# I found a stray...



## JunoBear (Jan 4, 2012)

I have not had much experience with strays before, but today I walk out into my livingroom and find Caesar snuggling against the sliding glass door with an unfamiliar, outdoor black and white cat. My first thought was that the cat must be a pet of someone else who lives in this apartment complex, however when I opened the door to say hello, the cat took off.

I left a bowl of dried kibble outside, to see what would happen, and ten minutes later the cat was back, and finished the entire bowl of food in almost 5 minutes.

Caesar seems to have taken this cat under his wing, I left the screen door open for a bit and they sniffed eachother and cuddled through the screen. Its as if they have known eachother forever, there are no territorial signs from Caesar, which I find to be extremely weird.

I cannot get close enough to the cat to find out its sex, or if it has been altered. It doesn't have a collar, and ended up eating an entirely seperate bowl of food I put out for it. 

Its freezing outside, and "Moo" seems near starving, the way it was eating. 

I'm torn on what to do. My instinct is to try to get it into where it is warm, and take pictures/put up flyers, maybe ask around. I cannot get a good picture of it as it runs every time I move. However for all i know I may be overstepping a boundry and taking in a cat which is already owned. 

Even if I did decide to temporarily take this cat in, I still wouldn't know how. It won't go more than 5 feet near me, everytime I move it runs off. It enjoys the food I leave out for it, and I locked Caesar in the bedroom for a few minutes and left the sliding door open, leaving the food inside to see what it would do. It came halfway in, startled itself, and then took off again.

I just wish I could get close enough to sex it and see it it is altered, that would give me more indication that it was a family pet. 

I need advice, should I continue to feed? Should I try to help this "Moo"? and if I should, how would I go about doing so? How do you gain a cat's trust?

Any help would be much appreciated.


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## shan841 (Jan 19, 2012)

the fact that moo is sooo hungry and afraid of people would lead me to believe that no one is taking care of him, and that gives you the right to feed him and give him shelter. If someone does "own" him, you are doing no wrong by providing him with basic needs. I would put flyers up and ask around, you don't have to have a picture, just a description will do. And as far as catching him goes, the fact that he already came halfway inside is a huge step. It will take patience, maybe set up a warm box outside for him with hay/blankets in it. He will slowly gain your trust. And, once you catch him you can take him to get scanned for a microchip.


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## JunoBear (Jan 4, 2012)

shan841 said:


> the fact that moo is sooo hungry and afraid of people would lead me to believe that no one is taking care of him, and that gives you the right to feed him and give him shelter. If someone does "own" him, you are doing no wrong by providing him with basic needs. I would put flyers up and ask around, you don't have to have a picture, just a description will do. And as far as catching him goes, the fact that he already came halfway inside is a huge step. It will take patience, maybe set up a warm box outside for him with hay/blankets in it. He will slowly gain your trust. And, once you catch him you can take him to get scanned for a microchip.


 
This was my thought also, he definately seemed like his last meal was a long time ago. And I am planning on taking him to a vet as soon as he can be contained. I'm not even sure yet if he/she is neutered/spayed yet, as I can't get that close. Funds are tight but if/when i can get this kitty some real help, I'm planning on doing all that I can to take care of him until I can find him somewhere to go that isn't out in the freezing cold (Its currently winter here, snow on the ground). 

I don't really have a cat house, but perhaps I can try to fashion one out of cheap materials. Thank you for the advice!


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## Whaler (Feb 13, 2011)

since it seemingly has no reliable source of food you should be able to trap it rather easily. depending on where you are located there are many groups that would lend you a humane trap (some do require you to leave a deposit) or your local animal control office may be able to assist in the trapping.


as far as inexpensive shelter options check out theseFeral Cat Shelter Options Gallery - Alley Cat Allies

the "tub style" ones are very easy to make and require no tools other than a utility knife. i have made tons of these shelters for my feral colony as well as for other colonies. if you can swing it financially a feral villa (linked on the alley cat allies site) or a do-it-yourself wood shelter is preferable. in addition to the tub style shelters i have four feral villas at my colony. they are very easy to set up and offer great protection.


one more thing, *do not *use hay or blankets, use straw.


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## jusjim (Jun 30, 2009)

I say continue to feed, but don't push the acquaintace. My first outside cat (I called him Cat,Cat as that's the way I called him) took several months or more before he came close and invited touching. Don't worry too much about a warm envirionment, unless they are in the extreme winter areas where they sometimes get frost bitten on the extremities, they seem to survive OK.

