What To Do If You Find A Stray Cat or Kitten

What to do if you find a cat or kitten without an identification tag

  • If you have found a litter of kittens and the mother cat is nowhere to be seen, do not assume that she has abandoned them. She may be taking a rest or hunting for food or doing a perimeter predator check to protect her babies.
    Kittens have a much stronger chance of survival if they’re kept with the mother. Kittens are born with extremely immature immune systems. Those under 8 weeks of age have a very low chance of survival if they are separated from their mother and brought to a veterinarian or shelter.
  • Only attempt to catch a cat yourself if you are able to touch it and pick it up. If it is timid or feral, provide food and water but leave the animal alone. Contact your local council or rescue group to assist you with trapping.
  • Make sure that the cat/kitten has food, water and shelter. Keep the cat away from your own pets until you are sure it is healthy.
  • Take the lost cat to a local veterinarian and ask them to scan for a microchip. If a microchip is found they will contact the national registry who will provide them with the owner’s details so they can be contacted.
  • Notify the surrounding veterinarians, as most practices will keep a log of lost and found pets.
  • Notify the surrounding local councils:
    From 1 November 2013, the full Cat Act 2011 requires all cats that have reached 6 months of age to be microchipped, sterilised and registered with a local government. Cats are required to wear a collar and registration tag to ensure that owned cats can be easily identified and returned to their owner.

To see our cats and kittens currently available for adoption at Vetwest Animal Hospitals visit: https://www.vetwest.com.au/services/adoption

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