Adopting a rescue kitten in Manchester: rescues, rules and costs

The count under the short answer is live: it shows every kitten (12 months or under by its listed age) with the rescues we list in Manchester and within about 25 miles, and each profile links to the rescue. Apart from foster networks such as StraySafe Rescue, and Stopford Cat Rescue, which reaches South Manchester, the cat rescues we list are based outside the City of Manchester; the nearest are in Stretford, Stockport and Altrincham, so a short drive is normal. These are the ones that rehome kittens, nearest first:

Some rescues would rather young kittens went in twos. English Barn Cats Rescue homes kittens in pairs, and a single kitten only if you already have pets, charging £170 for a bonded pair against £95 for one, and Warrington Animal Welfare charges £230 for a pair of kittens. Avid's Angels Cat Rescue won't rehome kittens to people who work full time, because kittens need feeding three times a day.

Roads are the rule you are most likely to meet. Heatons Cats won't rehome within 100 metres of a main road, railway or open water, Cheshire Cats Rescue asks for at least 100 metres from busy roads and railway lines, and English Barn Cats Rescue at least 200 metres. Warrington Animal Welfare also won't rehome cats to flats above the ground floor without outdoor access.

If you rent, get permission first. Cheshire Cats Rescue wants your landlord's written permission, Heatons Cats asks to see it when you view, and Avid's Angels Cat Rescue wants consent from your landlord, council or housing association emailed with your application. Destitute Animals Shelter needs it before you apply.

The order varies, but most cat rescues around Manchester follow the same steps. A "home check" is a short visit, or sometimes a video call, to see that your home suits the kitten.

1. Apply or enquire. Society for Abandoned Animals has an enquiry form, Heatons Cats takes online applications only and invites you to meet if you meet its criteria, and StraySafe Rescue says it does not rehome on a first come, first served basis.
2. Have the home check. Society for Abandoned Animals arranges a home visit or video call before it confirms any adoption, and Avid's Angels Cat Rescue does a virtual home check, sometimes in person.
3. Meet the kittens, by appointment. Visits to Society for Abandoned Animals are by appointment for prospective adopters, and Animals in Distress says you may need to visit the animal several times.
4. Pay the fee and take your kittens home. Warrington Animal Welfare takes card, cash or cheque at its centre, English Barn Cats Rescue brings the cat to you and you sign and pay on the day, and Cats Guidance Rescue asks for its £95 fee, preferably by bank transfer, before adoption. Each of those is that rescue's own process.

Cat rescues around Manchester that publish a kitten fee ask £80 to £150. The fee buys vet work you would otherwise pay for: StraySafe Rescue says its cats are neutered if old enough, microchipped, vaccinated, and flea and worm treated, with five weeks' free insurance, and Stopford Cat Rescue says its cats are vet checked, wormed, flea treated, microchipped, neutered and vaccinated (or the work is paid for later at its vets), with four weeks' insurance.

Buying puts those costs on you. Cats Protection says a registered pedigree costs from £200 to well over £1,000, and PDSA puts the running costs of any cat at a minimum of £79 a month.

Young kittens often go home before all their vet work is finished, so ask the rescue what has been done and what you agree to do. This is what rescues near Manchester say on their own pages:

• Neutering you agree to. Destitute Animals Shelter asks anyone adopting a kitten under 6 months to agree to have it neutered.
• Settling in indoors. Cats Guidance Rescue asks for cats to be kept indoors for at least 8 weeks after adoption, and Heatons Cats doesn't rehome kittens as house cats, so ask each rescue what it expects.
• Microchips. The law on microchipping cats in England is below: a kitten must be chipped before it is 20 weeks old.

The live count changes as kittens are adopted and new ones arrive, so an empty day doesn't mean an empty month. Contact the rescues in the table directly, and look again at our listings in a week or two.

Think about a young adult cat too. A rescue already knows an adult's character, and an adult can suit a home where everyone is out for part of the day better than a single kitten would.

Rescue kittens are adopted, not sold: you apply, the rescue matches you, and you pay its adoption fee or donation. The same goes for "free kittens": a rescue asks a fee or donation towards vet work, and a "free to good home" advert has no rescue behind it. The law on selling kittens in England is in the next section.

If you decide to buy a pedigree, Cats Protection suggests a breeder registered with a breed association such as the GCCF, and seeing the kitten with its mother at home rather than buying from a video or social media advert. If an advert looks like a scam, report it to Report Fraud, which replaced Action Fraud.