Have you come across a dog or cat wandering aimlessly in your neighborhood without any apparent owner? Or have you found yourself feeding the same cat that drops by your backyard every day? Have you considered taking them in and providing them with care? While this may seem tempting, it is important to remember that these pets may actually be lost, and their owners may be frantically searching for them.
If you do happen to catch one of these animals, there are some important steps you should take before assuming responsibility for them. Firstly, check for a visible tag and collar, as this may contain the contact information of the owner. If no identifying information is present, it is advisable to take the pet to a vet or shelter to have their microchip scanned or tattoo checked.
Laura Meshen's experience of finding a cat named Miss Kay serves as an excellent example of the responsible actions that should be taken by those who encounter a stray pet.
QuoteIt was late November 2022, and the weather had just turned bitter cold. One night, my security camera caught a cat scooting across the driveway. Instantly, I was overcome with sadness, it was not any kind of weather for a cat to be out in, and this was NOT one of the feral regulars.
The next day, I got some supplies and set out a bowl of food and water in a dog shed attached to our garage. In sub-zero temperatures, I went out to check the water and food in the morning, afternoon, and nighttime.
For the first few days, I only caught sight of the cat on camera, but the food was being eaten, and the little shelter I had made for it was being used.
After a week, I went out to top up the food, and this little meow came out from the wood pile! The kitty took a few tentative steps toward the food and was all over it as soon as the bowl was out of my hand.
I reached down to pet it and see if I could find a collar, a tattoo, or any identifying marks. No luck, but to my surprise, the ball of ginger fur was a female! A little unicorn that someone had to be missing.
The next day at breakfast, she came out of the wood pile again to greet me and get her food. This time she let me pet her, wound her way around my legs and let me pick her up for a closer inspection. I could see she was a little underweight and had signs of worms. I toyed with the idea of bringing her inside instantly, but she seemed to sense my idea and struggled to get free. I let her down, and she looked back at me as she went on her way as if to say, “see you later.”
The next day, after I went out to feed her, Spicy, as I was already calling her, decided that she had had enough of being outside and followed me right back to the house. So, I brought her in, took some photos and started posting to Facebook to see if anyone in the area was missing her.
The next day, I took Spicy to the vet to get a checkup and see if, with a bit of luck, she had a microchip. Thankfully, she did have a permanent ID. I was told that the chip number looked like it was attached to the BC SCPA, and the vet tech gave me the number to call to report finding her.
Within an hour of that call, I was put in touch with her owner, told her real name is Miss Kay, and I was dropping her off at home, which was on the opposite side of the river and almost 4 kilometers away.
Penny (the registered owner of Miss Kay’s microchip) told me that Miss Kay went missing at the beginning of October 2022 and was gone for over 2 months! I am so thankful she was chipped so I could get her back to Penny. It also goes to show that chips work, no matter how long it has been since your pet went missing.
While it can be difficult to part with a beloved stray that you have been caring for, it is important to consider that the pet’s original guardians may be searching for them. As such, it is recommended that you take the pet to a local veterinarian or animal shelter. If you are interested in adopting the stray yourself, it is advisable to inform the vets and shelter staff and submit an application form. By doing so, the necessary procedures can be followed to ensure that there are no negative repercussions for you in the future, should you decide to keep the stray pet.
The story of Laura and Miss Kay doesn’t just end there. There is a twist to the ending to this story:
It’s interesting how things can sometimes work out unexpectedly. What initially began as a responsible act of searching for a pet’s original owners, ultimately led to the start of a heartwarming adoption story and a lifelong friendship between Laura and Penny.QuoteAs it turns out, Miss Kay had contracted feline leukemia during her time in the wild, and because she has 2 other young, uninfected cats, Penny worried about Miss Kay’s quality of life since she would have to be isolated. I offered up my home as a foster, and now Miss Kay goes by Spicy again and lives a luxurious life as a spoiled little housecat.
