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Whether you live in an active neighborhood or on a property with quite a bit of unused space, there’s a good chance that you’ll encounter a stray cat at some point. There are two main reasons this holds true. First, many cats in the United States aren’t fixed which means lots of unplanned kittens are born all across the country every year. And second, plenty of cats get separated from their owners at some point in life. That’s why it’s so important for cat owners to microchip their pet and use other forms of identification as well.

If you ever come across a stray cat or even a litter of abandoned kittens, here are a few tips:

Provide Food and Water

When you initially make contact with a stray cat, the best thing to do is provide some cat food and water. This will help build trust and refuel the cat if it’s been in any kind of stressful situation.

Offer Shelter

The next thing you’ll want to do is provide a safe spot where the cat can relax. Given that cats tend to love cardboard boxes, the shelter you offer doesn’t need to be anything elaborate.

Check for a Microchip

As mentioned above, a microchip is one of the most effective ways for a stray cat to get reunited with its owner. You can take a cat you find to any vet and they will use a scanner to see if the cat is chipped.

Spread the Word

If the cat you find doesn’t have a microchip, it’s a good idea to spread the word. In addition to posting on places like Facebook and Craigslist, putting up a few printed posters around your immediate area can still be a very effective tactic.

Get in Touch with a Denver Animal Shelter

If you still don’t find the cat’s owner, don’t hesitate to contact one of the great animal shelters or humane organizations around the Denver area. In addition to having information about people looking for lost cats, these groups can provide other tips for what to do next.

See If You Can Find a New Home

You may not be in a position to keep a cat as a pet. But there may be other people you know who are. So if you exhaust all your avenues for trying to find a cat’s owner, putting some time into seeing if you can find a new home can help the cat have a very happy next chapter of its life.

At Pet Wants Denver, we’re passionate about helping all animals live the highest quality of life. If you ever have questions about this topic or any others related to pets, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. You can easily reach us by calling (303) 818-1014.