BLOG
You've found a stray cat? Don't panic!
Published on November 3rd 2022
We receive many calls every day from citizens who have found a stray cat.
In order to respect our capacity (document in French only) and to ensure that we have the necessary resources to take good care of each animal, we operate exclusively by appointment. This allows us to reduce the length of stays in the shelter and to minimize the number of euthanasias.
It is therefore not possible to bring an animal to the shelter without having made an appointment, unless the animal is injured, sick or in a precarious situation.
Here is the process to follow if you find a stray cat.
- If the animal does not appear injured
The animal's coat is beautiful, it doesn't look bad, but rather healthy? It is very possible that it is a domestic cat, belonging to someone in the neighborhood.
- Take a picture of the animal and check out about 10 houses in the area to see if it belongs to anyone. In many cases, the owner can be found this way.
- If that doesn't work, post the photo of the pet on social media, including lost and found pet Facebook groups.
- Have the pet's microchip checked, either at a veterinarian's office or at the SPCA de l'Outaouais shelter. This is free and only takes a few minutes.
If all else fails, you can join the waiting list to bring the animal to the Outaouais SPCA. Send us an email at with a brief description of the cat, a picture and the location where you found it.
Wait for our reply before coming to the shelter! The delay of entry can vary from a few days to more than a month depending on the urgency of the situation and the traffic at the shelter. This allows us to respect our capacity to take good care of each animal.
(To know what to do while waiting for your appointment, read point 4.)
- If the animal seems injured
Does the animal limp, look unwell or appear to be injured or ill? If so, call us at 819-243-2004 (extension 23) during our business hours and we will try to arrange an emergency appointment with our health team.
Our veterinarian will be able to perform an examination and determine the urgency of the situation. If the situation is not urgent, you may have to leave with the animal if the shelter is at capacity.
Outside of our operating hours, contact your local police department.
- If the kitten is very young and appears to be an orphan
If kittens are too young to be separated from their mother (around 2 months), the first step is to try to find the mother. This maximizes their chances of survival, even if they stay outside.
At the shelter, we do our best to try to rescue orphaned kittens, but under 4-5 weeks of age, it is more difficult to ensure their survival if their mother is not present.
- Place the kittens in a safe, secluded area and leave them there for a few hours to see if the mother will come and get them.
- If this does not work, call us at 819-243-2004 (extension 23) during our business hours and we will try to arrange an emergency appointment with our health team.
Our veterinarian will be able to perform an examination and then judge the urgency of the situation. If the situation is not urgent, you may have to leave with the animal if the shelter is at capacity.
Outside of our operating hours, contact your local police department.
- While waiting for your appointment
Here's what you can do while waiting for a space to open up at the shelter:
- Provide food and water for the cat that can continue to live outside. If the cat is used to living outside, its coat is adapted to these conditions.
- In the coldest part of winter, you can make a small shelter for the animal to take refuge in.
In any case, the most important thing is to wait for your appointment. This allows us to respect our healthy intake capacity and to offer the best care to the animals entrusted to us. Thank you for helping us to help them!
Share!