I just found a cat - not sure what to do...

[Left Is Write]

My kids just found a cat in our backyard. It's plenty cold out there, and I don't just want to turn him loose.

He's got a collar, but no tag.

What happens if I call animal control? Do they try to find the owner? Do they put animals down?

Anyone?


More info...this is DEFINITELY an indoor cat. He's been front declawed.

[timber84]

1. cat may have a chip

[mattomjoe]

2. Check and see if there are any no-kill shelters around you

[flvegan]

3. Is there a shelter or vet nearby that can scan him for a microchip?

Is he clean? Smell like inside? Maybe he's just lost.

I might put him back out and watch what he does/where he goes.

[Left Is Write]

4. Yes, he's clean.

He's also declawed, so I know he's intended to be an indoor cat.

[Left Is Write]

7. Okay, I did let him back out to see what he did...

He immediately dove under our porch. He didn't attempt to go anywhere else. I opened the door a little bit and then moved away; he came back in.

He is now purring.

[flvegan]

9. Can you hang onto him for a few days and put up Found! posters?

[Left Is Write]

10. I could...

I'll have to go get him a litter box and some food when my husband gets home.

The problem is that my kids will get attached to him and be devastated when he has to move out.

[RevCheesehead]

13. My SIL rescues strays....

the last one is called "TC" for temporary cat. Everyone is clear that this cat is not staying.

However, TC has been part of the family for about 4 months now. :)

I wish you were nearby. I'd love a nice cat like that!

[LisaL]

35. I found a cute Himalayan cat once. Seal point. I just went and

knocked on doors, and sure enough, he escaped from one of the neighbors. That obviously should not be done if one lives in a dangerous neighborhood.

[CatBoreal]

5. I'd call animal control...

...it may have a chip. Ask if they will put the animal down, and if so, could they please call you before hand in case you would like to adopt it.

Also, I'd take a picture of kitty and make some posters with the number for the shelter that it's going to and post them around the neighbourhood.

If it's an indoor cat, it's probably from around the neighbourhood. Someone probably will call.

[XemaSab]

6. Don't call animal control

They'll hold him for a few days then put him down.

Find a no-kill shelter or try to find the owner yourself.

[SoCalDem]

8. Take a picture of him and post it at the animal shelter.

Keep him inside, and post more posters around the neighborhood.. Have your kids ask around..

Newspapers will usually print "found" ads for free..(our does that)..

If no one responds, you have yourself a kitty :)

[LeftyMom]

11. Call the local vets to see if they can check for a chip

and if any of thier patients are missing.

BTW, if he's declawed :grr: and outside with no tag, chances are good that his previous owners are neglectful morons. I'd consider just keeping him.

[Lex]

12. Unless he got out of doors by mistake or accident.

Consider that too.

[LeftyMom]

15. That still doesn't explain the declawing and lack of tag

Especially since he's got a collar on, we know he didn't houdini out of his collar&tags.

[Left Is Write]

17. I just don't understand that lack of a tag.

Why collar a cat if you aren't going to put a tag on him?

Somebody cared enough to have him neutered, though.

My kids are busy falling in love with him right now. I'm worried that he'll need to do his business before I can get out and get a litter box.

[LeftyMom]

20. I don't get it either,

especially since you can get them instatnly at the pet store for a few dollars instead of having to mail order them like you used to have to.

[Beaverhausen]

25. tear up some newspaper and put it in a shallow box

that will work until you get a litter box.

[Left Is Write]

27. I was just coming to ask about that. Would shredded brown grocery bags

work? I don't take the newspaper.

I called my husband and he's okay with keeping the cat until we find his owner. I called a vet hospital near here, and they will scan him for a chip. For now, I have to wait until my husband gets home, because he has my car.

I'll rig him up a litter box, but I can't get any food for him until later.

[Beaverhausen]

28. Cats are good at holding it in but the bags should be OK

just shred them a lot. You can feed it canned tuna or any meat you have around until you get to the store.

I recommend Natural Balance cat foods- there is a thread here about it but it is really good food!

[Left Is Write]

29. This cat is really making himself at home...

He's been snuggling me and purring, and now he's stretched out on my bed watching television.

[Beaverhausen]

31. Ahhh...so what are you going to name him?

and please post pics if you can!

[Left Is Write]

34. He hasn't told me his name yet.

But I think I'll hold off at least until we get him scanned for a chip and/or place an ad.

I could take a picture of him for you, though.

