# Found a Lost Cat



## Dadof2Kitten (Dec 8, 2013)

Hi Everyone,

I know I haven't posted for a long time however, I am always on the site reading through the treads to absorb all the knowledge from the all the members. Tesla and Indie are doing great and growing up so quickly now. Now about the present situation that I need all of your advice on. 

On Wednesday evening we were cleaning the backyard, while the boys were running around playing in the backyard (normal weekly event). I heard Tesla hiss and saw another small tuxedo cat jumping into our backyard. I called Tesla and he came running by my side, then took a seat next to the backyard door. Indie saw the other cat, but just ignored him and kept running around like he was having the time of his life. I have seen Tesla act negatively towards other feral cats in our backyard, so didn't worry about it and continued to clean the backyard. 

My wife walked over to the other cat and he didn't run away, instead started rubbing himself against her. The cat even let her scratch him. The The cat just kept following my wife, while I finished up cleaning. The cat is a tuxedo cat, I am not sure of its age. The cat looked dirty as if it was outside for a while, but it's friendliness made us certain it was someone's pet. At this point we took the boys inside leaving the other cat just to wonder around. It tried to follow us inside, but we figured it would just go home after we closed the door. The cat didn't go home inside it meowed for half an hour after we closed the door. We just ignored it and eventually it stop meowing we figured it went home. However, in the middle of the night we wake up with loud cat noises, as our boys were looking out the window. I took a flashlight out to look at the backyard and saw the cat half way up the trunk of our tree, while Sylvester and Mama (2 stray feral that come around our backyard) under the tree. I immediately came out to the backyard and both Sylvester and Mama ran away. The cat seeing me under the tree came down and following me back towards the patio. At this point, my wife brought some food for him and we put him in the box in the backyard. We also stayed outside for 15 minutes making sure Sylvester and Mama didn't return. In the morning we saw the cat again and noticed that both Sylvester and Mama were staying away from him. I guess they figured he was our cat so they were ignoring him just like how they ignore Tesla and Indie, when they come out in the backyard with us. 

We were hoping the cat would have left by today in the afternoon, but instead it was just sleeping by the door to the backyard. We gave it some more food and spent the afternoon knocking at our neighbors doors to ask if anyone lost a cat. Tesla and Indie don't like him at all, every time he comes by the window they both hiss at him. We find that very shocking from Indie, since he never even hissed at Sylvester or Mama when he saw them at the backyard. We are still feeding the cat and made up a temporary shelter for him in the backyard. 

I know the general things to do when a pet is found from reading this site. Therefore, I have called up shelters and gave his description if someone is looking a for their lost pet. Also, put up his information on craigslist. However, the problem is we are leaving on Friday night to Florida for a two week vacation. My sister is going to come and feed our fur-boys and spend about two hours with them each day. She is willing to feed the other cat in the backyard, but told me she won't have time to spend with him too, if she has to play with Tesla and Indie. I am not sure what to do. I have the following three options: 

1. Leave the other cat in the backyard with the temporary shelter, while my sister keeps feeding him. Hopefully, by the time I come back the owners will have contacted my sister or I can try to find him a forever home. Our house is too small to take in another cat plus the reaction of Tesla and Indie makes me feel uncomfortable trying to go through a slow re-introduction. 

2. Drop him off to a no kill shelter. I explained my situation to them about leaving for vacation for two weeks, so they are willing to take the cat if I want to drop him off. Feel a little uncomfortable about having him locked up in a cage in the shelter. They are small shelter and don't have a lot of space for the cats to run around. 

3. Bring him inside the house and lock him in a room. I am worried how the boys are going to react with the other cat inside the house. Plus it will be the first time the boys will spend so much time being home alone. I feel it may be too much stress for them having another cat inside the house, while we are not home to calm them down. 

What would you guys do in this situation? I wish I had a little bit more time. I didn't even get a chance to put up flyers around the neighborhood.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

The boys reaction is very normal: there is a stranger in our midst and this is OUR territory. If you truly cannot keep him then bring him to the shelter. If you think you might like to make him a permanent part of your family bring him inside, get him vet checked asap and let sis feed him in the safe room. Someone missing their pet will probably put up flyers first. Certainly post ads on local website like Craiglist.

If he remains unclaimed, do the slow introduction process once you get back home. Sis can look for flyers posted and you can continue to look on CL long distance. If owners are found they can contact you by cell, right? 

Once inside the boys will get used to him and not feel as threatened (eventually) by his presense.
OR you can turn him in to the shelter and adopt him when you get home if you like. I don't think I'd just leave him outside.


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## Heather72754 (Nov 1, 2013)

It sounds from your post that you really do not feel you can take in another cat, so if the shelter is a true no-kill shelter I would take him there. He is friendly and so it will probably not be too hard for him to get a home. I personally wouldn't feel good about him spending 2 weeks in nearly complete isolation in one room, as it sounds like your sister will not be able to spend time with him, when he could possibly get adopted in a matter of days ideally - I know it doesn't always work that way though.


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## howsefrau32 (Mar 6, 2013)

You could try to find him a home? I know how hard that is, but sometimes even going on facebook to your friends and posting a cute picture and description of his personality really will spark some interest, and some vets have a facebook page and will let you post cats looking for homes on their page. Poor little guy  Sounds like he really needs help. I know, I never wanted a third cat when we found a poor little desperate black kitty a year and half ago....and now we have a 4th stray who was desperate and needed us. This is mind boggling to me, because I truly like a clean house and never wanted as many cats as I have, but sometimes they just find you. And they are so desperate and need to be saved. And I can't look away. My 4th cat, Pippa, we continue to "foster" her, with the understanding that if we find a good, suitable home for her, that we will let her go to that home. But I'm very picky, and it would have to be a home that treats their cats the same way that I do, and is on the same page about their diet, so she is my sort of "permanent foster" for now. We love her btw, and she is the easiest cat, and most appreciative to be here. 

Good luck, no matter what you decide to do. Just thank you for feeding him for now and letting him have a place to hang in your yard, he is probably jsut so thankful to have even that right now.


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## Dadof2Kitten (Dec 8, 2013)

Update: I dropped him off to the shelter about two hours ago. He seemed a little uncomfortable, but I am hoping he will adjust. I really hope they find him a home or the owner finds him. I made up some flyers and my sister will them up around the neighborhood tomorrow. I will check on him when I get back in two weeks. Everyone thanks for your advice. 

The following are couple of pictures I took of him today.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

If he's lost, I hope the owner is looking for him...
If he was dumped...I just hope he gets adopted by someone fast and gets a good forever home!
He is so very cute!
Poor little guy...


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## Bill the Cat Guy (Dec 25, 2013)

If he's cute and friendly he could find a home quickly. I spend time with 5 cats twice a week at the shelter. Half the cats I see one day have been adopted by the time I come back.


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## sweetcuddles (Jun 30, 2013)

He is adorable


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