The fact that Caesar has taken a liking to it may help.

Cat, Cat came in through the window one time, but after inspecting the house, decided not to stay. Guy, my present outdoor cat, will come in, but not eat if I close the door. 

I'm a bit against trapping, unless it's for neutering only. I respect a cats intelligence enough to believe it would choose to come in if that's what it wants.

I do suggest a giving it name, though, so that it has a word to recognise its food provider by.

I remember, several years ago, when I was new to the internet, that someone mentioned there were ways to identify gender by the way a cat walked. It's a vague memory, but someone said a male was identifible by the way it held it's tail high as it walked, and that males had a sort of arrogant stride.

Just my few thoughts and words.


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## LadyK (Jan 30, 2012)

In addition to what everyone has already suggested, contact your local animal shelter and submit a "found report," or whatever they are called there. They will take down the information about the cat (as much as you know) and if someone calls to report their cat is missing, they can see if they are the same one. In addition to the posters, check the Lost & Found sections on Craigslist, Petfinder classifieds, and your local paper. Also, when you are able to catch him/her, a vet or shelter staff should scan for a microchip. 

Best of luck to both of you! Thank you for showing kindness to this little cat.  Keep us posted!


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## Claiken (Dec 18, 2007)

Sorry just have to know, whats wrong with using blankets?? Theyre warm and fuzzy right? Im confused lol


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## JunoBear (Jan 4, 2012)

Claiken said:


> Sorry just have to know, whats wrong with using blankets?? Theyre warm and fuzzy right? Im confused lol


Wouldn't do much good all wet with snow


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## WhisperingWind56 (Oct 12, 2011)

Just a word of caution -- Feline leukemia is highly infectious and fairly common among strays in some areas, so be careful about allowing it touch noses with your house cat until it can be tested. Not trying to be a downer, but I'd hate to see Caesar get infected. Each time I take in a stray, I get it to a vet for testing before I allow it near my own cats.


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## JunoBear (Jan 4, 2012)

WhisperingWind56 said:


> Just a word of caution -- Feline leukemia is highly infectious and fairly common among strays in some areas, so be careful about allowing it touch noses with your house cat until it can be tested. Not trying to be a downer, but I'd hate to see Caesar get infected. Each time I take in a stray, I get it to a vet for testing before I allow it near my own cats.


thank you for the advice,
I do not have the funds to take the cat to a vet right away, so i may need to keep it quarentined from my other cats until then
i posted another thread regarding this very issue


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## Claiken (Dec 18, 2007)

JunoBear said:


> Wouldn't do much good all wet with snow


Oohhhhh ok, thanks


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## WhisperingWind56 (Oct 12, 2011)

Chances are, the cat is okay, but it's best to be safe.

We have taken in nine strays over the years, and never had a single one test positive. On the flip side, though, just a mile away, my sister took in a lovely little stray, and she was infected. She lost it and both of her indoor Manx cats, one of which had been raised by hand by my sister from the day it was born (the mother died of internal bleeding before they could get her to the vet). Very tragic.

If you can find an old box or large carton, you can cut a hole in the side and toss in some old rags or towels. That would be enough to break the chill, but if the cat is wary of humans, it may feel trapped in such an enclosed environment. A second "escape hole" might make it feel more secure. Sadly, a lot of people move off and leave their cats behind, and the neighbors start chasing it away, which makes it skittish. 

Anyway, I hope it all turns out well in the end for your little Moo. Sounds like a kitty in need of some TLC.


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## JunoBear (Jan 4, 2012)

*Just an update:*

I was elated two nights ago when Moo didn't show up at my apartment porch, thinking that maybe I had just overreacted to the whole thing, and the cat really did have a home. (perhaps it was just a late night out the night he visited me repeatedly.) Two nights ago, the weather was extremely bad, snowing, windy, etc. So I had assumed when Moo didn't show that perhaps he was home, and safe.

Imagine the heartbreak when last night, under the same weather conditions, Moo was at my door again. I was not home to witness it, but my boyfriend was. He did not eat the food I left out, as I didn't change it from the day before (i didn't think of it that morning when I woke up, and I didn't get home until 8:30-9 at night, long after Moo had come and gone). My boyfriend reported that he came and ate a few peices of food, and pawed at the door for about ten minutes. (My boyfriend does not feel the same way I do about helping this poor creature, and refused to let him inside. He actually says I'm in big trouble if the cat ever gets in, however, I have ways around that  I literally cried at the news though, and begged my boyfriend to open the door. When that was an obvious no, I begged him to please put fresh food outside that was non frozen, but apparently just as he was about to do so, the cat bounded off.

