want to adopt a cat from us?
All of our cats are rescues and most of them are available for adoption. We work closely with Cat Rescue Christchurch and our cats remain under their care and ours until they are adopted. We adopt our cats out directly from the cafe and manage the adoption process ourselves, however they are still adopted as Cat Rescue cats and the adoption fee goes straight to them to cover the costs of having the cats desexed, vaccinated and microchipped. Please be aware that our adoption process can be quite long and we do take multiple applications for our cats.
We also have two cats called Gizmo and Susie that we have adopted and they live at the cafe as permanent residents. You can see who is available to adopt under “Our Cats” and on our adoption wall at the cafe.
Adoption Process
If you visit Catnap and fall in love with one of our cats, you may be able to adopt them! There is a stand down period before new cats can be adopted so we can get to know them and figure out what sort of home / family will suit them. There are also times when we have adoptions on hold or a particular cat may not be available for adoption yet for another reason but if you are interested in adopting a cat, generally the process is as follows:
After your visit, come and see us at the cafe counter and if the cat you are interested in is taking applications, we’ll give you a Registration of Interest form to fill in. You can also email us after your visit and we can send you a form but we do not accept applications from anyone who has not met the cat they are applying for. Note that during quiet periods when we have low numbers / adoptions are on hold or if a cat is not ready yet, it may be awhile before you hear from us. We will contact you when the cat is available to be adopted.
We will email you when the cat you are interested in is ready for adoption and send you an Adoption Application form to fill in. We may also give you additional info about the cat at this point to see if you still feel you can provide a suitable home.
After we have gone through all applications and decided on the most suitable family, we will advise you of the outcome. If your application has been successful, we will organise a time for you to come and pick up your cat and give you payment details for the adoption fee of $250.
When you come in to pick up your cat, you will fill in and sign the Cat Rescue adoption paperwork. You will also need to pay the adoption fee of $250 in cash or via EFTPOS.
You will receive an adoption pack which includes the cat’s vet book and some Hill’s cat food to get you started. If you are happy for us to do so, we will also take a photo of you and the cat which will be posted on our Facebook page when we announce the adoption.
You can then take your new family member home!
Please note that filling in an interest or application form is not a guarantee. The cat may become a permanent resident here or they may have had other applications and be adopted by someone else. We use the answers provided on the application forms to decide if a particular cat will be suited to a particular family or situation. We will, however, advise you of the outcome either way.
Adoption FAQ
What is the cost of adopting a cat?
The adoption fee is $250 and that goes straight to Cat Rescue Christchurch. All of our cats are desexed, microchipped, fully vaccinated and up to date with flea and worm treatments. They also come with an adoption pack which includes a bag of Purina PRO PLAN cat food and some discount vouchers.
How long will I have to wait to hear from you after I fill in a Registration of Interest form?
It varies but can be anywhere from a couple of weeks to a few months. It depends on the cat (how old they are, how long they’ve been at the cafe, if they’ve had all of their vaccinations, if they’ve had any health issues etc) and our current numbers. We will be in touch as soon as we can but you can always email or message us on Facebook if you want to check in.
Can I be put on a waitlist for a particular colour / breed of cat if you get one in or can I just put my name down for any kitten?
No, that’s not how we work. We want people to come in and bond with a particular cat. We believe the decision should be based on a cats’ personality and suitability to your particular circumstances, not based on their appearance. It’s very important to us that our cats go to homes that are right for them so we do put a lot of thought into making the perfect match.
If I come in and want to adopt a cat, can I take it straight home?
No, we have an adoption process which is outlined above to make sure our cats are going to the best possible homes.
I applied to adopt a cat but I wasn’t successful. Why?
All cats have different needs and we always want to make sure that they go to a home / family that is right for them. We use the info on our Adoption Application forms to help us decide. Some of our cats get a lot of interest and there may be more than one suitable family, but we can only choose one! You are always welcome to apply to adopt another cat.