FOUND CAT: Tabby and white cat - Marylebone area, Westminster

Found pet report received on Pets Reunited.

Report approved by Administrator.

'Found Pet' poster created

Report added to PetWatch™ alert dispatch queue.

Report added to alert dispatch queue for local Vets and Rescue Centres around Marylebone, Westminster, Greater London.

Report dispatched via email to our local PetWatch alert subscribers.

Report dispatched via email to local Vets and Rescue Centres.

GENERAL ADVICE FOUND A CAT? The primary goal is always the animals welfare, but there are some considerations when deciding whether to intervene. Is it clean, does it seem healthy and well fed, does it come and go, does it have a collar on (in some cases)? Could it have a loving owner in the area and be out roaming? If yes then best to leave alone. If concerned that the cat looks lost or in trouble then monitor it, keep it safe in situ, and try to find the owner. Be mindful that If you remove from the area you could be creating a lost cat, and a desperate owner. If the cat is in immediate danger, then try to make the cat safe if you can, by removing from danger, and try and find the owner (advice below) OR Could the cat be elderly, as some old cats look small, skinny, less well kept, and their appearance may deteriorate over time although they may be healthy, well looked after. Always be careful not to confuse old with neglected, as you could be removing an elderly cat from a loving home, and putting into a vet/rescue system that could cause distress, or, worst case, cause them to be euthanised due to age. Again monitor the cat, and if concerned try to help the cat by keeping it safe while you find the owner. OR Is the cat outside day and night? Does the cat appear to be neglected, distressed, extremely hungry, dirty and/or flea-ridden? Try to find the owners, knock on doors all around - to ask if anyone knows him/her. When you knock on doors, don’t show a photo of the cat, and give only a brief description, let the potential owner describe their cat to you, saying if there are distinguishing features. If the description matches then show the picture. Put a paper collar on the cat if the cat is visiting regularly, giving your contact details, and asking them to call you if cat is theirs. Use tape to attach but always leave a gap for safety, so the collar will break if the cat catches it. If no owner is found, then get the cat checked for a microchip, either free at a vet, or through a local rescue, who may have a volunteer who could come and scan for a microchip. There is also ScannerAngel.com. Don’t leave a cat at vets unless unwell. Get in contact with your local animal rescue charity by putting your postcode in the search engine of CatChat.org. If there no response to a paper collar and no chip then put up posters in local streets. (Include only 1 picture where distinguishing marks are hidden, so you can get the owner to confirm specific marks when they contact you). Make posters large and clear, and weather protect them. Give brief comment/description/approx area found and contact number. Also consider leaflets through doors in local streets you have not already covered, for posting when there is no reply. If an owner comes forward then ask them for proof of ownership, photos, and any distinguishing features, before you hand cat over. If in doubt, see how the cat responds to them, but this is not a great test, some cats are just friendly! If the cat seems unwell, is injured or obviously distressed then ring up and/or visit nearby vet to ask for advice on treatment. Again, please do not leave the cat with any vet if the cat does not need treatment, but do leave pictures or posters with vet to help finding owner. Provide water for the cat. As a general rule you should not feed a cat you don’t own, both because it can encourage the cat to keep visiting you and not go home, but also some cats have intolerances/health issues/special diets and could become severely ill eating regular cat food. However if the cat is obviously malnourished/very hungry/underweight then you can provide food too, in case this cat is lost/starving/a stray. It is likely you should visit a vet in this situation for a health check (if possible), so please research best food to give an unknown cat by asking the vet, as it’s likely to be fresh chicken/white fish will be best. Do not give human milk under any circumstances. In any posts you create online, or if you send details to local vets/charities/rescues etc, always put full area found (approximate area/ town/region/county/country), and date/year found. These posts get shared far and wide so important to give those details. For online, pictures should be shared (but hide key distinguishing marks), as best way to get the word out. Always note proof of ownership needed to hand over cat, to keep cat safe. If you decide to keep the cat, please continue to try and find the owner, and think of it as a foster initially, as owners are sometimes located months/years later. If you can, try and keep the cat in the area you found it while you search for the owner, as if it has an owner they will likely be nearby and this is the best chance of reuniting. You could check in these groups if anyone has lost a cat of their description:- AnimalSearchUK.co.uk PetsReUnited.com PetsLocated.com NationalPetRegister.org NextDoor.co.uk Plus any local groups/Facebook or online groups (there are likely to be many that cover your area, and national groups for lost and found pets, some that are breed and type specific)

Hi, do you have a picture of the cat from the front?