Racine & Me: Found a Stray Cat? Here's What the Wisconsin Humane Society Recommends

RACINE, WI (CBS 58) -- If you ever see a stray cat, you may not know what to do. Jenna Crawford is the Director of Youth Programs for the Racine Campus of the Wisconsin Humane Society. She joined us in studio to talk about this topic. 

Stray Cats

Historically, “stray cats” have made up the majority of intake at shelters across the country. Shelter impoundment of healthy cats reduces the capacity to respond to critical needs in our community. Shelters are overwhelmed, overcrowded, and less able to provide appropriate care for animals who truly do need sheltering–like those that are sick or injured. This may be surprising, but the best option for a healthy stray cat is to leave them alone. Lost cats are10 to50 times more likely to be reunited with their owners if they stay in their neighborhood than if they’re brought to an animal shelter. Nationally, just 3% of cats are reunited with their families through shelters. A 2018 study found that75% of lost cats are found withing a third of a mile from their home. A stray cat’s best chance of finding their owner is to leave them where they are. Reunifications can happen fastest by avoiding a trip to a shelter. There are several ways you can help a lost cat return home:

•First and foremost, if the animal has ID tags you’ll want to reach out to that contact as

soon as possible.

•Take the cat to a vet clinic, shelter, or police station to scan for a microchip.

•Post found cat flyers in the neighborhood.

•Post the cat on sites like Facebook, NextDoor, PawBoost, andLost Cats of Wisconsin.

There are certain situations where you should take a stray cat to the shelter–if a cat is in danger, sick or injured, or an orphaned kitten. If you find a cat in any of these situations, please bring them to the shelter that contracts with your municipality. In most of Racine County, that’s the Wisconsin Humane Society.

You can find more information on stray animals on our website wihumane.org.