Where to Adopt Kittens for Free | LoveToKnow Pets (2024)

ByPatricia Lantz C.Ht.

Patricia Lantz C.Ht.

Patricia is a prolific writer with multiple years of freelance writing experience. She publishes a weekly newsletter and is a published illustrator.

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Updated June 10, 2022

Where to Adopt Kittens for Free | LoveToKnow Pets (1)

If you want to adopt a kitten for free, the secret is knowing where to look. Many shelters charge a fee, but there are still some little-known free resources for finding local kittens in need of homes. Use these resources to find free kittens and help save a life.

Free Kittens Online

Finding your cat online could be just a few clicks away, or it may take some time, but there are several places listed below where with just a little effort, time, and patience, you might be able to find your perfect kitty.

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PetClassifides.US

PetClassifieds.US covers every pet imaginable; just type in "free kitten," hit search, scroll down, and keep your eye on the right-hand corner for those that are free.

Facebook Groups

Facebook groups cover everything imaginable, including free kittens. Just go to your FB page, type "free kitten" into the search bar, click search and scroll through the list. There are a lot of "Free Kitten" public groups on Facebook. You'll find these groups in most states and others that are not location specific.

Instagram Hashtags

Social media networks that use hashtags, like Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook, can be another good way to look for free kittens. Rescue groups or individuals hoping to place their kittens may use hashtags on posts advertising free kittens. Try searching for the hashtags #freekittens, #freekittensforadoption, or #kittenstogoodhome. You can also use a similar phrase with your location (for example, #freekittensatlanta) to find local posts.

ClassifiedAds.com

ClassifiedAds also has ads for free kittens. Just select pets from the first drop-down, choose free pets to good homes from the second drop-down, type in "kitten" and your location, then hit search. You can also sort by 'lowest price,' bringing the free kittens up to the top of your results.

Petclassifieds.com

Petclassifieds.com has listings of free kittens from around the country. Go to their home web page, scroll down a bit, look for the "Cats & Kittens" section, then adjust the price filter to search for free kittens and cats.

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Craigslist

Craigslist is an online community bulletin board that features classified ads in most major cities. It also has a specific forum devoted to pets, where you can scan listings. On Craigslist, select your city, and you'll be taken to its page. On your city's page, type "pets" in the search bar, click on it and select "pets for sale" from the drop-down list. When the next page opens, enter "free kittens" in the search bar and click search. This is a great source for local free cats near you.

Recycler

Recycler is another site that has a varied array of offerings; among these are free kittens. Here you just enter you want "free kitten," the city you're nearest and select "Pets" from the drop-down menu, and click search.

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Adoption Fairs

Almost every year, humane societies, rescue groups, and other local programs have free adoption fairs. These can fall on national holidays, recognized pet adoption months, or anytime the shelter becomes overwhelmed with animals. As an example, Acct Philly hosted a fee-waived cat and kitten adoption event titled "Feline Freedom Adoption Frenzy," and the Humane Society of Tampa Bay often waives cat and kitten adoptions as part of "Adopt-A-Cat" month in June.

So, go to your local group's home web page, click on the events page, bookmark it, and check back regularly. You might also want to contact them through their website and ask when their next free adoption event will be held. Another option is to search for upcoming local events through Petfinder, where they may have low or waived adoption fees.

Where to Find Free Local Kittens

It might be difficult to find a kitten online that's near where you live. However, you can begin by asking your neighbors, friends, and family to spread the word that you're looking for a kitten. Try these other ways of being proactive in finding someone who has a kitten to give away:

  • Your local newspapers will often advertise plenty of "free to good home" notices.
  • Keep your eyes peeled for people giving away unwanted litters of kittens in shopping center parking lots or on street corners.
  • Make some "kitten wanted" signs and place them throughout your neighborhood (like you would a yard sale sign).
  • Visit or call your local veterinary clinics. Clinic employees are often aware of clients whose cat is about to have kittens they want to give away. While they may not be able to give you client information, they can pass your information along to a client. If the person you connect with doesn't know of any at that moment, leave your name and number in case some kittens show up.
  • Make fliers and go to grocery stores, laundromats, car washes, vet's offices, coffee shops, and gyms. These places usually have a bulletin board where you can pin announcements. When pinning your "kitten wanted" notice, check for announcements advertising kittens 'free to a good home.' Remember to carry announcements around with you, so when you're out and about, you can place them in other locations.
  • Call your local rescue groups. If they are overrun with kittens, they might just give you a kitten without an adoption fee. It never hurts to ask.
  • Foster a kitten. Fostering will let you know if a kitten is right for you, plus if you make the fostering permanent, some organizations will waive the adoption fee.
  • Call your local animal control. Most don't keep the animals they pick up alive, and they might be willing to give you a kitten rather than having to euthanize the poor baby.

No Free Kittens

Where to Adopt Kittens for Free | LoveToKnow Pets (2)

The reality is you'll have many costs associated with adopting a free kitten. "Free" often comes with a hidden price tag that could translate into several costly trips to your local veterinarian for necessary tests, procedures, and vaccines. When all this is taken into consideration, you might decide it's best to visit your local humane society or animal shelter.

