What To Do If You Come Across An Injured Stray

How do stray cats get injured?

Strays can be injured in several ways that can leave them sick or without the ability to see, hear walk,run or jump. This can happen in several ways like car accidents, untreated diseases, predators of smaller cat breeds such as hawks, Buzzards, coyotes/ wolves and larger cat breeds such as a mountain lion. After things such as that the cat might not be able to hunt its food properly or get away from more incoming dangers. When cats are taken up by shelter at this point it usually means they’re at the end of their road as well as most shelters are at their capacity and can’t take in the stray which leads to their euthanization. However, there is something you can do to help and stop this process.

How can you help an injured stray?

Whenever you come across an injured stray cat or dog if you have the time try to humanely capture it you can do this by leaving out food and water or crouching down and making soft noises to seem nonthreatening and friendly. However, if that doesn’t work find a big enough cage and leave food inside to try to capture the cat make sure the cage is clean and secure as not to hurt the cat or dog further. Once in your care the best thing to do is check for a collar or identification to make sure it does not have an owner. If it does not the next step would be to find the right veterinary clinic or hospital.

  

What animal clinic is right for this situation?

What you should do first when calling the nearest animal clinic is ask about their community cat policy. Some clinics find it easier to euthanize cats rather than treat them which is why its important to find the right clinic however if most clinics look at the animal and say it needs to be put down trust their authority and let them do what needs to be done. Once a clinic that will treat the cat is found you will want to think of a long term plan for your cat as the clinic might want to give it to a kill shelter which is not ideal, on the other hand if the cat is feral the clinic will release it back to the wild.

The long-term plan for the stray cat.

You might find that you have grown a connection to the cat so adoption might be the right plan for you however if not places like Good Mews can take them in as they are a no-kill shelter and will care and look out for the cat or dog. From there they will be housed and taken care of until they find a loving furrever home!