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I found a cat: what to do?

A cat outside isn't necessarily lost: many house cats go out, and others live in the neighbourhood. Here is how to tell, and who to tell.

Updated October 16, 2026

In short

  1. Check whether the cat wears a collar or a tag.
  2. Watch them: a clean, calm cat is often doing their rounds.
  3. If they seem lost, have their microchip read by a vet or by your city's shelter.
  4. Report them to the shelter or animal services, and where you found them.
  5. Don't take them far: if they have a home, it's probably close by.
A cat with a collar, on a step.

Lost, or a neighbourhood cat?

  • They wear a collar or a tag: they have a home. Write down the name or number on it.
  • They are clean, healthy and strolling calmly: often a local cat doing their rounds.
  • The tip of one ear is cut off: that's the mark of a street cat who was neutered and released. They live outside; they're not a lost cat.
  • They meow at your door, look thin or confused, or stay in the same spot for days: they may be lost.
  • They are hurt or in danger: call a vet or your city's animal services right away.

If they seem lost

  1. Read their tag

    Call the number on it. In Montreal, a City tag is reported by calling 311 (514 872-0311 from outside Montreal): the City can contact the owner.

  2. Have their microchip read

    Without a tag, a vet or your city's shelter can read the microchip and find the owner. In Montreal: Proanima, 514-379-2525.

  3. Report them where people will look

    Tell your city's shelter or animal services, put up a notice where you found the cat, and post in the neighbourhood Facebook groups.

Avoid taking the cat far away: if they have a home, it's probably close by, and that's where people will look.

With Minou

Photograph them: they may already have a card

After the photo, the app shows you the cats already known nearby (in the latest version, the missing ones first). If it's one of them, your photo joins their card, and you can write under their card: their owner is notified, or the person who added them if they have no owner.

Get it on Google PlayDownload on the App Store
App screen: a cat's card

Frequently asked questions

Is a cat outside necessarily lost?

No. Many house cats go out, and others live in the neighbourhood. A clean, healthy, calm cat is often doing their rounds.

What does a cut ear tip mean?

A cut ear tip is the mark of a street cat who was neutered and released. They live outside; they're not a lost cat.

Who reads a found cat's microchip?

A vet or your city's shelter. In Montreal, Proanima, at 514-379-2525.

Sources

Checked on October 16, 2026.