Come out to Cat Beach and fall in love!
Your New Cat will love you for a lifetime!
Meowy Thanks for your interest in adopting a Cat Beach Cat!
Adoption of a Cat Beach Cat is FREE! But you will have to pay for a health check and to prepare the supplies your new cat will need.
Please understand that Cat Beach Sanctuary cares for homeless cats rescued from desperate life-or-death situations. Cat Beach Cats usually arrive sick, injured or traumatised. The CB Team does their best to rehabilitate but it is important that all cats receive a health check from a professional veterinarian before going to its new home.
Cat Beach Sanctuary as policy does not support the sale of cats, especially when there are so many in need of caring homes. Every adoption makes space for more intakes – Adoption saves lives! Please Adopt, Don’t Shop!
ADOPTION REQUIREMENTS
To adopt a Cat Beach cat, the Sanctuary requires:
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- A Pre-Adoption Application
- Carry Case or Cage — to take a cat home (no cat should ever roam free in a car!)
- Car Transport Please no motorcycles or bicycles for transport. Cats are not allowed on buses. Grab and other services often (but not always) will accept cats for transport in carriers. Please never place animals in the boot (trunk) of a car or leave an animal in a closed car. Please treat your new cat the same as you would a child.
- Vet Appointment — for health assessment, vaccination and age appropriate sterilization (spay/neuter). Please note that all Cat Beach Cats are rescues and may have unknown illness or injury.
- A Signed Adoption Form — a simple agreement promising that you will take good care of your cat.
- Donations are not required but gratefully accepted. Please consider the efforts of the Cat Beach team to care for your new cat, the costs of sheltering, and the many other cats in need.
Click here to apply to adopt a Cat Beach Cat: PRE-ADOPTION APPLICATION FORM
“A HOUSE IS NOT A HOME WITHOUT A CAT”
We would like everyone to have a cat in their life. But it is a responsibility and a serious commitment. Adopting a cat means you promise to care for it for its lifetime – it becomes a member of your family.
Slideshow – Adopt a Cat – Thinking about adopting?
Slideshow – Preparing for Your New Cat
25 Questions to Consider before Adopting a Cat
Adoption is a process. Please understand it may take a few days or more. Our team needs time to look up the cat’s history and evaluate its health condition. We also want to give you time to prepare yourself and your home.
Getting any pet animal should not be an “impulse buy”! Please think carefully about the time, money, and environment – so you and your cat will have a lifetime of joy together.
PREPARING FOR YOUR NEW CAT
You will have some expenses when adopting a cat – we estimate RM 3 to RM5 per day. All cats leaving the Sanctuary must go to a veterinarian for health check and schedule parasite treatments and age appropriate vaccinations and sterilization.
Then you will want to get a few supplies ready before bringing your cat home, starting with a car-safe cat carrier, food and water bowls, cat food and a poop tray with cat litter or newspaper lining. And we know you and Your New Cat will probably go a little crazy for Kitty Toys! Cat trees, cat beds, even a catio — the fun is just beginning!
Come to Cat Beach Sanctuary and let a cat choose you. There are so many friendly cats just waiting to meet ‘their purr-son!’ You can make all the difference in the quality of the life of a cat — by giving it a well-prepared and very loving home!
ADOPTION CONSIDERATIONS
WELCOME HOME! THE FIRST DAY: This major lifechange will be stressful for your cat!
Please consider that cats are vulnerable to stress – it is the #1 killer of cats. Becoming stressed can lower the cat’s immunity. Try to make the transition as low-stress for your cat (and yourself) as possible.
- Before opening the cat’s carrier, doublecheck doors and windows are closed and there is nowhere for the cat to escape – it will probably be scared and the instinct may be to run and hide. Check for any possible dangers – chemicals, toxic plants or room scents like deodorizers, toxic foods, other animals or noisy children.
- Give the cat a quiet place to get comfortable – setting it up in a bathroom for a few days can be ideal. Provide water, food, toilet tray, and soft bedding. Leave the carrier door open so the cat can retreat into its “cave” if it wants to. It is a good idea to leave the carrier available somewhere in your home always. It makes it easier for both you and the cat for the next vet visit.
