I'm such a sucker

I picked up my friend after work tonight (well, really this morning since her shift ends at 3:15 a.m.) and we decided to go to IHOP. When we arrived, there was a guy out front holding the most adorable black and white kitten. I figured the kitten belonged to him, and we went inside. While in the restaurant, the waitress commented that the kitten had been hanging around out front, and she gave him some fish, since he seemed hungry. Again, we didn't think much of it, so we ate our meals and paid the bill.

When we went outside, the guy was gone. We petted the kitty and then walked toward the car. The kitty, who didn't seem very street smart, tried to follow us. I held him for a bit, looked at my friend and then went back inside to ask the waitress about his story. She said he had just shown up there earlier in the evening. He was super friendly, and he appeared to be lost. Since I had already set up the extra bedroom so my friend's cats could visit, we took him home so that I can take him to the vet to check for the chip. The waitress was very happy (she had been worried about him), and now I have a third cat in my house.

I'm going to call my vet soon, but I know that the chances of this friendly guy actually having a home are really slim. He was likely abandoned, though he is so friendly that he must have had a home at one time. I really was not looking for another cat--my rule has always been that I only have two hands so I can only have two cats--but I have a feeling that he isn't going anywhere. My older cat is a bit stressed by hearing him, but he does okay if I keep him in my bedroom. My younger cat is fascinated and I think he'd really like having a little buddy.

Why am I such a sucker? I know that most people would have just left the little guy on the sidewalk, but I couldn't seem to do that (my friend didn't help though, as she was encouraging me to take him home). I'm not sure how I'm going to afford a third cat--I really hope he's healthy.

Your certainly not a sucker, your someone who cares

You must post some pictures of him in fur pics so we can see the little cherub

Lots of healthy for his checkup at the vets.

I can't say I would've left him there, either!

Doesn't it seem like, for the most part, our anxiety about a new kitty is 100x worse than our cats'? Relax, and the kitties will (hopefully) relax with you.

As was stated above You're no sucker, you are someone to cares & you saved this little guy.

& this is coming from somone who's 4th kitty was a kitten that came to us from her parents who found him outside in a rainstorm & he 'needed a good home'

When you're a cat lover you can't imagine those little furry cuties out in the big world all alone.

Currently I have a "bobtailed" Black Cat that lives outside my house under my deck HOW do they FIND US?!?!? That my cats keep hissing at through the window... but it keeps coming right up to the window... but if I try to open the window to go out there, it runs right under the deck.

We have Snow today... I'm not quite sure what to do for that kitty.

Don't you need a Rom or Morn or Nog or Garak?

I don't think anybody here would have left him behind either Good luck with the new guy!

What a lucky kitty! I wonder if he realises how lucky he is to get picked up by you

Can`t wait to see pics!

Thanks everyone. The kitty is between 2 and 3 years old. He doesn't have a chip (I figured he didn't) but the vet said he did have a home recently--he is neutered and has recent surgery scars on his back hip. I posted on lots of local sites (newspaper, Craigslist, local shelters) but I haven't found his owner yet. I have heard from several other owners of black and white cats--it's so sad to hear about so many missing pets. For now, this one is safe in my extra bedroom. I'm trying to decide how soon to introduce him to my boys. He's getting antsy being locked away, and my younger cat, Zek, is very anxious to meet him. I put Advantage on the new guy yesterday and my guys this morning. I also had the new guy tested, and he is negative for FIV and FeLV.

Here's a picture of him:

If he's had recent surgery, I wonder if he just got out of the car when someone stopped at the shopping center? I'd put up little notices at the IHOP, etc., in case his owner looks for him.

You may well have saved a life and if you find the owner, you'll probably help heal a broken heart.

It might even be that someone traveling through lost him. That almost happened to me in Arkansas, one time.

The surgery wasn't that recent--more like a month ago. I did take a flyer to IHOP, but they couldn't post it up front. I left it for them to post in back in case they hear something. I tried to put up signs in the neighborhood behind the IHOP, but it started raining a few minutes later. I did put one up at the grocery store two blocks away, and I posted information to the county shelters (one in each of the two counties near where he was found) as well as another local shelter and the online site for the newspaper. I keep checking the lost ads as well to see if any match his description. A few minutes ago, I faxed the poster and a note to the vets around where he was found to see if any of them recognize him. I do hope I can find his real owner.

your not a sucker.

your a kind hearted person who loves cats and couldn't bear to see him sleeping outside on the street when you could take him to your nice warm house and look for his owner. The kitty don't know how lucky he is. Being as friendly as you say he would probably have been hit by a car from somone backing up in the IHOP parking lot or somthing. You may have saved his life. I really hope you find his family.

He is CUTE. You've certainly put a good honest effort into finding the owner. No matter how it turns out, the little fellow was lucky you came along!

Ditto to everything everyone else has said... not to mention that he is a major cutie-pie. I would have done the same thing and I'm not allowed to have pets!!!

As OPs said, you probably saved his life....

Another place to post fliers/ call and talk to receptionists at the area vets.

If that kitty had hip surgery, some vet is going to remember it. If you have a larger emergency/specialty vet or vet school near you make sure to contact them.

Even contact vets that are farther away and see if you can email a flier to them.

Having helped to reunite over 30 kitties separated from their families due to hurricane Katrina, believe me, when you find his owners the joy you feel will be amazing. Fliers work wonders.

You are definitely NOT a sucker, you are a saving grace

No, you are NOT a sucker, just a caring individual. Cute cat by the way.

Good news! I found his family. They live a few blocks from the IHOP. They had been looking for him and found one of the postings online (though they somehow missed another one on a site they visited and apparently didn't see the posters I put up 2 blocks away). His leg injury was the result of being attacked by the neighbor's dog, poor guy. When I returned him, I gave them the blanket he had been sleeping on (since he liked it so much) and a collar. Hopefully they'll get a tag for the collar. I mentioned a microchip too, so maybe they will consider that as well. I'm just glad he was able to make his way back home.

See...sometimes doing a good deed doesn't bite you in the butt. Although all of mine are still here.