Shelter cats usually have an adoption fee, but these kittens will have been spayed or neutered, tested, vaccinated, wormed, and microchipped. If you adopt a free cat, you'll have to cover all of this yourself, and that cost will be more than the adoption fee you'd pay to the shelter. Cat-World estimates that the final cost of a free kitten is over $200 more than one you'd adopt from a shelter.

Share Your Life With a Kitten

When you get a kitten, you're making a lifelong commitment. They'll rely on you to take good care of them and keep them safe. They need good food and water, proper veterinary care, and lots of attention. Even when kittens grow up, they're still fun and entertaining companions.

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Where to Adopt Kittens for Free | LoveToKnow Pets (2024)

FAQs

How do I pass a pet adoption interview? ›

Provide as many details as possible about your living situation, family experience and how you plan to care for the animal. Explain your previous experience with raising an animal, including training and exercise regiments. The more information you're able to provide, the better you'll look on your application.

What are the red flags when adopting a cat? ›

What are the red flags when adopting a cat? Some red flags when adopting a cat from an animal shelter would be if they have a poor track record of adoption or repeat instances of adoption returns. While this doesn't mean that they are “bad,” you might want to ask why they have this in their history.

How do you adopt a cat first few days? ›

These first few days require an immense amount of patience on your part. Your cat may be very nervous and hide for the first couple of days. Be patient, and allow your cat to adjust at his own pace. Have his space set up before hand to help your new cat settle in, have the cat's space set up before you bring her home.

Where do shelter cats come from? ›

Sadly, the vast majority of the animals that end up at shelters are simply lost. A few are reunited with their owners, usually thanks to a microchip, but most aren't.

How to pass a cat adoption interview? ›

Be honest in your answers and don't lie about anything that you're asked. It's tempting to write down what you think the rescue wants to hear, but this could lead to you matching with a cat or dog who won't fit well in your home environment.

How do you answer "Why do you want to adopt a pet?"? ›

Love is probably the simplest answer to why a person would want to adopt a pet. Meaning that it's not hard to love an animal. They're sweet and loyal and make us want to be better.

What is the 3 3 3 cat adoption rule? ›

While there are some cats that automatically adjust to a new home as soon as they get there, most do not. The general rule when adopting any animal is the rule of 3-3-3: three days to decompress, three weeks to learn your routine and three months to start to feel at home.

What to avoid when adopting a cat? ›

Don't make sudden changes in the environment, food, litter, or water of the cat/kitten. Cats find change stressful and a new home is a major stress. Introduce changes gradually after the settling in period is over. Don't make loud noises or have major disruptions.

Should you rename an adopted cat? ›

Many rescue animal advocates encourage pet owners to change an animal's name because it helps signify that important transition. By learning a new name, the cat can move forward without being reminded of negative associations attached to their old name.

What is the easiest age to adopt a cat? ›

Young: Young cats may have reached their adult size, but they haven't forgotten their kitten days yet! They're the “teenagers” of the cat world—they tend to be active and playful, but less demanding than kittens. Once they reach 6 months of age, young cats can be adopted alone.

Should I bathe my kitten after adoption? ›

Keeping a kitten clean is important for overall health.

Dirt, bacteria, and leftover food residue can cause skin infections in young kittens called pyoderma.

How many kittens should I adopt? ›

Luckily, adopting two kittens or young cats instead of one is just as healthy for them as it is cute for you. Not only will they have a built-in playmate to keep them out of trouble, they'll have a happier, healthier development. Plus, you'll be saving two lives and receiving twice as much love.

What are the sad facts about cats in shelters? ›

Of the cats entering shelters, approximately 37% are adopted, 41% are euthanized, and less than 5% of cats who came in as strays are returned to their owners. About twice as many animals enter shelters as strays compared to the number that are relinquished by their owners.

Is it ever okay to return an adopted cat to the shelter? ›

If, within those 60 days, you determine your recently adopted pet isn't a good fit or you find yourself unable to provide necessary medical care, you may return the animal and receive an AHS gift card that can be used toward the adoption of another animal, pet supplies, training classes, and education programs.

Do shelter cats know you saved them? ›

Knowing this, most feline experts agree that cats are more than capable of remembering the fact that they were once abandoned by people they used to trust. The emotions that become associated with that experience are likely so strong, that the cat can hold onto those retained feelings for years.

What questions do they ask in an adoption interview? ›

Why do you want to adopt? What do you think your parenting style will be like? How well do you understand the adoption process? What do you know about some of the unique challenges adopted children can face?

What to expect during a pet interview? ›

Pet interview questions to ask

How old is your pet and how long have you had him or her? Can you provide documentation from your vet that he or she is up to date on required vaccinations? Has he or she been spayed or neutered? Is he or she house-trained?

How do you answer adoption reference questions? ›

Include how you know the person you are writing the reference letter for and how long you have known them. If you have witnessed the individual or couple's involvement with children, either your children or others, tell how they interact and what qualities they have that would make them good parents.

What should I wear to a pet interview? ›

For small animal, it usually means one step down from formal business attire (i.e. a suit). For large animal, khakis and a polo shirt would usually be appropriate (and in some cases even more casual attire is acceptable). *The guidelines below outline acceptable attire for small animal medicine.

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