FOOD: At Cat Beach, the cats are fed both dry kibble (biscuits), canned food from various manufacturers, and boiled chicken or fish. We suggest feeding your cat boiled chicken for the first few days at your home to keep tummy troubles and diarrhea to a minimum. Changing food can upset delicate tummies. Talk to your vet about cat nutrition and any issues that may come up such as diarrhea.
You will need to decide how often and how much to feed – another good thing to talk to your vet about! Young cats need a lot of nutrients so Cat Beach feeds them “Junior Food” which comes in pouches. Senior cats need food that will soothe liver, kidney, skin and other issues that may come up with age. Adult cats typically will nibble a little bit as much as 15 times a day. With many cats at Cat Beach, we practice “free feeding” – providing clean fresh water and dry kibble 24/7 so the cats can eat whenever they wish – this helps build confidence for cats that may have been starving on the streets. Cat Beach also puts out wet food 3 times per day and more for kittens and momcats. Wet food includes commercial cat food mixed with rice, and boiled chicken or fish plus vitamin and other supplements added.
HEALTH: The best protection for cats’ health is to keep them indoors at all times in your home. Pet owners need to understand that cats that come in contact with outdoor cats may catch or carry diseases, even if they have no symptoms. Kittens may contract illnesses from their mothers before birth or when nursing. Genetic, age-related or latent diseases may not manifest until senior years. At least once a year, a health assessment by a qualified veterinarian is highly recommended.
Cat Beach cats are rescued from truly desperate situations and may have illnesses or injuries that may require veterinary care in the future. We can make no guarantees for the health or survival of cats that are adopted from the sanctuary. You do have the option to return the cat to Cat Beach at any time if you are unable to give it good care.
Please understand that our all-volunteer staff does the very best we can to provide a good life for the cats. Veterinarians tell us cats so often disguise symptoms of illness or injuries. That is why it is important that at the time of adoption, a professional licensed veterinarian should assess the cat for health issues. At that vet visit, the cat should receive anti-parasite treatment, vaccination (if not already done), as well as schedule surgery (female spay / male neuter (castration). While tests can be costly, it is strongly suggested that veterinarians test for common cat illnesses. Please speak to the vet about suggested tests, and appropriate diet, supplements or medications.
ENVIRONMENT Indoors or Outdoors or Both? You will need make some important decisions about your cat’s future life. The Cat Daddy, Jackson Galaxy, believes all pet cats should be kept safely indoors or be confined when outdoors in a “catio” or other enclosure. While there are very few diseases that humans can catch from cats which makes them among the safest pets to own, there are many dangers to cats from humans, especially when allowed to roam outside. Cats may not be ‘street smart’ or quick enough to avoid cars, motorcycles or bicycles and may even try to climb inside engines. Many stories have been heard of children, teens, and adults harming cats by accident or on purpose. Dumping unwanted cats or kittens is animal abuse — and now in Malaysia with the Animal Welfare Act of 2015, cruelty to animals is unlawful. If you happen to see or hear of cats abandoned or harmed in any way, please try to get a video and report it to the police, the Department of Veterinary Services, and other authorities.
Life Indoors: Indoors cats, too, need your careful thought for their protection. Please check over your home before bringing in your new cat for possible dangers. Monitor your cat and try to prevent accidents.
A bird flying by an open window or balcony may tempt your cat to chase it – veterinarians can tell you that cats falling off buildings is a major issue. House plants and flowers like lilies and poinsettias are toxic to cats. Cats are very sensitive to chemicals — cleaners like Dettol and bleach are poisonous to cats but can be used if rinsed off with clean water after cleaning. Herbal sprays, aromatherapy essences, even scented candles can trigger allergic reactions or seizures which can be fatal to cats. .
