Adopting a stray cat

[rogerzilla]

Dumpy Cat, as we call him, has been in the area for about three years and hangs around with Tigs.  He isn't chipped, looks like a stray rather than a feral, and is quite friendly.  A neighbour leaves food out for him and he's even started going into her house and playing with toys (he's a catnip stoner).

She already has three cats of her own so can't take him on, but is happy to help catch him so we can get him to a vet to be neutered/vaccinated/fleaed and wormed/tested for FIV.

Any tips on how to ensure he doesn't just run off after we've dropped £350 on vet fees?  I was going to keep him indoors for 2-3 weeks and ask the neighbour not to feed him again.

[Basil]

I bet your neighbour isn't the only one that fed it. It's an experienced stray and knows how to find food.  My guess is that it would be happy to move in with you for guaranteed food, but don't expect  a great degree of loyalty.

[Mrs Pingu]

You should try a paper collar on him first with 'is this your cat?' and your number on it before you whisk it off to the vet.
I take it you've already had someone out with a chip scanner?

[ian]

Our first cat was adopted by us, we found her under the stairs to our flat where she had a little nest. We asked around if anyone owned her, put up a few flyers. No one claimed her and she looked a bit skinny and scruffy. The flat at the bottom occasionally fed her. The street was pretty much all rented flats, some sitting tenants, so I guess someone either moved on or passed away and left her.

That said, it was her choice, she lived under the stairs for several months after we sort of adopted her, she'd come in and hang about, but every night she'd want to go back to her little nest. It was more a gradual process until she finally decided that no, she'd rather stay inside.

Even then she didn't appreciate it when we moved her to the other side of London. Well, until she settled and realised she had her own garden and stuff.

[rogerzilla]

You should try a paper collar on him first with 'is this your cat?' and your number on it before you whisk it off to the vet.
I take it you've already had someone out with a chip scanner?

Yes, mad cat lady round the corner has a scanner.  He has dirty paws and fur and is obviously not looked after.  He gets all his meals at mad cat lady's at the moment - he's there three times a day.  He's been around about three years and I see him sheltering in places like my wood store.

[SteveC]

Our Ginge was a stray, who basically besieged us for 18 months before we let him in. Once allowed in he very soon settled for the good life, although he was always a bit quick with the sharp bits.
We tried all sorts to find out where he'd come from, ending up with putting a collar on him with a message 'if this is your cat, please phone'. Once he'd got that on he seem to decide this was home and he didn't leave the patio as far as we could tell! Eventually MrsC decided leaving him out on Bonfire Night was too cruel.
Someone did suggest that he'd been left behind when some travellers were moved on from a field on the edge of our village.

[Mrs Pingu]

My first 2 family cats adopted us. The first, Tabitha, turned up so starved she was eating bread my Dad had thrown out for the birds. She slept outside in an old tea chest until it looked like she was going to get mated, at which point my ailurophobe (at the time) Dad capitulated and I was allowed to keep her.
Our 2nd feline overlord, Bagpuss, had been hanging about for months. He turned up one spring while my Mum & I were off visiting my brothers for Easter and my Dad was on his own with Tabby. Dad reported that he kept just wandering in. He looked well fed enough that we just thought he was a Six dinner Sid but eventually he just moved himself in and wrapped my Dad round his little finger.

[rogerzilla]

Dumpy has an appointment with the vet at 1710 on Wednesday.  Plan is for neighbour to trap him in the shed (which he visits 2-3 times a day for food), then I'll go round and get him into a cat carrier and hold him here.  She wanted him to be vaccinated, tested and neutered at the first visit, but that's not going to happen as it's totally impractical.  Health check, vaccinations, flea/worm treatment and then he'll need to go back a week or so later.  I'd like them to take a blood sample for FIV/FeLV too, but they may not do that without an anaesthetic.

[rogerzilla]

Neighbour being a bit weird about it now.  I don't think she wants to let him go as she's had ample chances to bag him (he sleeps in her shed!)  and I've had to cancel two vet appointments. She's implying that she still expects to feed him if we adopt him - she's one of those nutters who feeds every cat in the neighbourhood.  Unfortunately she lives so close that even a neutered cat will easily roam that far from here.

Unless she promises not to lure him away and I believe her (I was an auditor for 15 years and can smell bullshit) we'll call one of the cat charities and get him trapped and rehomed elsewhere.  Or make up some story about him needing a very special diet to keep him alive, ideally one so incredibly expensive that she won't bother.

