Found a cat outside.

Ok so.. Me and BF's cousin were taking a walk to our friend's house. We were standing outside and I kept thinking I was hearing a cat meowing.. And I followed it, and this kitty came out of a yard. BF's cousin stayed in the street as this cat rubbed against me. I bent down and pet her, she stood on her hind legs to rub against my face. She purred the whole time. She seems to be between 3-5 months.. Maybe even 6. I can't tell really, she is very skinny.. When BF's cousin came over, we didn't want to just leave her there ya know? So, we rang the doorbell and knocked on the door of the house which yard she was in. The lights were on, but nobody answered the door.

We decided to just leave her in the yard, because we couldn't bring her home with us. Well, she followed us, very very far from the yard we found her in. We had to cross a major highway.. And we felt like we couldn't just LEAVE her, not only because she was following us.. But because she is extremely skinny, and it is freezing outside and she's just so small.. BF's cousin decided to bring the cat home and take the blame for it, because I knew I was going to get into trouble for bringing a kitten home as I have been told many times before I am not allowed to have anymore.

My BF's parents aren't too mad, we have secured the cat upstairs. As soon as we let her free in my room, she went to the bed and layed on it. I gave her some wet food, she scarfed it down, I also put some warm water out for her since she was outside for who knows how long and who knows how long it has been since she's eaten? I also gave her some dry but ishe is eating it too fast and I don't want her to be sick. We also made her a temporary litterbox because I didn't want her to go to the bathroom in my room. As soon as I put litter in it and set it in a spot she went right for it and pee'd. I noticed she didn't cover it. She doesn't seem sick, and is affectionate, I think she might belong to someone. So tomorrow we plan to walk the kitten back to the house we knocked at tonight.. If she doesn't belong to them, we are going to take her to the Humane Society. I can't keep her. I can't even keep her long enough to post flyers to maybe find her owner. It seems like she wasn't cared about so much, because she is so skinny.

I would love to keep her, she is sooo affectionate I love Monster and Mittens more than anything in this world, but this kitten is way more affectionate then both of mine combined. I already love her, and I have already cried (about 15 mins after we got home with her) because I can't keep her..

Either way, BF's cousin and I feel like we did the right thing tonight. It is so cold and we think she could have died tonight from it if we hadn't brought her home. I am sad I can't keep her.

ETA: I forgot to mention that she is dehydrated, I changed the warm water for cold after she warmed up.. She drank a good amount of it. She is playful. She has also made herself right at home. I really wish I could keep her. She is also sitting in my lap, kneading my leg and sucking the tip of her tail.

OMG......She is loving you for rescuing her! You so did the right thing till you take her to a shelter, it sounds like she has been abandoned and all she wants is a home to love and hopefully thanks to you she will find one!

Jolly well done!

You did precisely as in the best of manuals!
Everything.


The standard advice is.
Help the cat in distress as well you can. AND seek after the owners.

If you dont find the owners and cant keep the cat, try with either finding her an another home, or try with a shelter /humane society - whatever is at hand.
- Try to phone friends etc and ask them.... Humane Society is surely fine, but it not sure it is easier for them to find a home.


Her being cuddable is not sure she is always such a big sweetie. Cats needing a home do ofen have a knack for pleasing themselves in.
Anyway, she is either a big sweetie OR she does desperately seek a home...

So you did the right thing.


Tx for helping her,

Good luck!

Aw... thank you for rescuing her! You've done such a wonderful and selfless thing! I'm so sorry you can't keep her, but she sounds like if that isn't her home, then she'll make someone a wonderful pet.

Well.. We decided that we aren't taking her back to the house we found her outside of. She was not well cared for being so skinny, that might not have been her home anyway. I am going to talk to my boss, she should have a number for a no-kill shelter. That is where my boss took a stray she was feeding, although they put him to sleep since he tested positive for Feline Leukemia. I am going to get their number and see if my boss will take me up there to see if they can take her. I am sure she is very adoptable. She is so loving with everyone she comes in contact with.

I know I am going to have to keep her here for a few days. I dont want to get attached to her. I am already starting to, and I already don't want to give her up. I am starting to try to think of a way to get BF's mom to agree to let me keep her for good, as long as I keep her upstairs. She has been roaming freely upstairs between the two rooms. She likes to sit on my lap, purring and kneading and sucking her tail. She has my heart already. I will be so sad when I have to give her up. I know no matter how hard I try, I won't be able to convince BF's mom to let me keep her. Even though she will be upstairs and not bothering anybody..

