Melbourne

RSPCA are great. They match the cat with the person. You are right for the cat , giving it the kind of life it needs, and the cat is right for you.

I’ve had three from Lost Dogs and one from Lort Smith. Kittens cost more than adult cats. If you want a calm snuggler consider a Senior. A kitten is more likely to climb the curtains and other such mischief. Do not forget to buy a scratching post! How much you send on toys etc is a how long is a piece of string question. Do not leave cats alone with bits of string! Don’t use plastic food bowls. And don’t trust the photos on adoption sites, they are notoriously terrible.

https://www.neko.org.au/ these guys were FANTASTIC. Both mine are from there and I couldn't recommend them enough. if you have your eye on one bring a carrier with you (one from kmart is totally fine) and chuck a blanket in it. They feed them (or used to at least) Royal canin, so if they still do with having that at home along with the essentials (toys, bed, food bowls, water dish/fountain).

Read the profiles, but know they arnt always 100%. If you are in a position to take a bonded pair its totally worth it too. They are social creatures.

We got our from the Lost Dogs Home. They generally have a good selection of cats as well.

Exciting times for you!!

At work but look into Second Chance Animal Rescue, tis where I got my cat. He was 3-4 months old, but they have young, adult, and senior cats too :)

Lort smith are good, too. That’s where we got our last kitty from

I went for a mature dog so I'd skip the infant/toddler stages. It worked out for me.

What sort of cat do you want in terms of temperament?

Seniors are quite expensive in terms of vet bills so definitely factor in costs. But they’re often chill easygoing lovebugs that will cuddle. If you can afford it and know how to recognise when they need vet care they’re amazing pets.

With adults their personalities are already developed so you can have an idea of who you’re adopting (though they may not shine while stressed in a shelter).

With kittens you will need two, otherwise you’ll have a crazy bored destructive animal that doesn’t properly know how to behave, ie. playing too roughly and seriously biting you. Look up single kitten syndrome. Also strongly consider using paper pellets instead of clumping litter as some kittens eat it and need the vet.

Also the cost of the pet and startup is probably the least you’ll pay. Make sure to budget for at least one or two vet visits each year, more for seniors. I have no idea about pet insurance.

Just some tips in case you’re not experienced with cats -

Steer clear of supermarket brand flea and worm stuff or flea collars. The collars contain pyrethrins and the shonky flea drops can be contaminated with it too, it’s toxic to cats. Choose a good brand from the pet shop or the vet (by cat’s weight). Never use a dog flea product on a cat for the same reason, it will make your cat very sick or they can die.

Look up signs of pain in cats and know how to spot a uti or blocked bladder (especially in male cats).

It’s a very good idea to feed a lot of wet food (even if it’s cheap wet food and you also use dry) and also stir some hot water from the kettle into the wet food to a lukewarm temperature - this warms it up if the rest of the can was in the fridge but more importantly it gets your cat to hydrate more.

Also while this may be controversial I don’t think Hills or Royal Canin are good food. Vets and shelters will push them but they’re full of cereal filler and very expensive for what it is.

Also if your cat starts getting the runs and stomach aches with everything else ruled out, know that cats can become allergic to frequently eaten proteins. For my cat it was chicken.

Finally don’t overspend too much on toys at first, not every cat likes every toy. Some cats get up high to feel safe, others might want a hidey hole or a box. Definitely get a scratching post and/or cat tree. And some cats prefer scratching horizontally, so a piece of cardboard on the floor is great.