Fact sheet: What to do if you find a cat

Download the fact sheet.

So you’ve found a cat outdoors—but unless they’re sick or injured, there’s likely no need to turn them over to an animal shelter. The cat may be an indoor-outdoor pet or a community cat who lives nearby. If the cat is truly lost, they’ll have a better chance of being reunited with their family if they don’t enter the shelter.

Many cats will get home on their own; others need some help. Here’s how to provide the right help.

Find the cat's owners or caretakers

• If the cat is wearing a collar, check for an ID tag and contact the owner.
• Ask neighbors, mail carriers and others who frequent your neighborhood what they know about the cat.
• Take photos and file a found report with animal shelters in your region.
• Post flyers in your neighborhood.
• Use social media sites such as Facebook and NextDoor to ask if anyone knows the cat, and search for “lost cat” posts to see if there’s a match.
• If the cat is friendly, take them to a veterinarian or animal shelter to be scanned for a microchip, or put a breakaway collar on the cat and tape a note to the collar asking the owner to contact you. (Another option: Print this paper collar, which you can tape loosely around the cat's neck.)

Take the next steps

• Lost pet. Tell the owners where you last saw the cat. Point them to resources at humanesociety.org/lostcat.
• Free-roaming pet. Tactfully mention to the owners that their pet would be safer indoors. If the cat isn’t sterilized, share information on local spay/neuter programs and offer to help with the cost or transportation if you’re able to.
• Sterilized community cat. Ask the caretakers if they need assistance, such as donations of cat food, a winter shelter or someone to feed the cat when they’re out of town.
• Unsterilized community cat. Research local trap-neuter-return resources and work with the cat’s feeders to get the cat sterilized, vaccinated and ear-tipped. If you can’t find the caretaker, considering taking on that role yourself (find tips at humanesociety.org/TNRindividuals).
• Nursing mom cat and kittens. Visit humanesociety.org/foundkittens for guidance.

Document