Training Tips
How to Tell if a Cat is a Stray?
This time of year, the number of cats brought to the shelter as strays escalates. It is natural to be concerned for a cat that is out in the cold, but the reality is that reclaim rates for stray cats in most communities across the country teeter at about 5%. This means that for every 100 stray cats brought to a shelter, only five are actually reunited with their families. Those cats tend to have microchips with up-to-date contact information.
Studies have shown that cats are more likely to get back home if they don’t enter the shelter. Some cats will find their way home after a few days of roaming the neighborhood. Others get back home with the help of community members who knock on doors and post fliers to identify where the cat lives and get him back home. Or maybe they learn that the cat is home and lives on the block cared for by several residents. Before you shuttle that stray cat to the shelter, put your detective hat on and talk to the people who live on that block.
You can find more resources and tips on how to help a cat return home on the "Lost & Found" of the Mountain Humane website at https://mountainhumane.org/lost-found-pets/
Additional resources
Mountain Humane Dog Training Classes and Private Training
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