Thanks so much for reaching out to Home2Home to enquire about assisted rehoming for your cat. We understand that it can be frustrating to own and love a cat with complex needs, and to have committed significant resources and time while still finding yourself in an unsustainable situation.
As an online platform, Home2Home has limitations in the resources and support services it can offer. Some cats require more intensive care to manage health or behavioural challenges and to safely transition into a new home. If a cat’s needs exceed what we can reasonably provide, whether due to health, behaviour, safety concerns, or the complexity of support required, we believe it is neither ethical nor in the best interest of the cat to place them through Home2Home.
The good news is that there is still great, affordable help out there! While we cannot offer your pet a place in our program at this time, we have provided some resources below to help you find a pathway forward.
Depending on your location, the behaviours your cat is displaying, and your available resources, some of these options may be more suited than others.
Cat-centric Veterinary Clinics
General Practice vet clinics or veterinarians that specialise in cat care are an affordable, excellent resource for cat owners experiencing challenges with their cat’s wellbeing and behaviour. Cat health and behaviour are intricately connected, so often veterinarians with a passion for cats are also skilled at assessing and treating behaviour cases.
Below are some cat-centric vet services that you may wish to consider.
Canberra
The Village Vet Cat Veterinary Centre
New South Wales
Dr Lauren Poulsom, Veterinarian BVSc MANZCVS (Medicine of Cats) at PetStock West Gosford and Petstock Erina
Northern Territory
The Ark Animal Hospital Darwin
Queensland
The Cat Clinic (4 locations across Brisbane and the Gold Coast)
Tropical Queensland Cat Clinic
South Australia
Tasmania
Animal Medical Centre - Cat Clinic
Victoria
Cat Protection Society Victoria Vet Clinic
Catlovers Veterinary Clinic Frankston
Western Australia
The Pet Practice Cat Friendly Clinic
Cat Behaviour Services (non-veterinary)
Animal Behaviour Australia (Remote consultations)
Cattitude (Huon Valley and surrounds, Tasmania)
Confident Companions (Easter suburbs Melbourne)
Companion Animal Behaviour and Training (Perth)
DogsBody Animal Behaviour (South eastern suburbs and outer south east of Melbourne)
Paws and Reward (Adelaide)
Ros Taber from Pawsitive Connection (Brisbane)
Pet Nurture (Sydney, also does remote consultations)
Pet Professor (Greater Sydney area)
Silent Meow (Melbourne)
Treat Me Right (Mornington Peninsula and surrounds)
Whats Up Pussy Cat (Sydney and surrounds, Blue Mountains, Wollongong, Central Coast and Newcastle areas)
Behaviour Veterinarians
Below are the contact details for two highly skilled Behaviour Veterinarians who can discuss rehoming pathways and also guide you on the best way to manage your cat in the meantime. Both vets offer a 30-minute tele-consultation for a cost of approximately $100.
If you would like to find out more or book an appointment, please reach out via the contact details below. You can look into the full range of services offered by each professional via their websites.
Dr Jake Lin BVSc (Hons) MANZCVS (Veterinary Behaviour)
Website: Pawsitive Behaviour Vet.
Phone: 0432 399 583
Email: info@pawsitivebehaviourvet.com.au
Dr Cate Webb - BVSc (Hons) BEd MBiostats MANZCVS (Veterinary Behaviour)
Website: Engage Vet Behaviour and Training
Phone: 0456 957 096
Email: cate@engagevetbehaviour.com.au
Alternatively, if you would like to book a full consultation with a Behaviour Veterinarian to discuss your cat’s behaviour and possible treatment options, please visit the ANZCVS Behavioural Chapter for a list of all qualified Behaviour Veterinarians in Australia.
Surrendering your cat to a rescue organisation
If you feel that surrendering your pet to a rescue organisation that can care for your pet and find them a well-suited home is the best way forward, you may wish to use our Rescue Directory to find suitable rescues in your area.
Rescue organisations are usually volunteer-run and many are reliant on public donations and adoption fees to pay for the care they provide to pets in need. It might be necessary to contact a number of rescue groups to find one that has the space and resources available to take your pet into care.
Be aware that rescue organisations vary almost as much as our pets do! Some work with specific types of animals only, some have access to specialist veterinary or behaviour services, while others are more restricted in what they can offer. As you will be working with the rescue groups you choose for your pet and entrusting them with your pet’s life, it is important that you are well informed and ensure that you are comfortable with how the rescue you choose does what they do.
Find out more about What to look for in a rescue organisation: Key standards and practices for pet adoptions.
To maximise your pet’s chance of securing a placement with your preferred rescue, try to take as many of the steps below as possible:
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Reach out for help early and if you can keep your pet at home for a while, make sure to let them know you are happy to go on a waiting list.
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Gather all of your pet’s medical records and any behaviour history you have (e.g. reports from trainers or Behaviour Vets), along with your pet’s microchip details and a change of ownership form, and have these ready to go
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Write down a detailed chronological history of your pet, from the time you got them until the present. This should include:
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Information about their health and any injuries or treatments they have received, even if this is no longer a problem
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Information about their behaviour, including their likes, dislikes, their normal daily routine, and how they respond to common experiences for pets, like visitors to your home, storms or fireworks, any behaviours of concern, their training history, and what their favourite ways to interact with their family are.
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Any care specific care requirements for your pet. This could include that they like to eat out of a certain bowl, that foods with chicken in them upset their belly, or that a particular brand or style of harness fits them best. Include anything you can think of that will help a new family develop a bond with your pet quickly.
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The details of your pet’s normal care services, like their vet clinic, their trainer, their groomer, and their pet sitter. Some owners will prefer to keep using the same services if the pet has a positive history with them and this helps your pet settle in more quickly
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Offer to pay a surrender fee and if necessary to transport your pet or organise and pay for transport yourself, to get your pet where they need to be. Try to be as generous as possible so that the rescue
Behavioural Euthanasia Support Resources
Sometimes, there may not be a safe and ethical pathway forward for your cat with a new family, or a reputable rescue or sheltering organisation, especially if your cat displays significant behaviours of concern like aggression or severe anxiety.
If you are struggling with your cat’s behaviour and cannot resolve the problems you are experiencing with qualified, professional help, or you have been managing your cat’s significant behaviour problems by providing an exceptional level of care (often both of these things are true!) then one humane and ethical option if you cannot keep your cat, may be to consider behavioural euthanasia.
It’s normal and natural to feel a mix of emotions, including guilt and grie,f when considering behavioural euthanasia for your pet, especially when they appear physically healthy but are mentally suffering or have poor behavioural health. We understand that owners facing the impossible situation of not being able to keep their cat and not having a safe and ethical option other than behavioural euthanasia, love their cats deeply.
We recommend that, where you can, you seek input from a qualified behaviour professional to support you through the decision-making process.
We have also provided some resources for guidance and support on this topic below.
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Making the Decision for Families - a short online course for those considering behavioural euthanasia for their pet
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Behavioural euthanasia - decision and support - this is a Facebook group for those making the decision who have not yet gone through with it
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Losing Lulu website and Losing Lulu Facebook group, providing post-euthanasia grief support
Image: Stevie, Home2Home