Rescue guide
Cat rescues in Bournemouth and Dorset: the best ones compared
Two rescues list cats with us within about 25 miles of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole: Margaret Green Animal Rescue in the Isle of Purbeck and Second Chance Animal Rescue near Southampton. Cats Protection's volunteer branch covers the postcodes BH1 to BH25 as well. This guide sets them side by side, with how each works, what each charges, and where the kittens are.
By the LocalPetFinder Team · Checked 1 November 2026
The short answer
The nearest rescue whose cats we list is Margaret Green Animal Rescue at Church Knowle, near Wareham, about 11 miles from Bournemouth, which rehomes by appointment and discusses its fee when you reserve. Second Chance Animal Rescue, at Mansbridge, Southampton, about 24 miles, asks you to contact it first. Cats Protection's Bournemouth & District branch, which covers BH1 to BH25, charges £85 for an adult cat and £105 for a kitten; we don't list its cats, so see them on Cats Protection's site.
- Rescue adoption fees
- Each rescue sets its own adoption fee. Cats Protection says you can expect to pay £80 to £120 on average for an adult cat and £100 to £120 for a kitten, varying between its branches, and Blue Cross fees start from £150 for cats aged 4 months to 7 years. The fee usually covers neutering, microchipping and first vaccinations, and each rescue confirms its own fee.
- Cat rescues around Bournemouth
- Cats Protection's Bournemouth & District branch charges £85 for an adult cat and £105 for a kitten (Cats Protection). Margaret Green Animal Rescue discusses its fee when you reserve, and Second Chance Animal Rescue publishes none.
- Owning a cat
- PDSA puts the lifetime cost of a cat at £11,400 to £13,600 on 2024 prices, at least £79 a month.
12 cats listed in and around Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole today →
Cat rescues near Bournemouth compared
The first two rescues below have cats we list within about 25 miles of Bournemouth: click a name to see them. Cats Protection's branch covers the BCP area but we don't list its cats, so it is in the table with its own route. Each runs its own application, home check and fee.
| Rescue | Where | Cats | How you adopt | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Margaret Green Animal Rescue | Church Knowle, near Wareham, Isle of Purbeck (about 11 miles) | Cats, small animals, horses and farm animals | The form on a cat's profile, a phone call, a Zoom call or home visit, then meetings by appointment | Discussed when you reserve |
| Second Chance Animal Rescue (Southampton) | Mansbridge, Southampton (about 24 miles) | Cats, dogs and small animals | Contact it first: viewing is by appointment | Not published |
| Cats Protection Bournemouth & District (Cats Protection) | Volunteer branch covering BH1 to BH25; cats in foster homes | Cats and kittens | Enquire through a cat's listing on its site | £85 an adult cat, £105 a kitten |
How each cat rescue near Bournemouth works
In rough order of distance, here is what each one asks of you.
Margaret Green Animal Rescue, Church Knowle
Its Church Knowle centre, set in the Isle of Purbeck near Wareham, about 11 miles from Bournemouth, helps cats, small animals, horses and farm animals; the charity's dogs are at Lincoln Farm, Winterborne Kingston. The centre is open from 11am to 3pm and closed on Wednesdays, and rehoming is by appointment only, so apply before you travel.
How it works: you fill in the form on a cat's profile, the team arranges a phone call about the cat's needs and your lifestyle, then a Zoom call or a home visit. It asks for a vet reference, checks your address and, if you rent, asks your landlord to confirm. You meet the cat, sometimes more than once, and pay the fee and sign the paperwork on the day it goes home. Its fee is discussed when you reserve, and covers neutering, vaccinations, worming and flea treatment, health checks and microchipping.
Second Chance Animal Rescue, Southampton
Second Chance Animal Rescue has kennels and catteries at Mansbridge, Southampton, about 24 miles away, and rehomes cats, dogs and small animals. It asks you to contact it first, because viewing is by appointment, and its animals are vaccinated, microchipped and treated for any illness or injury before they go. Its cats page shows who is waiting, and it publishes no fee.
Cats Protection Bournemouth & District
A volunteer-run branch of Cats Protection that rehomes cats and kittens across BH1 to BH25, which takes in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. Its cats live in foster homes, and you enquire about a particular cat through its listing on the branch page. Its adoption fee is £85 for an adult cat and £105 for a kitten, and every foster cat is vet checked, neutered if old enough, vaccinated, flea and worm treated and microchipped.
It says it sometimes gets many applications for the same cat; if yours is already reserved, it may be able to match you with another. We don't list its cats, so search on the Cats Protection site.
Rescue kittens in Bournemouth and Dorset
Expect competition: Cats Protection's Bournemouth & District branch says it sometimes gets many applications for the same cat. Our Bournemouth kittens page shows every kitten listed with us within about 25 miles; when we checked on 1 November 2026, the youngest cats with an age on their listing were a pair of 6 month old sisters at Margaret Green's Church Knowle centre, and most of the rest were adults.
