Rescue guide
Cat rescues in Southampton and Portsmouth, compared
Cats are easier to find than dogs around Portsmouth and Southampton: there is a cat adoption hub with a tea room at Waterlooville, a cat and rabbit centre at Sidlesham, and shelters at Fair Oak and Mansbridge. This guide compares their fees, how each handles applications, and the rules on roads, kittens and other pets that decide who gets a cat.
By the LocalPetFinder Team · Checked 5 November 2026
The short answer
For a cat near Portsmouth, Purrfect Paws Feline Welfare at Waterlooville lets you meet its cats at its hub, open Tuesday to Saturday, and charges £160 for a cat. The Cat & Rabbit Rescue Centre at Sidlesham, about 13 miles east, charges £90 and lets a cat go home the day you meet it once your home visit is done. From Southampton, try Second Chance at Mansbridge and St Francis Animal Welfare at Fair Oak.
- 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.
- The Cat & Rabbit Rescue Centre
- £90 an adult cat, £110 a kitten, and £50 for a cat over 12.
- St Francis Animal Welfare
- £100 a cat and £150 a kitten.
- Purrfect Paws Feline Welfare
- £160 a cat, £200 a kitten, covering neutering, a microchip and four weeks' insurance.
- Phoenix Rehoming and HappyCats Rescue
- Phoenix charges £145 to £195 a cat. HappyCats asks at least £175 for a cat aged five months to 10 years and £125 for one over 10.
- Owning a cat
- PDSA estimates a cat costs at least £11,400 to £13,600 over its whole life, so the adoption fee is a small part.
Cat rescues around Southampton and Portsmouth compared
The first three had cats listed with us within 25 miles of Portsmouth on 5 November 2026, and the next three join them now. Each sets its own checks and fee; we only show the cats.
| Rescue | Where | Cats | How you adopt | Adult cat fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Cat & Rabbit Rescue Centre | Sidlesham, near Chichester (about 13 miles) | Many older cats; rabbits too | Apply online; virtual home visit; meet by appointment | £90 |
| St Francis Animal Welfare | Fair Oak, near Eastleigh (about 15 miles) | Cats, kittens, small pets | Register; viewing if it has a match | £100 |
| Second Chance Animal Rescue (Southampton) | Mansbridge, Southampton (about 16 miles) | Cats, often pairs | Enquiry form; viewing by appointment | Not published |
| Purrfect Paws Feline Welfare | Hub and tea room, Waterlooville | Cats and kittens | Enquiry form; checks and a home visit | £160 |
| Phoenix Rehoming | Foster homes; each cat's town shown | Cats and dogs | Form; meet in the foster home | £145 to £195 |
| HappyCats Rescue | Foster homes around Bordon | Cats and kittens | Application form only; video or photo home check | £175 |
How each cat rescue works
A quick read of each charity's routine saves a wasted trip; some only reply when they have a cat that fits.
Purrfect Paws Feline Welfare, Waterlooville
Purrfect Paws runs a rescue and rehoming hub with a tea room on Stakes Hill Road, Waterlooville, so you can sit with the cats over a cup of tea from Tuesday to Saturday (Saturdays are booking only). To adopt, fill in its enquiry form online or at the hub; checks and a home visit follow.
Its cats page says it only replies when a cat matches what you want, and that it will take a cat back if your circumstances change. On 5 November 2026 it had adults that wanted to be the only pet and a bonded pair of young brothers.
The Cat & Rabbit Rescue Centre, Sidlesham
Over the county line in West Sussex, The Cat & Rabbit Rescue Centre rehomes within 50 miles of Sidlesham, which takes in Portsmouth and Southampton. You apply on a cat's page, staff work through applications in order, and the home visit is done by 4 to 5 photos or a video. After that, book a meeting; if you and the cat get on, it can go home that day.
When we checked on 5 November 2026, nearly half of its cats listed with us were 9 or older, and any cat over 12 joins its Golden Oldies at a £50 fee. Its cats are on our Cat & Rabbit Rescue Centre page.
St Francis Animal Welfare, Fair Oak
St Francis is a small shelter on Mortimers Lane, Fair Oak, taking in strays and owners' animals since 1953. It doesn't show people round; you register your interest and it offers a viewing when it has a cat for you. Fees are £100 a cat and £150 a kitten. Its cats are on our St Francis page.
Second Chance Animal Rescue, Mansbridge
Second Chance at Mansbridge has rehomed animals in Southampton for over 40 years. Use the enquiry form on its cats page and check your junk folder for the reply; it holds your details for a month, so send the form again if you are still looking after that. Its cats are on our Second Chance page.
