Adopting a stray cat
Discussion
There's a local cat that we've seen around for a few months. She's an adorable young cat who will quite happily come and chat on the many evenings that I've been at home (US home). In fact, she's quite eager to come and chat as well.
Myself and MsT have never really thought anything about it until recently.
Anyway, I'm away at the moment, but she was seen hanging round the house recently and MsT got chatting to her. It was felt that the she (the cat not MsT) looked underfed. Underfed at the very least. Scrawny was also used. So MsT got some food from indoors and gave her a bowl. Bowl was polished off by a very grateful cat, as was some water.
For the last few days the cat has been hanging round even more. MsT thinks shes living under house and has been for sometime. Anyway, she's been fed, and doesn't seem to want to go home, where ever home is. She's also put on a bit of weight since MsT started feeding her we think.
A neighbour thinks that people in the area are using the close to dump animals, so we are beginning to think she's a stray.
If she is a stray, she is highly lightly to be adopted by us as an outdoor cat. MsT is going to ask around the close later to see if she can identify the owner.
Anyone any ideas on how to figure out if the cat has been dumped? We think she turned up on the close about 8 months ago.
Myself and MsT have never really thought anything about it until recently.
Anyway, I'm away at the moment, but she was seen hanging round the house recently and MsT got chatting to her. It was felt that the she (the cat not MsT) looked underfed. Underfed at the very least. Scrawny was also used. So MsT got some food from indoors and gave her a bowl. Bowl was polished off by a very grateful cat, as was some water.
For the last few days the cat has been hanging round even more. MsT thinks shes living under house and has been for sometime. Anyway, she's been fed, and doesn't seem to want to go home, where ever home is. She's also put on a bit of weight since MsT started feeding her we think.
A neighbour thinks that people in the area are using the close to dump animals, so we are beginning to think she's a stray.
If she is a stray, she is highly lightly to be adopted by us as an outdoor cat. MsT is going to ask around the close later to see if she can identify the owner.
Anyone any ideas on how to figure out if the cat has been dumped? We think she turned up on the close about 8 months ago.
Most people report missing pets to the vets or a local charity, worth contacting them with a description to see if any have been reported.
Cats will always eat so that's not necessarily a sign that it's a stray, however if it drank plenty of water as well then I would say that's a reasonable indication that it's not being looked after.
Well done on looking after it.
Cats will always eat so that's not necessarily a sign that it's a stray, however if it drank plenty of water as well then I would say that's a reasonable indication that it's not being looked after.
Well done on looking after it.
My first cat just appeared about a month after I moved in to a new house. It turned up, I fed it, it stayed.
After a few weeks the doorbell rang and a neighbour said 'I see you're looking after our cat.' Before I could say anything she added that it was fine, as they had two kids, a large dog and another cat, and the 'spare' cat was welcome to jump ship.
So I got her speyed (the cat, not the neighbour) and she was my cat, I mean I was her human, for 12 great years
After a few weeks the doorbell rang and a neighbour said 'I see you're looking after our cat.' Before I could say anything she added that it was fine, as they had two kids, a large dog and another cat, and the 'spare' cat was welcome to jump ship.
So I got her speyed (the cat, not the neighbour) and she was my cat, I mean I was her human, for 12 great years
I think she's being booked into the vets for a physical, which will identify if she's had the 'chop' and whether she has a chip. Not sure whether MsT is going to wander round the neighbourhood first.
I would imagine she drank like a fish but water is already outside for our 'outdoor' cat, (the one that did $800 of damage to my finger), so I'm not sure.
Problem is that she doesn't look like the usual neighbourhood cats - they all have collars on for a start, and about 8 months ago, we first met the cat when she was brought to our front door by a local rugrat who thought we had lost one of our indoor cats. So if a local kid on the close doesn't recognise the cat, what chance that anyone else will? The door to door stuff still needs to be done.
I would imagine she drank like a fish but water is already outside for our 'outdoor' cat, (the one that did $800 of damage to my finger), so I'm not sure.
