FOUND A CAT – WHAT TO DO & WHO CAN HELP

RHC often hears from people who have found a stray. In some urgent situation we offer the quick tips that are summarized below. In the Step-By-Step Guide that follows is summarized the information that has proven to be useful in most situations.

Here are quick tips on what to do in urgent situations: 

If the cat is seriously injured/sick phone HAS at 906-574-3433. In all other situations consider HAS only as a last resort - and only after checking the information in the Guide below.

Regarding kittens, it's important to be aware that::  

• Young kittens need their mother and often do better being raised outdoors by her than taken inside. So, resist the urge to move them immediately, keep your distance, give her some time to return and, then, assess the situation and figure out what's best for the kittens. For some general information on what to do when finding kittens outside, click here.

• If she doesn't return, what to do next depends on how old the kittens are. Tiny kittens who are still nursing, and not yet able to eat wet food, will need help right away and have to be kept warm and bottle fed (with kitten formula and NOT milk.) For quick advice, check here. And right away seek advice/help from a rescue group that has volunteers experienced in bottle feeding and may have space in a foster home. A few local groups to try contacting are Pantry Four Paws , NCWL, and Abandoned Cats Rescue.

• If the kittens are old enough to eat on their own and young enough to be tamed caring for them inside is an option. At 8-10 weeks kittens are generally considered to become adoptable. For help caring for, and finding good homes for, the kittens contact rescue groups listed at the bottom of this page.

• Finding the mother is always important. That’s because she may need help too and because she’ll need to get spayed to prevent more litters.

The information summarized in the Step-By-Step Guide below applies in most situations.

Step-By-Step Guide on What to Do and Who To Contact For Help

Step One. Avoid jumping to the conclusion that the cat is homeless. The cat might belong to a neighbour who allows their cat outside or whose indoor cat has managed to sneak out the door or the cat has wandered away from home and become lost. It matters that you check because owned cats are too often mistaken for strays and lost cats need help to get back home. Here are a few things you’ll want to be sure to do:
- Talk to neighbours, knock on doors, leave fliers in mailboxes – hope to find the owner or someone who knows something about the cat and where the cat might have come from;
- Have the cat checked for a microchip. Any vet office will do that for free. And it’s quick, easy way to locate an owner – and something that often works to get cats reunited with owners.
- Connect with ‘Lost and Found Pets in Hamilton.’ It might well pay off ; here’s the Facebook link.
- Make use of ‘Helping Lost Pets’ it’s a free service that posts, by area, lost and found cats and where you’ll further advice, as well as a template for making Found posters to put up in your neighbourhood.

Step Two. Ask yourself how tame/friendly the cat is and whether the cat is likely to adjust easily to living indoors. If cat will likely need to be trapped and likely tamed/socialized before becoming adoptable, click here. If you’re pretty sure the cat is friendly and needs a home, go on to Step 3.

Step Three. If you might be able to offer the cat a home or find someone willing/able to provide a good home, that’s great! Just remember that the cat, even if the cat seems healthy, will need to be checked over by a vet and have basic things like vaccinations, deworming, flea-treatment and spay/neuter done. If the cost for getting this done is an issue (and the only obstacle to taking the cat in), an option available in Hamilton that can make that affordable is the HBSPCA’s Community Assistance Program. For information on that Program click here And, if after reading that information, you have questions (including ones about possible health issues that might require meds or other treatments during that visit), direct those question directly to mmacnab@hbspca.com If you can't offer the cat a permanent home or find anyone who can, go on to Step Four.

Step Four. There are several rescue groups that take in Hamilton strays. Before approaching any of the groups listed here be aware that rescue groups receive a large number of requests for help. And that it can help to include in your first message as much information as you can about the cat (age, health issues/concerns, how tame/friendly,& description, including pic), the situation (where you're located, how did you find the cat, where is the cat now & what efforts have you made to find an owner) and, also, to let the rescue group know what you're able to do (including whether you'd be able to transport, foster, or hep in any other way). Also, be aware that, while all of these rescue groups can be approached to provide foster home care, vet services and access to adoption services, they differ in terms of how they operate and the types of cats they are able to take into their care. To check into which one (or ones) might be most likely to be able to assist the cat you're wanting to get help for, look throug the information on their websites and Facebooks. Here's a list of some rescue groups to consider contacting:

Abandoned Cats Rescue (ACR) is a local group that is run by Darlene. Direct contact information (both email & phone) can be found here and information on the Website, and Facebook, gives a good idea of how ACR operates and what this group is doing for Hamilton cats.

Action Volunteers for Animals (AVA) operates throughout the GTHA and has a strong Hamilton branch. This local branch is run by Beth. who can be contacted directly at this email. For information on how AWA operates look at the general website and note that the local branch has their own Facebook page.

Animal Adoptions of Flamborough (AAF), while based in Flamborough, takes in cats from the Hamilton area. Contact information (both phone and email), along with information on how they operate, can be found on the Home page of their website.

Neveah's Charity of West Lincoln (NCWL) rescues from many Ontario locations, including Hamilton, and has a wide network of foster homes. It's run by Lori whose direct contact information can be found here. See the website, and also the Facebook, for an idea of how NCWL operates.

Ninth Life Cat Rescue (Ninth Life) is an Oakville based resuce group which will take in cats from Hamilton. A contact email, as well as information on how they operate can be found on the Home page of their website.

Pantry Four Paws (Pantry) is a downtown Hamilton based rescue group. To contact Pantry by email, click here. Information on their website and facebook gives a sense of how they operate and how much they are doing for Hamilton cats.

Please note that anyone considering taking a stray to Hamilton Animal Services (HAS) or HBSPCA should be aware that:

HBSPCA is in the same building as HAS and, unfortunately, is too often confused with HAS. HBSPCA is an animal welfare organization and that operates a Shelter and runs a Pet Surrender program. So, surrendering a found cat (or kittens) to HBSPCA may be an option to consider. HBSPCA provides excellent vet care and will accept as Pet Surrenders cats they think can adjust to the Shelter situation and have a good chance of finding a good home through their adoption service. To check into the possibility of surrendering the cat you're wanting to help to HBSPCA, click here.

HAS is the city-run shelter/pound which has the mandate "tp protect people from animals" and should be seen as the last resort option. While HAS does take in strays brought to the shelter in cat carriers (when they have space), does run an adoption service (and many cats not admitted to that service do get transferred to rescue groups), there is no guarantee of a "happy ending.". Especially if the cat is older, has health issues or is not used to being around humans, the odds may not be good. If you do need to consider this option, be sure to phone HAS before bringing the cat up to the Shelter.

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