It's been around the neighborhood for about a month, maybe a little longer. It (it because I can't tell if it's a neutered male or a female) has a collar with a bell and is very skittish. I didn't think much about it until about a week and 1/2 ago when I saw it eating bread I'd thrown out for the birds. I took some food out and the poor little thing forgot how scared it was and devoured every bite. It showed up every morning; when I take seed out for the birds it comes crawling under my fence and demands food, which it gets. After a couple of days it let me stroke it; I was appalled! I could feel every rub, every little vertebra, it's hip bones---even it's head felt bony! Now, after getting regular meals, it's starting to fill out a little bit.
I put an ad in our newspaper's lost & found---no calls. I've asked around---no one knows anything. It's obvious to me that this has been a house cat and has no clue how to fend for itself outside, especially with that dumb little bell around it's neck. The last couple of days it's tried to follow me inside after I've fed and played with it a little. It's not a kitten by any means, and is probably several years old, if not more. I've made a nice bed for it, so it's warm & dry.
I called the shelter yesterday; they're so full they can't take it. I thought I'd call the animal warden Monday, but I don't know if I really should. It seems as if no one cared enough to look for it if it has managed to escape it's home unintentionally. No one has called about it. The shape it was in is pathetic.
The bottom line is this---I neither want nor need another cat. I have 5 and have been adamant that this is enough. Then I go outside, and the tiny black beast comes out of it's shelter and meows at me, and has even started rolling over exposing it's belly for me to rub. I have actually called my vet's office, explained things to the office manager, and asked if I could just bring it in when I manage to get it in a carrier to get it looked over. She said no problem.
Three different houses in our neighborhood have had people move out in the last 6 weeks, and I'm afraid someone just went away and left this poor little one behind. (I get a lot of cats that way) They probably thought it could fend for itself; how in the world could it hunt with a bell on it's collar!? DH says it doesn't matter one way or the other to him if I bring it in. If I could find a nice home for it I would; I've asked several people & no one is interested.
I don't know what to do!!!!!
I put an ad in our newspaper's lost & found---no calls. I've asked around---no one knows anything. It's obvious to me that this has been a house cat and has no clue how to fend for itself outside, especially with that dumb little bell around it's neck. The last couple of days it's tried to follow me inside after I've fed and played with it a little. It's not a kitten by any means, and is probably several years old, if not more. I've made a nice bed for it, so it's warm & dry.
I called the shelter yesterday; they're so full they can't take it. I thought I'd call the animal warden Monday, but I don't know if I really should. It seems as if no one cared enough to look for it if it has managed to escape it's home unintentionally. No one has called about it. The shape it was in is pathetic.
The bottom line is this---I neither want nor need another cat. I have 5 and have been adamant that this is enough. Then I go outside, and the tiny black beast comes out of it's shelter and meows at me, and has even started rolling over exposing it's belly for me to rub. I have actually called my vet's office, explained things to the office manager, and asked if I could just bring it in when I manage to get it in a carrier to get it looked over. She said no problem.
Three different houses in our neighborhood have had people move out in the last 6 weeks, and I'm afraid someone just went away and left this poor little one behind. (I get a lot of cats that way) They probably thought it could fend for itself; how in the world could it hunt with a bell on it's collar!? DH says it doesn't matter one way or the other to him if I bring it in. If I could find a nice home for it I would; I've asked several people & no one is interested.
I don't know what to do!!!!!
