Following the roaring success of previous shows, Australia’s most beloved event for cat enthusiasts makes its long-awaited return to Melbourne, taking over the Melbourne Showgrounds.
It runs on October 25 and 26 and will be heaven for cat lovers of all ages with an array of feline-inspired entertainment, education and inspiration! And in even more paw-some news, the Melbourne Dog Lovers Festival will be running alongside on the same day, and you will receive FREE entry with your Melbourne Cat Lovers Festival ticket.
Melbourne Cat Lovers Show 2025, Dates, Tickets, Prices & Attractions
Leading cat associations and expert breeders will be on-paw throughout the event to answer all your questions about behaviour, training, solving common cat conundrums and feline health, and providing personality and medical insights you may not know about the breeds represented at the event.
Discover everything you need to know to be the ultimate cat parent with talks from the world’s finest feline experts on the WHISKAS Stage, including Jackson Galaxy “The Cat Daddy” and top-notch vets, trainers, and cat behaviour experts!
An expo will showcase litters of the latest and greatest cat products and services to spoil your kitty. Including new product launches you won’t find in supermarket aisles, Festival specials to save you money, free samples and new cat start-up businesses. From beds to enclosures, litter to food, doors to accessories, cat tech to scratching posts, and everything in between, you can shop ‘til you drop at the Festival with pass-outs allowed so you can stock up the car and return!
Dozens of fantastic tabbies will compete in a live Championship Cat Show at the event, where you can cheer on your favourite breeds and see who wins Best in Show! Keep the kids entertained with Feline Face Painting, and then capture your memorable day in front of our I LOVE CATS sign.
Treat yourself to delights from some of Melbourne’s finest food trucks, and don’t miss the adults-only Paws & Prosecco Bar. Enter the Major Door Prize!
WHISKAS Stage
The WHISKAS Stage is the ultimate education destination for learning more about the health and well-being of our fantastic felines.
Discover everything you need to know about your cat, what makes them tick, and how to better care for them (if they let you!) on the WHISKAS Stage.
WHISKAS Kitty Corner
Watch as a range of beautiful cats and kittens bound, leap and play in our giant custom-built Cat Forest enclosure… then when it’s time for a snuggle, sneak a peek as they settle in for a well-deserved cat nap.
Designed to show cats at play, this beautiful new attraction will feature two breed-specific enclosures full of Catification units aimed at showcasing how you can enrich your Cats’ playtime!
With Breeders onsite to answer questions, visitors can learn more about the featured breeds via freestanding digital screens featuring entertaining video content of cute Kitty antics and interesting cat facts!
Shop ’til you drop!
The beating heart of the Cat Lovers Festival is a feline-inspired Expo showcasing some of the latest and greatest products and services for spoiling your cat.
From premium nutrition, tasty treats & interactive toys to cat enclosures, litter and stylish accessories for your feline friend – it’s a great place to stock up for the year with many products & services focusing on cat well-being and happiness.
The Cat Lovers Festival could not have happened without our valued Exhibitors and Sponsors. We encourage you to support these wonderful businesses that are participating, especially as they love cats just as much as we do.
Many Exhibitor companies are also offering festival specials to help save you money and giving away free samples for your feline to test out and enjoy when you get home. There are also lots of exciting New Products being launched over the weekend for all you early adopters!
Exhibitors will also be accepting credit card and EFTPOS payments directly from their stand and pre-orders, but it also helps to have some cash on hand to buy all the cool little cat accessories and treats in the shows.
Breed Showcase
The Breed Showcase presents 30+ well-known & rare cat breeds to meet & learn about.
The Breed Showcase invites visitors to get up close and personal with popular and rare cat breeds at the largest gathering of cats in Australia! The country’s leading cat associations and expert breeders will be on hand to answer questions about cat behaviour, training, and medical and personality traits, from kitten to adult, for each specific breed. Visitors can gather trusted, reliable information on literally dozens of cats from the Governing Council of the Cat Fanciers, Australian National Cats (ANCATS), and the Feline Control Council Council, all under one roof!
Visitors also met a wide range of breeds in our BlackHawk Pat-A-Cat Zone, where they had the opportunity to get to know each breed on a more personal level and answer the question about which cat breed best suits their lifestyle.
Adoption Zone
Every homeless Cat deserves the opportunity to find a loving, well-suited fur-ever home and family.
Discover if cat adoption is right for you, learn what’s involved in the adoption process, and meet cats available to adopt now in the Adoption Zone.
Leading rescue groups and shelters across Victoria have been provided free space to exhibit at the Melbourne Cat Lovers Festival. We are committed to raising awareness for cat rescue and helping to reduce the number of abandoned and homeless felines.
Adoption can be a life-changing, joyful experience, and we always encourage you to consider Adoption First when looking to welcome a new cat into your home.
