How to Adopt a Kitten or Cat in Australia | PetzLover
To adopt a kitten or cat in Australia, apply through the RSPCA, an animal welfare shelter, a council pound or a rescue group, meet the cat, and pay an adoption fee that usually covers desexing, microchipping, vaccination and a health check. Before you apply, check your territory and council rules on registration and keeping cats at home, because the ACT and many councils now require cats to be contained.
Adopting suits most homes: you can choose a playful kitten, a calm adult whose personality is known, or a bonded pair. This guide covers where to adopt, the process, fees, choosing the right cat, containment, scams and the first weeks at home.
Key points
- Adoption fees usually include desexing, a microchip, vaccinations and a health check; RSPCA NSW asks A$270 for a kitten under six months and A$220 for an older cat.
- Expect an application, a meeting with the cat and a signed adoption agreement.
- Check containment rules first: ACT cats born from 1 July 2022 must be kept at home, and many Victorian councils have 24-hour curfews.
- Never pay a deposit to a "rescue" you cannot visit or check.
- Give an adopted cat a quiet room and a few weeks to settle.
Where can you adopt a cat in Australia?
- The RSPCA, whose state and territory branches run shelters and adoption centres.
- Animal welfare shelters and leagues, often with cats and kittens in foster care.
- Council pounds and animal management facilities, many of which rehome unclaimed cats.
- Foster-based rescue groups, many of which list their cats on PetRescue, a national directory of rescue pets.
- Owners and small rescues listing a cat for adoption. You can browse cats and kittens for adoption on PetzLover and save a search to get alerts about new listings.
If you would rather take a cat straight from its owner, read how to take in a rehomed cat; if you want a pedigree kitten from a breeder, see how to buy a kitten or cat.
How does the cat adoption process work?
- Browse cats near you and read each profile for age, personality, health and the kind of home it needs.
- Apply. Expect questions about your home, other pets, children, whether you rent and how you will keep the cat safe at home.
- Meet the cat, and bring everyone who will live with it.
- Agree the adoption, pay the fee and sign the adoption agreement.
- Take the cat home in a secure carrier with its records.
- Make sure the microchip registration is transferred to you, and register the cat with your council or territory where required.
Some rescues ask for photos of your home or a visit before an adoption. It is a sign of a careful rescue, not a lack of trust.
What does it cost to adopt a cat?
Fees vary with the organisation and the cat's age, and some shelters, RSPCA NSW among them, run discounted adoption events at times. RSPCA NSW's standard fees show what to expect:
| Cat | Fee | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Kitten under six months | A$270 | Desexing, microchip, vaccination and a health check |
| Cat over six months | A$220 | Desexing, microchip, vaccination and a health check |
Paying for desexing, a microchip and a course of F3 vaccinations yourself usually costs more than the fee. After adoption, budget for registration, food, litter, flea and worm treatment and yearly vet care; ASIC's Moneysmart, citing the 2025 Pets in Australia survey, says to expect up to about A$1,656 a year for a cat after the first year.
Should you adopt a kitten, an adult cat or a pair?
| Choice | Suits | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Kitten | Homes with time for play and training | Energy and personality still developing; vaccinations may not be finished |
| Adult cat | Busy households, first-time owners, homes with children | Personality already known; may need time to adjust to indoor life |
| Senior cat | Quiet homes | Often calm and affectionate; ask about health and ongoing medication |
| Bonded pair | Homes out at work during the day | Company for each other; adopt them together |
Tell the rescue honestly about your household. Staff and foster carers know each cat and can match you with one that suits your home.
Will you need to keep an adopted cat contained?
Check before you apply. In the ACT, cats born on or after 1 July 2022 must be kept on their owner's premises 24 hours a day, and older cats must be contained in declared cat containment suburbs. Many Victorian councils have containment orders, such as Yarra Ranges' rule that cats stay within their owner's property at all times, and in February 2026 Western Australia announced a bill to let councils make containment laws.
A 2020 national study led by the University of Queensland estimated that Australia's pet cats kill 390 million animals a year, and that each roaming pet cat kills on average 110 native animals. An indoor home with a cat enclosure, window perches and daily play keeps both the cat and wildlife safe.
How do you avoid cat adoption scams?
- Be wary of a "rescue" that has only a brand-new website, which the RSPCA lists as a red flag.
- Never pay an adoption fee or deposit before you have met the cat.
