Pet Theft Awareness: Keep Your Cat Safe from Thieves

Last Updated on January 25, 2023 by Holly Anne Dustin

Updated January 2023

February 14 is not only Valentine’s Day, it is National Pet Theft Awareness Day.  Last Chance for Animals started National Pet Theft Awareness Day in 1988. They wanted to raise awareness about pet theft and help pet parents keep their furbabies safe.

Pet FBI has reports of pets stolen from cars, businesses, back yards, and front porches. If you think it can’t happen to you and your cat, then you are putting your cat at risk.

How Common is Pet Theft?

According to Pethub, two million pets are stolen every year. Only 10% are ever recovered. The American Kennel Club states that purebred dogs are the most common stolen pet. I suspect the number of cats is understated because people take in a “stray” and do not think that  they are actually stealing someone’s lost cat or an indoor/outdoor cat roaming about.

What are the Most Commonly Stolen Cat Breed?

Pedigree cats and look-a-likes are the most commonly stolen by thieves. The domestic shorthair is most likely to be kept by a well-meaning person. According to Direct Line Pet Insurance, these are the top 8 most likely to be stolen breeds.

• Bengal
• Siamese
• Russian Blue
• Ragdoll
• Main Coon
• Sphynx
• Scottish Fold
• Domestic Shorthair

Is Pet Theft a Crime?

The law defines pets as property in every state in the US. In some states it is a misdemeanor, others have defined it as a felony.  The penalty for stealing a pet is generally a fine and little or no jail time. Some states do consider the cost of the pet when charging someone with pet theft. The average jail time, if convicted, is a maximum of 7 years. Most pet thieves never see the inside of a jail cell. Sadly, this makes the risk-reward worth it for the offenders to steal our cats.

Why do people steal cats

There are a lot of nefarious reasons that people steal cats. Mostly it is all about money.

• Dog fighters will grab up cats as bait animals.
• People will lift a full breed animal to breed or sell.
• Cats are stolen by animal “flippers”, that want to sell the animal.
• The thief plans to pretend to have found a lost pet, returning it for a reward or demand a ransom.

The other reasons that cats are stolen are more related to nuisance issues than money.

• A neighbor may steal your cat if Kitty is free roaming and keeps going onto your neighbor’s property. They turn the cat into the shelter, or relocate her far away and hope she won’t find her way back.
• Another fairly common scenario is a roommate or partner that  takes the cat when the relationship breaks up.

Related Post: How to Keep Your Cat Safe Inside and Out

What to do if you find a cat

People think that it is okay to just take a cat that is outside. This is why I think that the number of stolen cats is under reported. In my opinion, there are two reasons that contribute to this attitude.

The first is that cat guardians assume that something bad has happened to their lost pet. They look for her, but they don’t conduct an intensive search. If you live in a rural area like I do, people think a predator got them. In the city, it is cars. But, in fact, Kitty might have been taken in and kept by someone else.

I have seen people in cat-related social media groups actually recommend that someone steal a cat in so many words. Somehow having an outdoor cat has become equal with neglect or abandonment. Let me be clear, I am not in favor of free-roaming cats. I believe that an enriched indoor lifestyle is best for cats. But you can’t just “rescue” a cat because you disagree with it’s care. If you really believe that a cat is neglected or abandoned, call the animal welfare people for your area.

You have to try and reunite a cat you find with his people before you just keep him. Report the cat to animal control, turn it into a shelter or rescue, take it to a vet and have it scanned for a microchip. Put an ad in the paper, on the Nextdoor app or in a neighborhood Facebook group. Look for lost pet listings that match the cat you found. You don’t want to inadvertently become a cat thief.

I think my cat was stolen. What should I do?

• Be sure you have proof that the cat is yours. Adoption paperwork or purchase and registration paperwork in your name is obviously the best. Municipal licensing is another. Vet bills. Photo history over the life of the cat supports your claim.
• Contact the authorities. A lot of police departments won’t want to respond to your complaint when you call to report a stolen cat. Remind the police that stealing a pet is theft and ask them to file a report. Be persistent until someone takes your report if you have reason to believe your cat has been stolen.
• If your cat has a microchip ask the police to list your cat’s description and the serial number to the microchip in the stolen article category of the National Crime Information Center. .
• Notify all the veterinary offices in your area.
• Contact your local animal control department, animal shelters, and pounds in your area. You can also file a lost pet report with each shelter. Keep calling back to keep your cat top of mind with shelter staff.
• Talk to people who are regulars around the neighborhood. The postal worker, the delivery people, the garbage collectors who are likely to be familiar with the pets in the neighborhood.
• Ask around. Witnesses might have seen your cat being abducted.
• Follow the recommended actions for finding a lost cat.  All the publicity might make someone think twice about selling your cat. It increases the number of eyes looking for your missing cat. A neighbor might notice that her friend has “adopted” your indoor/outdoor cat.
• Check for sale ads on social media, craigslist, and local newspapers to see if a flipper might have them and be trying to sell them. Look in lost and found groups for people trying to claim rewards.
• Reach out to local media and tell your story.

What should I do if I think someone has my cat?

Don’t directly approach If you think you know who has stolen your cat.

Get the police or animal control officer to go with you to assess the situation. You don’t want to tip the thief off. They could sell the cat, or if it is a former partner, they could just move them to another location for a time.

How to Prevent Pet Theft

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The best way to avoid these problems is to prevent someone from taking your cat in the first place. Hire professionals for services like pet sitting or grooming and check references thoroughly. Housecall grooming is great for a lot of reasons, the fact  that Kitty stays secure in your home with you present is just one.

The best defense is to keep your cat inside. Keep fences and doors locked if you have a catio or cat-proof garden. Consider putting in a home security system. Put up an obvious camera if your enclosure is where the public can see it. A fence alone won’t stop a determined thief.

Do you have an adventure cat? Teach him to come when called. Make sure you have a well fitted harness on him, keep him on-leash, and keep him supervised. Ideally, you don’t even want to leave him in the car alone at a rest stop.  Putting ID tags and a tracking tab on your indoor/outdoor cat can help keep him safe. A thief will just take the identification off, but it is a start.

An outstanding looking purebred cat is at greater risk of being stolen. Be aware of delivery people, neighbors, repair people etc. that seem overly interested in him. Don’t answer questions about where you live, where you got your cat, or how much your cat cost to purchase.

Don’t Leave Your Cat Unattended in Public

The rescue I volunteer for has had a cat stolen right out of their adoption room during an event. A fellow cat fancier had her cat stolen while she was loading her car. She turned her back on her carrier for seconds to move something over so she could load the cat up.

The authorities recovered the cats in both those situations, thanks to security footage, but not all cats are so lucky.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is important to be aware of the potential risks that pet theft poses and to take proactive steps to keep your cat safe. Make sure you have your cat microchipped, always closely monitor them when outside, be vigilant about who you trust with your cat’s care, and consider additional measures such as enclosures or locks if necessary. By following these guidelines, we can all help prevent pet theft and protect our beloved cats from becoming a victim.