If you see a cat loitering in your neighborhood or out and about in Wake County, keep in mind the following:
If the cat is sick or injured, call Animal Control.
Do not attempt to catch, move or handle a cat that appears sick or injured. There is risk of disease and further injury to both feline and human if the cat is not safely handled.
Indoor cats will hide if they escape.
If the cat is truly lost and in need of assistance, you will likely not see them. Most housecats that are not used to being outdoors will find a place to hide and may not emerge for hours or days. It is very unlikely that you will see these cats sauntering around.
The cat may live in the area.
The last thing you want to do is kidnap a cat that was on its way home. You can snap a picture of the cat and post it on social media; many people connect on Nextdoor or Facebook with found animals.
Kittens under 6 weeks old have a much better chance of survival when cared for by their mom.
If the family is safe, it is best to leave them where they are until the kittens are weaned and mom can be trapped for TNVR.
The leash law in Wake County applies to both dogs and cats, except for municipalities with community cat ordinances.
The City of Raleigh and Towns of Holly Springs and Garner do not have ordinances supporting community cats. If Animal Control in those locations is called about a nuisance cat, they will likely trap the cat and impound it. The cat’s chance of survival is reduced because they cannot be released back to the community where they came from.
If you feed, they will come.
Animals will find food. If the cat appears healthy, they likely have known feeding spots or are indoor/outdoor and do not need you to feed them. If you choose to put food out, do not be surprised when you attract the attention of all the cats in the neighborhood as well as opossums and raccoons.
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