stray or just bad owners?

there's a friendly cat who comes to my 'feeding station' (my window). he already appears to be fixed, doesn't spray, etc. So he may have an owner, but if so, how can i find out? The nearby neighbors don't seem to know (they think he's my cat since he spends so much time on my stoop!), so here's my idea: I put a collar on him with a note asking, "If this cat is yours, please call ######." My notion is, if nobody calls for a week, I'll take him in and find him a (real) home.

I'm trying to figure the best way to make the note and attach it so it doesn't fall off or get smudged, but I'm also wondering if this will work. One the one hand, if he has an owner, the owner sucks, cuz he's out on the street almost all the time, even in the dead of winter. On the other, if he doesn't have a real owner I know I could get him adopted fast (he's a big orange tabby), so I'm doing him a disservice by leaving him out there.

Part of me wants to just nab him and see what happens, so will the collar thing just cause more trouble? But I don't want to incur the neighbors' wrath if i'm wrong. Has anybody ever tried this?

here's his picture (you can see one of my ferals in the bg:

I would probably bring him in, then just put up some "Found" flyers in the neighborhood. If nobody contacts you, there's your answer

If they do contact you, then I would mention how he is always outside, always hanging around your house hungry, etc. If he does have an owner, they aren't very good ones.

Man is he a cutie

I agree with AlleyGirl. Take him in and get him checked out. You can also ask the vet to scan for a microchip in case he is a runaway. Put up flyers and maybe post on Craigs List without his picture and with just enough detail that the owner would recognize but would still need to give you identifying details.

If an owner does come forward ask the hard questions and be prepared with your answer from there. If it turns out the owner is a low life who just lets their cat roam at large without much care to its existence then its easy to say sorry this isn't your cat.

Hi,


the collar idea is very good- I'd go through with it. Just make sure you get a safety collar. Here you can buy little plastic capsuls for cat collars that contain a piece of paper for your adresse.

Why are you assuming the owner isn't caring if the cat is out and about a lot? The cat doesn't look uncared for and very healthy. If he is spayed its a sign that the owner cared enough to get it done.

Young cats often spend a lot of time out side, socializing with other cats or hunting- this doesn't automatically mean that the cat can't go home or isn't treated well there. Most cats will eat at a neighbours house if the food is good- regardless of how much they are fed at home.

We've always had cats that were indoor/ outdoor cats and some have made friends with our neighbours. When I was a kid our cat use to go to visit two pensioners (and my grandma) in our neighbourhood while we were in school, although they could come in when ever they liked (my mom was at home). Another cat of ours use to get invited by his buddy, our neighbours tom cat, to have a meal at his house.

All of the neighbourhood cats are friendly towards me- next door's Herbert will show me his tummy everytime I see him , Martin from across the road will also come up for a tickle- although they are much loved and I don't feed them.

I do realize that it is uncommon in the USA to keep indoor/ outdoor cats, but please keep in mind that this is a personal choice.

If you do find out that the owner doesn't really care this is a different case- just don't automatically assume this


regards,

Christine

I understand where you are coming from cjh27 but in the US the number of feral and stray cats is outrageous and most people at least in the city understand that it isn't safe to let cats outdoors. So its pretty natural to assume they don't have a home.

As someone who see's on any given day 20 stray/feral cats I assume what the OP does.

It probably doesn't help that I have a pregnant stray cat about to give birth in my care.

Leslie

Originally Posted by Jack31

I understand where you are coming from cjh27 but in the US the number of feral and stray cats is outrageous and most people at least in the city understand that it isn't safe to let cats outdoors. So its pretty natural to assume they don't have a home.

As someone who see's on any given day 20 stray/feral cats I assume what the OP does.

It probably doesn't help that I have a pregnant stray cat about to give birth in my care.

Leslie

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... this cat seems to have been fixed, so either it has an owner (who lets him out), has been neuterd as a stray by a shelter as a form of population control or has run away/ got lost .

With a collar jimmylegs may be able to find out if it has an owner. If not the next step would be to check for a chip.

If it has an owner who is doing the un- american thing of letting it out then this should be accepted as the cat looks perfectly fine and in a good condition judging by the picture.

Christine

Yes, try the collar thing. I know lots of people who have indoor-outdoor or even outdoor-only cats who are perfectly well taken care of. If you put up a poster without taking the cat inside, the owners might not know you're referring to him---i.e. "well, there's a poster about a found orange tabby, but it can't be him because he's right here with us", etc. If you do want to put up a poster, bring him inside so his owners at least know he's missing. But I think the collar thing works best. You don't have to make it confrontational....if someone calls, just tell them you only want to know if the cat is owned or not.

thanks for the thoughts folks! I should point out, tho I'm not 100% against letting house cats outdoors, this cat is constantly outside, often in very severe snow or rain, seemingly at all hours of the night. he mostly comes to the front of my house (the pic i posted is from a rare backyard visit). the front of our house is a rather busy street and he's been yet he does seem healthy and well-fed (partially because of the food I've been giving him no doubt).

I will try the collar thing, then try taking him and keeping him isolated from the other cats til I get him checked out. this will give the 'owners' adequate time to make themselves known. what's tough to consider is, if they do come forward, i still won't want to give him back. how do you tell somebody to their face that they suck as an owner and clearly aren't keeping up their end of the pet-owning bargain? this might get tricky! i'll keep you all posted...

Originally Posted by jimmylegs

thanks for the thoughts folks! I should point out, tho I'm not 100% against letting house cats outdoors, this cat is constantly outside, often in very severe snow or rain, seemingly at all hours of the night. he mostly comes to the front of my house (the pic i posted is from a rare backyard visit). the front of our house is a rather busy street and he's been yet he does seem healthy and well-fed (partially because of the food I've been giving him no doubt). ...

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Hi,

was this cat skinny before you started to feed him?

Some indoor/ outdoor cats prefere to be constantly outside, some perfer to stay close to home. My girl cat prefers to be indoors, while her brother prefers to sleep on the garden bench at the moment- I have to carry him in in the evenings.

Originally Posted by jimmylegs

I will try the collar thing, then try taking him and keeping him isolated from the other cats til I get him checked out. this will give the 'owners' adequate time to make themselves known. what's tough to consider is, if they do come forward, i still won't want to give him back. how do you tell somebody to their face that they suck as an owner and clearly aren't keeping up their end of the pet-owning bargain? this might get tricky! i'll keep you all posted...

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If the owner does come forwards you'll have to return the cat, even if you'd rather not. It IS a lovely tom- but he might not be yours to keep, regardless of your opinion of his owners.

Rather then telling them into their face that they "suck" I'd ask them about the cat and how he is kept. Maybe you could offer them some advice on taking care of cats- or you could ask them if they would like to give/sell him to you.

Christine

Oh my goodness! HE'S SO CUTE!!

That is all.

Mine may not be the popular vote, but if the cat is out in all sorts of weather, night and day, then I wouldn't even bother looking for an owner - I'd just take the cat in, have it vet checked and find a good home for it.

I did this to a tuxedo cat that was coming to our place all the time. Of course, in my instance the cat was not cared for at all, was skinny and had terrible matting.

It's hard to be sure if a male is fixed or not, so even though he is not spraying, he may be intact. With a female one could see the scar from spaying I assume.