Rescue guide
Cat rescues in Carlisle and Cumbria, compared
Two Cumbrian rescues list cats with us near Carlisle: Eden Animal Rescue near Penrith, which had several litters of kittens listed on 2 November 2026, and Oak Tree Animals' Charity at Wetheral. Here they are side by side, with their fees, how each matches cats to homes, and where the RSPCA branch and Cats Protection fit in.
By the LocalPetFinder Team · Checked 2 November 2026
The short answer
For a rescue cat near Carlisle, start with Eden Animal Rescue near Temple Sowerby, about 17 miles south, which asks a minimum donation of £110 for a cat or kitten and £180 for a pair, and rehomes only within Cumbria. Oak Tree Animals' Charity at Wetheral Shields, about 4 miles east, asks £155 for a cat or £170 for a kitten and aims to reply within 72 hours. Both see adopters by appointment.
- 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.
- Eden Animal Rescue
- A minimum donation of £110 for a cat or kitten, or £180 for a pair; not refundable.
- Oak Tree Animals' Charity
- A standard donation of £155 for a cat or £170 for a kitten, which it may change for a very old cat or one likely to need costly treatment soon.
- A lifetime with a cat
- PDSA puts the lifetime cost of a cat at £11,400 to £13,600 on 2024 prices, with set-up costs of £366 and at least £79 a month.
Carlisle and Cumbria cat rescues compared
Both rescues in the table list cats with us within about 25 miles of Carlisle. Click a name to see its cats today, or follow the links below to the rescue's own pages. Each runs its own application and fee: we don't rehome cats ourselves.
| Rescue | Where | Cats | How you adopt | Cat fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eden Animal Rescue | Near Temple Sowerby, by Penrith (about 17 miles) | Cats, kittens and pairs | Questionnaire with photos of your home; a call about matches; appointment | £110 a cat or kitten; £180 a pair |
| Oak Tree Animals' Charity | Wetheral Shields (about 4 miles) | Mostly adult cats | Questionnaire; reply within 72 hours; appointment | £155 a cat; £170 a kitten |
How each cat rescue near Carlisle works
Both rescues ask questions before you meet a cat, and both see adopters by appointment, so contact them before you travel.
Eden Animal Rescue, near Penrith
Eden Animal Rescue has cared for animals since 1995 and never puts a healthy animal to sleep. Its centre is at Moorlands Head Farm, outside Newbiggin near Temple Sowerby, and its cats are on our Eden page. It says not all its cats and kittens are on its website, so ask if you don't see what you are looking for.
It finds homes for its animals rather than animals for homes. You send its questionnaire with photos of your home and garden, where the cat will sleep and where it will eat. If you rent, it needs your landlord's written permission, and if you already have pets it may ask to contact your vet. A member of its team then calls you about possible matches. It rehomes only within Cumbria.
Every cat is neutered unless it is too young or there is a medical reason to wait, vaccinated, microchipped and treated at least once for worms and fleas. Its homepage on 2 November 2026 carried an urgent appeal for more than 40 cats and kittens taken in from one property.
Oak Tree Animals' Charity, Wetheral Shields
Oak Tree Animals' Charity is at Oak Tree Farm, Wetheral Shields, about 4 miles east of the city centre, and its cats are on our Oak Tree page. Since July 2026 the site has been open by appointment only while flood damage is repaired, but adoptions and viewings carry on.
You fill in a questionnaire for the cat you like, and it aims to reply within 72 hours; in some cases you can reserve a cat the same day. Every cat is flea treated, wormed, microchipped, vaccinated, neutered where appropriate and checked by a vet, and Oak Tree says it will always take an animal back if things don't work out.
Farplace Animal Rescue, for Penrith
Over the Pennines at Westgate in Weardale, about 25 miles from Penrith, Farplace Animal Rescue rehomes cats as indoor-only cats after a home check, and considers homes up to about two hours' travel away. It has no fixed fee and asks for a donation. It is beyond our 25 miles from Carlisle, so its cats show on our Penrith cats page and our Farplace page rather than Carlisle's.
Which cats are listed near Carlisle
When we checked on 2 November 2026, there were 24 cat listings within about 25 miles of Carlisle, some of them pairs or litters, so more cats than listings. Nineteen were at Eden Animal Rescue near Penrith: eight litters or young cats under 6 months, three bonded pairs, and adults from about a year old up to a cat of 14. The other five were at Oak Tree Animals' Charity at Wetheral, all adults aged 2 to 9, one of them a pair.
