Friday, May 21, 2010

How long do cats have once taken away by Animal Control?

A couple of days ago a young cat decided to park himself near where I live and I saw he was very thin and weak and I fed him and called a friend of mine I knew wanted another cat to keep the one she had rescued a couple of years before company while she was out. I fed him again in the morning and then about two hours later he disappears. I have a sinking feeling that my cranky neighbor lady called Animal Control to pick him up. I wish now I had taken him inside.
Answers:
Three factors determine the length of time a cat will stay in the shelter if not adopted.
1. Physical and behavioural condition of the cat - if it is sick or mean, it may not be put up for adoption.
2. Age - Kittens and younger cats are more adoptable than older cats.
3. Vacancy - overcrowded shelters euthanize more often.
Of course, by the sounds of it you may have had a cat that perhaps looked young but was actually old and sick and was wandering off to die (cats do this - it's instinctual). Don't worry, if the old cranky neighbor lady called Animal Control, it may be the best thing that could have happened. Your shelter may look at the cat and think it is thin and weak but recoverable and adoptable. And as unfortunate as it may sound, it's sometimes best that someone does put a sick cat down rather than let it suffer the elements.
Animal control where I live does not take cats.
They have 1 month or 2 weeks depending on how much room the animal control has but you cannot adopt Pets on the last day..I know soooo sad!!
Usually only 3 days!
If you want him it's only 3 days.
call animal control and ask them if they picked up a cat in your neighborhood. maybe you can get it and take it to your friend. i hope it's not to late.
You can call Animal Control, describe this cat as yours and that you LOST him/her and still rescue him/her. The shelter will test it for feline leukemia and that way you will know if s/he is healthy. This cat chose you, now it's your turn to do the right thing. Best wishes.
You can try calling them and saying your indoor cat got out and doesn't have tags - do they have him? Although it might backfire if it's a girl. Just say you took him/her in and the cat is yours, can you have it back?
It depends on how big the shelter is: I've seen them only have room to hold for 3 days. Bigger city shelters don't have alot of room, and euthenize quickly:(
I don't know about where you live but here in Ft. Worth animal control picks up you're dog or cat they kill them in three days if you go get them out. Here if you have more than three pets they will take them and kill them no matter how well taken care of and you cannot get them back even if they have had all their shot and are healthy. Now that sucks!
after they are taken,they are put up for adoption,for 3 day`s,if no one takes then,they are put to sleep
The time a stray is given depends on the municipal regulations of the shelter. People have worked very hard to get laws passed to extend the time because many animals who were not actually "strays" were euthanized while their owners were trying to locate them.

Unfortunately, because of space and money constraints a stray who is "thin and weak" would probably be euthanized right away because pounds don't have the funds to pay veterinarians or the space for the animal to be rehabilitated to a healthy state and be adoptable.

Call immediately to see if you can locate the cat and go get him.
I suspect that the length of time will vary depending on your location--some shelters are so poorly funded that they cannot afford to keep animals very long, especially if they are older or appear unwell. They have to ration the space/care for animals with the best chance of adoption.
To find out how long your feline friend may have at the particular shelter s/he went to, I think you would have to call them directly and just ask. In order to allow pet owners enough time to track down and reclaim a missing animal, 3 days sounds like a minimum to me.
Even if you do have a crabby neighbour though, it's possible Puss was just frightened off and went to hide out rather than collected by animal control--most cats won't go to strangers.
If Animal control has your cat just ask?, they can't refuse to not give him back because you did the right thing in ringing to see if they had him, just explain the situation to them. It would be illegal not to give back your cat.
Ask your neighbour about what she has done and say he was going to a friends anyway, find out who she called, but if not ring any vet clinic, pound, R.S.P.C.A shelters in your area, there is alot of places your cat could have gone. But I hope you find him, Good luck,

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