What To Do If You Find A Stray Cat
First, let us say “thank you.” MetroWest Humane Society appreciates your concern for the safety and well being of stray cats. If you can safely catch the cat and provide food, water and shelter, that would be ideal. If catching the cat is not possible, providing, food, water and a shelter of some sort is helpful.
What you can do:
- Take the cat to the local animal shelter or veterinarian to have it scanned for a microchip. Then you can call the microchip company and obtain the name, address and phone number of the owner.
- Call local shelters, veterinarians and animal control to see if the cat has been reported missing.
- Make “FOUND CAT” flyers with a picture and/or description of the cat, approximate age and where it was found and a phone number. Post in the neighboor hood, local vets, shelters, etc.
- Watch for “LOST CAT” signs in your neighborhood.
- Check the newspaper daily for “lost cat” ads that may describe the cat.
- Place a “Found” ad in your newspaper – most papers will run these ads for free.
- Check websites such as craigslist.org Lost and Found and Pet FBI, or do a general internet search of lost pets.
- Check with children in your neighborhood – they are great resources!
If you have no responses from these steps, you can safely assume the cat is truly homeless.
What’s next?
MetroWest Humane Society would like to help. If you decide you would like to keep this cat, we can help refer you to local veterinarians as well as provide information for a low-cost spay/neuter clinic. If you are not going to keep the cat, we can place it on our waiting list to come into the shelter. Because we are limited on our space, we often have a waiting list and generally cannot take an animal immediately. Call to speak with our shelter manager about your situation at (508) 875-3776.