on shaky ground

I just wrote a couple days ago about the cats across the street, and when I did I brought up a cat named furball (the one that was owned by a guy who's wife went into the hospital and forgot about feeding the cat and how the people next door took him in)

Well tonight I called Mai Sai in and to my shock furball not only showed up, but walked straight into the house. This cat is just a sweetie, he let both me and my room mate pet him. When we did we could almost feel his ribs (he's a very fluffy cat, I would have never guessed he was that skinny under all that fur). I know the people across the street, they are very sweet, but they do have their hands full, they have three kids (one with special needs), two husky, and two other cats.

My question is, do you think I would be wrong to give him some food outside? I don't want to step on any toes and I dont know if he is on any special food, but he is just such a sweetie...I hate seeing him hungry.

As a sidenote, I think the poor thing has been declawed. I hope he will be alright outside :-(

No, it would not be wrong to help this cat out by feeding him. He is obviously seeking out human contact, whether it be for food or attention, he is in need. Please help him if you can.

No, it wouldn't be wrong of you to feed him. However, he sounds like he's being neglected. If it were me I would take him in and try and find him a new forever home, preferably with someone who has time to care for him properly.

Please bring this guy in and give him the food and attention he must be craving by now. Since he's declawed it would be safer for him to be indoors.

I agree with the others... I think it'd be perfectly fine and an honorable thing to do to feed him and give him some love and attention.

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

No, it wouldn't be wrong of you to feed him. However, he sounds like he's being neglected. If it were me I would take him in and try and find him a new forever home, preferably with someone who has time to care for him properly.

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I wish I could but he seems to have two owners (the guy who had him to start with and the people across the street.

I did take him in for a bit today and give him some of our cats food. Of course Tess was pissed, but Mai Sai seemed to like him, they were touching noses and not growling the first time I saw them together. I so wish I could adopt him, but my room mate doesn't want another cat. He almost looks like a ragdoll and seemed very happy to get the food.

I would talk to his owners before you do anything drastic like adopting him or finding him a new 'forever home'. Otherwise it seems a little like catnapping to me.

Feeding him shouldn't be a problem, though. They never have to know.

Originally Posted by Jalindal

I would talk to his owners before you do anything drastic like adopting him or finding him a new 'forever home'. Otherwise it seems a little like catnapping to me.

Feeding him shouldn't be a problem, though. They never have to know.

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I agree. I would maybe drop a note in both of your neighbors mail boxes and ask them if it would be all right if you took the cat in yourself. I wouldn't advise mentioning that he seems skinny, or that he might be feeling neglected, as some people can become very defensive and might deny you just out of spite. Perhaps bring up the fact that he and Mai Sai have become friends. If both families truly care about the cat, but simply can't care /for/ him, they may take solace in knowing that he'd be close by.

Originally Posted by beturtlement

I agree. I would maybe drop a note in both of your neighbors mail boxes and ask them if it would be all right if you took the cat in yourself. I wouldn't advise mentioning that he seems skinny, or that he might be feeling neglected, as some people can become very defensive and might deny you just out of spite. Perhaps bring up the fact that he and Mai Sai have become friends.

If both families truly care about the cat, but simply can't care /for/ him, they may take solace in knowing that he'd be close by.

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I'm afraid I can't take him in as much as I would love to. Tess (my room mate's cat) has been chasing him away everytime she sees him and my room mate won't let me have two cats (which is why I didn't bring my two tabbys with me, I got Mai Sai because I didn't have the heart to break up the pair, they were to close). I have been thinking of saying something, but I'm not sure how to do so without hurting feelings, even moreso with the people across the street, they are always helping us, I would hate for them to think we aren't grateful.

Originally Posted by beturtlement

I agree. I would maybe drop a note in both of your neighbors mail boxes and ask them if it would be all right if you took the cat in yourself. I wouldn't advise mentioning that he seems skinny, or that he might be feeling neglected, as some people can become very defensive and might deny you just out of spite. Perhaps bring up the fact that he and Mai Sai have become friends.

If both families truly care about the cat, but simply can't care /for/ him, they may take solace in knowing that he'd be close by.

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This is actually a very good idea. Maybe not a note though. Just go to both neighbors and tell them that you feel horrible about their situations (the man's wife being sick and the family who just seems so overwhelmed) and that you would really like to help out by taking the kitty in until things get back to normal.

If you are very sympathetic and make it seem like you are doing them a huge favor, I'm sure neither family would object and would most likely be relieved at the offer. You will probably find yourself keeping Furball forever since the family who was feeding him doesn't seem to want another cat and the older gentleman most likely has had his life turned upside down.

Edit: You posted just as I did... Even if you can't keep him, maybe offer to find someone who will "foster" him. Same outcome most likely.