So if you want a kitten, start with Eden; if you want a settled adult a short drive from the city, look at Oak Tree too. Our Carlisle cats page shows the live count and today's cats, and our Penrith cats page adds the cats within about 25 miles of Penrith, including Farplace Animal Rescue's in Weardale.
How to choose between them
Start with the cat: our Carlisle cats page lists every cat both rescues have with us, so filter by age and see who has it. Then think about these:
- A kitten or an adult. When we checked on 2 November 2026, Eden had the kittens and Oak Tree's cats were adults. Eden asks the same minimum donation, £110, for either.
- A pair. Eden charges £180 for two cats or kittens, so a bonded pair costs less each than two singles. Our bonded pairs page shows the pairs near Carlisle today.
- Speed. Oak Tree aims to reply within 72 hours and can sometimes reserve a cat the same day; Eden calls you to talk through matches after reading your questionnaire.
- Renting. Eden needs your landlord's written permission. Have it ready before you apply anywhere.
- Where you live. Eden rehomes only within Cumbria. Oak Tree asks adopters further away to talk to it first about transport.
The RSPCA branch and Cats Protection
The RSPCA Cumbria North & East Branch is a volunteer-run branch of the RSPCA that rehomes cats and offers subsidised vet treatment, and its page shows its own cats for adoption. We don't list RSPCA animals, so you won't see its cats on our pages: look on its page and apply to it directly.
Cats Protection rehomes cats through local branches across the UK. We don't list its cats either, so search its own site for cats near Carlisle.
Found a cat, or need to give one up?
In England a pet cat must now be microchipped, so a vet's scan is the quickest way to find a found cat's owner; the law section below has the details. Oak Tree Animals' Charity can't take in a found cat until it has been advertised as lost for at least 7 days, so ask neighbours and put up notices first.
If you need to rehome your own cat, Oak Tree takes cats by intake appointment through its cat intake form, and our Carlisle rehoming page sets out the routes.
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
Where can I adopt a rescue cat in Carlisle?
Oak Tree Animals' Charity at Wetheral Shields is about 4 miles east of the city, and Eden Animal Rescue near Temple Sowerby about 17 miles south. Both list their cats with us and see adopters by appointment.
How much does it cost to adopt a cat in Carlisle?
Eden Animal Rescue asks a minimum donation of £110 for a cat or kitten, or £180 for a pair. Oak Tree Animals' Charity asks £155 for a cat or £170 for a kitten. PDSA puts the lifetime cost of a cat at £11,400 to £13,600.
Which cat rescue near Carlisle has kittens?
Eden Animal Rescue, when we checked on 2 November 2026: it had several litters, while Oak Tree's cats were adults. Eden says not all its cats and kittens are on its website, so ask.
Can I adopt two cats together near Carlisle?
Yes. Eden Animal Rescue asks £180 for a pair of cats or kittens, less each than two singles, and our bonded pairs page lists the pairs near Carlisle today.
Do I need a garden to adopt a cat from Eden Animal Rescue?
Eden publishes no garden rule; it asks for photos of your home and garden, where the cat will sleep and where it will eat, and matches each cat to a suitable home. Ask about the cat you like.
Is the RSPCA in Carlisle the same as these rescues?
No. The RSPCA Cumbria North & East Branch is a separate RSPCA branch that rehomes its own cats through its own page; we don't list its animals. Eden Animal Rescue and Oak Tree Animals' Charity are independent charities.
What should I do if I find a stray cat in Carlisle?
Ask neighbours first, then ask a vet to scan it for a microchip: pet cats in England must now be chipped. Oak Tree Animals' Charity can take a found cat only after it has been advertised as lost for at least 7 days.
Keep reading
For rescues and rehoming centres
Are you a rescue near Carlisle? 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: Eden Animal Rescue: home page (appeal) · Eden Animal Rescue: important stuff (fees, process, Cumbria only) · Eden Animal Rescue: cats · Oak Tree Animals' Charity: home page (appointments only) · Oak Tree Animals' Charity: adopting an animal · Oak Tree Animals' Charity: cats (fees) · Oak Tree Animals' Charity: FAQs (found cats) · Farplace Animal Rescue: adoption policy · Farplace Animal Rescue: a cat for adoption (donation, indoor only) · RSPCA Cumbria North & East Branch · Cats Protection: homepage (the Carlisle branch page redirected to it on 2 November 2026) · PDSA: the cost of owning a cat · 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