I Found a Cat
This page outlines how to assess and respond when a cat is found in the City of Oakland.
Healthy Cats Found Outdoors
A cat who looks healthy with good body condition and coat is very rarely lost. Millions of pet cats are indoor/outdoor; the exact home may not be known, but good body condition indicates the cat knows where home is and will return on its own. Even cats who are actually lost are 10–50 times more likely to be reunited with their owners if they stay in the neighborhood where they are found rather than being removed and taken to a shelter.
Healthy, free-roaming cats should be left where they are. Refer to the I Found a Cat flowchart on the City of Oakland website for additional guidance.
Helping a Cat That Appears Lost
If the cat appears to be truly lost, the following steps may assist in locating an owner:
• Wait a day or two before offering food, as extra feeding may discourage the cat from going back home on its own.
• Ask around the neighborhood to see if anyone recognizes the cat. If the cat is friendly, use a paper collar template to help determine if the cat is owned.
• Post a photo and description of the cat on social media platforms such as NextDoor, Craigslist, Petco Love Lost, PawBoost, and surrounding neighborhood Facebook groups and local “Lost & Found Pets of [City Name]” pages.
• Create a Found Pet flyer and post it in the neighborhood or distribute it to nearby homes. Focus on distance (“as the crow flies”) rather than street routes.
• File a found report with other shelters in the area, as animals do not know city limits and may have been relocated from outside Oakland. Additional tips can be found on the OAS Resources page.
• Check for ID tags or take the cat to a veterinarian or animal shelter for a microchip scan. If a microchip number is found, use the AAHA microchip lookup tool to identify the owner.
When to Bring a Cat to the Shelter
If an owner can't be located, the found cat may be brought to Oakland Animal Services during open hours.
Shelter intake guidelines include:
• Healthy, free‑roaming cats are generally not admitted, as they are most likely not lost and removal reduces their chances of returning home.
• Injured or ill feral cats may be accepted for humane assessment or euthanasia; injured or ill friendly stray cats may be accepted for treatment and potential adoption.
• Cats with identification such as microchips are accepted and held for the stray holding period of 10 days.
Feral Cats
Guidance on identifying and responding to feral cats is available at: Oakland Animal Services Feral Cats Resource
Oakland Animal Services Location and Hours
Address:
1101 29th Ave, Oakland, CA 94601
Hours for Bringing in Stray Animals:
• Monday: 11 am – 5 pm
• Tuesday: Closed
• Wednesday: Closed
• Thursday: 11 am – 6:30 pm
• Friday: 11 am – 5 pm
• Saturday: 11 am – 5 pm
• Sunday: 11 am – 5 pm
Phone:
(510) 535‑5602
Additional Resources
For practical solutions to concerns about feral cats in your neighborhood visit Alley Cat Resources.
For information or assistance with the feral cat population in your neighborhood, please contact Full Circle Cats or ICRA at 510-869-2584. Animal Fix Clinic can also assist with feral cats.