What to do if you find an abandoned cat

That is the typical question we animal lovers ask ourselves when we see a cat in the street that seems to be abandoned. Besides asking ourselves this question, there are other aspects that confuse us and we don’t know how to react, such as: is the cat really abandoned or is it exploring? Can I touch it? Can I feed it? Or a very important one, should I take it home?

Dog and cat abandonment is a growing problem. Many people do not know how to face the responsibility and before giving it to a good home, they prefer to leave it on the street. So, if you come across a cat in the street and you think of taking it home, remember that you must be its family throughout its life.

If this has happened to you and you have not known what to do, in, we want to give you some necessary guidelines so you know what to do if you find an abandoned cat.

Identifying if it is an abandoned cat

Cats are born explorers and, despite being domesticated animals, they still retain a certain wild essence that makes them feel the need to go out and see the world. Most cats function this way, although some are extremely domesticated. That said, you may find a cat on the street and think it is abandoned, but it actually has a home to return to at the end of the day.

Observe the cat for a while and analyze its physical condition and behavior. If you see that the cat is wearing a collar, is scavenging for food (but not desperately), wants to get into a house, has good weight and a healthy coat, it is probably a homeowner. If, on the other hand, the cat is in poor condition, malnourished, showing signs of illness or very frightened, you have encountered an abandoned cat.

Warn people

Before going to warn the neighbors, you should make sure that the place where you have found the abandoned cat does not represent a danger to your safety. That is to say, that it is in a space where it can be protected and not be outdoors or near a road or railroad.

If you already have that issue resolved and you think the cat can survive a few hours, you can proceed to water the voice. Take a photo with your cell phone and ask neighbors in the area if they have lost a cat, go to official offices, veterinarians and animal associations. You can also print some posters with its photo and your phone number in case the owner wants to contact you. Keep in mind that cats like to travel long distances.

Do I take it or leave it?

Is the cat not sure where you found it? That’s an interesting thing. In a short time you will have to gain his trust so that he will come with you, or at least not give you too much of a fight when it comes to picking him up. You have to be patient and have a little time on your hands.

Do the exercise of putting some food and as he eats it, put a little more as he eats it. This will build some trust and confidence with the abandoned cat. After eating, try to approach him or sit on the floor and let him approach you. Have a nice cloth blanket ready to keep him warm when you hold him in your arms. This is a labor of love.

I got it, now what do I do?

First you should take it to a veterinarian to check that it does not have an identification chip and check its physical condition. When you decide to take it home, it is important to make sure that the cat does not have an owner. If you see that days go by and no one contacts you, you can start thinking about the next step: finding an owner or giving it a home. Here reflection is important. You have to analyze not only if you have space in your house to be comfortable, but also space in your dynamics and in your life.

While it is true that cats are more independent than dogs, they are still living beings that deserve our respect and care. If complications arise from the reflection, the best thing to do is to welcome him for a few days while he does everything possible to find a new family.

If the cat is a baby

Because of their fragility, with kittens we must act more quickly. When we find a kitten, we must first check that the mother is not present and wait a maximum of 3 hours to see if she returns. In case the cat is alone, it will be very frightened, but not aggressive (it is a baby). You must catch the baby and find a way to feed it as soon as possible, as without its mother it risks not surviving. After that, take it to a specialist.

If the mother is present, you must be even more careful and patient, and understand that now that you are in the presence of two (or more) cats in a possible abandonment situation, the whole process mentioned above will be more complicated. Therefore, going to a veterinarian and contacting the nearest associations and animal shelters is always the most advisable thing to do to help abandoned cats.