Rescue cats for adoption and rehoming in and around Exeter

The cats listed near Exeter are at Animals in Distress (Torbay & Westcountry), whose cattery is at Ipplepen, just outside Newton Abbot, about 17 miles south. ARC Animal Rescue Centre near Ottery St Mary, about 10 miles east, rehomes cats and kittens as well as dogs. Each profile here links to the rescue that cares for the cat, and you apply with them.

Animals in Distress asks £190 for a cat aged 6 months to 10 years (£360 for a pair), £165 for a cat over 10 and £300 for a kitten under 6 months (£550 for a pair), and may ask more depending on the breed.

ARC Animal Rescue Centre prices each cat and kitten individually, with a minimum donation of £175 for one that is microchipped, neutered or vaccinated.

Each rescue sets its own adoption fee. Cats Protection says you can expect to pay £80 to £120 on average for an adult cat and £100 to £120 for a kitten, varying between its branches, and Blue Cross fees start from £150 for cats aged 4 months to 7 years. The fee usually covers neutering, microchipping and first vaccinations, and each rescue confirms its own fee.

Cats near Exeter are rehomed by appointment, after you apply (Animals in Distress's cat rehoming process).

• Apply on the cat's page. At Animals in Distress you press "Apply to rehome me" on the cat's own page and fill in its questionnaire; the rehoming team gets back to you if your application is successful.
• No kitten waiting list. Animals in Distress no longer keeps a waiting list for kittens: every kitten goes on its cats page, you apply for a particular one, and it chooses the most suitable home. It always has more applicants than kittens, so being flexible helps.
• A quieter road. ARC asks whether you live on a main or busy road, as it prefers to rehome cats to quieter, safer areas.

Cats Protection has a volunteer branch for East Devon, covering postcodes including EX8 to EX11, which asks £80 for an adult cat and £100 for a kitten under 6 months. We don't list its cats, so search its own site.

In England a pet cat must now be microchipped, so a vet's scan is the quickest way to find the owner. Ask neighbours too, since a cat you haven't seen before may simply be new to the street.

The council stray service is for dogs: in England, section 149 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 deals with stray dogs, not cats.

Looking for a kitten? The kittens page lists every kitten near Exeter today, and there are pages too for older cats and bonded pairs.

Need to rehome your own cat instead? Our Exeter rehoming page covers Animals in Distress's cat intake form.