Pls give me some advice

Hi all..

I have a slight problem...
My Dad has been feeding a cat for the last 1o years, he hasn't been living with him but visits everyday and has something to eat and sits with Dad in his living rm for hours on his lap..follows him around all the time..
The thing is Dad is moving house tomorrow and doesn't know if he should take him with him, cos he doesn't know if he is a stray or if he belongs to someone..( even tho when he first turned up he looked a right state and now he is gorgeous and fluffy)..
The thing is Dad is worried cos PussPuss has been living in Dads area (which is surrounded by fields( he's scared that if he moves him he may want to go back home and get hurt on his way back..
Please give us some advice.. I am so sad and worried about him

Since he's moving tomorrow that doesn't give you much time.

Has he asked neighbors if they know if he belongs to anyone?

Well he saw a few of them a few months ago and they were all calling the cat different names but they didn't know who he belonged to..

Originally Posted by Titchy

Well he saw a few of them a few months ago and they were all calling the cat different names but they didn't know who he belonged to..

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Well...that, and the fact that he wasn't in good shape when he first showed up suggests to me that he is probably a stray. If your Dad takes him with him, would it be possible keep him indoors so he doesn't try to wander back?

Well he hates being locked in but I'm sure Dad could keep him in for a couple of weeks..
Do you think after 2 weeks he might still try and go back to the old house?

Originally Posted by Titchy

Well he hates being locked in but I'm sure Dad could keep him in for a couple of weeks..
Do you think after 2 weeks he might still try and go back to the old house?

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I don't know, but it's possible. One thing I have heard mentioned by other TCS members (can't remember who) is that after they moved, they took their cats on walks outside with a harness to get them used to the area so they would know where home is. So that's an idea.

definately keep him inside for a few weeks, then slowly start letting him back out supervised or on a harness . But I defiantely vote that your dad take the cat. It sounds like he was a stray and that he picked your dad Did you mean your dad was feeding him for 1 year? I can't imagine you meant 10 but I think you had a typo there.

No it's been for 10 years..
That's why it's even harder to leave him

I vote that your Dad take the cat with.
He's taken care of him for 10 years, they'll be lost without each other.

It's possible that if he's kept in long enough he may decide that he doesn't want to go back out.

i vote he take the cat with. at over 10 years old, he may not have a ton of time left, and your dad has made his years bright. and as others have said, your dad has brought the cat back to health.

i would deff have him keep him inside. he may not like it for a while, but will get used to it i have no doubt.

Well, it's "tomorrow" now, so I guess my vote doesn't matter.

Cats are very territory-oriented - but they can adjust to new space.

For feral cats, when people move with them, we recommend that they be trapped then caged - and kept in the cages and fed wet food for three weeks. By feeding them at the same time(s) every day, they get used to the schedule. Cats learn by association, and three weeks seems to be long enough for most ferals to learn that this is now where they get fed at this time. When they get let out, they explore and come back for regular feeding.

So if Dad decided to take the kitty with him (and I have to wonder how heart-breaking it would be for both of them if he didn't!), I think 2 - 3 weeks would be enough time.

If he's moving to a rural area, I'm sure kitty will adjust just fine.

I hope your dad took the kitty with him! 10 years is such a long time!

Laurie

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