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Lost or found a cat

What to do first, where to post, and who helps with searching.

MICROCHIP, LOST & FOUND, AND BEHAVIOR / SOCIALIZATION HELP

Verified against ACC, Petco Love Lost, 24PetWatch, and Urban Cat League, 2026-08-26.

LOST A CAT - do all of these fast (80% of lost cats are found within a mile - usually much closer, hiding)

  • Petco Love Lost (petcolove.org/lost) - FREE national database with FACIAL-RECOGNITION photo matching. Upload a clear face photo, report as LOST, print the auto-generated flyer, check every few hours.
  • ACC lost/found - nycacc.org/services/lost-and-found - file a Lost Pet Report, search the Found database, and VISIT all open Care Centers in person with a photo + proof of ownership (shelters don't always post daily).
  • If chipped: contact the microchip company immediately, report the cat lost, confirm your contact info is current.
  • Post to NYC lost-and-found networks: PawBoost, Pet FBI, Nextdoor, Craigslist lost-and-found, and location-based Facebook groups ('Lost and Found Pets of [neighborhood/NYC]'). Make ONE shareable flyer image with photo + last-seen location/time + your number.
  • CAT-SPECIFIC SEARCH (cats hide, they don't run far): search silently at DUSK/NIGHT with a flashlight + carrier + smelly food; check under cars, porches, shrubs, basements, alleys, dumpsters. An indoor cat that bolted is usually within a few houses, hiding and silent for days.
  • Indoor escape? Search your OWN home first - behind the stove, in cabinets, closets, under furniture. Put their litter box / a worn t-shirt outside the door; the scent can draw them back.
  • Ask the people who walk your block: mail carriers, delivery drivers, supers, door attendants, restaurant basement staff, park workers. Post flyers at vets, pet stores, and building mailboxes (get permission on private property).
  • Do NOT chase a sighted cat - it makes them bolt. Sit, talk softly, offer food, and consider a humane trap (borrow one - see 'Clinics, traps & support').

FOUND A CAT

  • Get it SCANNED for a microchip at any vet or shelter (free) - the fastest route to the owner. Also check for a collar/tag and an EAR-TIP (a tipped ear = a TNR'd community cat with a caretaker, not a lost pet - leave it be).
  • Report as FOUND on Petco Love Lost + file a found report with ACC. Search local Facebook lost-and-found groups + Nextdoor for a matching 'lost' post.
  • SICK or INJURED stray/community cat? Text ACC at (203) 529-5372 or email CommunityPets@nycacc.org - they assess whether it needs help and how. Don't handle an aggressive/fearful cat.
  • Healthy, friendly cat? Don't assume it's a stray - it may be an indoor/outdoor neighbor's cat. ACC does NOT accept healthy stray cats; post found flyers + check for a chip first. If truly abandoned, contact a borough rescue.
  • NY stray-hold law: found pets generally must be reported to animal control and held a minimum number of days before adoption - check with ACC.

MICROCHIP REGISTRIES (register the chip - a chip that isn't registered can't reunite anyone)

  • 24PetWatch (24pet.com/products/registry) - North America's largest registry, FREE registration, any chip brand.
  • Petco Love Lost - free, doubles as the lost/found database above.
  • Don't know the chip company? Look up the number at found.org/owners or the AAHA Universal Lookup (petmicrochiplookup.org).
  • Where to GET a cat chipped cheaply: ACC, HSNY, most low-cost clinics on the 'Clinics, traps & support' tab do microchipping at the s/n visit.

BEHAVIOR / SOCIALIZATION - part A: feral/shy cats & kittens (make them adoptable)

  • Urban Cat League Taming Toolkit (urbancatleague.org/taming-toolkit) - THE NYC resource: written crash-course + 'Taming Feral Kittens & Cats' video + taming blog. Share it with adopters/fosters to prevent back-sliding.
  • Rule of thumb: kittens under 8 weeks socialize easily; 8 wks-6 months takes longer but works; adult ferals sometimes too. Work at feeding time when they're hungry, start with head/shoulders, use a large dog crate or a bathroom, hand-feed to build trust.
  • UCL workshops: Taming Feral Street Kittens, Bottle-Feeding Neonatals, Building Winter Shelters, Incorporating a 501(c)(3), and the TNR Certification workshop (15,000+ certified).
  • Kitten Lady (kittenlady.org) - free how-to videos on neonatal/kitten care + socialization. Cornell Feline Health Center - vet-backed behavior articles.

BEHAVIOR / SOCIALIZATION - part B: OWNED-cat problems (these are the #1 surrender triggers - solvable!)

Prevention beats everything: a registered microchip + keeping cats indoors is the single strongest safety net. A loud noise or sudden movement can send an outdoor cat running - think of a cat outside as a toddler alone.

  • FREE National Cat Behavior Helpline - email felinehelpline@gmail.com with your contact info + a one-line issue ('cat not using litter box'); free counseling aimed at keeping cats in their homes.
  • FIRST STEP for any sudden behavior change (esp. litter box) = a VET VISIT to rule out a medical cause (UTI, kidney, pain). Behavior fixes won't work if it's medical.
  • Litter box (10%+ of cats): one box per cat PLUS one extra, scoop daily, unscented clumping litter ~2in deep, big uncovered box, quiet accessible spot. Never punish or place the cat in the box. Spraying (vertical, small amount) is marking, not a box problem - neuter fixes ~90%.
  • Cat-to-cat aggression / introductions: separate resources (multiple bowls, beds, boxes, perches), go SLOW with a new cat (scent-swap, then feed on opposite sides of a door, then visual, then supervised). Feliway pheromone diffuser can lower tension. Don't soothe an aroused cat - give space (redirected aggression can turn on you).
  • Scratching: it's normal (stretching/marking) - provide tall sturdy posts + horizontal cardboard, don't declaw (harmful; alternatives exist). Reward using the post.
  • Authoritative free libraries: ASPCA Common Cat Behavior Issues (aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care), Pam Johnson-Bennett (catbehaviorassociates.com), Best Friends, Cornell Feline Health Center.
  • For serious/persistent cases: ask your vet for a referral to a board-certified veterinary behaviorist (Dip ACVB) or Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB).

This guide is compiled from the project's research files. Contact details inside it can go stale — check the directory for the current listing, and confirm a number is live before you rely on it.