New topic from Abe thread. What efforts, CP & others, do 2 find lost&found cats

[Desley (booktigger)]

Exactly Angie, I have had the odd unneutered tom, and it isn't pleasant. The last unneutered tom I had was booked in before I picked him up - the person who was looking after him gave us the litter they had bought, which was Sophisticat Anti-Bacterial, and it was only when it ran out that you could tell he was freshly neutered. I might try that again next time i have one in, to see if it does work. I also dont know how people can live with unneutered females, when I had Blackie, I dont know how her owner put up with her calling.

[Angiew]

We wouldnt hold for 2 weeks before neutering though, they are booked in straight away.

As someone who has just taken pity on the boy I had in the leaky shed in the garden, I've now put him in my study this afternoon after his op. He's been in here about an hour and the place is  - still its an excuse for me not to wash for a few weeks I suppose 

the poor mite is still a bit groggy so didn't feel it was right to leave him shed alone.

How people can live with unneutered toms is totally beyond me.

Anyway the point being, if most of us foster from our own homes, its totally unreasonable to expect someone to keep an entire male for 2 weeks in case an owner comes forward.

[Mark]

About 2 years ago, I used to go in a local cafe. A woman who used to go there said she had a mini-stroke and was in hospital for 6 weeks. Her next door neighbour went in a couple of times a day and put the radio on in the day and the TV on in the evening for her 22 year old cat. Neverthless, the cat went AWOL. She contacted her vet (RB for Sharon) who put the cat on their lost & found. Weeks later, one of the staff at the vet next door to me was looking on the other vets lost and found and realised they had been looking after the cat for 2 weeks  There was a happy reunion 

[Millys Mum]

The national pet register seems to be a well used database, better than some of the others

[LesleyW]

We scan, contact local vets and the RSPCA's national database, although probably should do more, time is normally an issue though, although I do remember MyMoggy at times. We do sometimes ask that whoever finds them gets them scanned if we can't take them in immediately, in case they have an owner and dont need to come to us, but that has only happened once. Last time i tried to contact my local CP over a found stray, I never got an answer. We wouldnt hold for 2 weeks before neutering though, they are booked in straight away.

I used to contact the RSPCA until the time I phoned them and reported we had found a white and black cat, gave them the description, where found etc etc.

About 2 months later, had a phone call from them asking if I had found my cat.  I was walking the dogs at the time and was a bit confused because I know our Baz had gone missing for a few hours approx one month before and I though maybe I had phoned them.  It only occurred to me when I got home that they were actually phoning to see if I had found the cat that I had actually reported as lost!!!!  So if anyone had phoned them to find their cat it was not on their list as being found by me but as being lost by me.

Now, if someone asks me to pick up an adult cat I ask them to check in their local neighbourhood and try to put up some flyers.  I have my own scanner, so scan everything that comes through; the Vet even scanned my kittens last night that came from Ange so we do double check everything .  If the cat came from a good home, it should either be microchipped or the owners would be putting in a lot of effort to find it in the area it went missing and would, therefore, eventually be pointed in my direction.  I would like to do more but, as with everything, time is an issue.

[Canterbury_cats (Sharon)]

This idea that CP has we regard to holding cats for 2wks is totally unreallistic... i must say.. However i have heard of some CP branches being done for criminal damage....

Full toms are always taken to vets unless good reason not too... Females we hold onto (if we think they may have an owner) and also to see if they are in season etc (if not obvious).. But we havent made a match yet..

There are just too many LF registers i feel and not only that the lost and found on Catchat when it says "lost black cat leeds" etc.. makes me scream....!! I posted a while back to say that descriptions of cats on LF registers means alot, but i dont think people realise how difficult it it... to match them up.

All stray cats reported to us, (except ragged full toms and obv preg cats) we advice to get to vet to be checked for chip before we go further. Thats if they can be handled... We have had a few success...and they have been returned to owner asap.. But usually we don't

[Desley (booktigger)]

We scan, contact local vets and the RSPCA's national database, although probably should do more, time is normally an issue though, although I do remember MyMoggy at times. We do sometimes ask that whoever finds them gets them scanned if we can't take them in immediately, in case they have an owner and dont need to come to us, but that has only happened once. Last time i tried to contact my local CP over a found stray, I never got an answer. We wouldnt hold for 2 weeks before neutering though, they are booked in straight away.

[Angiew]

Lost cats are normally the owners responsibility. though I would be willing to help in exceptional circumstances.

For found strays we inform petsearch, scan (obviously) and put an ad in the coventry telegraphs lost and found.

We don't really have the time to do anything else. As unemployed dogs bodies I don't think people can really expect any more than that.

By law, I think all pets should be chipped.

[Canterbury_cats (Sharon)]

What do rescues do to advertise lost and found cats.. and is it successful or not?

This is what i have written in the Abe thread.. with went abit off topic.

suppose this is another thread entirely.. But we had one a female with spay scar, collar mark and the most wonderful temperament, found in a very rural location of Canterbury, taken to vets.. advertised for 2wks (or thereabouts) and never found an owner...Actually.. i am interested in what other branches do with LF as we dont have a good relationship with press and we give them LF cats but they never put them in (or weeks later which is no good).. We have a LF register with more L then F? We have our website and notify local vets and rescues but hardly any come back to us, indeed i reckon they delete the emails we send them...i reckon nr on 60% of cats we take in probably were or are owned by people in the past but no ID etc... I am a BIG,BIG fan of chips and cannot stress enough to people that second to neutering its probably more important then anything else, as it could save your cats life if taken to a vets with severe injuries. Hardly anyone believes me until they loose a cat or any animal...This whole 2wks business narks me alot... and we could indeed end up with 9 fosterers all with cats we cannot rehome for 2wks due to this or that.. its silly.... People should be responsible for their animals, ID and everything.. we shouldnt be doing all the work for them.. they should.. I had a lady ring me a few days ago (really abrupt) lost her cat of 2days and wanted another as her daughter was nagging her..I told her to try and make an effort to find her old cat, vets, rescues ect.. and she said to me "oh never mind, we will just get another, thats why i am ringing you" Needless to say i told her in no certain terms that we didnt have anything suitable !!!

If you cannot be bothered to get your cat neutered, chipped, id etc and make an effort by ringing rescues and vets, you don't deserve puss back. Thats what i say! Abit harsh maybe...!

Thought!