[SoCalDem]

19. Lots of cats have no tags.. Most places do not require shots, by law

so tags are not an issue..and we have 3 cats who REFUSE to wear a collar.. Every time we put one on...in abour 10 minutes they have pulled it off..Others freak out when a scrap with another one results in their collar being pulled off. They practically bring it to us to have it put back on..

[LeftyMom]

23. Which is why I suggested having the kitty checked for a chip

if this is somebody's well loved kitty that happened to get out and can't or won't keep an ID tag on (I wasn't talking about a county license tag) then hopefully his responsible owner had him chipped. Also calling around to vets is a good idea, since he didn't get altered and declawed without veterinary intervention, somebody should know who he is.

[Lex]

14. Also, most newspapers run "found" pet ads for free.

If you decide to keep him safe at your house for a few days.

[Left Is Write]

16. I just called our area's only no-kill shelter...

I got a voicemail message saying that they are full and cannot accept any more cats at this time. They also said that callers could leave a message if they want a return call, but that it could take several days to receive a return call.

I guess the next thing to do is call my husband, then call the newspapers to see if I can place a found ad.

[RebelOne]

26. You could also check to see if anyone has placed a lost ad. n/t

[kmla]

18. Try giving it a bath...

Calms 'en right down.

:D

[Sanity Claws]

24. Ice water is particularly calming

[LisaL]

32. It's particularly calming for the insane, not cats.

[Lochloosa]

21. I would put flyers up around the neighborhood.

Cats will not travel far from home and if this one is declawed, someone will be calling real soon. DO NOT take it to a shelter that is not no-kill. Some only keep them for 3 days before putting down the pet. And a lot of people don't even think of calling the shelters till it's to late. Besides, if no one claims him/her, you have a new best friend.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

22. Tacos!

Should be good for two dozen or so.

[LisaL]

30. If he is neutered and de-clawed, he probably escaped from

someone's house. Or the owner just dumped him. Chip scanning is a good idea. Also, see if anybody put up "lost" posters in the neighborhood. Any large grocery store should have a section with cat litter, food, and litter-boxes, if you can not get to a pet store right now.

[Thin Guy]

33. Tickle its fat belly... Spoil it rotten... Give it a cute name...

...like "Fat Pig" or something. A cat has virtually moved in with me and he gets the default name of "Fat Pig" like every cat I've ever known. "Come here, you fat pig!" "Watch out, you fat pig!" You get the idea.

[hyphenate]

36. When my Kira escaped from the house

I was devastated. She was 10 years old and had never been out on her own. She was not declawed, though; I would never do that to a cat.

She did not have on a collar or a tag. There had been 4 doors she had to get through to get out, and that day the plumber left them ALL open, like a stupid imbecile. None of my kids were outdoors at all. She was in a strange place--we'd been back in Mass. only 7 months. She disappeared so quickly that I remained in shock for months afterward.

Some of the things I did, and thus conversely you can try as well. If the cat is chipped, there probably won't be any need of these, though.

Call local vets within a 3 mile radius. You can run a search at some place like switchboard.com which will give you addresses radiating out in miles. Give them a description, so that if the cat is local, perhaps they will call the vets to see if the cat was picked up.

Call the paper to place a found ad. If it gets in in the next couple of weeks, you should be lucky.

Call the city's animal control/shelter/pound. Give them a description of the cat, but if you have access to a digital camera and a fax machine, take a pic and fax it to them for a better ID. This is the most important step because that's where most people will check first.

If it's a dumpee, I have to feel real bad about it. Dumping a declawed animal is simply unconscionable, and criminal if you ask me. Declawing to me is one of the worst things an owner can ever do to an animal precisely for this reason--it leaves them defenseless if they get loose.

If you are really serious about finding the owner (if it was an accidental release) you might have to spend several months at it. Sometimes people will go for months trying to find their kit. I know I did. I still miss her so much. I always wonder what I could have done to change the situation, and I know there is nothing that could have changed it. But I always do hope that if someone took her in that she was treated well.

Good luck with him--sounds like, though, that he's found himself a new family. :)

[Patiod]

37. Our cat considers it a personal challenge to remove her collar

We have actually found them hanging from low branches, and have seen her purposely (repeatedly) snagging it and then pulling at it.

I feel like I live in PetSmart, making tags in those little arcade-like machines.

We keep extra collars around, but not extra tags -- if she got scared away before I got to PetSmart, someone might find her without tags.