found a cat

If you’ve found a stray or lost cat, here’s what you need to do next.

Stray Cats

Sadly, there is no official system to report a stray cat.

It’s important to know the difference between a feral cat and a stray cat. Feral cats are not approachable, are generally unfriendly and so long as they are in a healthy condition can happily live outside and look after themselves. However, they should be neutered to prevent over-population.

If you find a friendly stray cat we advise trying to find its owner by doing the following:

Remember cats roam large areas, so ask around your neighbours to see if anyone locally knows who they belong to.
Put up posters with a photo of the cat and your contact details.
If you can safely transport the cat, take it to a vet to be scanned for a microchip.
You can also try a paper collar. Download one from the RSPCA website here.
If you are unable to keep the cat yourself, a local animal rescue charity may be able to help. You can get in touch with us about stray cats in the South Yorkshire area by completing this form with as much information as you can.

Other animals, cruelty and abandonment

Depending on the situation, if you have concerns about cruelty or abandonment, you may need to contact the RSPCA. The RSPCA may also be able to help with concerns involving wildlife. See more information on their website here.