If you have lost your pet, it is extremely important to be proactive and thorough in looking for your loved one as soon as possible.  Make sure to utilize social media groups and join local communities to get the word out there. 

• Lost pets may hide in fear. Search all possible hiding places outside, look under sheds, decks, houses, etc. Most animals are found close to home. Talk to your neighbors and, after asking permission, search at your neighbors. Put out food and water in hopes the cat will return home for food. 
• Call area shelters to make a report and/or to see if your pet has been impounded. 
• Place posters within a 2-mile radius from where the animal was lost and at busy intersections. Posters should be large and bright colors; be brief and to the point and create a visual image. Try: Lost, a photo and your number. Post around town at veterinary clinics, schools, grocery and convenience stores, and anywhere else you think might make a difference. It is always a good idea to leave off one distinguishing feature so you can confirm that this is your lost pet with the person who might have found them. 
• Post photos and information where your pet was last seen on Facebook, Craigslist, Pinterest, etc.
• For shy cats, set a humane trap near the point of escape. (Cat Depot has humane traps available for rent – Call 941-366-2404 for more information about humane traps); Call all the shelters around where you live and visit them regularly. 
• Contact and leave a description with your mail carrier, newspaper carrier, garbage truck drivers, local landscapers.  Thanks to our partnership with Petco Love Lost reuniting lost pets is easier visit the page for more information. 

If you found a cat: 

• Have the animal scanned for a microchip at any nearby veterinary office, humane society, or Animal Services which may lead to the owner’s information.  
• Call area animal shelters and report that you found a lost pet. Give a thorough description and you will be contacted if someone calls reporting a lost pet with the same description. 
• Knock on doors of homes near where you found the animal to ask if they know who the animal belongs to. 
• Put up flyers in your neighborhood and surrounding areas to let the person looking know that you found their lost pet. 
• Post photo and information on where you found the animal on Facebook, Craigslist, Pinterest, etc. 
• If you find that no one has responded to these efforts after a few days you can then take the pet down to animal services and turn it in as a stray. 
• If someone contacts you claiming to be the owner of the cat, be sure you ask for evidence of ownership, including a picture or have them identify specific information that only an owner would know. This could be an unusual feature, markings, or something that isn’t visible in the picture. 

If you found a kitten:  

It’s common to find a litter of unattended kittens or even a single kitten seemingly abandoned by its mother. If you find yourself in such a situation, stop for a moment and remember these tips about helping abandoned kittens: 

1. Make sure the kitten really is abandoned: Mother cats have to find food, and they can leave for a few hours at a time while doing so. Sometimes a momma cat moves her litter in order to ensure her little ones are safe. She has to carry her kittens, one at a time, from the old location to the new one. If the kittens appear to be clean, plump, and quiet, then they are likely doing well with mom nearby. 
   
   
2. Observe from a distance and do not handle the kittens: If you are concerned that mom might not be coming back, watch the kitten(s) but do not get too close (it is recommended to stay at least 25 feet away). If the mom cat is feral and she smells human scent near her babies, she might be too frightened to come back and care for her kittens. Kittens usually need to eat every four to six hours, so if it has been 12 hours since you found the kitten(s) and the mother has not come back, something is most likely wrong and you can take the next step. 
   
   
3. Warm them up: Kittens less than three weeks old cannot control their own body temperature and can easily get so chilled they can die, even when outdoor temperatures are warm. A chilled kitten is lethargic and may actually feel cold to the touch. To get abandoned kittens warm, prepare a “nest” lined with bath towels and put a heating pad or hot water bottle under the towels on medium heat. Be sure to leave a place where the kitten(s) can crawl away if they get too hot. 
   
   
4. Call for help: During the height of kitten season, local shelters and rescue groups, like Cat Depot here in Sarasota, might have nursing mom cats who may welcome some extra kittens. Mother-cat milk is by far the best nutrition a growing baby can get. If shelters do not have mom cats available, they may have fosters or volunteers who know how to bottle feed and care for newborn kittens, or they might give you instructions on how to do so. 

Please attempt to re-home your kitty with friends or family first.  If your only available option is to relinquish your cat to a shelter, we recommend placing your name on multiple waiting lists. 

Cat Depot is a limited admissions adoption center operating at optimal capacity. 

All of our admissions are by appointment only.  Each request is reviewed and handled on a case-by-case basis. The number of weekly adoptions determines how many new admissions can be accommodated the following week. If you need to surrender your cat or kitten, please complete the Cat Surrender Request Form on our website.  

The best way to assure that your wishes regarding the future care of your pets are fulfilled is to draw up a formal written arrangement, such as a will, trust or bequest, that specifically states the individual care needed for each animal. Seek out the advice and help of a professional who can assist in the preparation of legal documents.

Cat Depot is committed to assist cat owners with a plan that will honor their cats for life.

For more information about the Lifetime Care Program, please email Claudia Harden, Director of Communications (claudiah@catdepot.org), or call 941-366-2404.