A case has come to our attention, recently, where one lady thought that her cat was missing, whilst another lady thought she had found a stray. These two ladies lived a short distance apart and so, after extensive advertising, the owner soon heard that her cat may be being fed by someone else in the area. She went to see the lady and made her aware that the cat had a good home and was well fed and asked the lady to stop feeding him. The lady refused and also said that she had removed his collar, which had his magnetic cat flap key on it, thus preventing him from gaining access to his home. Although she claimed to be a cat lover, she did not get the cat checked by a vet, who would quickly have been able to establish that he was healthy and microchipped and could have been reunited with his owner, which has to be the best outcome in such cases, unless an animal has be mistreated in some way. This whole episode has left the cat's owner in a state of distress and anxiety.

If you think you have found a stray cat, (or any animal for that matter), please get it checked over by a vet, local animal charity or the RSPCA to establish whether or not it is microchipped and could be reunited with its owner; they should also be able to tell if an animal is healthy. In some cases, especially if the animal is elderly, they may look thin, due to some illness, requiring a specialist diet. In these cases, feeding them "normal" food could cause suffering and even death. Some animals also look quite well, but need regular medication, which, if not given can cause problems and suffering.

It is cruel to remove a happy pet from a loving owner, especially as there are many stray animals waiting to find a home of their own. Suitable owners will be welcomed with open arms by local charities, whose details may be found in the phone book or on-line.

We have added a new link to the website for Animal Search UK. They provide excellent advice and help for tracking down missing pets. To find out more, click on the link provided on the right-hand side of our blog pages, or use the details below.

www.animalsearchuk.co.uk Est 1999.

Office number 9am-9pm 01432 761 406
Mobile number 9am-9pm 07917 638 756

email: info@animalsearchuk.co.uk

WE ARE OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK