# Emergency stray question



## Shenanigans (Jul 23, 2011)

So, I'm minding my own business when I see a little orange tabby sitting onmy patio ledge.

As soon as I opened the door, he ran, but once I went out front with some food he came right to me.

He's VERY affectionate, there's no way he doesn't have a home. He's kneading on everything and purring up a storm.

I let him inside, with Apollo locked in my bedroom.

I can't tell is he's too young, or if he's already been neutered, but he does look to me at least 6months. He's yeowling and wants to go back outside.. I wonder if his owners let him out so he could go find a lady cat, or what.

He's a little dirty and it looks like he's been out for awhile.. All he wants is to go back outside. Badly. He's very sweet though.

Should I just let him back out and risk him getting hit by a car on the busy street outside my apartment, or just sit with him until he calms down and figure out where to go from there?


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## Shenanigans (Jul 23, 2011)

I've gotta add one last thing, Apollo is such a good boy. He hasn't made a peep. They even sniffed each other from under my door and neither of them flipped out.


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## Lenkolas (Jan 18, 2011)

Oh my....I wouldn't let him go outside again. You caught him already, and maybe some desperate family is trying to find him.

Or well, maybe there's noone looking for him, but he could die outside on that busy street....I agree he is not a stray at all, being so affectionate with the purrs and all.


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## Darkcat (May 27, 2010)

I'd keep him in and see if he calms down, especially if there's a risk of him getting hit. Give him toys to distract him and see if he settles down.


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## Shenanigans (Jul 23, 2011)

He's calmed down a bit after sitting on the floor with him giving him LOTS of pets. He's currently laying next to my laptop on my coffee table. Apollo on the other hand is starting to get impatient, poor boy. Pictures incoming, I want to see if anyone else can get a better grip on his age, if possible.


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## Nora B (Nov 6, 2010)

Ist thing I always do is scan for a chip. maybe just maybe this kitty already has one - easiest is to call the closest vet - most will scan for a chip and find any info for no charge. Of course most of the time found kitties don't have one but sometimes you get lucky.....

Definitely keep him inside. He is better off in a cage or closet or bathroom in your apartment while you check around for an owner than back outside for sure!


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## Nora B (Nov 6, 2010)

Add - many times if I bring in a found cat for a scan a vet will come take a quick peek and approximate age for me as well - I'll admit I don't hesitate to prey on the inate sympathies of people who work in a vets office for foundlings, they need help wherever they can get it - plus a nearby vet is the perfect place for lost/found info & more locale specific ideas!


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## jusjim (Jun 30, 2009)

He may be an abandoned animal (thrown out). 

I feed a gray I call Guy. He had a collar on until about two years ago. As I'd been friendly to him for several years he turned to me for food by trying to claw a hole in a screen door. He's vey affectionate, but he won't come in. I managed to get him in to eat one time in the basement. I left him to his bowl of kibble, but when I went down, he hadn't eaten any and was hiding. When he came out, I let him out and he ate his food.

He's able to survive raccoons and the local coyote and the winter. Snow etc. but usually not too cold.


I suggest keeping your stray for a few more days to see if he settles down.

You say he's a little dirty. Is he cleaning himself now he's inside?


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## Shenanigans (Jul 23, 2011)

Apollo is being an instigator now, he broke out of my room. Now the stray is in my bedroom with food and a litterbox. Apollo won't stay away from the door and he's aggravating the poor stray. I put an ad on Craigslist and the local animal shelter, in hopes that SOMEONE will find him.

It seems to be raining strays today. The tortie/calico girl that I saw a few weeks ago has returned. SHe has a collar so I'm hoping she lives closeby and she's just on an adventure.

To answer a question from another response - no he hasn't cleaned himself since he's been inside. He's still howling. I'm starting to think he probably isn't neutered, but thankfully he hasn't sprayed or anything. I'm going to see what happens by the end of the day. Not sure what to do if I don't hear anything and he hasn't calmed down any.


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## Alpaca (Dec 21, 2009)

Actually from my own experience, I'd say decide what you want to do with him first. You need a 'goal' before you can figure out how to proceed. Do you want to and are you capable of keeping him inside for an unspecified amount of time? If you can then try proper cat introductions as he'll be living with Apollo either for the rest of his life or until you find someone who can keep him. If you can't then find your nearest no-kill shelter and see if they have room.

Nevertheless, please keep him inside for his safety no matter how much he yowls. 

When I found Cap'n Jack, he was a skittish thing and not as desperate to get out as yours. I kept him in a small bathroom for about a month before I neutered him. At first, he was so frightened he was literally climbing the walls to get away. He only bolted for the door once but mostly he would be hiding under the toilet tank or in his bed. And yeah, he would be yowling like I was torturing him or something. He was calm down enough to groom about 2 months after I got him. He was also noticably calmer after he got neutered.

You can't expect any major changes after a day or two. I had to keep Cap'n Jack in the bathroom for 1 month before he was calm enough to face a vet visit. And another 2 weeks after that before I let him out to freely mingle with my other cat and dog. This is considered fast as I was doing introductions with all of them thru a see-thru door. It was a wooden prison bar type door so they could all see, hear, smell, and touch each other. I believe that accelerated the process a lot.

Good luck and thanks for saving him!


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## Shenanigans (Jul 23, 2011)

Well, it's been just over an hour and he's already calm and has only yelled a few times the past little while. I just checked on him and he's kneading everything he can find and he actually rolled over on my bed and let me give him belly rubs. Apollo doesn't even let me give him belly rubs. He is definitely not just a stray. 

I just got off the phone with another local vet and they have a note in their system now with my info in case anyone happens to call. So 1 vet, the local Animal Control and an ad on Craigslist. HOPEFULLY I will hear something soon.

As far as how long I am planning on keeping him.. I will give it until the end of the week, and if I don't hear anything I will call a shelter and see if they have room. If not, I might just try to get him and Apollo socialized and keep him after a vet visit. I could even take him over to the boyfriend's apartment and keep him there so he has a little more freedom. I live in a one-bedroom "gally style" apartment. And as I've said before, my doors don't close or lock so keeping him and Apollo separated has already been difficult. 

Whew.. Seriously, what a day. Both kitties are finally calm and relaxed. ..Though Apollo will not leave the vicinity from my bedroom door, lol. 

I'm going to keep telling myself I am doing something good here!


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## Lenkolas (Jan 18, 2011)

You are. Thank you so much. This little one would have probably ended up dead on that road.

:wink I hope you can keep him!


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## Shenanigans (Jul 23, 2011)

Heh, honestly he is just the type of kitty I've been wanting, since before Apollo joined me. Mild-tempered and super duper sweet. He has growled at Apollo and hissed a few times, and even tried to swat at him from under the door before I sealed it off with my *broken* draft protector. He has no problem being picked up and he hasn't once been aggressive towards me.

I honestly hope he has a loving family out here looking for him. And ya know, if not, it's their loss! I would keep him in a heart beat if I knew for sure.


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## Alpaca (Dec 21, 2009)

Ha, be warned though. I also did what you did with Cap'n Jack. After no answers to my ads, I was like alright! So I neutered and microchipped him. Now he's the sweetest sweetie pie out of the whole bunch who follows me everywhere like a puppy.


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## The Divine Miss M (Oct 4, 2011)

Also take into account that he could be someone's indoor/outdoor cat, and there could be someone out there wondering why he didn't come home for dinner. I'm not sure keeping him in is the right thing to do if he's well fed and since you can't ID him as a boy, I'm guessing he's either a she or has been neutered. If he's a he, he did not neuter himself so there should be someone on the look out.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

IME, dirty cats don't have homes. 
Cats who have homes typically spend a good portion of their time indoors and grooming. Cats outside, trying to survive, don't spend a lot of time grooming the grime off of them. They just let themselves be dirty.
If he hasn't been lost (_accidentally got out_) I have to wonder if someone turned him out of their home to fend for himself. 

I think he was very lucky to find you and Apollo.


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## Shenanigans (Jul 23, 2011)

He is quite dirty. And since he's been here I've only seen him "clean" himself once, which was a quick lick on his back leg. His paws are caked in dirt and there's some little cakes of dried dirt around the base of his nails. I was looking at his teeth and they aren't in BAD shape, but they're not in good shape either. I'm beginning to think he's a lot older than I first assumed. He isn't grey anywhere, but I don't think he's under a year old.

I'm printing out some Cat Found posters to put around my neighborhood, just in case he did manage to get out of his home. I don't know, it's just odd. I am pretty well acquainted with the majority of the strays around here as they all seem to flock to my patio at some point or another.


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## Nora B (Nov 6, 2010)

Sounds like he found you at just the right time.


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## Shenanigans (Jul 23, 2011)

*He just went home!*

I'm sad to see him go, but I'm so happy that he wasn't just tossed out by someone around here.


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## Dave_ph (Jul 7, 2009)

What? What? What's the story on his return


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## Lenkolas (Jan 18, 2011)

What happened! He was lost? REALLY?!?! :shock:


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## Shenanigans (Jul 23, 2011)

Yeah, I'm just as surprised. To be honest, I couldn't bring myself to ask for the details, I didn't want to seem rude, even though I wanted to scream the whole time she was here. The only thing that made me keep my mouth shut is that she really did look relieved when she saw him.

He's not microchipped, no collar, nothing. I'm actually starting to feel more and more guilty about it.


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