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What to do if you've found a cat or kitten which might be a stray...

Animals who have lost their way are the responsibility of the whole community – not just of community groups

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THE BEST SOLUTION:

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  • If they seem friendly and they will let you pat them and pick them up, place them in a carry cage and take them to your local vet to be scanned for a microchip.  Vets usually do not charge for this. If the cat or kitten is microchipped they will be able to get in contact with the owner and arrange for the cat, kitten to be collected by their owner.

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  • If the cat is very scared, it might become aggressive – even if it is a much loved member of a family – so if you are not confident about handling the animal, call us about borrowing a trap.  The traps are a safe, non-invasive way of trapping which reduces the stress involved in transporting a cat or kitten.

 

THE SECOND BEST SOLUTION:

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  • This cat or kitten might still be owned but be lost.

  • Get a photo of the cat or kitten and ask neighbours if they recognise him/her and whether they know where the cat or kitten may have come from.

 

  • Distribute flyers – add a photo as well as a description of the cat or kitten and your contact details and put them in letter boxes around your neighbourhood.  

 

  • Create a listing the following websites:

  1. Pets On The Net

  2. Trademe – Lost & Found Pets

  3. Facebook Lost & Found Pages/ Local Area Groups

  4. Notify your local vets – all of them in your area – as they usually keep a register of lost and found animals.

 

  • Place an advert with your local radio station – they will usually do this free of charge.

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THE LAST RESORT:

 

  • If all of the above fail – give us a call and we’ll see what we can do to help you.  

Introducing a new cat or kitten into your household? Here are some tips...

Adopting a cat or kitten is always a hugely exciting time for a family.

 

However, as they do with us – first impressions do count with cats and so the way you introduce your new cat to your household can be the difference between him/her becoming happily integrated into your home and family – or not.

 

1. Playing it safe:

Cats need to become thoroughly familiar with their new surroundings and people before they will feel totally comfortable. When bringing your cat or kitten home for the first time, we suggest literally 'shrinking their world' to begin with. You can do this by keeping them in a smallish, safe, warm, quiet place until you feel they are relaxed and ready to explore the rest of your home.

 

They are notoriously good at squeezing into the most unexpected places. It would be wise to block off potential access points to any danger zones which may be around. These may include, blocking off behind the fridge, keeping the toilet lid closed, ensuring fish tanks are off limits and securing any wiring which might become an electric shock or strangulation hazard.

 

2. Letting your cat outside:

We strongly recommend keeping  your cat inside for a minimum of 2 weeks - 1 month. This ensures they have the time to create a strong bond with you and your family. Once they are fully vaccinated (have had their first vaccination and then 3-4 weeks later had a booster vaccination) they can begin to venture outside, but only under supervision and before feeding them.

 

Training them to come inside at night as part of their end of day routine will help to keep them safe from the types of injuries more commonly sustained in cat fights and road accidents.

 

3. Kids & kittens (or cats)

It's best to lay some ground rules down with your children from the very moment your cat or kitten arrives in their new home. It can be overwhelming for the new arrival to come into a brand new environment - and it's best to make the transition into your new home as seamless as possible to avoid unnecessary stress. Show your children how to safely handle and carry their new family member. Encourage playing with them to develop a strong bond. Be careful they aren't over zealous with handling the cat or kitten - it's best to supervise them to begin with until they understand how to behave around their buddy.

 

It's also a good idea to teach them about a cat/ kittens body language. It's best children know how to interpret cat/ kitten moods and when the cat/ kitten has had enough and needs some peace and quiet.

 

Kids can often be the magic in bringing a shy or frightened cat/ kitten out of their shell. 

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