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So I get asked this question a lot and I figured I'd make a thread about it: WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND A CAT
DISCLAIMER: I am not an expert. I am not a vet, or a professional animal rescuer, just someone who takes in a lot of cats
DISCLAIMER: I am not an expert. I am not a vet, or a professional animal rescuer, just someone who takes in a lot of cats
Ok if you see a cat wandering down the street & it's healthy, well-groomed, and looks cared for it's probably someone's pet and although I deeply disagree with letting cats go outside I also don't think it's cool to just grab someone's pet so I'd just leave a cat like that alone
If you see the same cat wandering around fairly often, maybe snap a photo of it and find a local Facebook group where you can post the picture and ask something like "hey is this anyone's cat? I see it outside my house all the time and I was curious if it belonged to someone"
Now if you see a cat and it looks hurt or sick and it lets you approach it take a minute to assess the situation. Cats can carry rabies and you don't wanna mess with THAT so if the cat's acting erratic or overtly aggressive I'd call animal control IMMEDIATELY. Don't touch it!!!
Ok, now say you find a cat who looks skinny/unhealthy (but not rabid!) and you manage to capture it. If you have other cats in your house already MAKE SURE TO QUARANTINE THE NEW CAT. Seriously. Cats can carry disease and parasites that can be deadly to your cats.
Proper quarantine would be a room you can close off (like a spare bathroom or closet). After you've handled the new cat make sure to was your hands and maybe even change your clothes too, just to be safe.
The first thing you should is contact a vet ASAP. A vet will be able to scan the cat for a microchip, test it for diseases like Feline Leukemia, give it anti-parasite medication and determine if it has any serious diseases.
If there's no microchip/no diseases...
If there's no microchip/no diseases...
and you are able to bring the cat home, do so! But remember some people just don't have microchips in their pets for whatever reason so post photos of the cat on local social media groups, maybe ask the vet if they can post photos, contact local shelters to post photos, etc.
If you have other cats & even if the new cat is free from disease I'd still probably keep them apart for at least a little while. New Cat is probably super stressed and it would be really helpful for them to have a small quiet place where they can eat/recover without interruption
The cat will probably be upset/scared. It'll probably cry, or try to get back outside. Don't let it back outdoors (if you're intending to keep/foster it). If you let it back out it'll probably run off and you'll never see it again. Keep it inside and eventually it will calm down
If you can't keep the cat, I'd look up local cat-specific rescues; a lot of times animal shelters are full and may not have the space for a cat while cat rescue groups can put you in touch with foster families who can take the cat in.
The vet may know some rescue groups so ask them!
Of course there are some special situations. Say you find a mother cat and kittens. It's important to get both mother cat and her babies because the best thing for the babies is to remain with their mother, especially if they are still nursing
Or say you see a wounded cat but it won't let you approach it. In these situations, humane traps are the way to go. Call a vet, an animal shelter, or a local cat rescue group. They may have traps you can use to get the cat and help it.
And of course it's important to understand the difference between a feral cat and a stray cat. Feral cats will most likely not let you approach them; they fear people and will lash out if trapped/cornered. If you find a wounded feral cat, TNR is the best thing to do--
(TNR = Trap Neuter Release).
If the cat can be trapped, it can be taken to a vet, treated, and neutered/spayed then released again. It sucks but for some cats it's really the only option
If the cat can be trapped, it can be taken to a vet, treated, and neutered/spayed then released again. It sucks but for some cats it's really the only option
The most important thing to remember is you need to contact a vet before you do anything else.
ALSO THIS IS VITAL: if you are bitten/scratched by an unknown cat GO TO THE DOCTOR'S AS SOON AS YOU CAN. Cat bites are literally guaranteed infections b/c cat teeth are so thin and needle-like. You NEED to get a cat bite treated ASAP or else you could get very seriously ill
Anyway hopefully this is helpful!!
Please consider helping me help cats: https://twitter.com/ellle_em/status/1285705136514490370?s=20
Please consider helping me help cats: https://twitter.com/ellle_em/status/1285705136514490370?s=20
