Adoptable rescue cats in Melbourne, Victoria - LocalPetFinder

Cat Adoption Melbourne

Adoptable rescue cats in Melbourne and the surrounding VIC area, refreshed regularly.

Updated regularly from Melbourne and Victoria rescues. Compare, match, and adopt easier.

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Last updated: Oct 8, 3:22 PM

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Showing all 451 cats

Kinsleigh-Lynn - Domestic Short Hair cat available for adoption in Melbourne

Kinsleigh-Lynn

8 months • Domestic Short Hair

Femalehigh Energy
The Lost Dogs' Home
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Izzy - Domestic Medium Hair cat available for adoption in Melbourne

Izzy

1 year • Domestic Medium Hair

Femalehigh Energy
The Lost Dogs' Home
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Bulgogi - Domestic Short Hair cat available for adoption in Melbourne

Bulgogi

3 months • Domestic Short Hair

Femalehigh Energy
Kids
Australian Animal Protection Society
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Brownie - Domestic Medium Hair cat available for adoption in Melbourne

Brownie

2 months • Domestic Medium Hair

Femalehigh Energy
Australian Animal Protection Society
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Jett Star - Domestic Short Hair cat available for adoption in Melbourne

Jett Star

11 months • Domestic Short Hair

Malehigh EnergyIndoor Only
KidsOther Cats
Australian Animal Protection Society
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Oslo - Domestic Short Hair cat available for adoption in Melbourne

Oslo

6 years 11 months • Domestic Short Hair

Malehigh Energy
Kids
Australian Animal Protection Society
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Sammy - Domestic Medium Hair cat available for adoption in Geelong

Sammy

8 years 3 months • Domestic Medium Hair

Malelow Energy
Other Cats
Geelong Animal Welfare Society
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Sasha - Domestic Short Hair cat available for adoption in Geelong

Sasha

4 years 7 months • Domestic Short Hair

Femalemedium Energy
Geelong Animal Welfare Society
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Cookie - Domestic Short Hair cat available for adoption in Geelong

Cookie

9 years 8 months • Domestic Short Hair

Femalelow Energy
Geelong Animal Welfare Society
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Willow - Domestic Shorthair cat available for adoption in Melbourne

Willow

1 year 9 months • Domestic Shorthair

Malelow Energy
Forever Friends Animal Rescue
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Jazz - Tabby cat available for adoption in Melbourne

Jazz

1 year 11 months • Tabby

Femalelow Energy
Forever Friends Animal Rescue
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Nora - Domestic Short Hair cat available for adoption in Melbourne

Nora

6 years • Domestic Short Hair

Femalemedium Energy
Animal Aid
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Stanley Tucci - British Shorthair Mix cat available for adoption in Melbourne

Stanley Tucci

2 years • British Shorthair Mix

medium Energy
Mornington Peninsula Shire Community Animal Shelter
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Larvae - Domestic Medium Hair cat available for adoption in Melbourne

Larvae

Unknown • Domestic Medium Hair

low Energy
Other Cats
Mornington Peninsula Shire Community Animal Shelter
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Daffy Duck - Domestic Medium Hair cat available for adoption in Melbourne

Daffy Duck

5 months • Domestic Medium Hair

Malehigh Energy
wat djerring Animal Facility (City of Whittlesea)
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Landon - Domestic Medium Hair cat available for adoption in Melbourne

Landon

10 months • Domestic Medium Hair

Malehigh Energy
wat djerring Animal Facility (City of Whittlesea)
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Cats from owners in Melbourne

See cats being rehomed directly by their owners in Melbourne, or list your own cat for free.

Cats for rehoming →Rehome your cat

Looking to adopt a cat in Melbourne? Every cat on this page is listed by a rescue serving the Melbourne area, so you can see what is genuinely available locally without checking each rescue's site one by one. Each profile links straight back to the rescue that has them.

New to adopting? Our Victoria adoption guides cover what adoption costs, council registration and desexing rules that apply right across Victoria, including Melbourne.

Adopting a cat in Melbourne: what Victorian law asks of you

In Victoria cats aged three months and over must be registered with the local council, renewing each year by 10 April, and must be microchipped before their first registration. Desexed cats pay a much lower fee, set by each council.

Councils also make their own cat rules, including curfews in some areas, so check your local council before you bring a cat home. Anyone advertising a cat for sale or to give away must show its microchip number and a Pet Exchange Register source number.

Paralysis ticks are not established around Melbourne, so local tick risk is low. Fleas and worms are the year-round parasites to stay on top of, and indoor cats still need protection from summer heatwaves.

Source: Agriculture Victoria (pets)

Popular cat breeds in Melbourne

Browse adoptable cats by breed. Each breed page shows what is available in Melbourne now, plus what the breed costs to adopt, the health to plan for and the local law.

RagdollMaine CoonBritish ShorthairSiamesePersianBengalBurmeseRussian BlueSphynxDevon RexScottish FoldNorwegian Forest CatAbyssinianOriental ShorthairDomestic ShorthairDomestic LonghairBlack CatTabbyCalicoTuxedoTortoiseshell CatGrey CatOrange Cat

Browse by town

Adoptable cats for towns served by Melbourne rescues, with any pets based in that town listed first.

Cat adoption in Melbourne: common questions

How many cats are available for adoption in Melbourne?

There are 451 adoptable rescue cats listed in Melbourne right now. Rescue numbers move quickly as animals are adopted, so the count changes between visits.

Which rescues do these Melbourne cats come from?

Every cat on this page comes from Animal Aid, Australian Animal Protection Society, Blue Cross Animals Society of Victoria, Forever Friends Animal Rescue, Geelong Animal Welfare Society, Lort Smith, Melton City Council Animal Pound, Mornington Peninsula Shire Community Animal Shelter, RSPCA Victoria, The Lost Dogs' Home, wat djerring Animal Facility (City of Whittlesea). Each listing links straight to that rescue's own page, where the application is handled.

Is LocalPetFinder a shelter?

No. LocalPetFinder is a discovery platform, not a rescue. We bring listings together in one place so you do not have to check each rescue's website separately. Applications, approvals and adoption decisions are handled entirely by the rescue.

Does it cost anything to use?

No. LocalPetFinder is free. Adoption fees are set by the rescue and are paid to them directly, not to us.

Can I adopt a Melbourne cat if I live elsewhere in Victoria?

That is up to the rescue. Some rehome only within their local area, others will consider adopters further afield. The rescue's own listing page states their policy — check it before applying.

Is LocalPetFinder the same as PetRescue?

No. PetRescue.com.au is one of Australia's largest national adoption sites, listing animals from rescues right across the country. LocalPetFinder brings together rescue cats for Melbourne and the surrounding area, alongside the local rules on council registration, desexing and microchipping in Victoria. The two are separate platforms.

What is a local alternative to Adopt A Pet or PetRescue in Melbourne?

LocalPetFinder lists adoptable rescue cats from rescues serving Melbourne, refreshed regularly. Adopt A Pet (adoptapet.com) is US-based with limited Australian coverage, and PetRescue lists nationally. Every listing here links straight to the rescue that has the animal, so you apply with them directly.

Do I need to register an adopted cat in Melbourne?

Yes. Cats aged three months and over must be registered with your local council, renewing by 10 April each year, and microchipped before their first registration. Desexed cats pay a reduced fee, and your council can tell you the exact amount.

Are there cat curfews in Melbourne?

Some councils have them and others do not. Cat containment rules are set council by council, so check your own council's rules before deciding whether your cat will go outdoors.