What to do if you find a stray cat

Educational
Written By Caty Franco

What to Do If You Find a Stray Cat or Kitten in Sacramento County

Finding a stray cat or kitten can be exciting, but it’s important to know the safest and most effective ways to help. In Sacramento County, shelters are currently overflowing with adoptable cats and kittens, so understanding how to handle these situations is key to keeping the animals safe and healthy.

Helpful Quick Links:

Assess the Cat’s Condition

1. Is the cat sick or injured?
If the cat appears hurt or sick, it should be taken immediately to a shelter or veterinary clinic. Only sick or injured cats are currently being accepted at most shelters.

2. Check for identification

  • Eartip: Many community cats that have gone through a Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) program will have a small portion of their ear removed. This “ear tip” indicates the cat has been sterilized and vaccinated. Eartipped cats do not need to be trapped or brought to a shelter.

  • Microchip: If there is no eartip, check for a microchip. Microchips store owner information and can be scanned at most veterinarians, shelters, and some pet stores for free. You can also borrow or purchase a microchip reader if you frequently encounter stray cats.

TNVR: The Best Option for Healthy Strays

If the cat is healthy, not eartipped, and not microchipped, TNVR is the safest and most effective solution. TNVR involves:

  1. Trapping the cat safely with a humane trap.

  2. Neutering or spaying the cat at a clinic.

  3. Vaccinating for rabies and other diseases.

  4. Returning the cat to its original outdoor home.

TNVR helps reduce the number of kittens born in the community, prevents nuisance behaviors like fighting and spraying, keeps cats healthy, and frees up shelter space for animals who truly need care.

Where to Take Cats for TNVR in Sacramento County:

  • Sacramento SPCA (Sunday TNR Clinics) – 6201 Florin-Perkins Road, Sacramento, CA 95828

  • Sacramento SPCA Feral/Community Cat Program(Monday - Saturday) - 6201 Florin-Perkins Road, Sacramento, CA 95828

  • Community Spay/Neuter Clinic – Appointments required

Trapping Tips:

⚠️ The Sacramento County Community Cats Facebook group is an excellent resource for tips on trapping and caring for feral cats. Members often lend traps and share advice, but please remember that local trappers are busy and overwhelmed. Meet them halfway: learn, participate, and be part of the solution rather than expecting others to do all the work for you!

Found Kittens?

If you find a litter of kittens, don’t rush to intervene. In most cases, the mother will return and her care gives kittens the best chance at survival. Only step in if you are certain the kittens are orphaned.

Sacramento Resources for Found Kittens:

  • City of Sacramento (Front Street Shelter) – 2127 Front Street, by appointment. Call 311 or 916-808-7387

  • Sacramento County (Bradshaw Shelter) – 3839 Bradshaw Road. Call 916-368-7387 or email BradshawLostAndFound@saccounty.net

  • Sacramento SPCA Found Kitten Advice: https://www.sspca.org/foundkitten

For sick or injured kittens, bring them directly to these shelters, as they are currently only accepting animals in need of medical care.

Friendly Adult Cats

If the cat is friendly and healthy, often it is an indoor/outdoor cat or a neighbor’s pet. Most cats get home more safely if they stay in their home neighborhood. If you believe a cat is lost:

  • Watch for a few hours to see if it goes home.

  • Take a photo and post it on neighborhood networks, local lost-and-found Facebook groups, and your local shelter’s lost-and-found page.

  • Check for a microchip at a vet or shelter.

If you remove the cat for scanning, return it to the location where it was found—most cats don’t roam more than 6–7 houses from home.

Sick or Injured Cats

Please bring sick or injured cats to the appropriate shelter during regular business hours. Shelters are currently only accepting cats that need medical care.

For more details, visit the Sacramento SPCA Found Cat page: https://www.sspca.org/foundcat

By following these steps, you can help stray and orphaned cats safely while keeping shelters available for those who truly need help. TNVR, careful observation, and using the right resources make a huge difference for cats and kittens in Sacramento County.

Caty Franco
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