The short answer
Desex the mother cat first, because a queen can fall pregnant again within weeks, even while nursing, and that is how one litter becomes many. Keep the kittens until they are at least 8 weeks old, fully weaned, and ideally vaccinated and wormed. In NSW, each kitten must be microchipped before it is given to a new owner, with the registration transferred through the NSW Pet Registry. Screen every home, charge a modest fee rather than giving kittens away free, and if you cannot manage the litter, a cat rescue can help. LocalPetFinder lets you list each kitten free and choose the family yourself.
Rehoming kittens the right way
List each kitten free on LocalPetFinder, screen every home, and keep them until they are ready to go. Your email stays private.
List a kitten free →First priority: desex the mother
If you are reading this because of an accidental litter, there is no judgment here. It happens to caring, responsible people, usually because a young cat reached breeding age faster than anyone expected. The important thing now is to make sure it does not happen again, and that means desexing.
A queen can come back into season and fall pregnant again very quickly after giving birth, sometimes while she is still feeding the current litter. Cats also breed fast and often, so one unplanned litter can turn into many in a single year if the mother is not desexed. Book her in for desexing as soon as your vet advises she is ready, and desex any entire male cats in the home too, or the cycle simply continues.
Acting now is the kindest thing you can do, both for your own cat and for the wider stray and shelter population that unplanned litters feed into. Your vet can talk you through timing and, in many areas, point you to lower-cost desexing programs.
When can kittens leave their mum?
Not before 8 weeks, and a little later is often better. Two things need to be true before a kitten is ready to go. It must be fully weaned and eating solid food on its own, and it needs those early weeks with mum and littermates to learn how to be a cat, from litter habits to bite inhibition and confidence.
Many people rehome at around 8 to 12 weeks, ideally after a first vaccination and worming. Rather than following a fixed number, let your vet advise on the right timing for your kittens based on their weight and health. A kitten sent too early is more likely to struggle with health and behaviour in its new home, which is hard on the kitten and on the family that took it on in good faith.
Health checks before each kitten goes
One vet visit ties most of this together. Kittens need worming and the start of their vaccination schedule, and the same appointment is the natural time to microchip them and to book the mother's desexing. Your vet will guide the schedule for your specific litter.
Cats can carry FIV and FeLV, and testing exists if there is any reason for concern about the mother or the kittens. You do not need to guess at any of this. The RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase is a reliable place to read up, but your vet is the one who should decide what each kitten needs. Send whatever has been done with the kitten so the new owner can pick up where you left off.
The legal steps in NSW: microchip and advertising
In New South Wales a cat must be microchipped before it is sold or given to a new owner, and you must transfer the microchip registration to the new owner through the NSW Pet Registry. Do the transfer at handover so each kitten is on record with its new family from day one. If a kitten is ever lost, the registry is how it finds its way back.
The rules around advertising animals in NSW have changed over time and can include identification requirements tied to the microchip, so check what applies right now with the NSW Office of Local Government before posting anywhere. List each kitten as microchipped and include its details honestly. If anything is unclear, your council or the Office of Local Government can confirm the current requirement.
Screening homes and setting a fee
Choosing the right home is where you protect each kitten. Ask questions, listen, and take your time. Our guide to screening adopters goes deeper, and the same principles apply to kittens.
A modest fee plus real screening beats free to good home. A small rehoming fee filters out the minority of people who collect free animals for the wrong reasons and signals that the kitten is valued. Ask whether the kitten will be kept indoors or in a contained outdoor run, which many Sydney councils and welfare groups encourage for the cat's safety and to protect native wildlife. Ask whether they have other pets. And never hand a kitten to someone who wants it free and immediately, sight unseen. That last one is the clearest warning sign.
A good adopter is happy to answer your questions and asks plenty of their own. Meeting in person, even briefly, tells you far more than any message thread. Our guide on free-to-good-home risks explains why the free listing is the one to avoid.
The responsible-rehoming checklist
Desex the mother and any entire males
The top priority. Book it as soon as your vet advises. It stops the next accidental litter.
Wait until at least 8 weeks
Kittens must be fully weaned and eating solids, ideally vaccinated and wormed, before they leave.
Microchip and register each kitten
Required in NSW before a kitten changes hands. Transfer the chip to the new owner at handover.
Screen every home
Ask about indoor or contained housing, other pets, and whether they understand ongoing desexing and vet care.
Send records with the kitten
Vet record, microchip details, current food, and honest notes on personality and litter training.
Rehoming yourself, or asking a rescue for help
You have two responsible routes. With owner-to-owner rehoming, the kittens stay with you until each is ready, you screen the people who apply, and you choose the family. There is no fee to you and no shelter stay for the kittens. It asks more of your time, but it keeps the litter out of a stretched system and lets you place each kitten carefully. Our guide to rehoming a cat for free walks through the whole process, and you can browse cats and kittens for rehoming in Sydney to see how other owners present theirs.
If you cannot care for the litter, reach out to a cat rescue early. The Cat Protection Society of NSW, Brighter Future Cat Rescue, RSPCA NSW, and Animal Welfare League NSW take in kittens and can advise on fostering, desexing, and rehoming. Many run on waitlists and limited space, so ring ahead and be honest about your situation. If one group is full, it can often point you to another near you.