Well done you for rescuing her, who knows what could have happened if you hadn't. I know its so hard as you really want to keep her but I'm really sure she will get a forever home quickly if she were to go to a shelter, she sounds gorgeous. You have to consider your other cats too and if they would take to her and any veterinary bills that you may accur. Have you not any friends that would give her a home that way you could still see her. I really do not know why I wrote this I am terrible with wanting to keep all needy animals that cross my path I am at my limit though and hubby will NOT let me have any more. Whatever you do will be right for this little girl as you have already done the most amazing thing ever for her. xx

Perhaps there is a way to get the mom in law to cuddle with the kitten?? After it she would be sold.


What about your boss?? She seems to have the right heart, but her adopted cat didnt make it.
So she surely do lacks a cat in her/his life and home??

Ruthyb, if I was able to keep her, she would never really come into contact with my cats. They never come upstairs. And Precious (that is what we are calling her, would never go downstairs. The point of that is for this new kitty to never bother MIL. Although MIL loves Mittens and Monster, I will admit they do do things that make her mad and that includes but is not limited to breaking things she just brought and blinds.

StefanZ, my boss will not take another cat. My Mittens was my boss' cat before she came to live with me. My boss got rid of her because she was going after her birds, which is why she never let Pepper the stray into her house. She wouldn't give Precious a fur-ever home (as I would) which is what I want to find for her if I don't wind up keeping her.

Currently our plan of action is procrastinating. I did call the SPCA in my township to see if they could come get her, the machine said it could take up to 48 hours for them to come out. I left a message. I am gunna tell MIL that, and hopefully they won't call back. We want to put off finding somewhere for her to go until MIL gets really angry, we think she might realize Precious isn't hurting anything and maybe stop bugging us to find somewhere for her.

I took some pics of her, and I am bugging BF to upload them to the computer. When I get him to, I will post them. They don't really show how skinny she is, she is laying in my lap in them.

Originally Posted by KiTTYL0VE4

Ruthyb, if I was able to keep her, she would never really come into contact with my cats. They never come upstairs. And Precious (that is what we are calling her, would never go downstairs. The point of that is for this new kitty to never bother MIL. Although MIL loves Mittens and Monster, I will admit they do do things that make her mad and that includes but is not limited to breaking things she just brought and blinds.

StefanZ, my boss will not take another cat. My Mittens was my boss' cat before she came to live with me. My boss got rid of her because she was going after her birds, which is why she never let Pepper

the stray into her house. She wouldn't give Precious a fur-ever home (as I would) which is what I want to find for her if I don't wind up keeping her.

Currently our plan of action is procrastinating. I did call the SPCA in my township to see if they could come get her, the machine said it could take up to 48 hours for them to come out. I left a message. I am gunna tell MIL that, and hopefully they won't call back. We want to put off finding somewhere for her to go until MIL gets really angry, we think she might realize Precious isn't hurting anything and maybe stop bugging us to find somewhere for her.

I took some pics of her, and I am bugging BF to upload them to the computer. When I get him to, I will post them. They don't really show how skinny she is, she is laying in my lap in them.

Click to expand...

I hope you do find a way to keep her hun, you obviously love this little girl very much and even if she did come into contact with your other cats they would get used to them, I have 5 and they all get on ok, I always say to hubby one more won't make a difference You are just a big softie like me. xx

Well, Precious is still here. For the first few days, BF's mom kept nagging me all day to find a place to take her and take her. She said she doesn't want anymore animals in the house. But me and BF and his cousin, who brought her home with me, keep trying to convince her to let us keep her upstairs.. BF's other cousin lives here too and she REALLY wants a pet but BF's mom always says no unless the pet is a hermit crab. I think that keeping Precious as an upstairs only kitty, she wouldn't be bothering anyone, right? I already have the upstairs door set up with a lock from the inside and outside. Thats because Mittens opens the door and comes upstairs in the morning to wake me up to be fed. Mittens knocks things over and gets on my chest, purring in my face and tickles me with her whiskers. It's cute but kinda annoying. So had rigged the door so Mittens couldn't get upstairs anymore. So from now on the doors going to be locked so Mittens can't break in, and so Precious won't figure out that all she has to do is push the door. She hasn't said anything about us getting rid of her for a few days now. I hoping I can keep her.

She's soooo cute and seems really healthy for a stray. She has no fleas or eye infections, she is just very, very skinny. She makes my cats look like giants. She eats very fast and eats every tiny bit of wet food I put out for her. She doesn't eat the dry as fast, but I fill it up once a day and it lasts til the next day. IMO she is definitely starving. It makes me so mad that this poor kitty is sooo skinny, she is very loving and i honestly think she was abandoned because she loves people. I called the Humane Society and the SPCA and filed a "found" report. I can't get her up there, I don't have a ride. Nobody has called about her .

I would feel bad if I have to get rid of her. She loves me, BFs cousin and BF soooo much. We all love her too. And it would be hard not knowing where she is or how she is doing.

