Rehoming guide
How to rehome your British Shorthair
Checked 6 October 2026
The short answer
We found no British Shorthair rescue charity in the UK, but there is a breed route: the Southern British Shorthair Cat Club advertises adult cats needing new homes while they stay with their owners. Your cat must be neutered and up to date with vaccinations to go on its page. Tell adopters honestly how your British Shorthair is with other cats and with being picked up.
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Why British Shorthairs end up needing a new home
We found no UK source on why British Shorthairs are given up, so here is what the breed asks of a home. The GCCF (the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy, which registers pedigree cats in the UK) describes the British as "patient, tolerant and a bit lazy", and says it is suitable as an indoor-only cat but "will need suitable stimulus", with care to stop it putting on weight because of its slow metabolism.
PDSA says British Shorthairs are "not so happy to share the house with other cats unless they have grown up with them", and may not enjoy being picked up. The GCCF gives a life expectancy of 14 to 20 years, so a British Shorthair is a long commitment.
None of this makes your cat a problem, or you a bad owner. It usually means the match didn’t fit, and a careful rehoming fixes exactly that.
What to tell adopters about your British Shorthair
Other cats. Say how your cat has been with other cats. PDSA says the breed is not so happy sharing a house with cats it didn't grow up with, while the GCCF says it is tolerant of dogs and rabbits.
Handling. The GCCF says the British likes all four paws on the ground and may not want to be carried as an adult. Tell adopters how your cat likes to be handled, especially if there are children in the new home.
Weight and activity. Share your cat's weight, diet and how active they are, and whether they live indoors or go out. The GCCF says the breed needs care to manage any tendency to put on weight.
Health. The GCCF says HCM, a heart condition, "can be a problem in the breed", and that PKD (polycystic kidney disease) is now under control thanks to DNA testing. Pass on your cat's vet records and any test paperwork from the breeder.
British Shorthair rescues that take owners’ cats
This is a rehoming page run by a breed club, not a rescue: your cat stays with you, adopters contact you directly, and you choose the new home.
Southern British Shorthair Cat Clubcats
The club's Welfare & Re-Home page lists adult British Shorthairs needing new homes, each advert giving the current owner's own contact details. To advertise, email the club (the address is on its page) with a photo and your cat's age and sex; it says cats must be up to date with vaccinations and spayed or neutered.
National charities that take any breed
Blue Crossdogs, cats, rabbits
Home Direct keeps your pet with you while Blue Cross finds a new owner. That is "the quickest way", it says, because space in its own kennels, cattery and small pet units "is very limited". It takes dogs, cats, rabbits and small pets. Call pet admissions on 0300 777 1960 or use its online form.
Cats Protectioncats
Contact your local Cats Protection branch or centre (not its charity shops), and plan ahead: "there can often be waiting lists". Its Home to Home scheme lets your cat stay at home while it's rehomed, with no specific fee.
Should you charge a rehoming fee?
You can ask for a rehoming fee, paid at the handover after the adopter has met your pet, and never as a deposit beforehand. PAAG's worry with "free to good home" adverts is that people may take an animal on impulse and that a free advert "may devalue an animal" (PAAG). A fee does make the handover a sale, though, so animals can't go to anyone under 16 and you should be honest about your pet's health.
How listing your British Shorthair on LocalPetFinder works
- Fill in the free listing form. Photos, age, health, how your cat is with children and other animals, and an honest description. It takes about ten minutes, and your cat stays at home with you.
- A person checks it, usually within a day, before it goes live.
