I’ve Found a Cat
Are you worried that you may have found a lost cat?
Most cats are, by nature, inclined to roam the area surrounding their home. You are likely to come across a stray cat on your travels, although it might be tricky to find out whether it is a stray cat, a feral or is in fact an owned cat with a sense of adventure. So what should you do if you've found a cat? Follow our tips below, or you can contact us on lostandfound@thecatwelfaregroup.org
Is the cat feral?
If the cat you find is very fearful of humans, they may be feral or they may have been lost a long time. Feral cats are cats which have been born in the ‘wild’ away from human company, and so remain wary of human contact. In this case, it will be detrimental to the cat’s welfare to try to take it into a rescue/re-homing centre or your own home or to try to find them a home with people. Please do not try to handle a cat which you believe to be feral – call us!
Catching the cat
If you are catching the cat to take them to the vet, care must be taken to prevent injury to both the cat and yourself, and to minimise the cat’s distress.
Remember that the cat may be scared, injured, or ill. Fear and pain can cause a cat to lash out. Approach the cat slowly from the front, talking to them in a calm, quiet but friendly voice. Use tasty food or treats to try to encourage the cat to approach. It is best to use a towel or blanket to pick up the cat, to prevent you from being bitten or scratched and to help the cat feel safe, before placing them in a cat carrier. Move quickly and decisively but be gentle and do not risk hurting the cat or injuring yourself.
Does the cat have an owner?
If the cat does not appear to be very fearful, then the first thing to do is to try to find out if the cat has an owner. If the cat is lost, there is likely to be a distressed owner out there missing their pet. If you assume that a cat is unowned and then take it away from its home, you may cause distress to both the cat and the owner. So please, knock on doors around where the cat is situated before doing anything else.
Paper collar
If a cat shows up near your home or place of work and seems to linger, placing a paper collar is a great way to find out if they have a home or are really in need of a human’s assistance.
The reason the collar needs to be paper is so that it doesn’t cause the cat any harm along its adventures. It is the same reason if your cat wears a collar, that it is a fast release collar so they don’t get trapped in it.
The harmless act would help as you would notify the owner of the cat that their pet is wondering.
DOWNLOAD OUR PAPER COLLAR HERE
While you are waiting to hear if anyone owns the cat, if they are friendly and ONLY if you are concerned about their welfare if they are left where they are, for example, if it is an area with no homes around, (see below if you are concerned about the health of the cat), you may wish to take them home with you to keep them safe. If you do take the cat home, keep it in a quiet room away from all other household pets and provide them with food, fresh water, a litter tray and somewhere to sleep. If you leave the cat where you found them, provide them with clean water and food, and consider offering some shelter, such as a cardboard box with waterproof covering and a blanket.
Health concerns
If you are concerned about the immediate health of the cat then you should take the cat straight to a vet if you are able, or call a local rescue
Check for a microchip
If the cat is not wearing a collar with contact details on, he may be microchipped. Although a vet can check whether the cat is microchipped, which can be used to locate the owner if they have one, it is better not to displace the cat, so please contact us and one of the team will come to you to scan.
Spreading the word
Social media is a powerful tool to help trace a cat’s owner. Use Facebook and Twitter to post a picture of the cat, a description, where they were found and the date, and ask as many people as possible to share/retweet the post. Post on the pages of local and national rescue and re-homing organisations too. Many places have a local Facebook page, where people post things relevant to the area; post on these pages too. You can find our Facebook page here.
Phone around local rescue/re-homing centres and veterinary practices. An owner may contact these places to ask if their cat has been handed in, so they may be able to help reunite the cat with its owner.
Speak to people in the local area, such as neighbours, staff in local shops and pubs, to find out if anyone is missing a cat.
Put posters up in the local area, with a picture of the cat, description, where they were found, the date and your contact telephone number. Ask to place these on local notice boards and in shops and pubs to increase your reach.