I came home and saw the tiny paw prints in the snow. Breaks my heart that he was clawing at the door, either for warmth or fresh food (The food was legitamately frozen, non edible.). I put out some fresh food, shook it, and called his name, but I didn't want to create a disturbance for my neighbors, so I put it to rest after about half an hour.

Wish I had a little more support from the boyfriend, but I can do it on my own too. I'm going to get this kitty some help. I really hate to think of him freezing out there, and he obviously either wanted inside or wanted some type of human attention, so he definatly needs some help.


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## cooncatbob (May 27, 2011)

Sounds like you need a new boy friend who shares your compassion for animals in need.


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## Whaler (Feb 13, 2011)

cooncatbob said:


> Sounds like you need a new boy friend who shares your compassion for animals in need.




^ +1


you took the words right out of my mouth


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## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

cooncatbob said:


> Sounds like you need a new boy friend who shares your compassion for animals in need.





Whaler said:


> ^ +1
> 
> 
> you took the words right out of my mouth


^ +1, as well.

I'd be leery of a man who is that unsympathetic to an animal that is in such distress. I'm sure you love your boyfriend, but if he were my boyfriend, I'd have to think long and hard if I want him around.


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## Leazie (Apr 14, 2007)

Oh, that poor baby. How heartbreaking that he was asking for help and didn't get it. I hope that you are able to offer him food when he comes back. Do you have the space outside to make him a little shelter so that he could get out of the cold?


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## orrymain (Dec 9, 2011)

I hope he comes back when you're home. Were you able to make a shelter for him/her?
I live in a cul de sac and one of my neighbors let her cat out but unfortunately is not always home to let him back in. She believes "his fur coat is more than enough to keep him warm in freezing temperatures." Those are her exact words. Anyway, he is well fed and she does provide him with food & water on her porch but no shelter. But I felt sorry for him and its been bitterly cold every night so I made him a shelter between the house and bushes out of two rubbermaid storage containers I purchased at Goodwill. It was very simple to make (I googled instructions). Hardest part was cutting out the holes. I added straw between the two containers and blankets inside. He uses it now whenever she's not home to let him in. 
Thank you for caring for this cat. I really hope he comes back to you soon. Please keep us inform.
Lucy


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## Alpaca (Dec 21, 2009)

orrymain said:


> I hope he comes back when you're home. Were you able to make a shelter for him/her?
> I live in a cul de sac and one of my neighbors let her cat out but unfortunately is not always home to let him back in. She believes "his fur coat is more than enough to keep him warm in freezing temperatures." Those are her exact words. Anyway, he is well fed and she does provide him with food & water on her porch but no shelter. But I felt sorry for him and its been bitterly cold every night so I made him a shelter between the house and bushes out of two rubbermaid storage containers I purchased at Goodwill. It was very simple to make (I googled instructions). Hardest part was cutting out the holes. I added straw between the two containers and blankets inside. He uses it now whenever she's not home to let him in.
> Thank you for caring for this cat. I really hope he comes back to you soon. Please keep us inform.
> Lucy


You are very kind to offer shelter to your neighbor's cat. I can't imagine why some ppl are so ignorant and believe cats can survive outside.

To the OP, I agree with the others. A man who shows no compassion to a distressed animal is questionable, but of course, that's for you to decide. Anyways, I hope you are successful in helping the cat. 

If you cannot keep the cat, then do some homework beforehand. Either find the location of the local no kill cat rescue or a willing adopter b4 you catch it. Contact them and see if they have room for a new addition then rent a humane trap from them or ask where you can get one.

If you plan to keep it either temporarily or permanently, I'd have a serious chat with your bf about it first. It would be tragic if you caught it and then in the end you get into a big argument with the bf and are forced to give it up. I say planning b4 taking action is always a good idea.

And yes, do be mindful of the possibilities of cat diseases that you could be bringing in to your existing cat.


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## WhisperingWind56 (Oct 12, 2011)

my4kitties said:


> ^ +1, as well.
> 
> I'd be leery of a man who is that unsympathetic to an animal that is in such distress. I'm sure you love your boyfriend, but if he were my boyfriend, I'd have to think long and hard if I want him around.


Ditto. That's pretty hard-hearted.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Get the boyfriend fixed and rehome him.

Then you can let the stray inside.


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## Ritzpg (Dec 7, 2010)

Ditto what Marie73 said. Seriously.


