Found a Cat


Found a cat or kittens?

If you have found a cat with no signs of identification, and you believe it to be a stray, please contact your local council: they are responsible for cat management.

If you want to go the extra mile, post information of the cat and where it was found, along with a photo, on the "Perth Pets Lost and Found" group on Facebook. Consider also sharing a photo on local notice boards, letter box drops close to where you found the cat, etc.

Vet Clinics can also assist by scanning the cat for a microchip and if the cat is chipped, contacting the owner. Some vet clinics will accept stray cats.

If you have exhausted all of these avenues, you can make an appointment to surrender the cat at Cat Haven. Call us on 9442 3600 or email us at admin@cathaven.com.au to book an appointment.

All surrenders are by appointment only, Monday to Friday. Unfortunately, we cannot accept surrenders on weekends or public holidays. 

How much does it cost to surrender a stray cat?

For each stray cat surrendered in to our care, we ask for a small fee of $25. This helps to cover the vet work the cat will require: almost every stray cat we receive is not desexed, and not microchipped. With the average cat costing $450 to rehome, this stray surrender fee is a small portion of the amount we will be paying to make sure each cat finds a loving home.

If you find stray kittens, please consider the following guidelines.

Download simple procedure here (with thanks to animals.miamidade.gov)

Do not touch the stray kittens - please call Cat Haven straight away.
They may not actually be orphaned kittens and the mother cat will probably be nearby.

  1. Assess the situation, but do not touch the kittens – if you have already moved the kittens, please put them back straight away. If the kittens are in a dangerous area, gently move them to somewhere safe, but in the immediate area, so the mother cat can still find them. Also take note of the kittens’ body condition i.e. are they clean, plump and content; or are they dirty, cold and crying?
  2. Monitor the area – Step back and keep an eye on the area for a few hours, checking every hour if you can. There is a very high chance that the mum is coming back and is either hunting, hiding from you, or in the process of moving the litter one by one.
  3. If the mother cat is around, let her take care of the kittens. It is crucial for newborn kittens to receive the nutrition from the mother cat’s milk during the first few days of their lives. Many kittens will not survive if separated from the mother during the first week of their life.
    Put some food and water out for the mum, so that she can devote herself to her babies. Cat Haven can advise you, and may be able to get a ranger out to help you, to trap the mother first and then get the kittens. It can be very dangerous to the kittens’ lives if you bring them in first, and then try to get the mum later on.
  4. If there are no signs that a mother cat is around, and you have monitored the kittens for several hours, the kittens may be abandoned. Place them in a clean and dry box with plenty of bedding. If possible, place a covered hot water bottle underneath the kittens, making sure there is a blanket or towel between the bottle and the kittens themselves. Newborn kittens cannot generate their own heat, so it is imperative that they have a source of heat to keep warm. Young kittens do not have much mobility, and cannot move themselves off a heat source if it becomes too hot - so it is always best to place at least one layer of linen between the kitten and the heat source.
  5. Urgently contact a shelter or rescue group who can take the kittens as soon as possible. If they have been without their mother for a while they may be cold and hungry, and in need of urgent attention.

There is a stray cat on my property 

Each council has its own local laws regarding the removal of stray cats. If your council does not have cat laws, Cat Haven has developed a number of guidelines to be met before we can accept any stray cat. This is essential to ensure that stray cats are indeed homeless and not just visiting from a nearby household.

  1. Check with neighbours within a 10-house radius.

  2. Call at least three local vet clinics, to record a found cat report, and to check their lost cat reports.

  3. Post photos and descriptions of the cat/s on the key "lost and found" groups on social media, particularly Facebook.

  4. Consider also placing posters up on noticeboards and at shopping centres, with a description of the cat and a contact number.

If you have followed all these guidelines, and are still unable to find an owner, you can bring the cat to Cat Haven (opening hours below). Please complete the Stray Cat Surrender Form and bring it in to Cat Haven with the cat. Click here for more information on surrendering your cat.

How do I catch a stray cat?

If you are unable to catch the cat by hand, please call your local council and they are will organise to pick up the cat or contact our Ranger Service. Alternatively, you can contact a reputable pest control company who bring their trapped cats into Cat Haven for assessment.

What is the safest way to set and transport traps?

The safest way to trap a cat is to use an experienced organisation such as Cat Haven, or a pest control company; if you do choose to trap on your own, please make prior arrangements to bring the cat to Cat Haven as soon as possible and follow the guidelines below. If you use the services of the Cat Haven Rescue Service, there is a service charge, which will be advised to you at the timing of booking.

  • Several days prior, start feeding the cat where you intend to set the trap. It will be far more likely to enter the trap if it has been fed there previously. Set the trap according to the instructions you were given when you hired it.
  • Make sure it is stable and will not tip over, that is set under shelter, out of rain and sun, and out of public view.
  • Please also avoid setting traps in extreme weather conditions. It is an extremely traumatic experience for a cat to be trapped, and it is essential it is covered for the entire time it is in the trap. When setting the trap, place an old sheet or towel over the back half.
  • As soon as you know that the cat has entered the trap, cover the trap completely.
  • You will need to check the trap every couple of hours during the day and in the morning if set overnight.
  • Don’t leave a cat in a trap for too long. As soon as you are aware a cat is in it, your must immediately bring it into Cat Haven.
  • When transporting the cat to us, please ensure that it remains covered the entire time, even when transporting from your vehicle into Cat Haven.
  • Please do not transport the trapped cat in the tray of a utility or the boot of a vehicle. It will feel far more secure travelling in the passenger section of your vehicle.

Cat Haven DOES NOT recommend trapping unless you have the necessary qualifications. We highly recommend our rescue service officer!