It happens more often than you'd think. You pop out to the bins, head to the car in the morning, or walk back from the beach, and there it is: a cat staring up at you, thin, miaowing, clearly hoping you'll do something. We get these messages almost every day at Cat's Club Benidorm, especially through the summer when litters turn up in urbanisations all over the Marina Baixa. The question is always the same: what do I do with this cat? The short answer is, don't take it home just yet. Before you decide anything, work out what's actually in front of you, because not every cat on the street is in the same situation and some are far better off where they are. Here's what we do ourselves, written so you can do it properly too.
First: is it ownerless, or simply lost?
Lots of people assume a cat on the street has been abandoned. Sometimes that's true. But a good number of cats that look lost have a family three streets away, frantic and searching. So the first job isn't to rescue, it's to identify.
Look for the signs. Does it approach people confidently, or bolt? Is it clean and well-furred, or clearly weeks into rough living? Does it have a little notch cut into one ear? That tip means it's a managed colony cat that's already been neutered, and almost always the kindest thing is to leave it exactly where it is.
Stray, feral or lost: they're not the same thing
It's worth knowing the difference before you act:
- Lost or abandoned cat: usually socialised, seeks human contact, miaows for help, and may well have a microchip. This is the one that genuinely needs you.
- Colony or feral cat: lives outdoors, distrusts people and keeps its distance. If its ear is tipped, it's part of a TNR (trap-neuter-return) programme. Pulling it out of its territory rarely does it any good.
- Orphaned kittens: tiny litters are the real summer emergencies. But before you scoop them up, make sure mum isn't simply off finding food. Moving kittens whose mother is still around is a very common mistake.
A microchip scan changes everything
If the cat lets you handle it and seems like someone's pet, take it to any vet in Benidorm, l'Alfàs del Pi, La Nucía or Villajoyosa and ask them to scan for a microchip. It's free, takes two minutes and doesn't hurt the cat at all. Microchipping cats has been compulsory in Spain since the 2023 Animal Welfare Law, so plenty of cats with families carry one, and a single scan can bring up a phone number and a whole story.
If there's a chip, the vet can start the process of contacting the registered owner. If there isn't, you at least know nobody is likely searching, and that's when it makes sense to think about next steps.
The immediate stuff: water, shade and a little food
While you're deciding, you can cover the basics without committing to anything. Clean water always, especially in August, when the Costa Blanca heat kills more street cats than people realise. Some shade. And wet food or kibble, never cow's milk, which upsets their stomachs badly.
If it's injured, very thin, or a tiny kitten, that's an emergency. A kitten of a few weeks old with no mother needs help within hours, not days.
Why you shouldn't pick up every cat
It's hard to accept when there's one looking up at you, but not every street cat belongs in a home. Well-managed colony cats, neutered and fed at a regular feeding point, live reasonably good lives in their own patch. Shutting one in a flat causes it enormous stress, and it takes up a foster space that a cat who truly depends on us desperately needs.
We're a small group of volunteers running entirely on foster homes. We don't have premises to drop cats off at. Every space counts, which is why we'd rather help you weigh up the situation than have you rescue on impulse.
When and how to contact Cat's Club
If you've found a cat that looks abandoned, has no chip, is unwell, or you've found a litter with no mother, get in touch. Tell us where it is, send a photo, and if you can, a rough weight or the kittens' age. That helps us enormously to judge what's needed and how fast.
We'll be honest with you: we can't always come and collect straight away. It depends on a foster space being free, and that's our constant bottleneck. Without fosters, there are no rescues.
The most useful way to help: foster
If this cat has stirred something in you, the best thing you can do might not be to keep it. Opening your door temporarily, to this one or the next, is worth far more. A foster home gives a roof, food and affection while we cover the vet bills and find an adopter. It's the piece that makes everything else possible.
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep a stray cat I've found in Spain?+
If it has no microchip and nobody is looking for it, it can end up being yours, but first rule out that it's lost. Take the cat to a vet to scan for a chip. If it's a colony cat with a tipped ear, it's best left in its territory.
How much does it cost to scan a cat for a microchip?+
Scanning for a microchip is free at virtually any vet. It takes a couple of minutes to pass the reader over the cat and causes no discomfort at all.
I've found kittens with no mother, what should I do?+
First make sure the mother isn't nearby looking for food, because moving the kittens would do more harm than good. If you're sure they're alone, they're an emergency: get in touch with a photo and their rough age.
What should I feed a stray cat?+
Clean water always, especially in summer, plus wet food or cat kibble. Never cow's milk, as it gives them diarrhoea. If the cat is injured or very weak, get it to a vet without waiting.
Are microchips compulsory for cats in Spain?+
Yes. Under the 2023 Animal Welfare Law, in force since 29 September 2023, cats must be microchipped and neutered before six months of age. The law itself carves out cats in the official breeders' registry, and the Ministry's official guidance also accepts cases where a vet advises against it on justified grounds.
If you've found a cat and aren't sure what to do, get in touch and we'll work it out together. And if you really want to make a difference, think about becoming a foster home: it's what lets us say yes when the next cat nobody else will help turns up.