Even though nobody responded to my last update, I figured I'd get on to tell you guys some more info.. I'm pretty much thinking like Precious is mine. Me & BF's cousin were talking about getting her spayed. We were both going to pitch in the make that happen. Thing is, BF's cousin is out of work ATM. He wanted me to wait until he starts working, but idk when that will be, and I don't want her to go into heat before that. There is a woman I know who has been taking care of a colony of strays. She is moving, and she thought she found someone to take care of them. Well, she can't get ahold of the woman. I saw her today, shesmoving Thursday. She is going to take me to her colony, show me all of them, and set me up with money to buy them food, so I can take care of them. They are all fixed, UTD on shots. What I'm tryin to get at is, she had all of them fixed and vacc'd for a small fee because they are strays. She gave me the number of the place, and told me to call and talk to them, to see what they can do about helping me with her spaying and shots. I'm happy about this. Precious came at a bad spot financially. Right now, I can't afford to spay her w.o help. So I'm glad this woman gave me the number to this place called Forgotten Cats, who speuter strays and vac them to help people who want to help these poor, forgotten, unloved souls.

Wonderful it is going forwards!

So you shall also be a / the caretaker of this colony of homeless cats?
Good luck with this task too!

How wonderful of you to take on caring for the colony! Were the cats in the colony ear-tipped when spayed/neutered? I know you probably won't spend much time at the site, but if they're not ear-tipped, it'd be a good idea to ask her to make a list of all the cats she can think of as descriptive as possible to help you be able to recognize when new cats arrive that need to be spayed neutered. Colonies sometimes stabilize - other times they continue to attract new cats.

...and you must be so happy to have found a place to get her spayed at low-cost! If this doesn't come through, PM me your zip code and I'll help you find some place else (if possible).

she's able to be the upstairs cat.

So you shall also be a / the caretaker of this colony of homeless cats?
Good luck with this task too!

Click to expand...

Yes. The thing is, she has been looking for someone who will be able to take care of these poor kitties when she moves. I'm actually pretty sure she's put off her moving date because she ha had a hard time finding someone. She found a woman who was willing, but for about a month or maybe a little longer, she hasn't been ablle to get ahold of this person. I've told her several times that I would take care of them for her, but I can't afford to feed 20 something cats, I don't make enough money.

So today she came into my job and told me she is moving Thursday. I had given her my number a couple of weeks ago, and she said she was going to call me to set up a day where I can go to her house. Then she will show me where the cats are and where their shelters are and where to put the food and everything I need to know. She also said she will pay for their food she just desperately needs to find someone reliable that she can trust to take care of these cats. Her and I always talk about cats when she comes into my work. We talk about her colony, my cats, and just our general love of cats. She's put a lot of time and effort into taking care of them. She knows that she can trust me, and that I will make sure I get there everyday to feed those cats. It feels good to know that I will be doing a good thing for some needy cats. It's something I have been wanting to do for a long, long time.

Originally Posted by LDG

How wonderful of you to take on caring for the colony!

Were the cats in the colony ear-tipped when spayed/neutered? I know you probably won't spend much time at the site, but if they're not ear-tipped, it'd be a good idea to ask her to make a list of all the cats she can think of as descriptive as possible to help you be able to recognize when new cats arrive that need to be spayed neutered. Colonies sometimes stabilize - other times they continue to attract new cats.

...and you must be so happy to have found a place to get her spayed at low-cost! If this doesn't come through, PM me your zip code and I'll help you find some place else (if possible).

she's able to be the upstairs cat.

Click to expand...

I am not sure if they are ear-tipped or not. I can't remember if she's ever mentioned that. I will find out though when I go to see them and learn how she takes care of them.

I'm hoping that Forgotten Cats is willing to help. I've taken a look at their website, and after that I'm not sure they will help. The woman (I can't remember her name ) told me they will, and told me to call. She told me to tell them the story of how I found her and everything, and that because she is a stray, they will. However, their website specializes in colonies. They don't say anything about spaying/neutering single strays for people who took them in. I filled out the thing online, they ask for your phone number and address and everything, and then they want you to tell them your story. Then they want you to tell them how you heard about them. They are in Delaware, but they obviously come up to PA because the woman used their service to get all of her strays spay/neutered and vaccinated.

However, do keep an eye out for a PM from me, just in case Forgotten Cats doesn't work out. I have a funny feeling it might not.

Thanks guys!

First, it is good if this women = the old caretaker, do phones this organizations and tells them you are the new caretaker, and recommends you.
This is in fact mandatory.
Also she does recommends you in all other places she did got help from or cooperated with.


Second, it would be good SHE does mention your adopted stray to them. It should surely help and make things a little smoothier, easier.


