300.30 services regarding domestic cats

1. Number: 300.30
SUBJECT: SERVICES REGARDING DOMESTIC CATS Page: 1
Date: 11/29/00
Approved: Ryan Drabek, Director Revised: 12/4/12
I. PURPOSE
To establish a uniform procedure for the capture, transport, impoundment and disposition
of domestic cats impounded by OC Animal Care.
II. POLICY
All impounded cats shall be transported in a safe and humane manner.
III. SCOPE
Applicable to all Field Operations personnel.
IV. FORMS
Not applicable.
V. REFERENCES
OC Animal Care Policy and Procedure 700.02
OC Animal Care Policy and Procedure 700.03
VI. DEFINITIONS
Not applicable.
VII. PROCEDURE
A. Cats Involved in a Bite/Scratch (Refer to OC Animal Care P&Ps 700.02 and
700.03)
1. Any cat impounded without owner information that has been involved in a
bite upon a human or which has been in intimate contact with a rabid or
suspected rabid animal, will be impounded and quarantined at OC Animal
Care.
2. Any owner known cat involved in a bite upon a human or which has been
in intimate contact with a rabid or suspected rabid animal will be placed
under quarantine at a location approved by the Clinic Veterinarian. The
quarantine location of the cat is dependent upon the facilities and the

2. Number: 300.30
SUBJECT: SERVICES REGARDING DOMESTIC CATS Page: 2
Date: 11/29/00
Approved: Ryan Drabek, Director Revised: 12/4/12
owner’s willingness and ability to comply with the quarantine order,
particularly when outdoor cats are concerned. Approved locations will be
at one of the following locations: the owner’s residence, a private kennel,
an animal hospital or the OC Animal Care Shelter.
B. Sick or Injured Cats
Any cat that is found sick or injured and is not in the custody of its owner will be
impounded by an Animal Control Officer (ACO). In certain circumstances a trap
may be issued for capture and confinement. Treatment or other disposition will
conform to state law and departmental policy.
C. Healthy Cats
Consistent with staffing levels and recognizing the requirement to perform other
priority services, this department will offer limited services related to domestic
cats under conditions other than those previously described.
1. Cats confined on private property will be impounded providing the
following conditions are met:
a. Reporting parties will be required to confine cats in a humane
manner that does not jeopardize the health or safety of the cat. All
efforts will be made by the ACO to transfer a cat from the
reporting party’s container to an OC Animal Care cage/carrier.
b. If the reporting party is concerned that the cat might escape during
the transfer, the officer may take the reporting party’s container,
with their permission, for transport to the OC Animal Care Shelter.
c. The reporting party will be advised OC Animal Care does not
deliver traps back to the owner. The container is to be tagged and
placed in a safe location at the shelter where the reporting party
may retrieve the container at a later time.
d. The reporting party may also transport the cat directly to the
shelter themselves.
2. An Officer will respond to assess a situation regarding a confined stray cat
provided the cat is confined in an enclosed room, garage or storage shed.
If possible, the Officer at the site will impound such cat.

3. Number: 300.30
SUBJECT: SERVICES REGARDING DOMESTIC CATS Page: 3
Date: 11/29/00
Approved: Ryan Drabek, Director Revised: 12/4/12
3. Call takers will inform the public of the above information and will
request the citizen to either transport the cat(s) to OC Animal
Care or confine it in a humane container.
D. Impound Method
The procedures outlined below are to be followed in order to ensure that cats are
safely impounded without biting, scratching, causing injury or possibly escaping
during the transport/unloading process.
1. Docile cats that have been confined in a secured disposable container by
the reporting party shall be left in that container, provided that such
container is safe and humane for transport to OC Animal Care for
evaluation. The activity number and the type of animal shall be noted or
affixed to the container via a wire tag. If the officer believes there is a
chance the cat may escape from the container during transport, he/she
shall transfer the cat into the small animal cage or other container, such as
a cardboard carrier. Transfer shall be made inside an enclosed area at the
site of impound, when possible, to prevent escape.
2. Sick, injured or stray cats that are semi-confined shall be placed in the
small animal cage or cardboard carrier upon impound. If the cat has
already been placed in a secured disposable container by the reporting
party, the officer shall note the type of animal, temperament, whether
injured or involved in a bite and the activity number on the container. If
the animal is transferred to a carrying cage at OC Animal Care, the
transfer shall be made inside an enclosed area to prevent escape.
3. Cats in small animal traps shall be transferred by the Officer into the unit’s
small animal cage at the impound site. This can be accomplished by
adjoining the door openings of trap and cage. In the event that transfer is
not practical and escape is possible due to the trap dimensions, the Officer
shall advise the citizen to transport the trap to OC Animal Care for the
animal’s removal (with the exception of cats involved in a bite). It will be
the responsibility of the citizen to pick up the trap at OC Animal Care. In
such cases, the Officer shall tag the trap with owner information.
4. Cats transported to the shelter shall be brought into the clinic for
evaluation. The activity number shall be noted on a wire tag affixed to the
container by the impounding officer. The container holding the cat is to
be placed in the designated shelving area within the clinic to prevent the

4. Number: 300.30
SUBJECT: SERVICES REGARDING DOMESTIC CATS Page: 4
Date: 11/29/00
Approved: Ryan Drabek, Director Revised: 12/4/12
spread of disease. The Officer leaving a cage in the clinic shall replace it
in their unit with a disinfected empty cage.
5. Every effort shall be made by the impounding officer to personally
examine each cat for injury or illnesses upon impound to determine
if the cat needs immediate medical attention.
E. After-hours Unloading
1. Upon arrival at OC Animal Care, the Officer shall take the confined cat to
the “Receiving” cage area.
2. The cat shall be transferred to one of the receiving cages by a method least
likely to cause a bite, scratch, injury to the animal or possible escape.
F. Special Circumstances
Unusual circumstances that require a deviation from the above procedures should
be referred to the Watch Commander or his/her designee to determine the
appropriate action.