How to help street cats

Give them room

A cat that feels watched from up close may leave a place it relies on. Stay where you are, keep your voice down and let the cat decide how near it wants to be. Do not chase a cat, corner it or pick it up for a photo.

Keep their spots private

Where cats sleep, eat and raise kittens is information that can be misused. Do not post the exact location of kittens, of an injured cat or of a feeding spot on social media. If you share a photo, leave out street names, house numbers and anything else that pinpoints the place.

If you find an injured or sick cat

1. 1Do not try to catch or treat the cat yourself. A frightened cat can hurt itself and you.
2. 2Contact a rescue group, a nearby vet clinic or your municipality.
3. 3Tell them exactly where you saw the cat, when, and what you noticed: a limp, a wound, trouble breathing.
4. 4If you can, stay nearby at a distance until help arrives, so the cat can be found again.

Cat Crawl keeps a rescue screen one tap from the board. It does not send your location or your photo to anyone; you decide what to share.

Kittens on their own

A kitten alone is not always abandoned. Its mother may be close by, looking for food or waiting for you to leave. Watch from a distance before you do anything. If the kitten is in clear danger or the mother does not come back, ask a vet clinic or a rescue group what to do.

Support the people already helping

Volunteers, vets and municipal teams look after street cats all year: they treat injuries, vaccinate and run neutering programs. Giving your time or a donation to a local group you trust reaches more cats than any one person can.

How Cat Crawl fits in

Cat Crawl is a weekly street cat bingo that neighbors play together. It is built around the same rules as this guide: photos are taken from where you stand, close-ups earn nothing, the map shows only an area about 500 m wide a day later, and photos of kittens, injured cats and feeding spots are kept off the map.