Third, it may be a little tactical stroke she does phone, and tells your stray is one of the colony cats, although she seems friendlier then the most. You, = the new caretaker will come in with this cat, good you will learn how it is done...

It is only a little white lie. Essentially true in the whole and almost all details.

Another update on Precious..

So, I don't think her being here is such a big deal with BF's parents anymore. I say this because, BF's mom hasn't said ANYTHING about me finding somewhere for her to go since about 3 or 4 days after Precious got here. And BF's dad was upstairs working on a computer and he didn't even know she was still here until then. He didn't say one word about her. So that is a good thing.

Another is.. I have been SOOOOOO worried about how I was going to get the money up to spay her. I don't like dealing with females in heat - it is sooo annnoying! I'm sure you all know about that..

But, Doris (the woman with the stray colony) gave me a $50 check when I met up with her to get the food and money for more from her. I had already made an appointment with Forgotten Cats on February 16 to have her spayed. They want $70, for the spay and vaccinations and deworming. Plus $15 for Feline Leukemia and Feline AIDs tests. Doris told me to cancel that appointment and to go to the Humane Society. I don't get that though.. I got Monster neutered there, my boss got Mittens spayed there.. I paid $80 for Monsters neuter, and my boss paid like $120 or something like that to have Mittens done. I guess if I explain that I found this kitten they would give me a discount? Does anyone know?

LDG - If that is not the case, I will PM you like you said, and maybe you can help me find somewhere where $50 will get her spayed. I am going to call the Humane Society's clinic tomorrow though and see about it.

So far, Precious is settling in nicely. I've brought my other cats around her, just so see how they are. Monster couldn't care less about her. Mittens (while I was holding her) didn't show any reaction to her either, not even a hiss, I was suprised about that (Mittens is my hissy queen). However, one time, Mittens was sitting in front of the door to get upstairs, and Precious must have been on the other side of the door, because Mittens poofed up all of her fur . She didn't hiss or even make a sound. She was just sooo eager to get a good look, was all poofed up and sticking her paw in the door. I couldn't see Precious' reaction. But I don't think she was upset, both times I had her around my cats she didn't seem fazed at all. Of course they knew she was here before I ever showed them to each other. And, none of them care at all. Which I think is great actually.

She goes back and forth sleeping every night between me and BF's room, and BF's cousins room. Every morning she wakes me up.. Cutely, but also annoyingly. Anyways, she always greets anyone going upstairs. She gets up from where ever she is at the time, runs into the hallway, and greets us with this CUTE purr/meow that kinda sounds like prrrrmrreowwww. She is almost always purring, and if she isn't already, as soon as you start petting her she starts. She loves to rub up agains my face, and lay on my chest with her face right near mine or leaning on mine. She will suckle her tail and knead my hands or whatever is there, all while purring away. I knew from the start that she trusted me right away, I guess for bringing her home and feeding her. But for the last couple of days she has really been proving to me that she trusts us and is comfortable here. Shes been rolling over onto her back, showing her belly, and actually LETTING me pet her tummy. She actually LIKES belly rubs . Because of her absolute trust in me, and that fact that I KNOW she is comfortable here, that she looks at this place as home, makes me even more reluctant to disrupt herlife once more by rehoming her. I feel as if she will not understand why I don't love her (I do, but I think she will feel like she didn't do a good enough job showing me she is lovable), and why I am making her live with someone else.

I think she's found her furr-ever home. Shes here to stay!

Originally Posted by KiTTYL0VE4

I had already made an appointment with Forgotten Cats on February 16 to have her spayed. They want $70, for the spay and vaccinations and deworming. Plus $15 for Feline Leukemia and Feline AIDs tests. Doris told me to cancel that appointment and to go to the Humane Society. I don't get that though.. I got Monster neutered there, my boss got Mittens spayed there.. I paid $80 for Monsters neuter, and my boss paid like $120 or something like that to have Mittens done. I guess if I explain that I found this kitten they would give me a discount? Does anyone know?

Click to expand...

That is surely common, but you can never know for sure beforehand. Each place has its own decisions.
The only way is to ask them.

The forgotten cats prices seems good. It is not the lowest possible rate for rescued cats, but surely lowest so they can get ANY plus. That is what I think.

I suspect Doris doenst cooperate with the Forgottens any more...By some reason. Perhaps a personal thing. Otherwise she would phone them in your name and recommend you.

Forgotten Cats is a wonderful organization. Just like all rescues/spay/neuter groups, they can get overwhelmed sometimes, though. I'd talk to someone there first before making a decision. Get to know people - you're going to need to network with everyone in your area and the more people you know, the more support you will have.

I sent you a PM ...

That is wonderful news for you and for Precious. I am glad she is doing so well and I am happy you can give her a forever home.