What Cat Haven does

Cat Haven (formally the Cat Welfare Society Inc) is Western Australia's largest and only open-admission cat shelter, founded in 1961 and headquartered at 23 Lemnos Street, Shenton Park. The organisation receives between 7,000 and 9,000 cats and kittens annually and operates an integrated service stack covering rescue, on-site veterinary care, foster care, adoption, boarding, lost-and-found, community outreach and subsidised sterilisation. It is the designated Cat Management Facility for 12 Perth local councils under the Cat Act 2011, and an adoption referral partner for RSPCA Western Australia. Operations are supported by 55 staff, 71+ active volunteers, a network of more than 1,100 foster carers, and 23 External Adoption Centres hosted primarily inside Petbarn stores across the Perth metropolitan area. Cat Haven also runs a reception and retail shop on site, an e-commerce storefront on Shopify, two op shops in Scarborough and Willetton, a Cat Welfare Society membership programme and free crisis services such as emergency boarding and food assistance. Technology usage is limited to operational tools — Shopify for commerce, Adopets for foster-cat listings and adoption applications, Pet Address for microchip registry lookups, PayPal and Shopify Payments for transactions — with no proprietary software platform. The business model is non-profit and diversified across adoption fees (age-tiered from $49 for senior cats to $425 for kittens), boarding ($28.50–$75/day with member discounts), retail, op shop revenue, memberships, donations, bequests (via a Safewill partnership) and the Containers for Change recycling scheme, with only 2-3% of annual operating costs funded by the State Government. The organisation is governed by an elected Board of Management drawn from its 700+ members, with leadership including Gary Westacott (Chair), Heather Crawford (Deputy Chair), Michelle Moroney (Secretary) and Kirstie Beveridge (Treasurer).

Name

Cat Haven

Legal name

Cat Welfare Society Inc

Website

https://cathaven.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Cat Haven is Western Australia's largest open-admission cat shelter, founded in 1961, providing rescue, adoption, foster care, boarding, and veterinary services across Perth to cat owners, foster carers, donors and 12 local councils.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Welfare Services

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (812910), Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (459910)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA)

Keywords

• Cat adoption services
• Cat shelter care
• Foster care program
• Pet boarding services
• Animal welfare rescue

Headquarters

HQ city

Shenton Park

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Adoption Fees: One-time fees charged upon adoption of cats and kittens. Fees vary by age category from $49 for senior cats (15+ years) to $425 for kittens (8 weeks - 6 months).
2. Boarding Services: Cat boarding services with on-site veterinary care available 7 days a week. Rates range from $28.50-$75 per day depending on number of cats and membership status.
3. Retail Shop: E-commerce and physical shop selling cat food (Hills Science Diet, Prescription Diet), treats, toys, bedding, litter, carriers, and Cat Haven merchandise.
4. Membership Program: Annual memberships to the Cat Welfare Society with benefits including 10% in-store discount, 5% boarding discount, Cat Chat magazine, and voting rights.
5. Donations and Fundraising: One-off and regular financial donations, Containers for Change recycling scheme (ID: C10294441), bequests/wills, and fundraising merchandise.
6. Op Shop Revenue: Two op shops in Scarborough and Willetton selling donated clothing, accessories, books, DVDs, homewares and collectables.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cat Haven is Western Australia's largest open-admission cat shelter, providing adoption, foster care, boarding, rescue, and lost-and-found services for cats. The organization also operates an on-site veterinary clinic, two retail op shops, and a Shopify-powered e-commerce storefront selling cat food, toys, bedding, and accessories. It is structured as a non-profit incorporated association (Cat Welfare Society Inc.) funded by adoption fees, donations, boarding revenue, retail sales, and a network of 1,100+ foster carers.

Product overview

Cat Haven operates as WA's largest cat welfare organisation, functioning as an integrated shelter and retail operation. The core offering combines animal welfare services — adoption, foster care, boarding, rescue, and lost-and-found — with a full e-commerce shop powered by Shopify. The product portfolio spans live animal placement services (adoption, foster, rescue) and an extensive retail range covering cat food (Hills Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet), toys, bedding, scratching furniture, litter products, bowls and fountains, health supplies, and carriers. Ancillary services include a membership program with retail and boarding discounts, two Op Shops for fundraising, and community outreach including crisis boarding and subsidised veterinary care. The organisation is structured as the Cat Welfare Society Inc. and is supported by a network of over 1,100 foster carers and 23 external adoption centres.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cat Adoption Services
• Foster Care Program
• Cat Boarding
• Cat Rescue Service
• On-Site Veterinary Clinic
• Lost and Found Cat Services
• Community Outreach Programs
• Op Shops
• Membership Program
• Cat Retail Shop (E-commerce and On-Site)

