CAT HELP 911

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Lost a Cat?

  • Act quickly! It's important that you start looking right away.
  • Put their used litter box and your worn clothing outside near the home. A familiar smell may bring a missing cat back.
  • Walk the neighborhood at dawn and dusk when cats are normally most active. Look in your garage, sheds, under decks, boats, RVs, etc. Ask your neighbors to look too.
  • Run ads in local papers, internet forums such as craigslist, place flyers in local business and go door-to-door in the neighborhood.
  • Notify local vets, animal shelters, rescue groups, city/town departments, mail carrier, trash services and even school bus drivers.



Found a Cat?

  • Run ads in local papers, internet forums such as craigslist, place flyers in local business and go door-to-door in the neighborhood, notify local vets, animal shelters, and rescue groups.


  • Minimize handling the cat to avoid bites and scratches. Don't let them come into contact with your own cats.
  • Get the cat to a vet if you have the resources. You can have the cat evaluated for your own piece of mind and for the health of the cat.
  • If no owner can be found, check with local shelters and rescues too see about getting help to find a new homw for the cat. There is no organization in New York state that will "come and get cats". Unfortunately, there are simply too many cats and not enough good homes.
  • Consider temporarily fostering the cat until a permanent home can be found.
  • If you want to help find a new home for the cat placing ads in local papers, internet forums, and vet offices cna be effective, but please avoid offering the cat "free to a good home"! Ask for a small donation to ensure potential adopters have good intentions.

Stray or Feral?

There is a difference between a stray and a feral cat. Stray cats are most likely previously oned cats that have been lost or intentionally abandoned. Feral cats have been born in the wild and have never known human contact. If the cat wants your attention, food, or shelter, it is probably a stray. Ferals may hang around for food or water but will normally run away from humans and avoid any close contact. A shy, injured or very scared stray may act like a feral. If you are not sure, contact and animal hospital or shelter and ask someone that has experience dealing with feral cats. There are no groups that will "come and get" feral cats. It is in your best interest and the cat's to find and organization that can help you get feral cats tested, vaccinated, and spayed/neutered if at all possible.


Why Spay and Neuter?

If left alone to reproduce in the wild, 1 male and 1 female cat can have up to 4 litters of kittems in just one year. Many of these kittens will starve, freeze, be killed by predators, or run over by cars. Those that survive will be producing more kittens when they are only 6 months old, generating hundreds of unwanted cats in a few years time. You can help make a difference one cat at a time. First, spay and neuter your own pet cats. Second, if you find strays or ferals near your home, do what you can to get them spayed or neutered. Even if a home cannot be found, releasing one spayed/neutered cat can prevent the birth of hundreds of unwanted kittens. There are organizations that offer assistance with spaying/neutring across the region. If each person helps just a little, it will add up to a big part of controlling the cat overpopulation problems in our towns.


Resources:
 Animal Hospitals
  • Dr. Nathan's Vet Clinic - Avon, 346-3090
  • Avon animal Hospital - Avon, 246-6144
  • Genesee Valley Vet Hospital - Geneseo, 243-5100
  • Animal Care Facility - Livonia, 346- 21400
  • Livonia Veterinary Hospital - Livonia, 346-3810
  • York Animal Hospital - York, 243-5660
  • Dansville Animal Hospital - Dansville, 335-6058
  • Dr. Reimels - Wayland, 728-2976
  • Ontario Veterniary Clinic - Canandaigua, 394-3383

Spay and Neuter Assistance - These organizations offer low-cost spay/neuter clinics or voucher for pets, strays and/or ferals


*Information above from Help the Cats*

Hearthside Cats, Inc.
P.O. Box 282
Geneseo, NY 14454
(585) 243-0873
Email: vraschi@aol.com