When a community member takes in a found cat and reaches out for help, we often share a courtesy post to help network the animal — connecting finders with resources and increasing visibility so the cat can be returned to the right home safely.

We want to take a moment to explain how that process works and why we take it seriously.

We Are Not a Shelter

As a foster-based rescue, we network found animals on behalf of finders and advocates who contact us for support. We do not take possession of animals in these situations. When we share a found animal post, the cat remains with the finder until an owner or rescue is identified.

A Claim Is Not Proof of Ownership

When a pet goes missing, emotion takes over — and that’s completely understandable. But confident claims alone are not enough. We have seen multiple people identify three completely different cats as the same missing pet — including one that was male with a limp — each time with total certainty.

This is exactly why proper due diligence protects everyone involved, including the animals. Animals cannot be released based on a claim alone.

The SCAN Steps: What We Ask All Advocates to Do

When a found cat is reported to us, we ask all advocates to follow our SCAN protocol before we can assist:

• S — Scan for a microchip if possible. A microchip is the most reliable way to confirm ownership.
• C — Contact Animal Control to report the found cat. Even though most AC agencies do not take cats, they do keep a record of calls — have them note the cat’s sex, color, and where it was found.
• A — Ask around and Advertise to locate the owner. Talk to neighbors and post on local lost-and-found groups.
• N — Network online on community pages, neighborhood groups, and lost-and-found sites to maximize visibility.

Any cat that comes into our possession has completed the SCAN process as part of our standard intake protocol. These steps exist to make sure every animal reaches the right home — safely and verifiably.

How You Can Help

The best way to support our work is simple — share our posts. Our volunteers’ time is too valuable to spend defending our process in the comments.

📋  Need help with a found cat?

Submit a Help Request through our website and one of our volunteers will be in touch. Please be prepared to complete the SCAN steps — they are required before we can assist.

Proper protocol exists for a reason — to make sure animals find their way back to the right home, safely and verifiably. Thank you for supporting responsible rescue.