Found a Cat, Now What?

Q: There is a cat living behind my office building – how can I help her?

A:  The first step is to determine whether the cat is feral, a stray or someone’s pet.

Here are a few tips to help you to distinguish between a stray cat and a feral cat:

• A stray cat may approach you, while a feral cat will keep her distance.
• A stray cat might immediately approach food you put down while a feral will wait until you move away before approaching the food.
• A stray cat may be vocal and meow, while feral cats are generally silent.
• A stray cat may look disheveled while a feral cat will appear groomed.
• Stray cats may be seen at all hours of the day while feral cats are generally nocturnal.

If you believe the cat you’ve found is someone’s pet, take her in and report a found cat to your local shelters. Bring the cat to a veterinarian or shelter to check for a microchip. Place an ad in your local newspaper or online.

Regardless of whether the cat is stray or feral, do not take her to a shelter. You should be wary of bringing any cat to a shelter, even friendly, adoptable cats. More than 70 percent of the cats entering our nation’s shelter system are killed there. Always ask the shelter about its adoption procedures, typical duration of stay, and “euthanasia” policies and be aware that they may not be completely truthful about their policies and kill rates. If you do turn over the cat, realize that you may not be able to reclaim her if the guardian is not found.

If the cat you found is feral and in good health then carry out trap-neuter-return or TNR. TNR involves neutering the cat and returning her to her outdoor home.

There may be a TNR program or group in your town Go to Alley Cat Allies website and request a list of Feral Friends to find out about local TNR programs in your area. The Alley Cat Allies’ Feral Friends Network is a group of organizations and individuals with hands-on Trap-Neuter-Return and feral cat expertise. The site also offers a comprehensive list of veterinary practices and clinics that spay and neuter feral cats, a critical resource to communities nationwide.

Thanks for taking action to help stray and feral cats.