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  • I've found a stray

    Have you found a stray cat or dog in London? Find out what to do next.

    If you think you have found a possible stray cat or dog, please follow our below advice.

    Friendly strays

    If a cat has turned up at your home and is friendly and you are able to temporarily care for it whilst seeking its owner then you should:

    Ask – Enquire with neighbours to see if anyone knows who owns the cat.
    Collar – If the cat is friendly enough, make a paper collar using our downloadable template below. Put this on the cat for a few days, and if nobody calls you can assume the cat isn’t travelling to and from its home. To make the collar use a strip of normal plain paper, place around the cat’s neck and secure the ends with a small piece of sticky tape. Please don’t use strong paper or shiny paper – the collar should easily tear apart if the cat gets caught on anything. Alternatively use a cat safety release collar with the message attached.
    Check for a microchip – Get the cat scanned for an ID microchip. If you have access to a safe cat carrying basket to transport the cat in then your local vet should do this free of charge.
    Posters – Put up ‘Found cat’ posters – keep the cat’s description general so that any potential owner has to give more specific details and distinguishing features and/or provide a photo. You can download our poster template below.

    Unneutered strays are the main reason for the cat population explosion. Be aware if you start to feed a friendly stray and encourage it to stay with you then you are making it reliant on you for food and are then responsible for it and the ensuing litters of kittens. Please contact us if you need advice and to see if you qualify for our free neutering services.

    If you encounter a stray dog please immediately phone the dog warden closest to you from the list below, or visit www.doglost.co.uk.

    Barking & Dagenham 0208 215 3010
    Barnet 07825098947
    Bexley 020 8303 7777
    Brent 0208 937 5252
    Bromley 0300 303 8657
    Camden 0782 509 8947
    City Of London 0207 600 2222
    Croydon 0208 726 6000 (opt7)
    Ealing 0208 825 6000
    Enfield 07815 512833
    Greenwich 0208 921 8157
    Hackney 0208 985 5930
    Hammersmith & Fulham 0208 753 1081
    Haringey 0208 489 1000
    Harrow 0208 901 2600
    Havering 01708 432777
    Hillingdon 01895 250 190
    Hounslow 0208 583 5555
    Islington 0207 527 3222
    Kensington and Chelsea 0207 361 3001
    Kingston Upon Thames 020 8547 5002
    Lambeth 0207 926 8860
    Lewisham 0208 314 2098
    Merton 020 8545 3170
    Newham 0208 586 9739
    Redbridge 0208 708 5061
    Richmond Upon Thames 01932 425 718
    Southwark 0207 525 2000
    Sutton 0208 770 5070
    Tower Hamlets 0207 364 5008 (opt 1)
    Waltham Forest 0208 496 2225
    Wandsworth 0786 053 4733
    Westminster 0845 757 3268

    Nervous and feral cats

    These are wild animals and cannot be tamed or homed to a domestic environment.

    Nervous and feral cats may require capturing to be neutered. Do not try to capture nervous or feral cats yourself. It is especially important that female cats who are feeding unweaned kittens are not caught and separated from their kittens. Please contact us 020 8962 8000 for advice.