I’ve Found a Cat

Is the cat feral? 

If the cat you find is very fearful of humans, it may be feral or it 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 it 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 it 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. 

While you are waiting to hear if anyone owns the cat, if it is friendly and ONLY if you are concerned about its welfare if it is left where it is, for example, if the cat is injured or appears weak (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 it with food, fresh water, a litter tray and somewhere to sleep. If you leave the cat where you found it, provide it 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 health of the cat, then you should take the cat straight to a vet if you are able.

Check for a microchip 

If the cat is not wearing a collar with contact details on, he may be microchipped. 

A vet or vet nurse can check whether the cat is microchipped, which can be used to locate the owner if it has one. They will do this free of charge. 

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 it was 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 it was 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.