Diana S.
3 years ago
Thank you for taking care of this kitty. If or when s/he allows you to handle him/her, take him/her to the vet to be scanned for a microchip. The service is free and it is always possible that s/he has one.
Put up flyers in the area with the cat’s photo and your contact information on it. Also, if the cat is friendly, it is worthwhile to show his/her photo at all of the veterinary clinics in the area. If s/he is a lost neighborhood pet, he could have been a patient at one of these facilities and a staff member may recognize him/her and be able to help you contact his/her family.
Contact area animal shelters and rescue organizations to see if anybody has called them looking for a cat that resembles the one you found. Leave your number with all of the organizations that you reach so that they can share it or call you if somebody does come forward looking for a cat like this.
When somebody does come to claim the cat, make sure that they can prove ownership. Ask them to identify specific characteristics, such as unusual markings, play or eating habits, the way that the cat prefers to be petted, or the particular sound of his/her purrs and cries. You want to make sure that s/he goes back to his real home.
If it is possible, please keep this kitty inside while you conduct your search, perhaps in a basement space or laundry room. That will keep him/her safe from outdoor dangers and ensure that s/he does not wander away before you have found where he belongs. If bringing him/her in is not an option, consider making him/her an outdoor shelter. There are directions on the Internet for inexpensive homemade variations that will give him/her a refuge from bad weather and a kind of “home base” that will encourage him/her to stay close until you have found his/her family.
If, after all of your best efforts, you are unable to locate this kitty’s owner, please surrender him/her to a no kill shelter. That way s/he will have a chance to find a new home. Meanwhile, thank you again for caring enough to look after him/her and search for the kitty’s family.
