Rescue guide
Cat rescues and kittens near Perth and Dundee
Perth is dog country as far as our listings go. Only one cat rescue we list is within reach, and in early November it had a few adult cats and no kittens, while over two thousand searches a month ask for kittens for sale around Perth and Dundee. This guide is honest about that, explains how the two cat charities near Perth work, and shows how to find a kitten without falling for an advert.
By the LocalPetFinder Team · Checked 7 November 2026
The short answer
For a rescue cat near Perth, contact Fife Cat Shelter near Kinross, about 13 miles south: it asks £120 for a neutered cat and never delivers, so you collect in person. Cats Protection also has a volunteer branch in Perth, charging £100 for a cat; we don't list its cats, so search its site. Kittens are seasonal and none were listed with us when we checked on 7 November 2026.
- Rescue adoption fees
- Each rescue sets its own adoption fee, and 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. The fee usually covers neutering, microchipping and first vaccinations, and each rescue confirms its own fee.
- Fife Cat Shelter
- £120 for a neutered cat, paid when you collect. A kitten too young to be neutered costs less, and you sign to have it done by 6 months.
- Cats Protection Perth
- £100 for a cat, covering neutering, vaccinations, a microchip, worming, flea treatment and a health check; kittens cost a little more.
The two cat charities near Perth
Only the first lists its cats with us. Distances are straight line from Perth.
| Charity | Where | Listed with us? | How you adopt | Fee for a cat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fife Cat Shelter | Near Kinross (about 13 miles); cats in two catteries or with fosterers | Yes | Phone to arrange a visit; first come, first served; collect in person | £120 (neutered cat) |
| Cats Protection Perth | Volunteer branch for the PH postcodes | No | Enquire through a cat's listing, then a Homefinder Questionnaire with a volunteer | £100 |
Fife Cat Shelter, near Kinross
A volunteer-run charity since 1993, Fife Cat Shelter boards its cats in dedicated units at two private catteries near Kinross, or with fosterers. Many of its cats come in after an owner dies, moves or develops an allergy, and it calls July its worst month for abandoned cats, pregnant cats and kittens, as holidays are booked.
When we checked on 7 November 2026 its listings were all adults: two pairs of males and a few single cats, several of them shy and suited to an indoor home with no other pets or young children. It doesn't reserve cats, so the first suitable adopter who fills in the forms and pays takes the cat. Ring before you visit; the shelter is closed on Sundays.
Cats Protection Perth
Cats Protection runs a volunteer branch in Perth covering the PH postcodes, licensed by Perth and Kinross Council. You enquire through a cat's listing on its site, and a volunteer then goes through its Homefinder Questionnaire with you to find a match. Its cats aren't on LocalPetFinder.
Which route suits you?
It depends mostly on the cat you want and how soon:
- A calm adult, soon: check our Perth cats page and phone Fife Cat Shelter; its adults go to whoever is ready first.
- A kitten: watch our kittens page and Cats Protection's site, above all in summer: Fife Cat Shelter calls July its worst month for abandoned pregnant cats and kittens. No kitten was listed with us when we checked in November.
- A cat that must live with a dog: say so on the first call, and if you are also adopting a dog, check PADS's cards, which say whether each dog can live with cats.
- You live in Dundee: the shelter is about 25 miles from Dundee, and you must collect the cat yourself, so plan the trip before you apply.
Kittens: what rescues expect from you
A kitten from Fife Cat Shelter may go home before it is old enough to be neutered; you then sign an agreement to have it done by 6 months, and the shelter recommends 4 months if your vet agrees. In Scotland a microchip is optional for cats (gov.uk), but it is the quickest way back for a lost one, and the shelter urges every owner to keep the chip details up to date.
If you searched for "kittens for sale" in Perth or Dundee
A rescue kitten is adopted, not sold. If you buy instead, protect yourself and the kitten:
- Buy from the breeder. Lucy's Law has covered kittens in Scotland since 1 September 2021: the Scottish Government says no third party may sell a cat or dog under six months.
- See the kitten with its mother, in the home where it was born, so you know it was bred there and is old enough to leave.
- Never pay a deposit for a kitten you haven't seen. Report a seller who asks for money up front to Police Scotland.
Found a stray cat?
Fife Cat Shelter's advice is to ask the neighbours first, then have a vet scan the cat for a chip; if no owner turns up, it keeps an unidentified cat for one week before offering it for adoption. A stray dog is different: in Scotland you must report it to the council (mygov.scot).
The law in Scotland
Microchipping cats
In Scotland, microchipping a cat is a choice rather than a legal requirement: gov.uk says owners in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland "can choose to microchip" their cat. Compulsory cat microchipping applies in England only.
Lucy's Law: buying a kitten
In Scotland, Lucy's Law has banned the third-party sale of kittens under six months since 1 September 2021.
Rehoming licences
In Scotland, since 1 September 2021, anyone sourcing five or more animals in any 12-month period to rehome as pets needs a licence (Scottish Government). A licence is a useful sign that a Scottish rescue is what it says it is.
Questions
Tap a question to expand
Is there a cat rescue in Perth?
Cats Protection has a volunteer branch in Perth, and Fife Cat Shelter is near Kinross, about 13 miles south. Only Fife Cat Shelter lists its cats with us.
Where can I get a kitten near Perth or Dundee?
Watch our kittens page and Cats Protection’s site, especially in summer, when Fife Cat Shelter sees the most abandoned kittens. When we checked on 7 November 2026 no kitten was listed with us near Perth.
How much does Fife Cat Shelter charge?
A £120 donation for a neutered cat, paid when you collect it. It does not deliver, so the new owner must collect in person.
Can I reserve a cat at Fife Cat Shelter?
No. It works first come, first served, so a cat goes to the first suitable adopter who completes the forms and pays.
How much does Cats Protection Perth charge?
Its Perth branch charges £100 for a cat, which covers neutering, vaccinations, microchipping, worming, flea treatment and a health check.
Is there a Cats Protection in Dundee?
We could not confirm a Dundee branch page when we checked, so search Cats Protection’s own site with your postcode. The Perth branch covers the PH postcodes.
Are there free kittens near Perth?
Not from a rescue: each charity asks a fee that pays towards neutering, jabs and vet checks. Treat a free kitten advert with care, see it with its mother, and never pay a deposit before you have met it.
Do cats need to be microchipped in Scotland?
No. Compulsory cat microchipping applies in England only; in Scotland it is your choice, though a chip is the surest way to get a lost cat home.
Keep reading
For rescues and rehoming centres
Are you a rescue near Perth? 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: Cats Protection: homepage (Perth branch page cats.org.uk/perth read for the fee and process) · gov.uk: microchipping (cats in Scotland optional) · Scottish Government: further protection for animals (Lucy's Law in Scotland) · Police Scotland: online marketplace fraud · PADS: looking for a home (each dog card says whether it can live with cats) · mygov.scot: report a stray or abandoned dog · gov.uk: Banned dogs · legislation.gov.uk: Microchipping of Dogs (Scotland) Regulations 2016