Not a day goes by when people don't come in with a stray cat in a carrier, declaring that they have found it and want to drop it off.

Although you may feel you are 'saving' the cat, in most cases you are not.

Many stray cats, especially around farms, industrial areas and other scarcely populated areas were born as strays. The SPCA cannot cater to feral adult cats, as they are hard to make into domesticated house pets and cannot be adopted out.

The adult cat you find may have babies stowed away somewhere that needs her and if you take her she can't get to them to feed them.

Our cat numbers are currently maxed out, leaving us no room to take them and having to divert the cats and people to different organizations, this puts the cat at risk for euthanization.

Cats are also known prowlers; they look for mice and birds and trouble to get into. Many cats wandering around neighbourhoods do belong to someone and they have just been let out for exercise.

Currently the weather is warm and cats are in no immediate danger to cold, come winter stray cats that are feral or outdoor cats grow a coat and put on weight to keep warm and yes they may loose a part of an ear but they are doing okay.

If you see a cat wandering around often, we encourage you to post a 'found' report on petlynx.com because anyone missing a cat is referred to that site by various animal organizations in the city including ours.

Or if anything, leave it, it will find its way home, they appreciate you're help but felines are a very independent and exploratory species, so leave them be.