[Ian H]

Cats seem to choose their 'owners'.  Round here there are lots of missing cat posters, seemingly more since lock-down.

[Basil]

Round here there are lots of missing cat posters

All with rubbish prints of the same cat.

[Mrs Pingu]

Neighbour being a bit weird about it now.  I don't think she wants to let him go as she's had ample chances to bag him (he sleeps in her shed!)  and I've had to cancel two vet appointments. She's implying that she still expects to feed him if we adopt him - she's one of those nutters who feeds every cat in the neighbourhood.  Unfortunately she lives so close that even a neutered cat will easily roam that far from here.

Unless she promises not to lure him away and I believe her (I was an auditor for 15 years and can smell bullshit) we'll call one of the cat charities and get him trapped and rehomed elsewhere.  Or make up some story about him needing a very special diet to keep him alive, ideally one so incredibly expensive that she won't bother.

It does seem a bit like trying to make him your cat may be a bit of a tough job. As you say he may be better off in an entirely different area. I can't stand people like that. Although maybe well meaning, this is why some cats leave home, and they don't stop to consider whether what they're feeding is doing the visiting cat any good (i.e. as you say they may have medical issues and need a special diet).

[rogerzilla]

He's here 

Neighbour caught him and brought him round.  Vet says he's basically ok, just scruffy (he stinks).  He's been chipped, vaccinated, flea'd and wormed and is currently sleeping in the (not used yet) litter tray.

He's an entire tomcat, probably 3-4 years old, but they'll get a better look at his teeth when he goes back to have his nads done in 3 weeks.  He's not a bad weight - 4kg - given that he's not a big cat.

I guess he'll need litter training.  Oh joy!

[Ginger Cat]

He's here 

Neighbour caught him and brought him round.  Vet says he's basically ok, just scruffy (he stinks).  He's been chipped, vaccinated, flea'd and wormed and is currently sleeping in the (not used yet) litter tray.

He's an entire tomcat, probably 3-4 years old, but they'll get a better look at his teeth when he goes back to have his nads done in 3 weeks.  He's not a bad weight - 4kg - given that he's not a big cat.

I guess he'll need litter training.  Oh joy!

With any luck he won't spray your furniture rather than using a tray.................

GC

[rogerzilla]

He took to the tray easily with no accidents.  I reckon he's marking though.  It mings.  That'll stop when his nads are done and he's allowed to go.out.

[pcolbeck]

He took to the tray easily with no accidents.  I reckon he's marking though.  It mings.  That'll stop when his nads are done and he's allowed to go.out.

Dont be so sure. We had a neutered tom that still marked. Not as often as an entire tom but still. The vet said that a certain percentage continue to mark and there isn't much you can do about it. Luckily it was always around the area of his food bowl which was a blank wall so we could wipe it down with Zoflora.

[Jaded]

Hmmm. Yellow stains on the back of your curtains, nice acrid zuffle. 

[rogerzilla]

Hmmm. Yellow stains on the back of your curtains, nice acrid zuffle. 

Not sure how I'd tell them from the normal zuffle stains.

[hellymedic]

Tom continued to mount Blackie several weeks after he was done...

[rogerzilla]

Big fat tomcat jowls.

20200712_200723 by rogerzilla, on Flickr

[Mrs Pingu]

Nice whiskers

[rogerzilla]

He's rather vocal.  I suppose he's never really had to use his voice before!

[Basil]

Definitely covering his nads.

ETA. Good looking boy though.  I reckon I know who's going to be in charge once he's settled in.

[rogerzilla]

Kept in for 4 weeks.  £250 of vet bills.  Went out and won't come back.  Furry ingrate.  I think someone is feeding him even though he is clearly no longer stray, as he has a collar.  People are thoughtless and/or possessive (as long as they don't have to incur the big expenses).  We are somewhat upset.

We think he can be caught again but we may need to rehome him out of the area.  Too many mad cat women round here.  He won't lead a full and happy life as a permanent stray.

[rogerzilla]

Back again after being caught by neighbour, quite affectionate and acting as if nothing had happened.  In fact, he seems relieved as he's exhausted. Might see if he'll go out in the garden on a harness a few times so he knows it's allowed and he can come back.