Lost & Found Cats

Lost or Found Cats

Lost a Cat? Start Here.

If your cat is missing, don’t panic. Most lost cats are found close to home. Taking the right steps early can make a big difference. Work through the checklist below. Each task is effective and does not require special tools or experience.

Step 1: Search Close to Home

Cats are often found within about a mile of home unless they are chased or accidentally transported.

• Check inside your home (closets, cupboards, under beds, behind appliances, crawl space, garage)
• Check in and under porches, decks, cars, bushes, sheds, and garages.
• Look both low and high (under things but also in trees, rafters, and fences).
• Search at dawn and dusk, when cats are most active.
• Use a flashlight at night. Light will reflect in the cat’s eyes, making them easier to spot.
• Call softly and listen. Many cats stay silent even when they’re nearby.

Important: Do Not Chase
If your cat runs when approached, stop moving toward them. Sit or crouch, turn your body slightly sideways, and give them time to settle and recognize you. Chasing often pushes cats farther away and makes reunification harder.

Step 2: Talk to People Nearby

Let neighbors know your cat is missing.

• Ask neighbors to check their garages, sheds, and under decks.
• Ask neighbors to check outdoor security cameras or video doorbell cameras for sightings.
• Ask neighbors to call or text you immediately if they spot your cat.

Step 3: Use Scent to Bring Them Home

Scent can help guide your cat back toward home.

• Set out food and water near the location your cat went missing.
• Place an item with your scent outside (dirty laundry like socks, a pillowcase, etc.). Swap items every ~12 hours to keep scent strong.
• Chum the nearby surrounding area. Soak small rags in tuna or sardine juice and hang them on bushes/fences around the home. Hang items loosely so scent carries with the wind.

Step 4: File Lost Reports

File lost reports as soon as possible.

Contact Your Microchip Company
• Report your cat as missing and confirm your contact information is up-to-date.
• If you don’t know the microchip number or company, call the clinic/shelter/rescue where you got your cat.
• If you have the microchip number but don’t know which registry to contact, use the Microchip Lookup Tool

Contact Local Shelters & File Lost Reports
• Idaho Humane Society
• Simply Cats
• Nextdoor
• PawBoost
• PetcoLoveLost
• Craigslist
• Facebook Lost & Found Pet Groups

Step 5: Create Flyers & Hang Posters

Printing services are available at the library, FedEx, etc.

• Use a clear, recent photo.
• Add a “Do Not Chase” warning.
• Include your contact info.

Flyers
• Hand out to mail carriers, delivery drivers, landscapers, maintenance workers, and nearby businesses.
 
Posters
• Use big, high-contrast posters that are readable from a car.
• Place at major intersections near where your cat was lost.
• Hang high enough to be seen by drivers.

Recommended Materials
• 5 full sized poster boards, cut in half to make 10 posters (often available at dollar stores)
• Full-size color photo of the missing cat (8.5"x11”)
• Sheet protector (to protect the photo from weather/fading)
• Duct tape
• Thick black marker

Step 6: Check Shelters & Lost/Found Pages Daily

If your cat enters a shelter, there is often only a short stray hold before they are released for adoption. Check multiple times per day.

• Monitor the websites and groups listed above daily.
• If you see a possible match, follow up right away (call, message, or visit when possible).

Additional Steps to Consider

• Use a trail camera or security camera to monitor activity in the area. Trail cameras can be rented from local lost pet reunification groups or purchased at sporting goods stores and online.
• Set a humane trap. Traps can be rented from local shelters (including Simply Cats, Idaho Humane Society, and Operation Community Cats). The organization will provide guidelines on how to safely operate the humane trap.
• Contact a local, professional pet reunification organization for help such as Ladies and the Trap.

    Humane Trap Loan Program  

Found a Cat? Start Here.

If you’ve found a cat, thank you for helping. Reuniting lost cats with their families depends on timely reporting and using the right resources. Follow the steps below to help get the cat home as quickly as possible.

Step 1: Check the Immediate Area

• Walk the neighborhood where the cat was found.
• Ask nearby neighbors if they recognize the cat.

Step 2: Check for Identification

• Look for a collar, tags, or other identifying information.
• Take the cat to any veterinary clinic or shelter to be scanned for a microchip. Scanning is free and quick. If a microchip is found, shelter or veterinary staff can contact the registered owner directly.

Step 3: Contact Local Shelters & File Found Reports

File found reports as soon as possible.

Ada County Requirement
If you found a cat in Ada County, local ordinances require that stray animals be turned over to an authorized shelter or animal control. Animal shelters are often the first place owners check when searching for a lost cat. Idaho Humane Society is a no-kill shelter, and bringing a found cat there gives the owner the best chance of reunification. You do not need an appointment to surrender a stray cat found in Ada County. Take the cat directly to the Idaho Humane Society’s animal control location at 4775 Dorman Street, Boise, Idaho 83705, 7 days a week, 8am-6pm.

Outside of Ada County?
If you found a cat outside of Ada County, there may not be a county-run shelter available. In these cases, continue filing found reports, posting online, and monitoring responses closely. If you are unsure where to take a found cat, contact a nearby Simply Cats or another rescue organization for guidance and rehoming options.

Found Cat Databases   
• Idaho Humane Society
• Simply Cats
• Nextdoor
• PawBoost
• PetcoLoveLost
• Craigslist
• Facebook Lost & Found Pet Groups

Important Notes

• Do not assume a cat is abandoned. Always assume the cat is lost.
• Do not rehome a found cat on your own.
• Always give owners time to search and respond.

Community Cats
Community cats are free-roaming cats who may not have an individual owner. Many are part of Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs.

• If the cat has an ear tip, they have already been spayed/neutered and vaccinated and can usually be left where found.
• If the cat is friendly and ear-tipped, follow the found-cat steps above.
• If the cat is not ear-tipped, contact a local shelter or TNR organization for guidance.

Found Kittens? Start Here.

If you found kittens, your first instinct may be to pick them up and bring them inside. Before you do, please use the quick guidance below. In many cases, the safest outcome is to leave kittens where they are so mom can return.

Step 1: Are the kittens injured, cold, or in immediate danger?

• Yes: Move kittens to a warm, secure area immediately and contact Simply Cats for next steps.
• No: Do not move the kittens. Continue to the next step.

Step 2: Can you see the mom cat?

• If mom is present: Leave the kittens where they are. Step away so mom feels safe returning to nurse. Contact Simply Cats or another rescue organization for next steps.
• If you don’t see mom: Watch from a distance. Mom may be nearby hunting and may return when people leave.
• If mom does not return: If no adult cat returns after 2-3 hours, move kittens to a warm, secure area and review Kitten Care steps below.

Important Kitten Care

• Warmth comes first. Kittens can’t maintain their own body temperature and become hypothermic quickly. Provide a heat source with a microwaved rice sock or heating pad.

• Do not feed cold kittens. This can be deadly.

• Do not feed kittens dairy products or other liquids. Feed kitten milk replacer formulas only.

Need Immediate Guidance?

  Kitten situations can change quickly. If you have urgent concerns after reviewing the information above please contact our Kitten Coordinator directly. Kitten requests are time-sensitive and are prioritized as quickly as possible.  

    Email the Kitten Coordinator  

Need to Surrender?

If the kittens are injured, sick, in immediate danger, or mom is not returning, please review our intake and surrender options below.  

      Surrender Kittens / Request Intake