Suggestions/advice - what would you do type of question

Originally Posted by Lynsey

Also couldn't tell if white/orange cat was female or male but its stomach was hanging kind of low and you could see some ribs. Do you think it has worms?


We can't just let a stray cat in because our two kittens would freak out & we don't want to have a cat fight in our apartment. We also don't know if this white/orange cat has worms, FLV, parasites, fleas, etc.

Would it be wise to to trap him/her and get it vetted and spayed or neutered if possible?

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Sometimes a spayed female will have that hanging "pouch" that sways when they walk. This may be a lost (stray) cat that is not accustomed to being on her own and searching for food. Could very likely be worms, too.

Absolutely trap her and have her checked out by a vet. She may be abandoned. There may be a micro chip. It may be someones lost pet. Too many unknown variables. Trapping is the right thing to do. Especially if she is skinny.

You are right to have her checked out before bringing her into your home. Even if you do bring her in eventually, she needs to be isolated for a couple of weeks.

You and your boyfriend are angels to this cat. Kudos to you for trying to do the right thing.

Thank you for wanting to do something for this kitty!

Yes, absolutely! Trapping the kitty and having him/her vetted and spayed/neutered if necessary is the best thing to do. They can check for a microchip or tattoo... and just to be sure, it may be a good idea to take a picture and post it around the neighborhood and at local vet offices to see if anyone's been looking for their kitty.

You are SO right - you cannot allow a stray cat into your house without seeing a vet. The only way to do that is if kitty is going into a separate room until he/she sees a vet - and cat introductions should be made slowly anyway - even if you know the cat is healthy. !!!

I don't know what your financial situation is, but if you want to look for low-cost spay/neuter clinics, you can search at

http://www.pets911.com

....but please don't feed the cat - or cats - for any length of time unless you do plan to get them TNR'd. (Trapped - Neutered - Returned (to where they were trapped)).

I'm not sure if "Cali" is California - but depending upon where in California you are, some locations have some pretty good TNR programs. Don't know if it's something you want to look into or not... but if so, we can help with suggestions and ideas. Just a thought.

Thank you both for your feedback and input, it is much appreciated!
I'm in California (Cali), boyfriends mom works at a vet clinic and either twice a month or maybe weekly they have a spay day; low cost clinic. But I can still get a discounted price there for everything.

I did not see orange/white cat last night, so hopefully it comes around more so we can TNR it. I plan to use the resources on here for assistance on how to trap.

Oh that's great! How wonderful to have access to something like that!

Trapping tips are pretty straightforward: wash the trap with a light bleach solution to get the smell of other cats and fear off of it. Spray it with Feliway to make it smell friendly. Pour potting soil (organic, no additives) over the wires so cat doesn't have to walk on them - it'll lift right up through it.

It does help to put food out at a regular time (around when you'd want to trap) - and get kitty coming on that schedule - then set trap out. You can cover it with sticks and leaves if you think that'll help.

Make SURE to put a plastic tarp of some kind down on whatever surface in the car you're going to place the trap - trapped kitties tend to pee, poop, or vomit (or any combination thereof) when being transported. Don't want to have to clean up the mess straight on the seat or floor or whatever. Play classical music on the way, and have one or two windows open just a crack. Cover the trap with a light blanket, leaving the ends open.

Good luck!