1. Talk to a shelter - many have cats that are former strays, and need to be rehomed in a minimal-contact environment. Your next step is to do everything you can to find your stray cat’s owner and return them to the family. Strong-smelling foods like tuna or canned cat food make good choices. As a stress response to being lost or abandoned a stray cat will neglect its hygiene. In order to get assistance, you must first Catch a Stray Cat. The presence of either one indicates that the cat in question is not a feral cat. Cats are free spirits and like to wander. Buying a cat? Stray cats are socialised domestic cats who don't appear to have an owner. If the vet finds that your new cat does have parasites, you will want to invest in a cat flea and tick treatment, like a cat flea shampoo or topical flea treatment. Why not adopt from us instead? Your nearest local veterinary clinic or organisation will be able to scan the microchip to learn details of the cat’s family and reunite them with their owners. The food needs to be wet food which the cat cannot pick up easily. If you suspect the kitty has been separated from his owner, or if she’s a stray that needs medical attention, it’s critical you find a safe way to catch her and get her the help she needs. Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website. If the cat appears to be a healthy weight and well groomed, it might belong to someone else. You should also talk to your veterinarian to see if they recommend a more comprehensive prescription flea and tick preventative that will help handle the current problem and prevent future ones. This ——–>LIVE TRAP----- is one possible option to consider. The stress of ‘being on the street’ and having to source their own food can result in a usually well-groomed house cat appearing dirty and disheveled. If there are no easy and visible signs of identification or if no family comes forward to claim them, then you will need to take the stray cat to a local veterinary clinic or to another organisation, such as the nearest Cats Protection branch. To keep up to date, click here. Catching a stray cat usually takes a little bit more cunning and quite a bit more time than is needed to catch a dog. Blue Cross finds homes for many stray cats each year and we are happy to help stray cats that are brought to our centres, but we are only able to take them in if we have space. Tell the difference between a stray and a pet. Try and cover them with a blanket before picking them up—it protects you from their claws. If the cat is friendly to approach, check the collar for ID tags. This article has outlined the steps you should take if you have found a stray cat. Strays have had human contact before, though as that contact lessens they may become feral. Try to approach the stray. If the cat is friendly to approach, check the collar for ID tags. Find out how to identify if a cat is stray or feral by clicking on the post in the 'Related articles' section below. Contact local shelters to file a “Found Cat Report.” Contact the shelter in the county where the cat was found, as well as neighboring counties if they are close by. Important: Due to the coronavirus crisis, we have had to make changes to our current services. If the cat is friendly enough to approach, check if there is a collar or ID tags - If it belongs to someone , you can give them a call to arrange a happy reunion. What starts out as a humanitarian effort often becomes a desire to adopt the wayward kitty. If the stray cat is injured or sick, best practice is to call the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) on 0300 1234 999. Frequently, ‘strays’ are found under the hood of cars, where the engine gives off heat hours after being turned off. The first way to catch a stray cat with food is to simply leave a can or dish of wet food at the back of a pet carrier with the door open. A stray cat is a domestic cat who did have a caretaker but has left or lost their home. Do not assume, then, that the cat you have found is a stray. Provide the cat with food and clean water. Sometimes catching a cat or kitten is easier said than done though. Work for us A recently stray cat may also be more approachable thanks to their familiarity with people. Stray cats might look lost and disorientated, but may be friendly if given time. You can also consult a lost and found register. Follow the guide above to test its effectiveness right now and let me know your experience. Both lost strays and outdoor pets can be skittish or friendly, so it's... 2. What should I do if I find a stray cat? If there are any questions, you can always ask me in the comment section below. If they are, this collar should have the contact details of their family on it. If the stray cat is friendly, approach them and check to see if they are wearing a collar. A lost cat might be nervous, particularly if it is sick or injured. If the cat is injured, you can take it to your nearest veterinary practice immediately. Check local newspapers and listings to see if anyone has posted a similar cat missing. While you are hunting for the family, it is important to try and take care of the cat to the best of your ability. The next thing you can look for is the presence of something that would indicate human contact. After Determining the Cat is a Stray (i.e., Lost or Abandoned) The only sure way to know whether or not a cat is a stray is to find its owner. Trending Content From Update Your Cat With a little patience and lots of love, everything shall be fine. If there are no visible signs of ownership, take the cat to your nearest vet to scan for a microchip, or call your local Cats Protection branch for help. However, if this isn’t causing any problem in your community, there isn’t a reason why you shouldn’t feed stray cats. News Download the stray and feral cats guide. When the cat enters to eat the food, you can close the door and trap them. If you would like to keep the cat, you usually can. Contact