26/08/2026
Our Stray Cat Protocol 📢🐾
We regularly receive enquiries about cats who have been found, appear to be stray, or have been brought into our practice. We thought we'd explain our general procedure.
When a cat is brought in to us:
Our priority is always the cat's welfare. Depending on the circumstances, we will:
- Assess their health and welfare
- Check for a collar or other identification
- Scan for a microchip
- Contact the registered keeper if a chip is found
- Make reasonable efforts to establish whether the cat has an owner
- Where appropriate, advertise locally to try to reunite them with their owner
A cat being found outdoors or appearing to be a stray does not necessarily mean they have been abandoned. Cats can roam considerable distances and may be owned, regularly fed or cared for by someone nearby.
Please note: We are a General Veterinary Practice
We are not a dedicated stray or rescue facility and we do not have overnight accommodation for healthy stray or found cats.
If a cat is brought into the practice, we will assess their immediate welfare needs and take appropriate steps based on their individual circumstances. Where a cat is well enough to leave the practice, we may need to arrange for them to be returned to the area where they were found or for an appropriate rescue/animal welfare organisation to become involved.
This does not mean we are simply "turning away" a found animal. We will always consider the animal's welfare and provide appropriate veterinary advice and care within the facilities and services we are able to offer.
Identifying Information:
When we ask anyone who believes they own a found cat to provide identifying information, we mean information that helps us to establish ownership of that particular cat. This could include:
- Previous photographs
- The cat's name
- Distinctive markings or features
- Approximate age and s*x
- Previous veterinary history
- Microchip details
- Other information an owner would reasonably be expected to know
This is different from general information about where a cat has been living or what someone believes may have happened to them.
We are grateful for information being provided by members of the public and will always take relevant information on board. However, we cannot publish information as fact when we have no way of independently verifying it. Our social media posts will therefore remain factual and neutral. We will not make assumptions about an animal's ownership, history, living arrangements or welfare circumstances.
A quick reminder about microchipping:
Microchipping your cat is one of the simplest ways to make sure they can be identified and reunited with you if they ever go missing. In England, it is also a legal requirement for owned cats to be microchipped and registered by 20 weeks of age. Please also remember to keep your contact details up to date on the microchip database.
Please be kind:
When a found animal is posted online, it is understandable that people may become concerned about its welfare. However, please remember we often do not know the full circumstances surrounding an animal when an initial post is made. We ask that people avoid speculation, accusations or making assumptions in the comments. If you have information that may help us identify an owner or establish an animal's circumstances, please contact the practice directly. We will consider the information provided, but may not be able to publish or confirm it publicly.
Our Priority:
- Keep the animal safe
- Establish ownership where possible
- Provide appropriate veterinary care
- Reunite animals with their owners whenever we can
Thank you for helping us do this safely, fairly and responsibly.
*This explains our general practice procedure. Individual circumstances may require different steps depending on the animal's welfare and situation.
