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| Frequently Asked Questions .
 
A: Your first name, email address or phone number, and the town & neighborhood the cat was lost or found in. (e.g. Packers Falls Road area in Durham, downtown Newmarket, Wadleigh's Falls area of Lee, etc.) Please let us know the best time to contact you by phone. We will not post your address or full name, unless you request it.
A: No, it's free.
Q: How do I know if a cat I've found is lost, stray, abandoned, or feral?
A: It is hard to know for sure. It is usually best to assume the cat is lost, and to try to find the cat's people. Please, please don't take a stray cat into your home without making a true effort to find the cat's family. The family is likely to be heartbroken, unable to find the cat they love so dearly. And the cat may be silently grieving for his/her people and home territory. If you bring the cat to a veterinarian, the vet can check to see if the cat has an i.d. chip. Another clue that a cat is lost & not stray are signs of having been to a vet in the past, for example, the cat has been neutered, or shows evidence of other past surgeries. A friendly and trustful cat is likely to be somebody's lost pet, although many pet cats are very fearful and skittish when in unfamiliar situations. Of course, a cat who knows how to use a cat door (catflap), who meows for food, who uses a litterbox, etc. has likely lived with people in the past, and may well be a lost pet. For more information, see Think Lost not Stray
Q: Why hasn't my cat come home?
A: Under normal circumstances, most cats can usually find their way home on their own, but there are certain circumstances that would prevent this, such as: A fellow cat-lover has found your cat and is keeping him/her indoors while trying to find you.
The cat was frightened by something (e.g. fireworks, thunderstorm, other animals) and may be too scared to return home.
While being chased by another animal, the cat may have switched directions several times, thereby becoming disoriented, i.e. not sure which direction is home, so may wander even farther away.
Something has changed since your cat left. For example, he or she might have crossed a river by hopping stones, but a heavy rainstorm has made it impossible for him/her to return that way. Or perhaps a new construction project is started and your cat is on one side of the big machines and scary noises, and home is on the other. The cat is sick, trapped, injured or worse. I know this is very sad to think about, but please remember that there are many other possibilities.
A lot of people believe (and are quick to tell you so) that if a cat doesn't come home, it must mean he's run into predators such as coyotes or fishers. Sadly, sometimes this does happen. But not always. And possibly not as often as people think. After all, there are plenty of wild turkeys, squirrels, mice, woodchucks and other animals in our fields and woods that make far easier prey than cats do, since cats shriek, bite, scratch, and can climb trees. Besides, if all the lost cats were killed by predators, then how could so many "stray" cats survive?
For helpful information about the varying behaviors of missing indoor vs. outdoor cats, read about Lost Cats and Displaced Cats at the Missing Pet Partnership. This website has a wealth of information to help you find your cat!
A: Dogs are registered and licensed, and usually have a collar with id tags. According to the NHSPCA, 75% of lost dogs are returned home, while only 1% of lost cats are found. Hopefully, we can all help change this statistic in our area.
A: It will be different for each of us. Trust your intuition. Searching for a lost cat can be an emotional roller-coaster. Do what you can, then give yourself permission to move on when you're ready. Even if you are unable find your cat after an extensive search, that doesn't necessarily mean that he or she came to a tragic end. Unfortunately, lots of people never notice "Lost Cat" signs, and sometimes cats accidentally hitch a ride on a vehicle that takes them out of the area. It is quite possible that he or she is living a safe and contented life with a new family, and continues to love you from afar.  This site is updated daily. All information is current. If your lost cat is found, or your found cat is reunited with the family or brought to a shelter, please let us know immediately. Thank you. Cat Finders cat.finders@comcast.net | |
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