Rescue, Rehabilitate, Rehome
Adopting an Ex Lab Cat
Every cat that we rescue is different, just like us humans. Some come out and embrace the world with open paws, others are more reserved, timid, shy and sometimes even terrified. We encourage anyone who is considering adopting a cat to read up on them first to be sure that a cat is the right fit for what they are looking for in a family pet. We only rehome our cats as indoor pets, fully enclosed ‘catio’s’ are acceptable, but must be escape proof. Scroll to the bottom of the page for some frequently asked questions about cat adoption.
The purpose of Beagle Freedom Australia is to find the perfect forever home for all the animals in our care. To achieve this, it is necessary to have a set of procedures and policies in place to ensure that the cat’s welfare is always the number one priority. Every individual is different and so every case has to be individually assessed.
We require that you fill out our online form first up. This gives us some insight to what qualities you are looking for in your family pet, and allows us to match the perfect cat to suit.
Next is a phone interview and a meet and greet. Some cats require more than one meet and greet. If the cat is more timid, we sometimes do a few introductions to get them used to the changes ahead.
If all goes well, we will place the cat with you for an agreed trial period. During this time, BFA remain the legal guardian of the cat until the adoption is finalised.
We will answer any questions or concerns that the new family may have and if at any time during the trial period the arrangement is not working, a mutually agreeable time and place will be arrange to return him/her back into foster care.
Follow up contact is maintained with each family after the adoption is finalised. Ongoing Support and professional trainers are also available if needed.
frequently asked questions
faq
Below are some common questions about adopting a cat from us, if you have other questions that aren’t answered here, please get in touch.
Every cat is different, some cope extremely well with their new life and behave as though they are kittens in an adult cat body! Some are timid and withdrawn, they might hide under a chair for days and only venture out when you are sleeping. Most are litter trained, but will almost certainly have the occasional accident. We do our best to prepare them for the big wide world and teach them the skills they need, but we rely on the adopting family to be patient and continue teaching them how to be pets. BFA is also available 24/7 for our new families when helping their new cat acclimate to their new life.
All our cats are released from research labs into our care. We take in cats from all over Australia.
As a condition of their release, we aren’t able to access that information.
Sometimes, yes. But nothing that would prevent them from living a happy, normal life as a family pet.
Yes, every single one of our cats has at least one vet visit, most of the time they need a few visits. Our vets do a general health check, wellness blood panel and perform any surgery they might need to get them ready for adoption.
We have a pretty strict process and we make sure to follow it each time we adopt a cat to a new family. You can read about it here.
We provide each cat with their own little cat cave, a litter tray (we recommend you have at lease 2 trays per cat in the home) litter, a starter pack of food and some toys. We also provide any paperwork you may need including vaccination records and desexing certificates.
Yes we do. Each cat in our care comes fully vet checked to ensure each adoptive family can feel safe that they are getting a healthy pet, and to ensure there are no unknown, underlying conditions. A basic vet visit and wellness panel for a cat is $284. Most cats need a few visits. Our adoption fee is $150 to partially cover these costs.
Mainly because it’s responsible and sensible, it’s much safer for the cats too. They have not been able to free roam in their life before being released. They don’t know how to do all the things a regular pet cat knows. They don’t know what cars are, and sometimes they are even scared of people.
No. Do not apply for one of our cats if you plan on letting them outdoors.
Yes, as long as the cats have access to inside as well and as long as a representative of BFA can visit and inspect to ensure it its fully enclosed.
We understand that not everyone is in a position to pay an adoption fee. If the cat is healthy with no medication or special diet, then the adoption fee is not negotiable. If the cat has an underlying condition or needs ongoing care, we do offer a forever foster program for those cats, to give them the best chance at a happy life. These cases are judged on a case by case nature.
No, at BFA we will never adopt a pet to anyone as a surprise or as a gift to another person, all parties who intend to live with and take care of the cat are required to participate in the adoption process.
By doing this, we ensure that, not only is each cat suited to the new humans or other family cats, but it also provides an opportunity for you to discuss any questions with a BFA volunteer. We ask that the entire family be present for the meet and greet so that everyone is 100% committed to the new arrival.
It’s illegal to rehome a cat who isn’t desexed. Be wary of any rescue group who is adopting out animals that are not desexed.
We are here to help any of our animals for the entirely of their life. If you are struggling or need help, please contact us ASAP and we will help.
Yes. If you got your cat from a research facility and can no longer keep them or need help, then please contact us.
Unfortunately no. We recommend you get in touch with an experienced cat rescue group in your area. And try to get your cat desexed ASAP.
Adoption
AVAILABLE Cats
Below are the cats currently in our care who are ready to take the next step in their journey, and join a forever family, or a foster family. All those listed here are ex-lab cats. We often have cats available for foster and adoption are not yet listed here, so please still apply to foster if you don’t see your perfect match below. If the feed below doesn’t load, please click here.
Inc No: A0050374H • ABN: 95 730 602 243 • Source Code RE161991