can then be made with the owners to arrange a happy reunion. Many of the stray cats who came through our doors had clearly lived in a home before, but without a microchip we had no way of reuniting them with their loving owners. Remember, cats are inclined to wander and may already belong to a family. Is it a stray cat? picking it up or by using a pillowcase or other type of bag. A dried-out flea and worm collar suggest the animal has been away from home for some time. Another safe space for cats during the snowfall season is the pile of recyclable cardboard boxes waiting to get disposed of in the garage of your extremely lazy or busy neighbor. Contact us These organisations will do their best to find the owners or find them a new and loving home. 3. Attach a paper collar. Feeding feral and stray cats is generous, but they need health care as well. It’s really unfortunate if this happens for a stray cat… If we are unable to take the stray cat in we can help you find an alternative solution. With these things in mind, some of the most common places to find stray cats are: Look Close to Home That’s right, despite being hard to find, cats usually stick near to residential houses. For example, call the National Helpline on 03000 12 12 12 for details of your nearest Cats Protection branch, which will likely have a lost and found register. Social media tends to be very effective for this, Twitter especially. The first step to take is to catch the cat. Meanwhile, there is a family on the other end of this situation searching for their cat with no idea what may have happened to them. Please contact your nearest Blue Cross rehoming centre to see if we have space to look after them. CP Portal At the same time, a stray cat is usually a hungry cat, so it may be possible to lure it close to you with food. RH17 7TT, Reg Charity 203644 (England and Wales) and SC037711 (Scotland). Make sure you have carefully considered the decision to keep a cat, however. These cats are often found homes as 'barn' cats, … Feral cats are used to living without human assistance and will maintain their coats, though their coats will seem rougher than the coat of an outdoor cat with a home. Ask your neighbours if they recognise the cat or check out local newspapers and Facebook groups for listed missing pets. The cat you've encountered might be a stray, feral or even an owned cat. They have an agreement with the British Veterinary Association regarding care for sick or injured animals. In other words, look for a flea collar or an ID chip embedded in the ear. I really want a cat, and I want to rescue one outside that's dying, instead of from a shelter where they are cared for because my local shelter is a no kill shelter. If they are not wearing a collar, try and ask around to see if anyone in the neighbourhood has lost a cat. If the cat belongs to a home in the local area, news may travel back to the family. How to Take Care of Your Cat This Winter? Check for a microchip. Pay attention to where you’ve seen the stray cat, and leave some food in the area. There are several of factors to consider with regard to trapping a cat. 2. How to make a stray cat shelter - Meow!Blog. Become a Friendly Finder. Bringing Home a Stray Cat. Figure out whether the animal is feral or a stray. Where I live does not have many stray cats, how can I find one? When a stray cat comes around a home, many people will feed him and try to make him comfortable. It is not unusual to find stray cats roaming the streets of the UAE. If the cat appears to be a healthy weight and well groomed, it might belong to someone else. There are a number of no kill traps. Check for tags. Guardians may call shelters and pounds when looking for a lost cat, and shelters sometimes keep lists to match inquiries. Strays are generally a bit more trusting of humans though, and most can learn to trust again. If the cat is uninjured and you can take it to a vet, they will be able to find out if it has a microchip and get in touch with the owners. You can also be proactive. Here are a few steps you can take to try and identify the cat. Feeding stray cats is a topic that brings a lot of controversies since some people argue that feeding stays will attract even more cats that will result in a colony. What to Do with a Stray Cat Before you attempt to trap the cat, try to contact a no-kill shelter and find out about trap, neuter, return (TNR) programs in your area. But before doing that, read through our guide below to determine when it is best to leave cats and kittens where they are and when it is best to seek additional care. Finding a Stray Cat’s Owner 1. If they look healthy and well groomed, it is likely they belong to some family. I’ve spoken with cat owners who have said that their vet was unable to ‘find’ their cat’s microchip during a routine checkup. You can transport the cat in the cage you used to catch it. Read on for our tips on figuring out how to take care of a stray dog or cat: 1. Stray cats may develop these problems after living outside of a human family for a time. Terms and conditions Word travels quickly. How we use cookies This can be extremely tricky. The cozier the place, the better. As long as the cat is comfortable in your home and happy to make it theirs, there really are no restrictions. A strong cardboard box (and a blanket) should usually suffice. Chelwood Gate, Cats often wander away from their families and sometimes cannot find their way back. When finding stray cats or kittens, our initial instinct may be to remove them from their environment and bring them indoors. Now you have to decide between a stray and a pet.If the cat is wearing a flea collar, check the condition of that collar. Leave food in the same spot everyday; this will make the cat come back and expect to treat. mcmnet.co.uk. Catch The Cat. The cat could have a microchip. Spread the word. If you're worried about a stray cat's health, contact the following on their emergency numbers.