Many people believe calling the RSPCA is the first step when they find a lost cat. However, the charity primarily focuses on rescuing animals from neglect and cruelty. While it cares about lost pets, calling the RSPCA for every lost animal could potentially delay emergency calls.
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Dominika Jagoda, RSPCA pet welfare expert, suggests these simple steps if you've found a stray cat
What to do if you find a lost cat
Cats can become strays for a variety of reasons such as being abandoned, getting lost or moving out from their home because they weren’t happy.
Unlike dogs, some stray cats quite enjoy an outdoorsy lifestyle, especially if they aren’t well suited to a home environment. Often they can thrive outside quite well by themselves but sometimes a stray cat may need a helping hand.
- Try and find their owner. Remember that a stray cat could just be lost and sometimes cats with owners can be mistaken for strays when they are just enjoying some outdoor time. That’s why it’s important to try and find an owner first. On 10 June 2024, it became law for all cats in England to be microchipped before they are 20 weeks old, so take it to your local vets to be scanned.
- Ask around to see if anyone owns the cat, pop a post on your local Facebook group, put up ‘found’ posters, or check online resources such as Animal Search UK.
- Leave out some food. If no owner can be found and you want to help the cat, you can leave some food out for them and some shelter for when the weather is bad - but remember that by feeding a stray cat there’s a chance that you could become legally responsible for their welfare under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
- Create a community cat fund. Quite often, community cats have more than one feeder. If this applies to you and your neighbours, it is worth agreeing between yourselves who is responsible for the cat and for ensuring their welfare needs are met. It may be worth creating a community cat fund with your neighbours to cover unexpected costs.
- Rehome the cat. Taking responsibility for the cat yourself is a fantastic way to help a stray cat. If you have done all you can to try and find an owner and you’ve taken the time to consider whether you have the time, money and resources to care for a pet cat, then rehoming a stray cat is a wonderful thing to do.
This means the cat can stay in a place they know and feel comfortable and have someone looking after their welfare. Stray cats spend a lot of time outdoors and many are happy with the freedom of that lifestyle. However, without somebody responsible helping to keep them safe and well-fed, they can end up with injuries or nasty health problems so giving them a home is a fantastic way to improve animal welfare. If you cannot rehome the cat yourself but feel the cat does need a home, please contact a rehoming charity such as Cats Protection for further advice.
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What to do if you find a sick, injured or pregnant stray cat?
- If you find an injured stray or feral cat and they're approachable, please confine them and take them to a vet, if possible. If you're taking a sick or injured stray cat to the vets and the cat just needs minimum care, you might be expected to take the cat away and fit a paper collar if needed to track down the owner.
- If you’ve found a pregnant cat, unless she appears to be sick or injured, there's usually little to worry about. She'll probably have a home and owner nearby, or she may be a healthy stray. We understand you may be worried about the cat and want to help, but sometimes it can be best to leave the mum-to-be alone. If she is in labour, give her space and try not to disturb her. You can leave her a little bowl of water and a shelter nearby should she need it, whilst you try to track down an owner.
- If a cat in labour appears lethargic, distressed or struggling please contact a vet immediately.
- If you find a healthy mum and kittens in a safe area, it's best to leave them alone - don't move them unless they're at risk. If you can't find an owner and you think mum is a stray, call your local animal rescue for advice. They may talk to you about giving a helping hand by providing food, water and outside shelter to help protect mum and kittens from extreme weather, and advice or help around spaying and neutering mum and kittens once the kittens reach an appropriate age. However, if they appear sick or injured please contact your local vet for advice.
- If you’ve found a young, stray kitten without their mum and in need of help please contact a vet or local rescue organisation.
- If you’ve found an injured or sick stray cat or kitten on a busy road, please do not put yourself in danger - contact the emergency services straight away.
There’s helpful advice on the RSPCA website about how to get help for animals as quickly as possible - check out their guides for lost cats and lost dogs, as well as information about how to report cruelty and neglect to the charity’s specialist teams.
Love cats? Check out our pets section for advice on cat care, from how to take your cat to the vet without stress to how to get rid of fleas and even how to stop cats pooping in your garden