HappyCats Rescue and Phoenix Rehoming, foster homes
Founded in 2012, HappyCats Rescue is based in Bordon and rehomes anywhere in the UK. Its criteria are firm: an application form only, kittens in pairs unless you already have a suitable cat, no homes on busy roads or near railway lines, and written landlord permission if you rent. It takes a £50 deposit only after a successful viewing.
Phoenix Rehoming fosters cats as well as dogs; each listing gives the town, and you go to the foster home to meet the cat. Its cats come with five weeks of Agria insurance.
Which cat rescue suits your home
Start with the cats on our Portsmouth cats page, then think about these points:
- A busy road outside. HappyCats Rescue won't home a cat on a busy road, and Second Chance asks for kitten homes away from main roads.
- One kitten or two. HappyCats homes kittens in pairs unless a suitable cat already lives with you.
- Wanting to drop in. Purrfect Paws is the one where you can see cats at its hub in opening hours; the others work by appointment.
- An older cat. The Cat & Rabbit Rescue Centre charges £50 for a cat over 12, and HappyCats £125 for one over 10.
Isle of Wight cats
If you live on the Island, Feline Welfare fosters cats around the Isle of Wight. It rehomes only on the Island, so it can't place a cat with a Portsmouth or Southampton family. Islanders should contact it directly.
The Stubbington Ark, Hampshire Paws and strays
The RSPCA Solent Branch rehomes cats from The Stubbington Ark in Fareham through its own website, after a home check and proof of vet registration; we don't list RSPCA cats. Hampshire Paws Animal Rescue fosters a few cats as well as dogs, and checks your home before you meet any animal.
Found a cat that seems lost? Pet cats in England must be microchipped, so ask a vet to scan it first. For kittens, see our rescue kittens guide.
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
Is there a cat rescue in Southampton?
Yes. Second Chance Animal Rescue at Mansbridge rehomes cats, and St Francis Animal Welfare is at Fair Oak, near Eastleigh. Both list cats with us, and both work by appointment.
Is there a cat rescue in Portsmouth?
Purrfect Paws Feline Welfare runs a cat rehoming hub with a tea room at Waterlooville, just north of the city. The Cat & Rabbit Rescue Centre at Sidlesham, about 13 miles east, rehomes to Portsmouth too.
How much does it cost to adopt a cat near Portsmouth?
The Cat & Rabbit Rescue Centre charges £90 for an adult cat, St Francis Animal Welfare £100, Purrfect Paws £160, and HappyCats Rescue at least £175. Phoenix Rehoming charges £145 to £195.
Which cat rescues cover Hampshire?
Purrfect Paws at Waterlooville, St Francis Animal Welfare at Fair Oak, Second Chance at Mansbridge, HappyCats Rescue around Bordon and Phoenix Rehoming's foster homes, plus The Cat & Rabbit Rescue Centre at Sidlesham in West Sussex.
Can I adopt an older cat near Portsmouth?
You can. On 5 November 2026 The Cat & Rabbit Rescue Centre had plenty of cats aged 9 or more listed with us, and it charges £50 for one over 12, and HappyCats Rescue asks £125 for a cat over 10.
Can I adopt a cat from the Isle of Wight if I live in Portsmouth?
Not from Feline Welfare, which rehomes its cats only on the Island. Mainland rescues such as Purrfect Paws and The Cat & Rabbit Rescue Centre cover Portsmouth.
Why hasn't a cat rescue replied to my form?
Often because it has no cat that matches yet. Purrfect Paws replies only when it has a match, and Second Chance keeps your details for a month, so resubmit after that if you are still looking.
Keep reading
For rescues and rehoming centres
Are you a rescue near Portsmouth? 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: Purrfect Paws Feline Welfare: home page (hub, hours) · Purrfect Paws Feline Welfare: cats for adoption (fees) · The Cat & Rabbit Rescue Centre: adopt a cat (fees) · The Cat & Rabbit Rescue Centre: our adoption process · St Francis Animal Welfare: home page · St Francis Animal Welfare: adoption fees · Second Chance Animal Rescue (Southampton): home page · Second Chance Animal Rescue (Southampton): cats · Phoenix Rehoming: adopt (cat fees) · HappyCats Rescue: home page · HappyCats Rescue: cats needing homes (donations) · HappyCats Rescue: adoption criteria · Feline Welfare: rehoming (Isle of Wight only) · Hampshire Paws Animal Rescue: about us · RSPCA Solent Branch: adopting from the Ark · gov.uk: microchipping for cats becomes compulsory · 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