Quantifiable outcome

• 8.5% euthanasia rate (FY25) - lowest ever achieved with zero healthy/treatable cats euthanised
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Murdoch UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining opportunities for Murdoch University Veterinary students. Students spend practical placements at Cat Haven's shelter Vet Clinic, exposed to wide range of cat health issues, clinical consultations, diagnostic testing, surgery and post-surgical care. Cat Haven works with specialist veterinarians in orthopaedics and ophthalmology for student exposure.
• RSPCA Western AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCat Haven assists RSPCA with rescue of cats and kittens and can provide care for animals when RSPCA facilities are full. Also supports small rescue groups through adoption events and shares donations when surplus.
• 12 Local Councils (Cat Management Facilities)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCat Haven acts as Cat Management Facility for Bayswater, Cambridge, Cottesloe, Claremont, Cockburn, Fremantle, Nedlands, Perth, Stirling, Subiaco, Vincent, and Wanneroo councils under Cat Act 2011. Rangers bring stray cats to Cat Haven.
• Hill's Pet NutritioncoreOthersHill's Science Diet and Prescription Diet cat food sold in shop and provided to boarding cats. Premium Hills Science Diet biscuits included in boarding fees. Hill's Prescription Diet biscuits available at additional charge.
• Containers for ChangeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEnvironmental recycling scheme allowing community to donate 10c per container to Cat Haven using Scheme ID C10294441.
• SafewillminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Safewill offering 50% discount on online will creation for Cat Haven supporters considering bequests.
• Petbarn (External Adoption Centre Partner)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPetbarn stores host cats for adoption as External Adoption Centres. Cats displayed in-store with adoption processed at Petbarn locations across metro area including Subiaco, Booragoon, Kwinana, Innaloo, and Ellenbrook.
• Ruby Benjamin FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSubsidised sterilisation program referral partner for financially disadvantaged cat owners.
• Perth Vet Emergency, Perth Cat Hospital, Balcatta Vet, Murdoch Pet EmergencyminorOthersAfter-hours emergency vet clinic referrals listed on Cat Haven health page for cat owners needing emergency care outside Cat Haven's operating hours.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Humane Society International: Humane Society International operates animal shelter, adoption, and advocacy programs globally across multiple species. It is a broad incumbent peer to Cat Haven's welfare mission, although its operating scale and geographic scope are materially larger.
• ASPCA: The ASPCA is one of the largest and most established animal welfare organizations in the United States, providing shelter, adoption, veterinary, and policy advocacy services across multiple species. It is a broader incumbent analogue given its scale and integrated operating model.

Others

• Petbarn: Petbarn is one of Australia's largest pet retail chains and serves as Cat Haven's primary External Adoption Centre partner, hosting cats in 23 stores. It is not a direct peer in animal welfare but is the most material channel/distribution partner in Cat Haven's adoption model.

Direct peers

• Perth Rescue Angels: Perth Rescue Angels is a volunteer-run cat and kitten rescue group operating in the Perth metro area. It shares Cat Haven's cat-only focus and community/foster-driven model, making it a close niche peer in the same local market.
• Cats Protection: Cats Protection is the UK's leading cat welfare charity, operating a network of shelters, branches, and foster carers focused exclusively on cats. Its cat-only mandate, branch/foster model, and adoption-driven mission closely parallel Cat Haven's operating approach, making it the most analogous international peer.
• Animal Welfare League of WA: AWL WA operates shelters, adoption, and veterinary services across Western Australia, including a cat-focused intake function. It is a regional direct peer with overlapping service lines (shelter, adoption, vet) targeting the same Perth market.
• RSPCA Western Australia: RSPCA WA is the largest animal welfare charity in Western Australia, operating shelters, adoption, veterinary, and inspectorate services across the state. It is the most direct operational peer to Cat Haven, with Cat Haven already assisting RSPCA with overflow cat intake.
• PetRescue: PetRescue is Australia's largest online animal welfare directory and adoption platform, partnering with shelters and rescue groups nationwide. It shares Cat Haven's adoption-mission focus but operates via a digital platform rather than a physical shelter, providing a complementary peer view.
• Best Friends Animal Society: Best Friends Animal Society operates the largest no-kill animal sanctuary in the United States and runs a nationwide adoption/transport network. Its no-kill mission, foster-driven model, and emphasis on euthanasia-rate reduction mirror Cat Haven's strategic direction.
• Saving Animals From Euthanasia (SAFE): SAFE is a WA-based no-kill animal rescue and rehoming organization focused on cats and dogs. It shares Cat Haven's adoption-driven, foster-supported operating model in the same Western Australian market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CatHavenWA
• Instagraminstagram.com/cathavenau
• TikToktiktok.com/@cathavenau
• Xx.com/cathavenwa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cathaven

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cat Haven