Three things help. First, apply to Cats Protection's branch and Margaret Green before you see the kitten you want, so your home check is done. Second, think about a pair: several of the cats listed near Bournemouth are already bonded pairs or trios, so ask the rescue whether two would suit your home. Third, be open to a young adult cat, which is past the kitten stage but still has most of its life ahead.
How to choose a cat rescue near Bournemouth
Start with the cat: our Bournemouth cats page shows every cat listed with each rescue, so filter by age and see who has it. Then check:
- Distance and visits. Margaret Green's Church Knowle centre is about 11 miles away and rehomes by appointment only; Second Chance is about 24 miles and also sees adopters by appointment.
- Renting. Margaret Green asks a landlord to confirm if you rent, so ask yours early.
- The fee. Cats Protection's branch publishes £85 and £105; ask Margaret Green and Second Chance what theirs is and what it covers.
- Pairs. Several of the cats listed near Bournemouth go as pairs or trios, so say on your form whether you could take two.
- Other pets and children. Tell the rescue about every animal and child in your home: they match each cat to a household.
Cats further afield and privately
Hampshire Paws Animal Rescue, a Hampshire rescue that keeps its animals in foster homes, rehomes cats as well as dogs and rabbits through its own application form; check its own page for cats near you. If you are offered a cat privately, see it at home, ask for its vet records, and make sure its microchip is registered to the person handing it over. A scam advert can be reported to Report Fraud.
The law in England
Microchipping cats
In England, cats must be microchipped before they are 20 weeks old and registered on a database, a rule in force since 10 June 2024. An owner found without one has 21 days to comply or may be fined up to £500. Free-living cats (farm, feral and community cats) are exempt.
Lucy's Law: buying a kitten
In England, Lucy's Law has meant since 6 April 2020 that kittens under six months can't be sold by a third party such as a pet shop or dealer: you buy direct from the breeder or adopt from a rehoming centre.
Questions
Tap a question to expand
What is the nearest cat rescue to Bournemouth?
Of the rescues we list, Margaret Green Animal Rescue at Church Knowle, near Wareham, about 11 miles away. Cats Protection's Bournemouth & District branch also rehomes cats across BH1 to BH25 from foster homes; we don't list its cats.
Is there a Cats Protection branch in Bournemouth?
Yes: Cats Protection Bournemouth & District, a volunteer-run branch covering the postcodes BH1 to BH25, so Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. Its cats live in foster homes and you enquire through each cat's listing on the Cats Protection site.
How much does it cost to adopt a cat near Bournemouth?
Cats Protection's Bournemouth & District branch charges £85 for an adult cat and £105 for a kitten. Margaret Green Animal Rescue discusses its fee when you reserve, and Second Chance Animal Rescue publishes none.
Where can I adopt a rescue kitten in Dorset?
Watch our Bournemouth kittens page, Margaret Green Animal Rescue's Church Knowle centre and Cats Protection's Bournemouth & District branch, which charges £105 for a kitten. Popular cats can get many applications, so apply and have your home check done before you see one you want.
Can I visit Margaret Green at Church Knowle to see the cats?
The centre is open to visitors from 11am to 3pm, closed on Wednesdays, but rehoming is by appointment only. Fill in the form on a cat's profile first, and the team will arrange a call and a home visit or Zoom call before you meet.
Do I need my landlord's permission to adopt a cat?
At Margaret Green Animal Rescue, yes if you rent: it asks your landlord to confirm as part of its checks, along with a vet reference and an address check. Ask the other rescues what they need.
Do rescue cats come neutered and microchipped?
Usually. Cats Protection's branch says its foster cats are neutered if old enough, vaccinated, flea and worm treated and microchipped, and Margaret Green's fee covers the same vet work. In England a cat must be microchipped by 20 weeks old.
Should I adopt one cat or two?
It depends on the cats. Several of those listed near Bournemouth are pairs or trios that the rescue wants to keep together, while some cats prefer to be the only one. Ask the rescue what suits the cat you like.
Keep reading
For rescues and rehoming centres
Are you a rescue near Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole? Get your animals listed free.
Every animal links back to your own adoption page, and you can ask to be removed at any time.
Sources: Margaret Green Animal Rescue: Church Knowle centre · Margaret Green Animal Rescue: how it works · Margaret Green Animal Rescue: visit us (centres and hours) · Margaret Green Animal Rescue: rehoming fee · Second Chance Animal Rescue: homepage · Second Chance Animal Rescue: cats · Second Chance Animal Rescue: contact · Hampshire Paws Animal Rescue: about us · Cats Protection Bournemouth & District branch page (cats.org.uk/bournemouth; homepage linked, as its terms ask that deep links be approved) · PDSA: the cost of owning a cat · Report Fraud · gov.uk: Get your dog microchipped · gov.uk: Banned dogs · gov.uk: Lucy's Law in England · legislation.gov.uk: Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023 · gov.uk: microchipping for cats becomes compulsory