Cats

What to Do if You Found a Lost Cat

what to do with lost cat
Written by Arlene S. Lane

Seeing a cat on your doorstep can be a little surprising experience especially when you know it now way belongs somewhere near you. When you find a lost cat, it is highly unlikely that you know what to do with the lost cat. There are three major possibilities in that scenario. First, the cat has come far enough from his or her home. Second, it is a stray cat and wants shelter. The third one can be it is a Farrel cat that hasn’t ever been taught to socialize with humans. In either case, if you don’t know what to do if you find a lost cat then continue reading this post. It will surely be helpful in letting you understand how to treat a lost cat.

What To Do If You Find A Lost Cat?

If you are wondering what to do if you find a lost cat then the very first thing to do is to look for a way to reach it. Right, when you find a lost cat then the immediate thing you will think of would be reaching for the cat which can be a tricky thing to do. You have no idea when the cat starts to feel threatened and may run off. You don’t know if it is a stray cat, a feral cat or it has escaped from a house. Act safely so as not to trigger it. If you don’t know what to do if you find a stray cat then you should talk to it with a friendly tone and slowly reach toward it. It will help ease the cat. Not only just that, if the cat is somewhere in a tight place then you can simply bribe it with cheap cat food

2- Call The Animal Control

If the cat is acting aggressively or something you find weird then call animal control as soon as you can. They have experience handling cats in such situations. You should tell them about the behavior of the cat if they seem to like running away. You should describe the appearance of the cat and the location where you find it. They will visit the location and capture the cat to contain it. You should consider your safety first before taking any steps.

3- Taking To The Vet

Once you captured the stray cat by yourself then you will be wondering what to do if you find a lost cat. Then you should immediately visit the vet first before doing anything else. This is something that most people don’t know regarding what to do with lost cat parts. You don’t know if the cat is suffering from any health condition, is internally injured, or facing some sort of disease that can harm you. Instead of taking it to your house take it to the vet and let the vet examine the cat for any possible issues while you wait for a little for the report.

4- Finding The Owner

This is one of the crucial things to do when you find a lost cat. You don’t know how a family may be feeling about losing their furry friend and it is now your duty to reunite the cat with its human family. It would help if you started by considering checking the collar first. This is what to do with a lost cat not only for her but for yourself as well. If it has an ID tag then look for its name and any contact information about the owner and return it to the owner as soon as possible. And if you are unable to contact the owner for any possible reason then wait for a while and contact them a few hours later. If the owner isn’t available then consider taking it to the shelter.

5- Look For a Microchip

Don’t stress out about what to do if you find a lost kitten. If there isn’t any tag then don’t worry and scan it for the microchip installed in it. Your local animal shelter will help you to scan for the chip. Or you can also contact animal control or the police.

6- File a Found Report

It is possible that you are unable to find the cat owner or you may not have any idea about what to do if you find a stray cat then it is important to file a report with the local animal shelter that you have found the cat. The owner may already be trying to contact the local shelter for their cat. This is especially helpful if you have decided to hold the cat until you find the owner. Submit your contact information as well so it would be easier for the owner to contact you.

You can use social media as well. The owner may not know what to do with a lost cat so you should use your personal account to create the listing on Facebook or create a post about finding the cat. Usually, the local shelters have created their pages. If you have one in your local area then post a picture of a cat with such an announcement. It is highly possible that the owner may see it through its social media profile.

7- Cat With No Collar

If you couldn’t find any collar around the neck, consider taking the cat to the animal shelter. They can scan the cat for the microchip. And if there isn’t any microchip installed then they may have got the report from the owner about the lost cat. They can help you to find the owner, till then the cat will be in a safe location.

8- What Type Of Cat Is This?

Some cats will just be outdoor cats. The owner will let them roam around and will come back at night for sleep and food. If you are thinking about what to do if you find a lost kitten then start by taking a look at its collar. If you find the owner’s information then consider calling him or her for info. Cat’s appearance says a lot about the cat as well. Usually, the outdoor cat that visits its home regularly will be cleaner and so are the Farrel cats. On the other hand, indoor cats will be skinnier and scruffy.

9- Cat With No Owner

You may wonder what to do if you find a stray cat. Because the cat you are holding doesn’t have any name tag or the owner isn’t contacting you or answering their phone. So what you should do is to consider contacting the animal shelter. If there is no owner at all and you believe that your house is perfect for it then you can keep the cat in your home. Just make sure you have done every above-mentioned thing and no one has contacted you.

10- Make it Your Pet

If you are thinking about what to do with a lost cat then make it your pet now. Spend some money on cat supplies such as food, treats, cat bed, toys, and the like. You can read cat care guides as well to learn about cats.

Bottom Line on What To Do If You Find A Lost Kitten 

When you are in a situation where you don’t know what to do with a lost cat then be a responsible citizen and make sure to do everything to reunite the cat with its owner. However, if it is a stray cat then take it to the vet for any medical issues. The very next thing is to consider owning the cat to provide it with a good place as a home.

About the author

Arlene S. Lane

Arlene S. Lane is a veterinary technician and hospital manager with over 12 years of experience. Arlene has been contributed expert content to The Pet's Rise for over 10 years.
Arlene has worked in veterinary medicine since 2017. Arlene's veterinary experience ranges from routine wellness care and preventive medicine to emergency and specialty care, where she has performed duties ranging from specialized nursing to clinical administration.

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