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## juventas (Jan 8, 2012)

Oh, I feel your frustration so much. It is so annoying to live with someone who doesn't understand the level of your concern and love of animals. My mother once had a litter of feral black kittens under her front porch. She wanted to get rid of them no matter what; it didn't matter that they never bothered her, dug up the garden or whatever. She wanted rid of them immediately. She convinced me to live trap them and, to her credit, she brought them to a number of no-kill shelters at my behest. But when they didn't accept them, she let them go in a park. They had just stopped nursing. I still feel guilty about it. Probably a bunch of dead kitties in the streets now. 

At the very least, it seems your boyfriend has some cooperation; he was willing to put out some new food. My mom would probably actively scare it off much less give it food.


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## JunoBear (Jan 4, 2012)

Well I'm definately not leaving the boyfriend, been with him for five years, and he does have good arguments against letting the cat inside.
The apartment is only two bedroom, so we would need to lock the cat in our bedroom (roomate won't go for having a cat in his room) or lock our cats in our bedroom, he says we don't know if this cat has fleas/diseases/will try to harm/attack our other cats. I told him quarantining him will help, but he makes the also good points of the fact the cat may not be house trained, and will claw up the carpeting near the door when we aren't home to watch it, and when you skimped on your security deposit for the current two cats, that could be a big issue :/
So he does have valid points, my love for this kitty just sort of sees past all of those, and I think we are meeting somewhere in the middle. We will continue to feed and water the cat for now, but he really wants to try capturing it outside, and taking it straight to a shelter. I realize he doesn't share my compassion towards animals, but that being said he realizes how much this means to me. He has already said it would be a good idea to stop feeding the cat so it wouldn't come around anymore, but he knows better than to push the issue.

Moo always seems to return now very late at night, I put food and water out at night and in the morning theres paw prints and no food, but I don't actually see him come anymore. My neighbors here already came up to me complaining about the cat coming up to their doors and asked me to please stop caring for it so that it will go away. So I only leave the food bowls out at night, and hide them under a chair. I was going to put a shelter out there for the cat, but theres no way to hide something like that and I don't want anymore harsh words from the neighbors, or worse yet, have them rat me out and then get investigated to have them find we already have two cats that are unpaid for.

Its a sticky situation that I think can only be resolved with patience and time. 
So far though, I at least know that Moo is getting fed and watered every night, and since those past two days there hasn't been another below-freezing night, so i'm confident that Moo's okay for now. If Moo comes knocking at the door again, I will most definately let him in if I am home, but it seems as though for now he just sort of eats and runs, and if thats more comfortable for him to do, then I'm okay with that.


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## Alpaca (Dec 21, 2009)

It's a hard situation and I went thru something similar with Cap'n Jac in Oct 2010. My mom told me about him and urged me to go out looking for him. I admit didn't want any trouble cuz I was having trouble with the integration of my first cat and my dog already, so I ignored the fact that he was hanging around near my house. However with my mom's constant nagging I finally decided to find him. I opened the door to find him sitting directly in front of me under my car like he'd been purposely waiting for me. Needless to say, I crumbled from there. 

When I brought him in, I quarantined him in the main bathroom for a month b4 taking him to the vet. I guess for you it's harder cuz your place is smaller. Also you rent a place and you have the two cats that are unpaid for. I really don't know what to suggest. It's like a mind over heart thing. Your bf is being rational and realistic but hard and you're being softhearted and kind. You also have to be mindful of the health of your present cats as well. Tough call.

I hope you find a viable solution for your situation. Good luck!


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## JunoBear (Jan 4, 2012)

Alpaca said:


> . Your bf is being rational and realistic but hard and you're being softhearted and kind.
> 
> k!


This exactly. I'm just going to play it by ear and allow the cat to come to me instead of actively searching for it.


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## juventas (Jan 8, 2012)

You have a horrible predicament. I'm sorry. There should be neighborhoods built for animal lovers only. I hope things work out.


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## kittywitty (Jun 19, 2010)

My bf brought me a stray cat (my Oreo) about three years ago and I took a chance and put her in my safe room, keeping her separate from all other cats. I then brought her to the vet and got her tested for feline FIV, leukemia, worms. etc. She tested neg. for both FIV and leukemia but did have parasites and fleas. We had her treated and once she was nursed back to health, we introduced her to the rest of the family. Maybe a friend, family member or cat rescue organization could help you trap this cat and get it vet care ASAP. Then, if you are lucky you can adopt him or her! Good Luck.


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