Tips from Humane Society of Huron Valley on preventing lost cats

The two words heard most often at the Humane Society of Huron Valley (HSHV) are in fact lost cat. Whether it’s a phone caller wanting to report a lost cat, or a person stopping in to look for their lost cat, it seems like at least half of our time during the day is spent dealing with a lost cat in one way or another. Just visit HSHV and you’ll see how much space is dedicated to our furry feline friends and even though we increased our cat capacity by almost 65% in the new shelter, we are still completely full.

The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association conducted a study in 2007 and reported that 48% of all lost dogs had some form of identification while only 19% of cats had a tag or a microchip. Plus, dog owners will start looking for a lost dog within 24 hours, while cat owners wait 3 to 4 days to report a missing cat.

One woman that called recently to report her lost cat said that last time she’d seen him was 10 days ago. We could hear the sadness in her voice at the loss of her beloved cat. When we asked why she’d waited so long to call, she replied “He likes to prowl the neighborhood so I thought he’d just show up when he got bored and come home.” Unfortunately, too many people assume their cat will just show up.

Here’s a fact that cat owner’s in Washtenaw County should know - if your cat gets brought to HSHV with no form of identification it could go up for adoption on the fifth day it is here. That means if you wait more than a few days for your cat to “just show up”, it may already be too late. The cat that you’ve loved and cared for may have been adopted by a new family. That is not the outcome you or he had hoped for.

According to our statistics, only 69 lost cats were reunited with their owners so far this year. That’s 69 out of over 700 stray/lost adult cats listed in our system. Despite our best efforts we can only do so much when a grey tabby cat with no other identification comes through our doors.

What can you do? 1. Get your cat a Microchip. HSHV offers $40 microchips. Call (734) 662-4365 to schedule your appointment. 2. Get a collar and identification tag for your cat. Many places offer this service. If a cat wanders around with no collar, your neighbors may assume it has been dumped and bring it to HSHV. 3. Call HSHV to report your lost cat within 24 hours of his/her disappearance. Call (734) 662-5585. 4. Post your lost cat on our FREE Lost & Found web site. 5. Start looking for your pet immediately. Cats in the Bag has some wonderful information on how to attract a cat that may be lost or scared.

Please help us find your lost cat, we can’t do it without you. If your cat could talk he or she would tell you that this Thanksgiving they would be forever grateful if you can make sure they can find their way home to you.

Contact Deb Kern, Marketing Director at the Humane Society of Huron Valley at deb@hshv.org. The Humane Society of Huron Valley (HSHV) is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving all of Washtenaw County, Canton and Plymouth. The mission of HSHV is to promote responsible and compassionate care of all animals in our community. For more information, call (734) 662-5585 or visit www.hshv.org.

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