Remember cats are curious and can get into the oddest places and may get stuck. Cats will climb into boxes, drawers, hide under beds and in closets, curl up in laundry machines, dishwashers, or refrigerators. Please just keep checking on your cat’s whereabouts and activities. Some Cat Beach rules are to always close the toilet lid and put tops back on garbage pails asap — good policies to prevent germ spread and cats have been known to drink toilet water and even to fall into toilets and become trapped inside garbage bins and plastic bags. Again, just please check you know where your cat is to be safe and not sorry.
FINANCES: Cat Care expenses for homeowners may average as little as RM 3 (75 cents in USD) per day for each cat (times 365 days in the year = RM 730). At the Sanctuary, we work with a budget of RM 1000 to RM 1200 per cat per year — RM100 (25 USD) per month per cat times 300+/- cats and kittens in various degrees of health (many come to us sick or injured and with the help of veterinarians, we try to rehabilitate them to prepare for adoption).
Your costs will include food, cat supplies and don’t forget you will need to invest in cleaning supplies. This is a rough estimate of your future cat care costs for a year. You should also budget for additional costs for Vet Visits, typically at most vet clinics, these run about RM 40 to 50 for vaccination, RM 150 to 300 for sterilization.
Learn more about the special discounts offered through our partnership with the Windsor Animal Hospital — just RM30 for vaccinations, RM50 for male castrations, RM80 for female spaying. Go to our OPERATION SNIPSNIP page to learn more at
OPERATION SNIPSNIP
And of course, put aside a bit for the fun things as you will want to get your cat toys and other treats!
DAMAGE: Plan also for the not-so-fun like minor damage to furniture (yes, cats have claws and some like to knock things on to the floor, some even like to remove the keys from the computer keyboard). Be prepared for the possibility of messes, especially in the early days when the cat is learning its new environment.
BEHAVIOR: There are no bad cats. Never punish a cat for making a mistake — they just become stressed and upset which can lead to illness. Instead, teach it what you expect – cats are smart and learn fast! To stop a cat in its tracks from doing something naughty, blow in its face!
For example, for scratching issues, give it a scratching post or cardboard and demonstrate how to use it. Put the cat into a litter pan if it pees or poops in the wrong place – most cats will learn quickly. Clean the litter pans often, at least once a day. Watch the cat carefully if it does make a ‘mistake’ outside its litter pan; there is the possibility that it may have a urinary or intestinal problem that needs veterinary attention.
AWAY TIMES: Please give some thought to boarding costs or having a responsible person care for your cat when you need to be away from home. Think too about how lonely a cat can become if no one is home all day. We do recommend that ‘two cats are better than one’ even if they are not best friends at the start. Normally cats like to socialize with their own kind, unless they get lots of attention from their ‘person.’
Other things you should consider:
LIVING ENVIRONMENT – Where will my cat live in my home? Designate 4 separate areas: 1) sleeping 2) eating 3) playing and 4) toilet.
Keep toilets as far away as possible from food. Listen to and watch your cat — you and your cat may need to negotiate if the cat doesn’t like your choices (yes, cats are intelligent!).
Will my cat be able to go outdoors? If so, how will you be sure it is safe and can return to your home at night? What are the potential safety hazards in your home and neighborhood? (Examples: motorbikes, cars, dogs, other cats, predator animals, neighbors that put poisonous things on their lawns and gardens, etc.)
How will my cat relate to humans? Some cats are shy, others bold. As you get to know the temperament and preferences of your cat, you can also teach and learn from them. If you have any behavioral problems, please contact Cat Beach or go online to the many cat advice sites.
Here’s a checklist of items you will want to make you and your cat feel comfortable in its new home:
Please feel free to download the Your New Cat pdf which is shared from Google Drive and updated from time-to-time. If you have difficulties with access, please contact us at catlovers.my@gmail.com and we will email the handout to you directly.
We can also recommend the publications by the animal food manufacturer, Royal Canin, especially their Kitten Guide at http://www.royalcanin.com.au/kitten-cat/kittens/kitten-guide. And the Kitten Lady’s publications and videos at www.kittenlady.org.
Many other resources are available on the internet.