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WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND A POSSIBLY PUREBRED CAT
FRAIDY CAT OR FRIENDLY CAT?
Some cats will approach you for companionship, while others are fearful and will remain at a distance. If you get down to the cat's level you will be less intimidating. Offering food can also win a cat's trust. Above all, exercise patience. Talk softly and make no sudden moves that may scare the cat. With time, the cat may allow you to pick them up. If not, a humane trap may be required. You can borrow a humane trap at many rescue and some shelters, though they usually require a refundable deposit so they are sure to get the trap back.
A CAT IN HAND
You should try to determine if the cat belongs to someone and has any obvious identification. Check for tags or tattoos and take the cat to a vet or shelter to be scanned for a microchip identification implant.
If the kitty has a collar and tags, your job is easy. First, call the owner’s telephone number(s) or visit them at home. If that fails, call the veterinarian’s telephone number(s) on the rabies tag. They can usually give you some guidance on where to find the owners.
If the kitty has a microchip, you will need to get the microchip manufacturer’s toll-free telephone number from your vet to get into contact with the owners. Call the microchip company ASAP and let them contact the owners and the owners will contact you.
If the kitty has a tattoo, you will need to work a bit harder. Get on the internet and research tattoos. In the U.S. tattoos are not standard (as they are on altered felines in Canada, for example) so you will need to do some research. If all else fails, contact your vet and contact us for further insights.
Check these sites to see if the owner has posted a "lost cat" report:
http://www.lostapet.org/newindex.html
If you cannot easily identify and contact the owner, you need to decide whether you bring the cat home, to a shelter, or call animal control. Be aware that if you call animal control, they will likely take the cat to their local shelter, which may euthanize the animal after a short period, if unclaimed. If the animal is severely injured and
suffering, this may be the humane thing to do. If the cat appears healthy, you can check the phone directory for no-kill shelters and breed rescues in your area and check our listings of rescues for purebred or breed rescues that may help you find the owner or take the cat in. If you can possibly care for the cat for a while, do try to find the owner, if they can be found.
Contact us and send us a digital picture if you are unsure if the cat is purebred so we can advise you how best to proceed. IF YOU DECIDE TO TAKE THE CAT HOME: If the cat appears ill, wounded, or in distress or appears to be an orphan kitten, an immediate emergency veterinary visit is warranted. If the cat appears healthy and vigorous, you may decide to take the cat home. If you have other cats in your home, you will want to quarantine the cat initially so your own cats don't catch something that isn't readily apparent. Quarantine, by definition, is the act of keeping (people or) animals isolated for a period of time, to limit the spreading of disease. Some diseases, by their nature, are hard to see and some may not show symptoms for weeks but can be spread in the meantime. Keeping a cat in quarantine will give you time to evaluate the overall health of the cat. It will
also limit any problems to only the quarantined cat, instead of jeopardizing other animals. Do wash your hands or use a hand sanitizer between handling the found cat and your own cats. Do remember you can carry germs or pests on your clothing after holding the cat and returning to your own animals, so it is prudent to change clothing and sanitize between visits to the quarantine area. A veterinary visit to have the cat evaluated will be helpful in determining if there are any parasites or diseases carried by the found cat so you can know better how to protect your own pets and can get advice on how long to quarantine the cat. TRYING TO FIND THE OWNER WHEN THERE'S NO OBVIOUS ID: MAKE UP FLYERS: (8.5 x 11 inch) with a clear, preferably digital COLOR photo and include most details (was the cat fixed, declawed, having any distinguishing markings, etc.). Do include WHERE the cat was found (nearest major intersection) and your contact information on the flyer. Put the flyers/posters in every door or mail slot of every home or apartment within a 3-4 block radius from where the cat was found. Most cats stay without that area if not taken to shelters. Post color flyers on utility poles at busy street intersections, at local veterinary offices, pet stores, pet groomers, laundromats, and community bulletin
boards. Give a poster/flyer to EVERY VET in a 20 mile radius and post it at every veterinarian office and every pet and food store that will allow you to put up a flyer in your area. Find the names/e-mail addresses/phone numbers to every shelter, SPCA, Humane Society, and rescue group in your area and send them a flyer. ADVERTISE: Don't forget 'Found' ads in local newspapers (usually free), and there are also 'Found' pet listings online you can post on:
CONTACT US for a breed ID and remind us every few days (or let us know the owner is found) and we will send notices out to local cat, breed, and rescue lists WHEN NO OWNER IS FOUND WITHIN TWO WEEKS: Should you fail to find the kitty’s owner in 2 weeks (all the while keeping the kitty isolated in case a disease should erupt), you may decide to keep the cat or try to get it a new home. If you chose to keep the cat, the cat should have a complete evaluation by the vet prior to having contact with your other pets. That exam should include FIV/FELV testing, examination for parasites, vaccinations, and, if the cat is not spayed or neutered, spay or neuter. In addition, to keep the cat safe from repeating this
experience, we advise microchipping the cat. If you chose to find the cat a new home, you can ask breed and purebred rescue groups if you can register the kitty in their program and learn the process so that you can start it ASAP. Or advertise the kitty yourself as advised on this page:
http://purebredcatbreedrescue.org/rehome.htm PREVENT FUTURE HEARTBREAK: DO MICROCHIP YOUR PETS!
This very much helps protect them if they are lost and helps shelters find who their owner is!
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