What do you do with unwanted cats now?

The Humane Society of Greater Dayton provides these answers:

What should I do if I find a stray?  

If the stray cat appears to be healthy and taken care of, resist the urge to bring it into a shelter environment. These cats have a clear food source and they are surviving just fine outdoors, so leave the cat alone. If you are a trained Trap-Neuter-Release trapper, you can schedule a time to bring in the cat to have them spayed or neutered (check our website for fees). You can also email front_desk@hsdayton.org for availability.

Cats must be brought to the shelter in a live humane animal trap (one cat per trap). For the safety of staff, cats that are not in live humane traps are not accepted on the day of surgery. Surgeries for stray cats are offered only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you do not have a live animal trap, one can be rented from the Humane Society for a minimal fee.

What cities does the Humane Society of Greater Dayton work with? 

Currently, the Humane Society of Greater works with several areas, including the city of Dayton, Clayton, Drexel, Englewood, Harrison Twp, Huber Heights, Miami Twp., Miamisburg, Moraine and Trotwood to trap community cats as part of our Community Cat Initiative. SICSA agreed to absorb the Kettering area. If a resident or employee from these areas schedules a time with us, they can bring in a cat to our facility to have them spayed or neutered. After the cat recovers from surgery, the person can then pick up the cat and return it to where it was found in the community. The cat will also be ear-tipped the during the surgery, which is a clear identifier that the community cat has been spayed or neutered. To schedule a time to bring in a community cat or to see current fee rates for your area, call (937) 268-7387.

What should I do if I find a litter of kittens? 

If you find a litter of kittens and they and their mother are doing well, then the mother cat is taking good care of them. As a limited-intake shelter, the Humane Society of Greater Dayton cannot take in all cats. Foster families that specialize in caring for underage animals until they are healthy and of-age to enter into our adoption program may be available. However, spring is considered kitten season and foster families fill up quickly. If you are able to care for the animals short-term, the Humane Society can provide a Kitten Care Kit with supplies and guidance so that the cats can get the immediate care they need. As they grow, the organization can provide resources to re-home the litter and potentially accept them into an adoption program.

I found an injured cat; where should I take it?  

If you have an injured cat, you generally have two options . One, take it to your veterinarian to have it examined and cared for, or, if it is after hours, you can take it to an emergency clinic such as Dayton Care Center or MedVet. If it is during the Humane Society of Greater Dayton’s regular business hours, please call before bringing in the animal at (937) 268-7387 to ensure it can be accommodated and the proper staff is on hand to examine the animal.