- Your British Shorthair appears next to rescue cats on the British Shorthairs pages for your city (Ashford, Barnsley, Barrow-in-Furness, Bath and North East Somerset, Belfast, Birmingham, Blackpool, Bolton, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Bradford, Brighton and Hove, Bristol, Bury St Edmunds, Canterbury, Cardiff, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Cheltenham, Chester, Chesterfield, Chippenham, Colchester, Coventry, Crawley, Darlington, Derby, Doncaster, Dover, Dumfries and Galloway, Durham, Eastbourne, Edinburgh, Exeter, Falmouth, Folkestone, Glasgow, Gloucester, Grantham, Great Yarmouth, Guildford, Hartlepool, Hayle, Huddersfield, Ipswich, Kendal, Kidderminster, Kingston upon Hull, Lancaster, Leeds, Leicester, Lincoln, Liverpool, Llanelli, London, Lowestoft, Luton, Maidstone, Manchester, Mansfield, Margate, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Newcastle upon Tyne, Newport, Newquay, North East Lincolnshire, Northampton, Norwich, Nottingham, Oxford, Penrith, Peterborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Preston, Reading, Rotherham, Scunthorpe, Sheffield, Sleaford, Solihull, Southampton, Southport, Spalding, St. Helens, Stockport, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland, Swansea, Torbay, Truro, Wakefield, Walsall, Warrington, Watford, Wellingborough, Wigan, Wirral, Wolverhampton, Worcester, Worthing, Wrexham, York), marked as listed by the owner.
- You choose. Adopters message you through LocalPetFinder, so your email and phone number stay private. You decide who to meet and who takes your cat, and you hand over in person.
We take listings from owners anywhere in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Northern Ireland the new owner needs a dog licence before they take a dog, so ask to see it before the handover.
Ready to find your British Shorthair a good home?
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Start your free listing →Before the handover: the must-dos
The microchip has to be transferred
In England, Scotland and Wales a dog can't be passed to a new keeper until it's microchipped, and the new keeper must update the database (England, Scotland, Wales); in Scotland the keeper's own details must also be correct before the handover. In England the same applies to cats, while in Scotland and Wales chipping a cat is optional. Check the chip is on a government-approved database and do the transfer at the handover.
No deposits, no couriers
Never ask for, or accept, money before an adopter has met your pet in person, and hand over face to face. A request for a deposit is the classic sign of a pet scam, and on LocalPetFinder it gets a listing taken down.
Banned dog types can’t be rehomed at all
It's against the law in England, Scotland and Wales to give away a banned dog. In England and Wales it's illegal to "rehome, sell, buy, or transfer ownership of an XL Bully" (gov.uk: England and Wales). In Scotland, since 23 February 2024 it has been illegal to sell, advertise, gift or exchange an XL Bully, Scottish guidance says it is unlawful to "sell, give away or rehome an XL Bully" (gov.scot), and since 1 August 2024 it has been an offence to own one without an exemption certificate. If you think your dog could be an XL Bully, don't list it.
Adopters must be adults, and you must be honest
Adopters must be 18 or over, and the listing must be accurate about health, behaviour, and whether your pet is good with children, dogs and cats. A good match is the one that lasts.
Rehoming your British Shorthair: your questions
Tap a question to expand
Is there a British Shorthair rescue that will take my cat?
We found no British Shorthair rescue charity in the UK. The Southern British Shorthair Cat Club runs a rehoming page where your cat stays with you and adopters contact you, and general cat charities take every breed. You can list your cat yourself at the same time.
Can my British Shorthair go to a home with another cat?
Sometimes, but be careful. PDSA says British Shorthairs are not so happy sharing a house with other cats unless they have grown up with them. If your cat has only ever lived alone, a home without cats is the safer match.
Does my British Shorthair need an indoor home?
It can suit one. The GCCF says the British is suitable as an indoor-only cat but needs suitable stimulus, and International Cat Care says indoor cats need climbing space and daily play. Tell adopters how your cat has lived so far.
Related guides
Rehoming where you live
Rehoming guides for other cat breeds
Sources: Southern British Shorthair Cat Club: Welfare & Re-Home · GCCF (The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy): British · PDSA: British Shorthair · International Cat Care: Should I keep my cat indoors or allow outdoor access?