Cat intake categories
PetRescue is working with the Australian Pet Welfare Foundation and the University of Queensland to gather data for research that will improve outcomes for cats.
Please select the most relevant intake option when adding a cat listing. It may not always be black and white, but please use your knowledge and experience to make the choice you believe to be the most accurate.
All data will be de-identified to protect your privacy, and the intake category selected WILL NOT be visible to the public.
Urban stray/Community cat
Community cats are unowned cats that live in the community. Community cats may be friendly, timid or difficult to handle. They may have been born and lived in the community (never being owned) or may be lost or stray pets.
These cats have come directly to your organisation.
They have NOT come via council/shelter transfer or other source.
Owner surrender
Cats that are given up by their current owner or a representative of the owner. These cats may or may not be microchipped or registered, but the person bringing them in considers themselves the owner. This includes breeders, family members of the owner, free from Gumtree etc.
These cats have come directly to your organisation.
They have NOT come via council/shelter transfer or other source.
Council pound transfer
These are cats coming from a council pound facility, or from an organisation contracted to provide pound services. These cats may have initially been community cats or owner surrendered, but have come into your organisation's care directly from a council impound service. In some instances this may be a shelter organisation (eg. RSPCA, Lost Dogs Home) contracted to provide services on the council's behalf.
Gathering this data will give a clearer picture of council reliance on community rescue organisations, and will inform ways to make positive changes for all involved.
Shelter transfer for specialised care
These are cats that came to your group via a major shelter such as RSPCA, AWL, Lost Dogs Home, Cats Haven etc. for the purposes of specialised care (eg. breed-specific, deaf, disabled, or senior rescue), or for additional adoption support in cases such as emergency situations, hoarding etc.
This happens irregularly (ie. for individual cats that need specialised care out of a shelter environment) and is NOT as a result of the shelter being the council pound provider.
What's the difference between Council pound transfer and Shelter transfer?
Some larger shelters such as the RSPCA are also council pound providers. In these instances, there may be some confusion on which intake category to choose.
Council pound transfer: Select this option for cats that enter your organisation via a pound facility. Your group may act as an overflow option, council may have inadequate rehoming programs, or your rescue may provide the rehoming service to the council. In some instances, this category may apply where a shelter organisation (eg. RSPCA, Lost Dogs Home) is contracted to provide services on the council’s behalf.
Shelter transfer for specialised care: Select this option when a major shelter (such as RSPCA, AWL, Lost Dogs Home, Cats Haven) has transferred an individual cat to your organisation for additional support or specialist care and services (eg. breed-specific, deaf, disabled, or senior rescue), or where the shelter needs additional community support in one-off cases such as emergencies or hoarding.
Other sources
Transfer from vet: Please select where the cat came from prior to the vet (eg. community cat/owner surrender).
Transfer from other rescue group: Please select where the cat came from prior entering the first rescue organisation.
Kittens born in care: Please select based on the mother cat's intake, ie. if the pregnant cat came via council pound transfer, please select council pound transfer. If the kittens came via an owned cat as part of a last litter program, please select owner surrender.
Not sure? Please make your best judgement.
What about feral cats?
Scared or timid cats are often labeled as feral due to their behaviour. This is misleading, as a scared cat may be owned or unowned. For the purposes of this research, a ‘feral’ cat is a cat that lives without support and is remote from human habitation, at least 5km from the nearest residence. 'Without support' means no support given intentionally or unintentionally (ie: no scavenging from farms, rubbish tips or waste). Feral cats live entirely independent of humans.
Find out more about this research.
Thumbnail image: Ted from Campaspe Animal Shelter.