Caring for a new cat questions

Hello,

There was an elderly man who lived across the street from me who was put into a home early this year. Left behind was his cat who lives on his porch and is fed by the man's son who comes by once a day.

Recently it seems that the son is coming by less often and she has decided to begin hanging out on my porch. I've started feeding her since I'm not sure she's getting much to eat, and letting her in the house to explore when she wants to. I live in Tennessee where the winter is mild, but it still gets pretty chilly at times and plan on letting her in at night once it does get cold. I'm curious what I should do in terms of giving her a bath since she's lived outside for atleast seven months straight now. Her coat seems well kept and I haven't seen any bugs on her, but I'm still a little leery of having her on the furniture, etc, and I always make sure to thoroughly wash my hands after petting her. Any suggestions on how to proceed would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Alan

Originally Posted by galveston

Hello,

There was an elderly man who lived across the street from me who was put into a home early this year. Left behind was his cat who lives on his porch and is fed by the man's son who comes by once a day.

Recently it seems that the son is coming by less often and she has decided to begin hanging out on my porch. I've started feeding her since I'm not sure she's getting much to eat, and letting her in the house to explore when she wants to. I live in Tennessee where the winter is mild, but it still gets pretty chilly at times and plan on letting her in at night once it does get cold. I'm curious what I should do in terms of giving her a bath since she's lived outside for atleast seven months straight now. Her coat seems well kept and I haven't seen any bugs on her, but I'm still a little leery of having her on the furniture, etc, and I always make sure to thoroughly wash my hands after petting her. Any suggestions on how to proceed would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Alan

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Welcome Alan...First, before you allow her to remain indoors...I would take her to the vet for a check up...just to make sure she is healthy. The vet will probably have recommendations as to things that you can do to make her more comfortable. Thank you very much for caring for this cat.

Katie

First of all, thank you so much for caring for this cat!

I agree with Katie. If you can afford a vet visit, it's the wisest thing to do. In all likelihood she does have some kind of parasite - at least inside if not outside. Both can be treated with meds provided by a vet, and those meds are FAR superior to anything you can purchase at a store (in fact, store bought meds for fleas/ticks and a flea collar are actually potentially lethal to the cat). Also, store bought meds for worms are not potentially harmful to the cat, but simply don't work for longer than three weeks Make sure the vet knows she's been outside and you're concerned about parasites.

Whether she does or doesn't have fleas/ticks, you can discuss with the vet using a product like Advantage. It is simple to apply, very effective, and comes in doses that work for one month - or three months. If she doesn't have them, it will help ensure that she doesn't get them.

If you are ever worried about fleas in the house, you can purchase flea collars. Cut them up and put it in your vacuum bag. Vacuum the floor and furniture every day for a week. THIS is what flea collars are good for. :;

We took in a stray. We took her to the vet. She was treated for fleas (didn't have a bad infestation, but did have some) and tapeworm, and we got her vaccinated for distemper and Rabies (required by most states). We used Advantage on her - and even during summer months and fall we never had a problem with fleas in the house.

You should also ask the vet to see if she's been spayed. They can shave some of her belly to see if she's got a scar. If she hasn't been spayed, she really ought to be - or you'll find yourself caring for more than one cat come spring!

If money's an issue, you can also ask the vet about low-cost spay services available in your area. This link http://www.pets911.com can be a valuable resource for finding a vet, low-cost spay/servies or others who may be able to help.

Also, if she's going to be spending some time in the house, you may want to purchase a couple of things for her to scratch on so she scratches where she's supposed to and not on your furniture. A post with some sisal on it is great, as are those cardboard things that lie on the floor (with a little catnip sprinkled in them).

I don't know how much you know about cats in general, but they are territorial. Unlike dogs, where they are is as important - sometimes more important - than who they're with. So no matter how much she likes and trusts you, your home will be new and strange to her. The first stray we started caring for really appreciated being able to come in out of the rain and cold - but was terrified at first. She wouldn't budge beyond a spot right next to the door. We found that having a box with a bed in it right next to the door really helped her calm down, and that was simply her spot for a few weeks whenever she would come inside. She did begin to venture later once she was used to the idea of being "trapped" indoors. But with "your" kitty having been outside for 7 months, she may take to being inside again right away - or she may have to readjust. Just wanted you to be prepared for the fact that while this cat may be grateful - she may not look or act like it at first.

Of course, bringing her inside full-time is the best way to ensure she doesn't get dirty, doesn't bring in fleas or ticks - and, of course, to ensure she doesn't get injured or killed. If that's something you want to consider, we've got lots of advice and helpful tips on doing that too.

Again - thanks for caring for this forgotten kitty!

Laurie