How does animal control know when a cat is a stray?

Question

I've never owned a cat, but it is in my own limited understanding that a lot of cats are allowed to roam free outside of their homes. I understand how a dog would look stray and lost, but how do they determine a stray cat from a housecat just out and about (with no tags on it's collar)?

Answer 1

In many places, legally once your cat leaves your property, it is a 'stray'. But there are probably three types of 'strays'. Those whom the owner lets out into the yard, and they will usually stay close to home, and hopefully will have a collar on, to protect against fleas and ticks, and also for identification. They will usually look well fed and well groomed. They often are not afraid of humans. Then there is the stray that is dumped somewhere, when the irresponsible owner no longer wanted the cat. They may show a desire for human attention, and their appearance will be diminished from those that have a home. They may appear ungroomed and thin, may or may not have a collar and often are somewhat sick, either with respiratory infections, eye infections, and will have worms that sap its strength. The third type is the feral, who no longer remembers a home (or never had one), and lives by its wits. Ferals will not seek human contact, and will growl or hiss at humans. The lifespan of ferals is often short and miserable.

Answer 2

If you are in a rabies danger area, then there are serious concerns about cat bites. And since animal control has been involved, they are not going to go away. A trap is the only way, and your only real approach would be, if you can catch it, is to confine it to a room or enclosed area, and monitor. If no untoward signs occur, then you can try and tame it, and then get it checked out by a vet, without stating it bit someone. But that is also really courting problems. You really would need to make sure it doesn't bite you, even by accident. Depending on how feral the stray is, confining it would be very unpleasant for the cat. I don't think the animal control officer was exactly upfront on what would happen. Oh, they might examine it to see if there are any signs of a wound, which could suggest a danger of rabies. But more likely than not, it would be the end of the cat right away. A feral cat that bites in an area with a danger of rabies is a very serious issue.

Answer 3

Chances are that if a cat is found far away from homes, animal control will take it to an animal shelter (like the SPCA) where it can be claimed by the owner if they realize their cat is gone and they go there looking for it. When in doubt if it is a stray or not, they would probably take it in because if it is not a stray, the owner will most likely go to an animal shelter looking for it, and if it is a stray, it may get adopted. Also, most household cats that go outside really do not travel very far. I have 2 cats that go outside and they rarely leave my yard, and if they do, they definitely do not leave my court. Cats are smarter than you'd think. They know not to go very far from their warm house with their favorite food.

Answer 4

Actually, "stray" is the word they use for any cat without a collar or microchip id that is found and turned over to them... That's why pet owners with missing pets should call the humane society ASAP and file a report.

All cities/counties/districts have their own laws regarding animal control policies, but most have a set period of time that they must hold an animal before it can be adopted out or put to sleep.

Answer 5

Here any loose animal is a 'stray', even if it's on it's owners property and the owner isn't in sight (a neighbor can call, claim the cat isn't under control and they'll come and try to catch it).

If you're very lucky they'll have a microchip reader (at least one of the two major ones that read most chips) if your cat is microchipped. If there's ID tags, they'll call the owner. Otherwise.....it's a 'loose animal' and subject to being picked up and destroyed if nobody comes to claim it within 7 days.

Answer 6

The feral cat that comes to my house looks like he's been around the block a few times. When he first started showing up, he was filthy (pretty white coat under all that dirt), bloody & scared (fights & scratching mite filled ears) and I could count his ribs.
Now, almost 6 mos later, still dirty (too wild to bathe) but it's amazing what regular application of flea drops will do to clean up their coat; still has the ear mites but they don't seem to bother him as much and the fights seem to have lessened; and I can no longer see his ribs (not having to hunt his meals has really helped him fill out).
Truly stray, feral cats will not come to people. But housecats who are just out for an adventure will come to people and look like they are being taken care of, clean & well-fed.

Answer 7

They can sometimes tell by the appearance of the cat - it's hair will be unkempt and sometimes they are more lean. If there are not tags they may also check for a microchip. More and more people are getting their pets microchipped today so that if a collar happens to come off animal control can still track the owners.

Answer 8

We've had a cat jsut show up one night hungry, so I fed him and he didn't ever go away after that. At work here, we found a pregnant cat scavenging in the dumpsters. The pound isn't going around pickign up random cats in the neighborhood, usually it's people who call about a cat that showed up or take a cat in and claim it was a stray. A lot of the animals at the pound are owner-surrenders, unwanted litters, and animals picked up from a home that had millions of cats that weren't healthy.

If you let your kitty out, as long as he is careful of dangerous street traffic and knows his way home, he should be fine.

Answer 9

Generally, strays do not have collars, and they are generally not spayed, nor neutered.

Some animal control agencies do not pick up cats, since some stray/feral cats are free roaming animals.

Answer 10

That's why some people get their cats micro-chipped, my cat is micro-chipped and has his own special number, and, he has a collar with a tag on it. People who don't get their cats micro-chipped, and they get lost. Another person could find it, claim it as their own, and you couldn't tell. Whereas when they have been micro-chipped, you just whizz this remote thing near their neck, a number will come up, it's your cat, proved, the other person lied, a fine, if you're lucky, a prison sentence (VERY unlikely) and YOU HAVE YOUR CAT BACK!