- Refuse requests for transport, crate or insurance fees; Scamwatch warns that pet scammers ask for more money for transport.
- Search the organisation's name, phone number and email for scam reports.
- Run a reverse image search on the cat's photos.
Use the Report Scam button on any listing that looks wrong, and if you have paid a scammer, contact your bank straight away and report it to Scamwatch.
How do you help an adopted cat settle in the first weeks?
- Start in one quiet room with food, water, a litter tray, a scratching post and somewhere to hide.
- Let the cat come to you; many adult cats hide for the first days.
- Introduce other pets slowly, swapping bedding before they meet.
- Keep the cat indoors while it settles, and permanently where containment applies.
- Book a vet visit and keep up the vaccination schedule.
- Feed the food it is used to, and change diet slowly if you need to.
Most cats settle within a few weeks. If things are not working, talk to the rescue before you make any decision, as most will help. Thinking of finding a home for a cat yourself? See how to list a kitten or cat for adoption.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to adopt a cat in Australia?
Fees vary by organisation. RSPCA NSW asks A$270 for a kitten under six months and A$220 for an older cat, with desexing, a microchip, vaccination and a health check included. Budget for registration and ongoing care as well.
Are adopted cats desexed?
Cats from the RSPCA and most rescue groups are desexed before they go to their new home. If a young kitten is not yet desexed, the adoption agreement will usually say when it must be done.
Can I adopt a cat if I rent?
Usually yes, but check your lease or strata rules first and be ready to show the rescue that cats are allowed. Some rescues ask for written permission from your landlord.
Should I adopt a kitten or an adult cat?
An adult cat's personality is already known, which helps if you have children or other pets. A kitten needs more time, play and supervision. Many first-time owners do well with a calm adult.
Do I have to keep an adopted cat indoors?
It depends on where you live. In the ACT, cats born from 1 July 2022 must be contained at all times, and many Victorian councils have 24-hour curfews. Even where roaming is allowed, keeping your cat indoors protects it and native wildlife.
How do I know a rescue group is genuine?
Visit or video-call before paying, search its name and contact details for scam reports, and be wary of brand-new websites. Genuine rescues are happy to answer questions and let you meet the cat.
Helpful guides
Pet for AdoptionHow to List a Kitten or Cat for Adoption in AustraliaHow to list a kitten or cat for adoption in Australia: the ad and microchip rules, preparing the cat, a fair adoption fee, screening applicants and an adoption agreement with a return clause.
Pet for SaleHow to Buy a Kitten or Cat in AustraliaBefore you buy a kitten in Australia, check your state's microchip, desexing and containment rules, meet the kitten with its mother at eight weeks or older, ask for vet records and pay only after you have seen it.
Pet for SaleHow to Sell Kittens and Cats in AustraliaThe rules on selling kittens in each state, how to prepare and price a litter, what to put in the ad, how to screen buyers and how to take payment and hand over a kitten safely.
Pet for FreeHow to Get a Free Kitten or Cat Safely in AustraliaGet a free kitten or cat safely in Australia by meeting the owner and cat at home, checking the microchip and vet records, refusing any transport fee and budgeting for desexing, vaccinations and registration.
Pet for FreeHow to Give Away a Kitten or Cat for Free Without Risk in AustraliaGive away a kitten or cat safely in Australia: microchip it, show the numbers your state requires in the ad, screen every applicant, meet in person, sign a simple agreement and transfer the microchip registration.
Pet for RehomingHow to Take In a Rehomed Kitten or Cat in AustraliaBefore you take in a rehomed cat in Australia, ask about its history, health and habits, check its vaccinations, desexing and microchip, transfer the registration and give it time to settle.
Pet for RehomingHow to Rehome Your Kitten or Cat Responsibly in AustraliaRehome your cat responsibly in Australia: try the alternatives first, meet your state's ad and microchip rules, describe the cat honestly, screen new owners and transfer the microchip registration.
Pet WantedHow to Respond to a "Cat Wanted" Ad in AustraliaReply to a cat wanted ad only with a cat that matches, describe it honestly, check that the person is real and ready for a cat, follow your state's microchip and age rules and hand over in person.
Pet WantedHow to Post a "Cat Wanted" Ad and Get Replies in AustraliaWrite a cat wanted ad that names the cat you want, your area, budget and home, check your state and council rules first, and never pay a deposit for a cat you have not seen.