Cat hit by a car or found at the roadside – what to do?
What to do now
- Stop, hazard lights on, put on a high-visibility vest, secure the spot. Your safety comes first.
- Cover the cat with a blanket or jacket and pick it up together with the blanket – injured animals bite and scratch out of pain.
- Put it in a box, basket or carrier, keep it warm and move it as little as possible.
- Drive to the nearest veterinary practice or animal hospital; outside opening hours to the emergency vet service. Call ahead.
- Have the chip and tattoo checked there and report the find to Tasso or Findefix and the municipality, so the owners find out.
Please do not
- Do not drive on. Anyone who hits an animal and leaves it lying injured may be committing an offence; if it is a pet, it can also count as leaving the scene of an accident. If in doubt, call the police.
- Do not give it anything to eat or drink – it may need surgery.
- No painkillers from your medicine cabinet: many medicines for humans are poisonous to cats.
Who helps
Veterinary practice, animal hospital or emergency vet service. Found animals are the responsibility of the municipality where the cat was found. If you cannot drive, call the police or report the emergency to us with its location.
Report an emergency Animal rescue near you
Frequent questions
Do I have to pay for the treatment?
Tell the practice straight away that it is a found animal and that you are not the owner. Found animals are the responsibility of the municipality; the practice settles the costs with it or with the owners. Ask before you sign anything.
The cat is dead. What now?
Lay it at the roadside and report the spot to the municipality or its works yard (Bauhof). Please have the chip read first – at a veterinary practice, an animal shelter, often at the works yard too – and report the find to Tasso or Findefix. Certainty means a great deal to the owners.
Related
This page gives general advice. It replaces neither a vet nor legal advice.
More guides
- Wild animal foundFound a wild animal – who helps?
- Finding an emergency vetEmergency vet – how to find one at night and at the weekend
- Hedgehog foundFound a hedgehog – what to do?
- Bird foundFound a young or injured bird – what to do?
- Dog foundFound a stray dog – what to do?
- Cat turned upA cat has turned up or been found – what to do?
- Pet run awayDog or cat has run away – what to do?
- Collision with wildlifeCollision with wildlife: deer or wild boar hit – what to do?
- Dog in a hot carDog in a hot car – what to do?
- Report animal crueltyReporting animal cruelty or neglect – how does it work?
- Poison bait foundFound poison bait – and what if the dog has already eaten some?
- Injured pigeonFound an injured pigeon – what to do?
- Fawn foundFound a fawn or young wild animal – what to do?
- Squirrel foundFound a squirrel – what to do?
- Bat foundFound a bat – what to do?
- Young hare foundFound a young hare or wild rabbit – what to do?
- Injured swan or duckFound an injured swan, duck or goose – what to do?
- Abandoned animal foundFound an abandoned animal – what to do?
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