Found a Cat
Found a Cat or Kittens?
If you have found a cat with no signs of identification, and you believe it to be a stray, please contact your local council who are responsible for Cat Management. If you want to go the extra mile, post information of the cat and where it was found, along with a photo, on Perth Pets Lost and Found on Facebook and local notice boards, letter box drops close to where you found the cat etc. . Vet Clinics can also assist by scanning the cat for a microchip and if the cat is chipped, contacting the owner. Some vet clinics will accept strays.
If you have exhausted all of these avenues, you can make an appointment to surrender the cat at Cat Haven by ringing us on 9442 3600. All surrenders are by appointment only Monday to Friday. Unfortunately we cannot accept surrenders on weekends or public holidays. As we have to raise over 98% of our operating costs, we charge a small fee currently $20 per cat to help cover some of the cost of caring for the cat. .
If you find stray kittens please consider the following guidelines
Download simple procedure here (with thanks to animals.miamidade.gov) Do not to touch them - please call Cat Haven straight away. They may not actually be orphaned kittens and the mother cat will probably be nearby.
- Assess the situation but do not touch the kittens – if you have already moved the kittens, please put them back straight away. If the kittens are in a dangerous area, gently move them to somewhere safe but in the immediate area so the mother cat can still find them. Also take note of the kittens’ body condition i.e. are they clean, plump and content or are they dirty, cold and crying?
- Monitor the area – Step right back and keep an eye on the area for a few hours – checking every hour if you can. There is a very high chance that the mum is coming back and is just out hunting, hiding from you, or in the process of moving the litter one by one.
- If the mother cat is around – Then let her take care of the kittens. It is crucial for newborn kittens to receive the nutrition from the mother cat’s milk during the first couple of days of their lives. Many kittens will not survive if separated from the mother during the first week of their life. Put some food and water out for the mum, so that she can devote herself to her babies. Cat Haven can advise you and may be able to organize to send out a ranger to trap the mother first and then get the kittens. It can be very dangerous to the kittens’ lives if you bring them in first and then try to get the mum.
- Still no sign of the mother – If, after many hours there is still no signs that a mother cat is around then you can consider the kittens abandoned. Place them in a clean and dry box with plenty of bedding and if possible, a covered hot water bottle. Newborn kittens cannot generate their own heat so it is imperative that they have a source of heat to keep warm.
- Shelter or rescue – Urgently contact a shelter or rescue group who can take the kittens as soon as possible. If they have been without their mother for a while they may be cold and hungry, and in need of urgent attention.
Stray cat on my property
Each council has its own local laws regarding the removal of stray cats. If your council does not have cat laws, Cat Haven has developed a number of guidelines to be met before we can accept any stray cat. This is essential to ensure that stray cats are indeed homeless and not just visiting from a nearby household.
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You should check with neighbours within a 10-house radius.
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You should call at least three local vet clinics to place a found report and to check their lost reports.
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You should place at least five posters up on noticeboards and at shopping centres with a description of the cat and a contact number.
If you have followed all these guidelines and are still unable to find an owner, you can bring the cat to Cat Haven (opening hours below). Please complete the Stray Cat Surrender Form and bring it in to Cat Haven with the cat. Click here for more information on surrendering your cat. How do I catch a stray cat? If you are unable to catch the cat by hand, please call your local council and they are will organise to pick up the cat or contact our Ranger Service. Alternatively, you can contact a reputable pest control company who bring their trapped cats into Cat Haven for assessment. What is the safest way to set and transport traps? The safest way to trap a cat is to use an experienced organisation such as Cat Haven or a pest control company but if you do choose to trap on your own, please make prior arrangements to bring the cat to Cat Haven as soon as possible and follow the guidelines below. If you use the services of the Cat Haven Rescue Service, there is a small service charge, which will be advised to you at the timing of booking. Several days prior, start feeding the cat where you intend to set the trap. It will be far more likely to enter the trap if it has been fed there previously. Set the trap according to the instructions you were given when you hired it. Make sure it is stable and will not tip over, that is set under shelter, out of rain and sun, and out of public view. Please also avoid setting traps in extreme weather conditions. It is an extremely traumatic experience for a cat to be trapped, and it is essential it is covered for the entire time it is in the trap. When setting the trap, place an old sheet or towel over the back half. As soon as you know that the cat has entered the trap, cover the trap completely. You will need to check the trap every couple of hours during the day and in the morning if set overnight. Don’t leave a cat in a trap for too long. As soon as you are aware a cat is in it, your must immediately bring it into Cat Haven. When transporting the cat to us please ensure that it remains covered the entire time, even when transporting from your vehicle into Cat Haven. And please, do not transport the trapped cat in the tray of a utility or the boot of a vehicle. It will feel far more secure travelling in the passenger section of your vehicle. Cat Haven DOES NOT recommend trapping unless you have the necessary qualifications.