If the cat is in poor physical condition, DO NOT LIST THE CAT ANYWHERE if they are:

– injured
– very thin
– not walking properly, or at all
– lethargic
– bleeding
– missing fur with wounds or skin irritation
– blind (pupils don’t constrict)
– deaf (does not turn head to loud sounds)
– lethargic
– drinking a lot of water
– scratching a lot
– has chronic diarrhea
– cannot urinate

Call the Winnipeg Humane Society (WHS) at 204-982-2021 Option 5 (M-F 11 am-6:30 pm, Sat 10 am-5 :30 pm, noon-5:30 Sun) or 204-982-2020 after hours until 10 pm OR Winnipeg Emergency Animal Hospital after 10 pm (204-452-9427) if the cat needs immediate medical care.

If you have found a DECEASED cat on city of Winnipeg property, that does not look to have been met with foul play, please email the city of Winnipeg at 311@winnipeg.ca (or call 311) for pickup. You can also take the cat to the Winnipeg Humane Society or a nearby clinic.

Please note, deceased cats without ID are sent to the landfill.

The city will NOT pick up from private properties. Cats on private property need to be transported to WHS, or a clinic, by a member of the public.

If a cat looks to have been a victim of cruelty, stay with the body and call Winnipeg Police at 204-986-6222. Do not allow them to call 311 for pickup. Ensure the cat is delivered to the Winnipeg Humane Society by taking them yourself, or asking the police to contact them to arrange. The city’s pickup service will take the cat to the landfill and cannot be retrieved for examination.

We recommend using the PawBoost website as your main lost and found resource. They keep your information anonymous. PawBoost does not require a Facebook account and they are completely free. However, they will create a post for you on the PawBoost Facebook page.

We recommend not listing your name, phone number or address on any site you may be listing. Advertising a reward will only get you malicious calls or messages. Good people don’t look for rewards. PawBoost provides a template for flyers in addition to a wide social media distribution. 

For a Facebook-specific option, we recommend Winnipeg Missing and Found Cat Watch. Take steps to protect your identity on social media to avoid rescue-related spam and other annoyances.

Please be sure to include the following information in any online submission:

– A good photo (clear, shows face and body markings)
– Where the cat was found (e.g. Inkster and Charles)
– Date the cat was found
– Do not disclose tattoo codes
– Don’t disclose license tag number or collar descriptions

Pick the cat up and get them to safety (e.g. your home, a vet, a friend’s home). Please use a cat carrier to transport. Cats loose in a vehicle can cause collisions. If transporting loose, please close all vehicle windows and have the cat secured before you open the doors at your final destination (e.g. in a garage). In your home, keep the cat separate from your own pets in a spare room or bathroom. Close windows and doors prior to letting the cat out of the carrier.

• If you must trap a cat in order to get them medical care, please contact us to request our “Responsible Trapping Guide.” Injuries are common when cats try to free themselves. There is a safe way to trap. Please use our guide.
• Check for an ear tattoo in the right ear. Some cats have vanity tattoos in the left ear as well. If you can read the tattoo, write it down to include in your WHS found report. Do they have a city license tag? Please call 311 or email 311@winnipeg.ca. No visible ID? Have them scanned for a chip at a clinic or WHS. If the cat has a tattoo you cannot read, use our contact form for assistance or take the cat to WHS to have it read.
• Fill out the Winnipeg Humane Society Found Animal Report. If you do not have access to a device or do not have Internet service, please call 204-982-2021 Option 5 and speak to an intake employee. For voicemail, please leave a message with your contact number.`

• Scour online listings in your area and beyond to see if the cat matches a photo of a known missing cat.
• Check the Winnipeg Humane Society’s Lost Cat Listings to see if there is a match.
• If you live outside of Winnipeg, notify your local animal control of the cat you’ve found.
• List the cat on your community’s Facebook page.
• Look for posters on trees and poles and knock on doors in the area.
• Put up “FOUND CAT” posters in the area. Be sure to leave out a detail only the family would know about (e.g. collar description, special marking, gender). Do not disclose permanent ID information as anyone with this information may try to use it as proof of ownership just because they saw it advertised. Call tattoos in to WHS, so they can contact the registered family.

If you are considering giving the cat a home (or finding them one on your own), request the Care-to-Adopt program through WHS. For only a small fee (under $40), you can have the cat spayed/neutered/vaccinated/dewormed and tattooed after a short hold period in your home. Ask WHS for details and current pricing. If the cat you have found already has a tattoo but no one comes forward, Care-to-Adopt will ensure the receive a health exam and booster vaccines for a very low price. For those who are unable to give the cat a home and do not have family members or friends who can, please discuss surrendering the cat to a rescue or shelter.