Championship Cat Show
The Australian National Cats Inc (ANCATS) is a unique organisation responsive to the needs of all cats, their owners, and breeders. It provides valuable information on how to find reputable breeders and care for your cat.
ANCATS is also the first and only national cat registry and is affiliated with the World Cat Federation.
Dozens of rare and popular breeds will compete to win big cash prizes, plus treats, toys and biscuits. It is a unique opportunity for the feline-loving public to see how a professional cat competition is run and judged.
The competition zone also allows visitors to meet and interact with many competing cats and speak directly with leading breeders from throughout Australia.
Black Hawk Pat-A-Cat
Meeting, interacting and connecting with a cat is one of life’s absolute joys.
Pat-A-Cat is always one of the most popular attractions at the Cat Lovers Festival, and thanks to the awesome team at Black Hawk, the feature will be expanded in 2025 with more beautiful cats, more pods and a much bigger space!
Meeting and enjoying the unique company of feline friends has many human health and well-being benefits so that Black Hawk Pat-A-Cat will be one of the star attractions at the Sydney Cat Lovers Festival. It provides the perfect opportunity to chill out with cool cats and enjoy feel-good endorphins.
Kitty Cosplay ‘Best in Show’
Add a little feline flare to your outfit at the Cat Lovers Festival for your chance to WIN $250.
Join the biggest cat-dress-up party in Australia. Whether you’re a seasoned cosplayer or just starting, our competition is open to all ages. Come and show off your skills by creating an impressive feline-inspired costume for your chance to share in cash prizes!
Don’t miss your chance to sashay down the pink carpet and onto the WHISKAS® Stage to participate in the Kitty Cosplay fashion parade!
Paws & Prosecco Bar
Is there a better way to celebrate our love of all things feline than by enjoying a glass of bubbles?
Our Paws & Prosecco Bar is perfect for those among us who enjoy indulging in an uplifting glass of bubbles as they celebrate their love for cats! It is also a great excuse to spend a little ‘me’ (or ‘we’!) time at the festival with your friends and put your feet up! The Paws & Prosecco Bar will be open from 11.00am till 4.30pm, daily. A selection of delicious muffins, tea cakes, doughnuts, Portuguese tarts, and gourmet toasties was also available.
Feline Face Painting
The Feline Face Painting allows kids to have their face painted in the image of their favourite cat breed from a wide range of options.
Feline-inspired face painting for kids (and kids at heart) is always one of the most popular activities at the event. We are delighted to welcome another talented team of make-up artists at the 2025 Festival to transform visitors into their favourite feline!
Kids who dream of looking like their cat can select from a range of designs of much-adored kitties, and then our skilled face-painting artists will transform their visage.
Designs start from $5. Please note that, given its popularity, wait times are likely during busy show times.
Food, Drink & Food Trucks
Visitors may enjoy an array of food and beverages at the Festival, from cafes, food trucks, and more!
No festival is complete without mouth-watering culinary delights, and this year, our Feline Food Trucks zone presents some of Melbourne’s most popular food trucks for visitors to take a break and enjoy throughout the day.
Feline fans can also enjoy a delicious array of food in the Main Cafe, which offers a cat-inspired menu with gluten-free and vegan options.
Getting There
Located just 7km from Melbourne CBD and 15 minutes from Melbourne Airport, Melbourne Showgrounds is easily accessible by public transport or car.
By Public Transport
Please see the details below. We recommend you also visit Public Transport Victoria for the most up-to-date information on transport advice on the day.
Arriving by Bus
Bus No. 472 (Williamstown to Moonee Ponds) stops along Langs Road.
Bus No. 404 (Footscray to Moonee Ponds) stops on the corner of Epsom and Ascot Vale Roads.
Arriving by Tram
Route 57 tram (West Maribyrnong to Elizabeth Street, City), stops at stop 32 (Showgrounds Village Shopping Centre on Epsom Road). Please note that the previously serviced stop 33 is no longer in use. Please listen to onboard announcements or check with your tram driver.
PTV has agreed to run additional trams during the festival.
Arriving by Train
Melbourne Showgrounds has its own train station that has been approved to operate for the Melbourne Dog Lovers Festival. Trains will run every 20 minutes with the first train arriving at 9:20am and the last train departing at 5:30pm.
Trains from Flinders Street Station will stop at Southern Cross, North Melbourne and will then run express to Melbourne Showgrounds.
Trains departing from the Melbourne Showgrounds will run express to North Melbourne, then stop at Southern Cross and Flinders Street Station.
By Taxi or Ride Share
To get to the Melbourne Showgrounds, ask your taxi or ride share (e.g., Uber) driver to drop you off at Gate 7.
By Car
Address: Epsom Rd, Ascot Vale VIC
Melbourne Showgrounds provides limited onsite parking for events.
Do You Have a Question to Ask?