# Questions about adopting a stray



## Mr. Chopper's Mom (Nov 1, 2013)

If anyone has followed my story you know I have a small boy kitten that I adopted. He was wondering around my workplace looking quite confused and in search of a caretaker. He was only 4-5 weeks old so i scooped him up and gave him a forever home. Now he is a spoiled baby who has a great life. 

I would also like to add that i am not the type to adopt every animal I see (however i would like to:wolfie) but in Chopper's case he needed me and I have been in love ever since.

Back to my topic, I have a beautiful dark haired Bengal girl kitten wondering around the work place now. She looks to be about 5-6 months old. She is such a love, she cries at the front of the building until somebody comes out to give her love. Since my workplace is mostly men they don't approve of me feeding or loving on her but ive been secretly doing both anyhow. I am now considering bringing her home but I have many concerns.

1. She may possibly be pregnant because the big tom cat stray has been having sex with her for the last few days.

2. She probably has fleas, lice, tick and other buggy problems. (Lice is a problem in my area with these strays- Chopper was infested when i first took him home).

3. Chopper may not want a big sister- as much as i think he needs a playmate what if he get upset about it?

4. Lastly, the biggest concern is basically a summary of all of the above concerns. How can I bring a buggy infested baby into my home who could possibly share her issues with Chopper whom i've worked tirelessly to get healthy and bug free. What if this little girl has other diseases I may not even be aware of that she could share with Chopper? 

I suppose what i'm looking for is ideas or advice on the best way to bring a feral kitty with may issues into a home with a kitty who has no issues. 

I wish it was as simple as taking her to the vet and just having her "gone thru" per say. Fix her, clean her, make sure she doesn't have any diseases, vaccinate her and get her 100% so when I bring her into her possible new home I can be content. However, i know things don't work like this- it will take time to do these things.

Part of me thinks i need to just drop this idea and accept that there are feral kitties out there and not all of them need homes. She may be happy out there all independent and free. She sure seems happy she just wants attention. 

Anyhow- I know i'm all over the place but if anyone would like to discuss or give information and advice I would appreciate it.


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## fanwoodguy (Oct 14, 2011)

Well, you can't save them all....but if you decide to save this one here is what to do. First, if you collect this kitty she cannot have contact with your resident cat until cleared by a vet. Second, to a vet she goes for all the requisite shots, testing and flea treatment and neutering. If she is pregnant you will have to decide what to do. My feral female was pregnant. I learned that after the fact. She was so skinny that we never expected her to be pregnant. If the new kitty has a contagious disease you cannot bring her into contact with your resident cat. Then if she is healthy, and you decide to keep her, introductions have to begin with the resident cat. This is a journey which will have several financial bumps along with the added implications that they two cats may or may not get along. Lexi, my former starving feral female is now a 9 year old slightly over weight lap cat. She was basically ignored by Smokey, our male feral at the time. He was 11 or 12 when she came into the house. Good luck.


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## katrina89 (Jul 30, 2013)

I just took in a stray 2 months ago... he needed a home and it was about to be winter. I took him to the vet... found out he had fiv... I decided to keep him anyway... they are doing fine and my cat will most likely never contract the disease... he needed a home... I think everything happens for a reason and he was meant to be in our family

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Kneazles (Nov 18, 2013)

I have no advice other than the obvious one of taking her to the vet. But if you are like me, she will be on your mind constantly if you don't do anything.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

Before You Get a Kitten? | Little Big Cat


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

Bring her home but keep her separate in a spare room. At least she will be safe, fed and a place to snooze. Get her vet checked asap, I usually can get a next day appt if really needed. Vet can check for Feline leukemia, fleas, worms, ear mites all of which are possibilities. After that vet visit you can decide what to do. If you keep her you can probably begin a slow intro process and wait for the kitten that will surely arrive. I'm sure Tom did his job well. Let us know what happens here!!


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## Venusworld21 (Oct 23, 2012)

Even if you don't decide to keep her, she needs to be spayed. Trap her (or just collect her, if you don't need to trap her). She needs to be in a separate room. All my fosters stay in a separate room for at least two weeks. In that time frame, lots of diseases they might have will show symptoms. If Tom has only been going at her the last few days, you can still spay her asap. They gestate for 9 weeks, so you wouldn't be aborting viable kittens after just a few days.

Here's what my local spay/neuter clinic does for ferals: "The Feral Cat Package is NOT for pet cats. The package is for feral and free-roaming cats only, and includes spay or neuter, rabies vaccination, ear tip (required), tattoo, and ear mite treatment (if needed)."


So, if you were to go the trap and release route, please at least spay her and get her a rabies shot. Check around your area to see if there are any groups doing low cost/free surgeries on stray or feral cats. You don't have to keep every cat to be able to help it a lot.


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## Cat'sHouse (Apr 5, 2012)

Good advice but let me add: find a vet that understands your situation and set up the next appointment available and take this cat there for a wellness check up, which will cost something but it will be worth it even if you don't keep her. They will check for a micro chip too. Annie hung around our house and not finding her owner, I took her to the vet...blood drawn and a dewormer medicine given. She was negative for FIV and the other respiratory illness cats have. I opted to not go for shots yet as I still was undecided if I was going to keep her. She was in contact with my other cats before I did the vet and that was a mistake but since she had no illnesses, mites, or fleas, it worked out. Since she was staying outside at my house I could have set up the appointment as I suggested above. So far the vet bill was $150 and we did decide to make her our 4th member of Cat's House. All are indoor only, the last two 'found' us and worked their way into our hearts...wish I could save them all but I set up more outdoor places for other strays to find shelter. And I have a heated water dish outside now that temps hover around zero.

As for the men in your workplace.....not their fault..they were probably 'taught' that cats are not 'manly' to own or care for. Their loss. By a coffee cup that says: "Dogs drool and cats rule".

good luck.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

Kneazles said:


> I have no advice other than the obvious one of taking her to the vet. But if you are like me, she will be on your mind constantly if you don't do anything.


Dittos!! I agonize about the ones I could not/would not help. If you can, and have the means to, take care of her yourself.


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