Problem is that she doesn't look like the usual neighbourhood cats - they all have collars on for a start, and about 8 months ago, we first met the cat when she was brought to our front door by a local rugrat who thought we had lost one of our indoor cats. So if a local kid on the close doesn't recognise the cat, what chance that anyone else will? The door to door stuff still needs to be done.
mouseymousey said:
Penny-lope said:
Can be expensive adopting strays....I found a rabbit on my drive, 12 weeks later, I was nearly £400 out of pocket, and had one dead bunny 
Best of luck whatever happens...cats can bring such joy
£400 is a lot of money for a rabbit stew... Hope it was tasty Best of luck whatever happens...cats can bring such joy
bad luck btw. the initial quote to fix the stray cat is around $150.
TVR Moneypit said:
mouseymousey said:
Cats will always eat so that's not necessarily a sign that it's a stray, however if it drank plenty of water as well then I would say that's a reasonable indication that it's not being looked after.
Well done on looking after it.
Well done on looking after it.
My two have a fresh bowl of water daily, but even on a warm day like today I hardly ever see them having a drink.
If the cat had a decent drink, then I woiuld be confidant that it wasnt being looked after.
Chilli said:
TVR Moneypit said:
mouseymousey said:
Cats will always eat so that's not necessarily a sign that it's a stray, however if it drank plenty of water as well then I would say that's a reasonable indication that it's not being looked after.
Well done on looking after it.
Well done on looking after it.
My two have a fresh bowl of water daily, but even on a warm day like today I hardly ever see them having a drink.
If the cat had a decent drink, then I woiuld be confidant that it wasnt being looked after.
the mrs cat doesn't even acknowledge it's there
they get moisture from their food and eating grass
thinfourth2 said:
Are you sure the cat is a stray?
The local cat here Mog has recently been discovered to be owned by 4 familys all of whom have been feeding the little flea bitten lardball and bought him a nice little bed
well, the description i currently have is emaciated and flea ridden.The local cat here Mog has recently been discovered to be owned by 4 familys all of whom have been feeding the little flea bitten lardball and bought him a nice little bed
the only strange thing is that she responds to humans a bit too well, but its pretty obvious no one is caring for her.
having said that, we met a kitten in Morocco whilst we were having a meal one evening. to be more exact, she met us. to be more exact, she wanted our meal and told us why. she was way ahead of the curve because it took the other cats another 20 minutes to realise they could beg off the other customers. she also was a stray but was also pretty humanised as well.
don't know what the outcome will be at the moment.
Firkin D said:
Put a collar on it if it will let you with a note in one of those barrell things with your phone number. If it has a home the owner will wonder where the collar came from and ring you. That is what my parents did with a cat, owners called said they could have the cat if they wanted.
The update is that she really is camped under the house now. She's not going to anywhere it seems. Just keep it and give it a good home. Legally, I believe it's not possible to own a cat, they choose their owners. If it keeps coming to you, it's because you're it's favourite. From what you've said it sounds like it's either homeless or the owners aren't interested in finding it. I agree with putting a collar on it to show that it's being 'claimed'.
I grew up on a farm that usually had an average of about 12 feral cats at any one time. Some were naturally more friendly than others, some would let you pick them up, others would run away if you got within 6 feet of them. It could just be that this cat has never had a home but is friendly and familiar with people.
I grew up on a farm that usually had an average of about 12 feral cats at any one time. Some were naturally more friendly than others, some would let you pick them up, others would run away if you got within 6 feet of them. It could just be that this cat has never had a home but is friendly and familiar with people.
Neil_H said:
Just keep it and give it a good home. Legally, I believe it's not possible to own a cat, they choose their owners. If it keeps coming to you, it's because you're it's favourite. From what you've said it sounds like it's either homeless or the owners aren't interested in finding it. I agree with putting a collar on it to show that it's being 'claimed'.
Legally in Florida, I think its 3 months. I remember when the hospital were filling in the "bite" form about who bit my hand and who the owner of the cat was that bit me, and I seem to remember that if a cat or dog lived with you for 3 months you were its owner in the eyes of the State.I have to admit that I'm a bit of a softy when it comes to animals. I do not take pleasure in the slightest in an animal in distress, and if MsT decided that she needed to take charge with this little cat then I back her up absolutely fully.
Never thought I'd be a cat person. And I'm not the sort of person that adoringly thinks cats are bright. Most are as dumb as a plank.
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