How to Post a Cat Wanted Ad and Get Replies in Australia
To post a cat wanted ad in Australia that gets good replies, say exactly what you are looking for, such as a kitten or an adult cat, a breed or colour, your general area and your budget, and describe the home you can offer. Check your state and council rules on desexing, registration and containment first, and never pay a deposit for a cat you have not seen.
A good wanted ad reaches owners rehoming a cat and breeders with litters coming up, including people who have not advertised yet. This guide covers choosing the cat, what to write, the rules where you live, budget, scams and what to do when someone replies.
Key points
- Name the kind of cat you want, your suburb or region, your budget and the home you offer.
- Check the rules first: ACT cats born from 1 July 2022 must be contained, and desexing is compulsory in several states.
- Budget for vet work and ongoing care as well as the price; Moneysmart puts a cat's yearly costs at up to about A$1,656.
- Never pay a deposit to someone you cannot meet; Scamwatch warns that pet scammers ask for transport money.
What kind of cat should you ask for?
Think about your home and routine before you write the ad. A kitten needs time, play and supervision, while an adult cat's personality is already known. A pedigree kitten from a registered breeder comes with papers from a member body of the Australian Cat Federation or the Co-Ordinating Cat Council of Australia; a mixed-breed cat can be just as good a pet.
- A kitten suits homes with time for training and play.
- An adult cat suits busy homes, first-time owners and families who want to know the cat's temperament.
- A pair suits homes where the cat would otherwise be alone all day.
- A particular breed suits buyers who want a known coat or temperament; ask about the breed's health problems before you choose.
The ACF notes that the World Cat Congress does not support breeds built on traits that harm a cat's welfare, so read about a breed's health before you set your heart on it.
What should a cat wanted ad include?
- The cat: kitten or adult, sex, breed or type, colour, and how flexible you are.
- Your home: house or flat, renting or owning, children and other pets, and how many hours the cat would be alone.
- Containment: that the cat will live indoors or have an enclosure, where your area requires it.
- Experience: cats you have had before.
- Location: your suburb or region, and how far you can travel to collect.
- Budget: a realistic figure, or that you will pay a rehoming fee for an adult cat.
Keep your phone number out of the ad text and let people message you first. You can post your cat wanted ad for free on PetzLover.
Can you keep a cat where you live?
- Containment: in the ACT, cats born on or after 1 July 2022 must be kept on their owner's premises at all times, and many Victorian councils, such as Yarra Ranges, require cats to stay within their owner's property.
- Desexing: compulsory over three months in the ACT without a permit, over four months in Tasmania and over six months in South Australia and Western Australia; in NSW a cat not desexed by four months needs an annual permit.
- Registration: register with your council or territory where required; in Victoria, registration is compulsory from three months, and South Australian cats are registered on Dogs and Cats Online.
- Numbers: Tasmania allows no more than four cats on a property without a permit, and councils elsewhere may set limits.
- Lease or strata: get written permission before you post if you rent.
If you are unsure, check your council's website before you post.
How much should you budget for a cat?
Look at current kittens and cats for sale near you for the kind of cat you want; prices depend on breed, age, papers and what vet work is included. Rescue fees are a useful comparison:
| Cost | Example or what to know |
|---|---|
| RSPCA NSW kitten under six months | A$270, desexed, microchipped, vaccinated and health-checked |
| RSPCA NSW cat over six months | A$220, with the same vet work |
| Vet work not yet done | Desexing, F3 vaccinations from 6 to 8 weeks to 16 to 20 weeks, microchip |
| Setup | Carrier, litter tray, scratching post, bedding and an enclosure if needed |
| Ongoing care | Up to about A$1,656 a year after the first year (Moneysmart, 2025 Pets in Australia survey) |
If your budget is small, consider adoption: see how to adopt a kitten or cat.
How do you avoid scams after posting a cat wanted ad?
Scamwatch warns that pet scammers take a deposit by bank transfer and then ask for more money for transport before they disappear; the ACCC recorded 1,684 pet scam reports in 2022, with A$2.3 million lost. Wanted ads attract these replies, so watch for:
- A reply offering exactly the kitten you want, at a low price, from someone who cannot meet.
- Requests for a deposit to hold a kitten, or for crate, insurance or transport fees.
- Kittens offered at six weeks old, or "delivery can be arranged", both RSPCA red flags.
- Photos that a reverse image search finds elsewhere.
- Pressure to pay today because others are interested.
Use the Report Scam button on anything that looks wrong. If you have paid a scammer, contact your bank straight away and report it to Scamwatch.
How do you check replies to your cat wanted ad?
- Ask for the cat's age or date of birth, sex, vaccination and desexing status, and its microchip number.
- In Victoria, ask for the seller's Pet Exchange Register source number; in NSW, the microchip, breeder or rehoming number that must appear in their ads.
- Ask why the cat is being sold or rehomed, and about its personality and health.
- See the cat in person, with its mother if it is a kitten.
- Pay only at the handover, get a receipt and have the microchip registration transferred to you.
- Book a vet check in the first week.
People answering your ad can read how to respond to a cat wanted ad. If you are open to an adult cat from its owner, see how to take in a rehomed cat.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I write a good cat wanted ad?
Say whether you want a kitten or an adult, any breed, sex or colour, your area and budget, and describe your home and experience. Detailed ads get better replies than a single line.
Should I pay a deposit to hold a kitten?
Only to a seller you have met, for a kitten you have seen, with a written receipt. Scamwatch warns that pet scammers take a deposit and then ask for more money, so paying at the handover is safest.
What budget should I put in a cat wanted ad?
Check current listings for the kind of cat you want and set a realistic figure, or say you will pay a rehoming fee for an adult cat. Leave room for vet work, setup and ongoing care.
Do I need to keep my new cat indoors?
It depends on where you live. ACT cats born from 1 July 2022 must be contained at all times, and many Victorian councils have 24-hour curfews. Say in your ad that the cat will live indoors or have an enclosure.
Can I ask for a kitten to be sent from interstate?
Collecting in person is safer for the kitten and protects you from transport scams. Never pay transport fees to someone you have not checked.
What should I check when someone replies?
Ask for the cat's age, health records, microchip number and the numbers your state requires in ads, then meet the cat in person before you pay anything.
Helpful guides
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 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 AdoptionHow to Adopt a Kitten or Cat in AustraliaAdopt a kitten or cat in Australia through the RSPCA, a shelter, a council pound or a rescue group; the fee usually covers desexing, a microchip, vaccinations and a health check.
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 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.