Ready to find each kitten a good home?
List each kitten free on LocalPetFinder once it is old enough. Keep them with you until they are ready, screen the people who apply, and choose the family. No fee, no shelter stay.
List a kitten for free →Related guides
The full owner-to-owner process for cats and kittens, start to finish.
The questions to ask, and the red flags that mean walk away.
Why a modest fee plus screening keeps kittens far safer than a free listing.
What to sort out and gather before any pet changes hands.
Rehoming a dog or puppies instead? See our guides to rehoming puppies and surrendering a dog, or start from the rehoming hub.
Frequently asked questions
I have an accidental litter of kittens. What do I do first?+
First, breathe. It happens to responsible people all the time, and you are not in trouble. The single most important thing is to book the mother cat in for desexing as soon as your vet advises she is ready, and to desex any entire male cats in the home too. A queen can fall pregnant again very quickly after giving birth, sometimes while she is still nursing, so acting now is what stops one accidental litter becoming several. Once desexing is booked, you can focus on raising the kittens and finding each one a good home.
When can kittens leave their mum?+
Not before 8 weeks, and often a little later is better. Kittens need to be fully weaned and eating solid food on their own, and they learn vital social skills from their mother and littermates in those early weeks. Many people rehome at around 8 to 12 weeks, ideally after a first vaccination and worming. Your vet will advise on the right timing for your kittens based on their health and weight. Sending a kitten too early sets it up for health and behaviour problems in its new home.
Do I have to microchip kittens before I rehome them in NSW?+
Yes. In New South Wales a cat must be microchipped before it is sold or given to a new owner, and the microchip registration must be transferred to the new owner through the NSW Pet Registry at handover. This is a legal requirement, not an optional extra. It is also what gets a lost kitten home. Your vet can microchip the kittens at their first vaccination visit, and the transfer of ownership is a straightforward online step you complete when each kitten goes to its new family.
Can I advertise kittens for free in NSW?+
The rules around advertising animals in New South Wales have changed over time and include requirements tied to microchip and identification numbers, so check the current rules with the NSW Office of Local Government before you post anywhere. As a general principle, list each kitten as microchipped and include its details honestly. Beyond the legal side, a small rehoming fee is safer than a free ad, and screening the home matters more than either. When in doubt, ask your council or the Office of Local Government what applies right now.
Should I charge a fee for kittens or give them away free?+
A modest rehoming fee is safer than free to good home. A small fee filters out the minority of people who collect free animals for the wrong reasons, and it signals to genuine adopters that the kitten is valued. It does not need to be large, and it in no way replaces screening. The fee and the screening work together: ask about the home, meet the person, and never hand a kitten to someone who wants it free and immediately, sight unseen. That combination is what keeps kittens safe.
How do I know a home is a good one?+
Ask questions and listen. Find out whether the kitten will be kept indoors or in a contained outdoor run, which is safer for the cat and for local wildlife and is encouraged across many Sydney councils. Ask whether they have other pets, whether they rent or own, and whether they understand a kitten will need desexing, vaccination, and worming as it grows. A good adopter is happy to answer and asks their own questions back. Be wary of anyone who wants the kitten free and immediately, will not meet in person, or gets cagey about where it will live.
What should I send to the new home with each kitten?+
Send the kitten's vet record, its microchip details, and a note of any vaccination and worming done so far. Include the food the kitten has been eating so the new owner can keep it consistent, plus honest notes on the kitten's personality, litter training progress, and anything the vet has flagged. The more the new owner knows, the smoother the transition. Honesty helps the kitten settle and helps the new family plan the desexing, vaccination, and worming still to come.
Does the mother cat need testing or vet checks?+
Your vet is the right person to advise. Cats can carry FIV and FeLV, and testing exists if there is any reason for concern about the mother or the kittens. Worming is important for a litter, and the kittens will need their vaccination schedule started. Rather than following a fixed rule from the internet, book a vet visit and let them guide the health steps for your specific cats. The same visit is the natural time to arrange the mother's desexing and to microchip the kittens.
What if I cannot care for the litter at all?+
Reach out to a cat rescue early rather than waiting until you are overwhelmed. Groups such as the Cat Protection Society of NSW, Brighter Future Cat Rescue, RSPCA NSW, and Animal Welfare League NSW take in kittens and can advise on fostering, desexing, and rehoming. Many run on waitlists and limited space, so ring ahead and be honest about your situation. If they can take the litter, they will handle vetting and rehoming. If they are full, they can often point you to another group or to a foster network near you.
How is owner-to-owner rehoming different from surrendering the kittens?+
With owner-to-owner rehoming, the kittens stay with you until each one is ready and you choose the family it goes to. You list each kitten, screen the people who apply, and hand it over directly with its records. There is no fee to you, and no shelter stay for the kittens. Surrendering means a rescue takes the kittens into its care and runs the process itself. Both are legitimate. Rehoming yourself takes more of your time but keeps the kittens out of a stretched shelter system and lets you place each one carefully.
Sources
- RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase: desexing, kitten care, and responsible rehoming
- NSW Office of Local Government: Companion Animals Act 1998, microchipping, and advertising rules
- NSW Pet Registry: microchip registration and transfer of ownership
- Cat Protection Society of NSW: kitten intake, fostering, and desexing support