Found a Cat?
Your compassion can save a life. Here's how to help.
First Steps: Assess & Secure the Cat
Your first actions are crucial for the cat's safety and for figuring out the right next steps.
Observe from a Distance
Don't approach the cat immediately. Watch its behavior for a few minutes. A cat that is crouched, hiding, or seems alert may just be scared. A cat that is crying, seems disoriented, or is overly friendly might be a lost pet.
Check for Immediate Danger
If the cat is in immediate danger (e.g., in a busy road), you can attempt to lure it to safety with a strong-smelling food like canned tuna or wet cat food. If you must handle the cat, protect yourself with thick gloves and a towel.
Secure the Cat if Possible
If the cat is friendly and allows you to handle it, bring it inside to a small, quiet room like a bathroom. This keeps it safe from predators and prevents it from wandering further. Provide a carrier or box with a blanket for it to hide in, along with water and a small amount of food.
Weighing Coyote vs. Shelter Risk
If you cannot bring the cat inside and it is in a known coyote territory, the immediate outdoor threat may be high. However, before taking it to a shelter, exhaust all other options listed below, as shelter capacity and illness are also significant risks.
Determine the Cat's Status
Understanding whether the cat is a lost pet, a stray, or feral will determine your best course of action. The table below compares the most common types of cats found outdoors.
| Behavior/Sign | Lost or Owned Outdoor Cat | Stray Cat (Previously Owned) | Feral Cat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Behavior | Often approaches people, may be vocal. Might try to enter homes. | Can be friendly or cautious. May become friendlier over time with food. | Avoids human contact, remains hidden or at a distance. Will not meow at people. |
| Body Language | May hold tail up; comfortable posture. | May crouch or be hesitant. | Stays low to the ground; appears "secretive" or ready to flee. |
| Physical Condition | Likely well-groomed, at a healthy weight. May have a collar. | May look disheveled or thin. | Appears self-sufficient; may have a clean, healthy coat. Look for an "ear tip" – a straight-line cut on the left ear, which shows it is part of a TNR program. |
| Recommended Action | Urgently search for an owner. | Check with a vet for a microchip; search for an owner. Consider fostering for rehabilitation. | Do not bring to a shelter. If healthy, the best action is to Leave it in place. If it needs help, contact a TNR group. |
How to Search for an Owner
If you believe the cat is a lost pet, take these steps to find its family. The goal is to make it as easy as possible for an owner to find their cat.
✓ Check for a Microchip
This is the single most effective step. Take the cat to any local veterinarian, emergency animal hospital, or shelter to be scanned for a microchip for free. This can instantly reunite the cat with its owner.
Notify Local Shelters & Vets
File a "found pet" report with your local county shelter and all veterinary clinics in the area. This creates multiple points of contact for a searching owner.
Use Online Tools and Social Media
- Petco Love Lost: Upload a photo of the cat to their national database, which uses facial recognition technology to match it with lost reports. petcolove.org/lost
- Pawboost: Click the Report Pet button on the upper right corner of the page pawboost.com
- Pet FBI: Create a Found Pet Report and Flyer. petfbi.org/report
- PawMaw: Report your found pet on this platform to alert your local community. pawmaw.com
- Lost My Kitty: Report your found pet on this platform and maybe upgrade for greater visibility to alert your local community. lostmykitty.com
- 24Petconnect: 24petconnect.com/BreedRequest/Found
- Facebook & Nextdoor: Post a clear photo in local Lost & Found Pet groups and on your neighborhood's Nextdoor feed. Be sure to include the location and date found.
Create Flyers
Make old-fashioned flyers with a large, clear photo and the word "FOUND." Post them at major intersections, grocery stores, and community centers near where you found the cat. To screen for the real owner, omit one identifying detail from the flyer and ask anyone who calls to describe it.
Weighing the Outcome Options: A Difficult Choice
Finding a cat places you in the heart of a difficult animal welfare dilemma. You want to ensure the cat's safety, but the two most obvious solutions (leaving the cat outside or taking it to a shelter) each carry significant risks. Understanding this balance is key to making an informed, compassionate decision.
The Coyote vs. Shelter Dilemma
In many areas, the outdoors is a dangerous place for a cat not adapted to it. The threat of predators like coyotes is very real and immediate. However, the shelter system, designed to be a safe harbor, is often stretched to its limits. When shelters are over capacity, they become high-stress environments where cats are more susceptible to illness. Tragically, due to space and resource constraints, not all cats make it out. This is not a reflection on the shelters' dedication, but a stark reality of pet overpopulation.
This leaves you with a heavy choice: risk the known, immediate dangers of the outdoors, or the institutional risks of a shelter at capacity. The best path forward often lies in a third option: finding a way to bridge the gap yourself.
The Power of Fostering and Rehoming
If the cat is friendly and no owner is found, the single best thing you can do is to provide a temporary foster home. By offering even a short-term safe space in a bathroom or spare room, you completely remove the cat from the coyote-shelter dilemma. This "foster bridge" gives you time to:
- Ensure the cat is healthy and assess its true personality.
- Help a stressed cat decompress and learn to trust people again.
- Actively search for a permanent, loving home on your own timeline.
You are not alone in this effort. Many rescue organizations offer support to "finder-fosters" like you, potentially providing veterinary care, supplies, and listing the cat on their adoption websites while you provide the home. This collaborative model is often the most successful way to secure a happy future for the cat without overburdening the shelter system.
Shelter Intake: A Last Resort to be Understood
There are situations where taking a cat to a shelter is the only viable option: for instance, if you absolutely cannot foster and the cat is injured and requires immediate medical care you cannot provide.
If you must consider this path, it is crucial to call first. Do not just show up with the cat. When you call your local shelter, ask them direct questions:
- "Do you have space for a healthy adult cat right now?"
- "What is your current intake policy for stray cats found by the public?"
- "Are you able to provide urgent medical care if needed?"
Be prepared that they may be unable to accept the cat immediately or may have specific criteria for intake. For a comprehensive list of organizations in your area, please visit our Resources Page. This directory includes contact information for county shelters, private rescues, and organizations that can offer support, allowing you to make informed calls and understand all your local options.
Ultimately, your patience and willingness to be part of the solution can save a life. By carefully weighing these risks and options, you are giving this cat the best possible chance.
Special Considerations for Kittens & Sick Cats
Kittens
Do not immediately scoop up kittens you find. Their mother is likely nearby foraging for food. Observe from a distance for several hours if you can. If the kittens are in immediate danger, cold, dirty, or crying non-stop, then they may need intervention. If you take in underage kittens without a mother, contact a shelter or rescue for support, as they require round-the-clock care, a heroic ask for any potential sponsor.
Sick or Injured Cats
If the cat is visibly injured, struggling to breathe, or has obvious discharge from its eyes or nose, it needs veterinary care. You can take it to an emergency vet. Some clinics, like Dove Lewis, may treat injured strays without charging the finder.
Thank You for Caring
Your compassion and action can make all the difference. Every step you take brings this cat closer to safety and home.
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