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 the quick tip we offer in specific 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.

Newborn kittens abandoned by their mothers need to be kept warm and bottle fed (with kitten formula and NOT milk) every few hours around the clock. Local rescue groups from which to seek advice/help include Pantry Four Paws, NCWL and Abandoned Cats Rescue.

Note that in any situation involving kittens (whether newborns or older), it's important to find the mother because she too may need help and because, to prevent further litters, she'll need to get spayed.

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. Consider the possibility that the cat belongs to a neighbour who allows their cat outside or whose indoor cat has managed to sneak out the door or that 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 (Insert link to “ Feral Cats/Neighbourhood Cats page.) 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 basic information as you can about the cat (age, any health issues/concerns, an idea of how tame/friendly, description and pic), the situation (including where, how long ago, where the cat is now and what's been done to make sure the cat isn't lost) and 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:

HAS is the city-run shelter/pound and it 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.

HBSPCA is in the same building and often confused with HAS. In contrast to HAS (whose mandate is "to protect people from animals", HBSPCA is an animal welfare organizatio and surrendering the cat to HBSPCA may be an option to consider. They do run an adoption service and will accept as Pet Surrenders cats they think will 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.

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