# Strange cat trying to move in



## Sonia x (Jun 25, 2011)

Hi, i have a 7 1/2 year old cat called Garfield but it's not him i need advice for. I have a black n white young cat sneaking in my house when it can and hiding under beds etc up the stairs. It's a lovely friendly wee thing but quite skinny so i have been feeding it for the last couple of days. I am worried about fleas etc for the sake of my own cat but i can't bring myself to let it go without food. I do realise it will always come back if i keep feeding it but i don't really mind to be honest. I would keep it if i knew it had no home but i don't want to in case it does have a home already. It has a nice coat etc, no collar. Should i take it to the vets n get it checked out? What if the vets take it away and it is one of my neighbours cats! My cat hasn't interacted with it yet but they r very relaxed around each other and thats strange for my cat, he's a bit of a wimp lol! I jst want to take it in n look after it but not sure what to do. Any advice?:kittyturn


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## Wozzeck (Jun 24, 2011)

You could always call around to various shelters to see if anyone has reported a kitty missing. Also, you could check Craigslist (if your area has one) and your local newspapers to see if anyone has reported a kitty missing. If you do keep it, you could always post flyers in local businesses, shelters, newspapers etc to see if the cat does have an owner.

*Definitely take the stray kitty to the vet before introducing to Garfield if you decide to adopt the cat*. The stray cat could have a serious medical problem that could make Garfield sick - it's definitely better to be safe than sorry. Be very careful though if you do take him to the vet, because being placed into a carrier could be very stressful. I wouldn't do it unless I had someone there to help me by either holding the carrier still or whatever assistance is needed. Also, in the same vein as going to vet, make sure you wash your hands between handling the stray and handling Garfield. 

I was in the same situation awhile ago, a little female kitty started appearing near my home. She was super loving, adorable and a companion while I smoked my cigarettes outside (nasty habit, I know!). However, she managed to get inside one day when my boyfriend and I were moving a set of drawers in. Unfortunately, she had fleas and then my own kitty Morrison got fleas. We never got to the point of contacting shelters in our area because after a few more weeks of random visits, we didn't see her any more and then we moved out of state. We tried the flea removal liquid that goes on the back of the neck but my poor baby's skin became really, really irritated. After calling the vet, we gave him a bath using the plain, original Dawn soap (blue) and the flea problem was taken care of.

I hope I've helped. Good luck!


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## ilikemycat (Jun 23, 2011)

Hi Sonia: I have very recently also adopted a young adult female cat. However, flyers were posted in the area where she was found, some vets on that area were also asked, and I double-checked twice to be sure she had no microchip. I did also some search on the Internet to see if somebody had posted in a forum her missing. After that, I am quite sure I can adopt her since it is the best for her (she is amazingly tame).

I would do some searching, at least the microchip thing, before getting more bond with the kitty. And if you plan to stay with him, he should be definitely analyzed by a vet.


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

This kitty sounds like one that perhaps had a home at one time and was dumped or owners moved away and left it behind, like one mentioned in our shelter column of local newspaper recently where people moved out and left two young adult cats behind in an apt. (how can people do that! ). 

The kitty definitely sounds like she _wants _a home, so if you've advertised, flyered your area and had no response, decide whether _you _want her, or take her to a shelter. In the meantime, be cautious in your handling with her and don't allow her in the house, wash hands well after contact with her. She may not only have fleas (likely has worms as well) but could have something more serious like Feline Leukemia, or other infectious diseases. It wouldn't be a good idea for her to have contact with Garfield.


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## Sonia x (Jun 25, 2011)

Thanks for the advice! I'm going to phone around tommorrow as the cat is sitting on my kitchen window right now meowing at me with it's big beautiful eyes and i hate to see it out there in the rain. It had a fight with my cat garfield and managed to get into my house and sprayed on the wall so i need to either find it's owners or a nice home as it doesn't get along with my cat.


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