Can I keep a stray cat I found?

Usually, you can’t keep lost property until you’ve taken certain steps to report the find and attempt to return property to the owner. If you find a stray animal, you must: Return the animal to the owner — Most statutes require you to attempt to return the animal to its owner, before you assert ownership.

Are stray kittens dangerous?

Stray kittens can also carry various infectious diseases that can be transmitted to other cats in the household, such as feline leukemia virus, panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis and calicivirus. Overall, the risks from adopting stray kittens are low, but they are real. Wash your hands after handling the new kitten.

How long before a stray cat is yours?

These laws provide the minimum required period that an animal (usually a dog or cat) must be kept at a pound or public animal shelter before it is sold, adopted out, or euthanized. Typically, the holding period runs from five to seven days. However, it can be as short as 48 to 72 hours in some cases.

Can a stray kitten be tamed?

Feral kittens can usually be tamed if they are rescued young enough AND they are socialized properly. Feral kittens should begin their socialization as young as possible (before 6 weeks of age). It can take months for these kittens and cats to bond with the new caretaker.

What to do if you find a kitten outside alone?

1. Bring the whole family inside to a quiet, small room (like a bathroom). You can also use a large dog crate, covered with a blanket.
2. Provide the mother cat and kittens with a carrier as a hiding place. Provide food and water, and a litter box placed as far away from the sleeping and eating area as possible.

What if you find a lost cat?

If you cannot safely approach the animal or if it runs away, call your local animal control or police department immediately. Be sure to give the dispatcher the exact street address where the animal was last seen. Check for ID. Once you have contained the lost pet, check to see if the animal is wearing anID tag.

What do you do if you find a lost kitten?

Helping Abandoned, Stray Cats and Kittens

1. Make sure the cat or kitten has food, water, and shelter.
2. Call your local animal shelter or humane agency for guidance.
3. List the cat in your local “found” lists.
4. Report abandoned pets to your local law enforcement agency.
5. Try to find the abandoned cat a home.

What to do if you found a kitten?

How do you make a cat yours legally?

Establish your ownership rights through the following:

1. Registration. Registration is not always mandatory.
2. Veterinary records.
3. Microchipping.
4. Tags.
5. A recent photo of your pet.
6. Adoption or purchase records.
7. Consider a pet agreement form.

Can a 4 month old feral kitten be tamed?

Commonly referred to as a social cat by some animal rescue experts, a semi-feral is a cat or kitten who has had some experience with humans in the past. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to tame semi-feral and feral cats after 4 – 6 months of age, but it is not impossible.

What should I do if my foster cat is sick?

Keep them separated from other pets in your house. Many foster cats and kittens are at least a little bit sick. Often, kittens will come to your home with the cat form of pink eye, or some tummy troubles, or an upper respiratory infection. You don’t want to expose your forever cats to these illnesses.

What to do if you find a lost and found cat?

Be sure to also check the lost and found on websites such as Craigslist, Facebook lost pet groups, lost pet databases such as PetAmberAlert.com and call your local animal shelters. People will often call their local shelters when a pet is lost, so there is a chance that the shelter will be able to help you reunite the cat with the owner.

What if I can’t take care of the kittens?

If you aren’t prepared to foster the kittens yourself, there are limited options for taking care of the kittens. At Pet Alliance, we provide our foster parents with Kitten Kits to help take care of them until they are eight weeks of age in their homes.

How do I Foster a kitten from an animal shelter?

If your shelter doesn’t have a foster program… Contact a local rescue group about fostering. Rescue groups can’t pull animals out of shelters unless they have somewhere for them to go, so offering up your home will allow them to rescue animals from the shelter. You may find kittens outside and decide you want to help them.