Looking for a pet cat in Islington? Our guide to local animal sancturies

I'm hoping to become a pet-owner for the first time in my adult life soon, and like many people in my position, would like to give a rescue animal the chance of a happy life munching on Waitrose pet food and enjoying all the benefits of decent health care. But until now, I didn't have a clue where to start looking to find a new four-legged friend, and had no idea that the late summer period is a crucial one in terms of re-homing kittens. Read on for some tips on how to adopt a rescue cat or dog in and around Islington.

If, like me, you're after a pet cat or a kitten, Cats' Protection's North London Adoption Centre in Archway may be your first port of call. If you're interested in adopting a cat you can drop in at any time during their "cat viewing" hours (11am - 3pm) Tuesday to Sunday, with no appointment needed. The adoption process happens as quickly as you want it to, so you may even find yourself taking your new pet home on the day of your visit!

To get an idea of what may be waiting for you at the centre, you can check out the centre's gallery of cats and kittens currently awaiting re-homing, but be warned: don't look at this page if you're not yet ready to take on a pet, as your heart may be stolen very quickly! All cats at the centre are vet checked, vaccinated, neutered, de-flead, de-wormed and covered with one months' insurance.

The adoption centre is located at 135 Junction Road, Archway, London N19 5PX.

If Cats' Protection are all our of moggies, you may want to try RSPCA Central and Northeast London, which has a busy cats seeking homes online noticeboard. Gumtree has a 'cats and kittens for adoption in Islington' page, where you can arrange to adopt a pet privately with its former owner.

Looking for vets in Islington? See our listing for local pracices