You mentioned he might be declawed? If he is he cannot be outside. I know its difficult talking to people about these things but you should find out if they knew he was outside. If they knew he was outside being declawed it is neglect and I say rescue him! They are putting him in danger.

It sounds like you have enough of a relationship with these people that you can ask both if you can find him a home. The older couple may think the other people are taking care of him, maybe the other people don't realize he is declawed and by "taking care of him" they thought feeding him was enough?? I am not so much concerned about him not getting food, i know you will make sure he does but I am very concerned about him being declawed. He has no way to defend himself!! So scary!!

if he is not declawed there is nothing wrong with feeding him though and giving him loving. I didn't look but are you in a mild climate? Winter is coming and he should have some sort of shelter from the elements.

Originally Posted by fifi1puss

You mentioned he might be declawed? If he is he cannot be outside. I know its difficult talking to people about these things but you should find out if they knew he was outside. If they knew he was outside being declawed it is neglect and I say rescue him! They are putting him in danger.

It sounds like you have enough of a relationship with these people that you can ask both if you can find him a home. The older couple may think the other people are taking care of him, maybe the other people don't realize he is declawed and by "taking care of him" they thought feeding him was enough?? I am not so much concerned about him not getting food, i know you will make sure he does but I am very concerned about him being declawed. He has no way to defend himself!! So scary!!

if he is not declawed there is nothing wrong with feeding him though and giving him loving.

I didn't look but are you in a mild climate? Winter is coming and he should have some sort of shelter from the elements.

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You have a good point. Is there a good way to tell if he is declawed without making him think I'm going to kill him? (i.e. grabbing his paw and squeezing).

The reason I got the idea he might be is because I touched in in the wrong place I guess and he turned on his back and tried to grab on to my hand. He did it in a manner that I thought he would use his claws if he had them, but then again, he might just have been brought up to not use his claws? If he comes by again tonight, like he did the last two nights I will check.

Just a thought....what about the kitty going back to his original home since you can't take him in? I sounds like the poor man has to concentrate on his wife's health right now and just is not able to manage caring for this poor kitty. Perhaps you could speak with the man and offer to come over and feed the cat and spend a little time with him. I think it's really best for him to be indoors.

If it were me, I would definitely leave some food and water out. When Lola started hanging around our old apartment, that was the first thing I did. Nabu is so picky that I always have something to spare.

Then I would see about tactfully talking to the neighbors. The downside is talking could go either way. My in-laws used to have a neighbor that let their declawed cat roam the neighborhood. They tried talking to the people, calling animal control (we have leash laws here for cats & dogs) and even tried to trap it (kitty was pretty street smart so that didn't work). The big problem was the cat would torment their indoor cat. They had another neighbor who let a cat roam, and same thing. We've also learned that trying to get people to keep a cat in doesn't usually go well with some of our previous neighbors. Our local humane society is a pretty good one, so I've taken cats there when I couldn't have another and the neighbors were obviously neglectful after talking to them. One neighbor just left their cat out and never let it back in. We couldn't leave an obviously indoor cat freeze in the Wisconsin winter. Another was obviously underweight and ridiculously infested with fleas. It was bad.

Good luck whatever you decide to do.

well the good news is the neighbors do seem to care enough to let him in. Its been raining pretty badly today and yesterday and I didn't see him at the door when I let me Mai Sai (yes it seems he doesn't mind the rain, silly kitty, even tried to stick his head in the fireplace tonight ). The bad news is I haven't had a chance to see what if he is declawed, or just very well trained.

It's a good idea to talk to the first owner, but from what I understand he is very...unfriendly with other people. I might try it, but if he is as bad as I hear I would just as soon stay off his radar.

If he is can go in when he wants, or atleast when the weather is bad then I think I should stop worrying and just offer his loves and food when he comes around looking for it though. Sometimes I'm just a worry wart about these things, I'm sorry.

Othie- don't apologise for caring. x.x That's never a problem! The problem comes about when people don't care enough...

Don't apologize. It's good that you care. Lots of people wouldn't care that the kitty was hanging around and hungry. I can understand not wanting to get on a bad neighbor's radar.

Although generallly speaking a declawed cat should be indoor, they can manage indoor-outdoor, at lest some can.

Zane showed up in father's old neighborhood as a stray, but he had already been declawed, and he managed several months before father took him in. He defended himself from other cats and even dogs with his teeth and rear claws, and was able to catch and kill prey. He could even climb trees with only his back claws!

However, I do keep him inside now. The old neighborhood was semirural, and the new is definately urban. I know he misses going out, although most of his attempts to escape are now halfhearted.

thank you guys. I'm just glad he has a place to be in this winter, the snow can get pretty thick here sometimes. He still comes over to play with Mai Sai, so I guess its all good