What we collect, what we don't, and how to get rid of it.
Last updated September 19, 2026
209 Cats is run by volunteers in San Joaquin County. We do not sell data, we do not run ads, and there is no advertising network anywhere in this site. What follows is a plain description of what actually happens when you use it.
This is a community noticeboard, so most of it is meant to be seen. Profiles, cat profiles marked public, posts, comments, help requests, and lost & found reports are visible to anyone, including people without an account and search engines. Assume anything you post can be screenshotted and shared, because a lost cat flyer travelling is the entire point.
Your email address is never shown publicly. Messages in a help thread are visible only to the requester and the accepted helper.
We use a small number of service providers to run the site. None of them are advertising companies, and none receive your data to use for their own marketing.
We will hand over data if we are legally required to, and we may share what is necessary with animal control or law enforcement where there is a credible threat to a person or an animal.
California residents have the right to know what personal information is collected and to request its deletion. This page is the "know" part, and the email above is the deletion request. You will not be treated differently for asking.
Content stays until you delete it or we remove it under the content policy. Deleting your account removes your content. Reunited lost & found reports stay up as part of the public reunions record, with the cat and the area but without your contact details. Ask us if you would rather a specific reunion came down.
209 Cats is not for children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect information from them. If you believe a child under 13 has an account, email hello@209cats.com and we will remove it.
Access is enforced at the database level, photos are scoped to the account that uploaded them, and administrative keys never run in anything a visitor can reach. No system is perfect. If you find a security problem, email hello@209cats.com and we will take it seriously and credit you if you would like.
If we change this in a way that meaningfully affects you, we will say so in the feed rather than quietly editing the page and updating the date.
Questions about any of this, or want something taken down? Email hello@209cats.com. A person reads it.