What You Can Do If You Find a Cat

Cats by nature are inquisitive and many have a tendancy to wander but how can you determine if a cat is in fact a stray?

Take a good look at the condition of the cat. Many cats who are stray or who have been lost for some time may show signs of weight loss, low quality coat and will hang around at all times. If a stray cat is showing signs of illness or injury please contact us as soon as possible.

Please ensure that you follow our tips below on what to do if you have found a cat. If you have advertised locally and nobody has claimed the cat as their own and you have not fed the cat but he/she is still lingering. Then it is quite likely that the cat is a stray or is lost.

We simply do not have the resources to take in every cat reported as a stray and so have to focus on the sick and injured cats as a priority.

Remember, cats will respond to fuss and attention if given; even if they live in a loving home. It may be that their owners are on holiday and somebody is going to the house to feed the cat but he/she is missing the fuss they usually receive from their owners. Some greedy cats may even eat food you provide even though they have been fed at home. A collarless cat does necessarily mean they have no home, some people do not put collars on their cats for fear of injury.

• Phone Derby & District Cats Protection on our Catline: 01332 206956 with your contact details. You can also e-mail us if you would like your cats description listed on our website. It is important to give us as many details as possible so we can help ensure the cat is truly lost/stray and reunite it with its owner.
• If the cat is hungry, feed it. If possible provide some outdoor shelter such as a covered tea chest or access to a shed.
• Enquire: Enquire within the neighbourhood in case the cat is new to the area.
• Microchip: If possible take the cat to your local vet who will scan it for a microchip or contact us. If you have problems approaching a nervous or aggressive cat please contact us as in the majority of cases our fieldworkers can catch such cats.
• Leaflet Drop:If the cat is not microchipped produce a leaflet with details of the cat, where it was found and your contact number, hand these out to local households. It is surprising how far a cat can wander or how little you know about the pets your neighbours have.
• Contact all your local vets to ask if anyone has reported a missing cat. They will often have a lost and found book and will keep your details. You can also ask to place one of your leaflets on their notice board.
• Advertise: You can place a FOUND advert in the Derby Evening Telegraph Classified section for free, they can be contacted on 01332 292929 Many areas also have local papers who will carry lost notices.
• Collar: If the cat is wearing a collar, get an ID barrel for it and put a little note inside asking his/her owners to contact you. If the cat is not wearing a collar, try putting on a safety clasp collar with an ID barrel as above. Attempt this for 2 or 3 days in case the collar comes off.
• Contact you local RSPCA
• Contact your local PDSA
• Place copies of your leaflets on available notice boards such as local shops/ post office/ newsagents etc
• Place a copy of your leaflet on a few local lamp posts and on your gate/in your front window.
• If your cat is lost in the Long Eaton area you can post your details on the Long Eaton Pet Search pages