dr. Sandra MacArthur, Dr. Patricia Dingman, and Operation Catnip’s founder, Dr. Julie Levy.
· Ask to keep in touch! It can be so rewarding to watch the kittens grow up with their new families, and your heart will soar with each update.