Had a stray walk in my door ...

Like, literally walk in the door, and then meow at me. Has to be one of the most bizzare things to happen to me.

I gave it water, and a packet of cat food I had laying around from my first cat (who is currently staying with my folks in NYC). Its a very tame cat, and let me pet it, and it seems to be trying to pur (its making sounds comparing to my fridge when the compression was dying). It looks like its been outside for a very long time, its a long-hair, and its fur is in very bad shape, and the poor thing is down to the bones. I gave it water, and it plopped down on the bed, but it let me pick it up earlier.

I called my vet and made an appointment, but I'm not sure I can keep this cat; I already have one which is a complete menace at times, and once I return to NYC, I don't have an effective way to keep one cat in quartine away from the other (the only reason why I didn't force this one out is that 1. it really looks like it needs help 2. my cat isn't here in Rochester with me, but I have to return to NYC by weeks end). I may put it up for adoption, I talked to the neighbor who told me that this cat has been roaming my apartment complex for ~2-3 years after its owners abandoned and left it outside, but no one was able to catch it.

Its currently sleeping on my bed, and it walked around my feet and rubs its face against me after it finished eating; I'm getting the feeling its been a very long time since this cat last got a proper meal, the cat looks like it was starving. There are scratches on its face, and its paws are in really poor shape, so I hope its not too banging up. I told the vet I'm coming in with a tame stray.

I'm concerned that this cat won't be able to live with anyone else, its already become very "possessive". It curled up right next to me when I saw down, and it goes nuts when it wakes up and doesn't see me. I've never seen a cat, especially a stray be so ... attached to someone so quickly, but if this cat been really roaming outside for the last two years without the ability to hunt, then it might make sense.

It really needs a bath too (its a white and brown cat, but its more dingy grey and brown due to dirt and it doesn't seem like it want to bath itself), but when I turned on the sink to wash my hands, it darted, so I think I'll probably have a near death experience if I had to give it a bath.

Any advance and/or suggestions?

No suggestions, but tell your parents they raised a wonderful human being with such a good heart. I suspect you may have been adopted, , but even if you can't keep this poor baby, you're giving him some love right now. See what the vet says - I do hope he can find a forever home.

*sigh*

Oops.

I opened the sliding door to get the bowl I left outside and bring it back in. The cat that came in stayed on the window where he went after moving. Another cat came by (neighbors I think, it had a collar) and my stray moved for the door and then tried to run out. I JUST managed to grab him before he darted out after it by the back legs and dragged him back in.

This cat is so badly beat up, I'm not sure it would survive much longer in the wild (it had to have been desperate to come into my apartment in the first place). Beside the facial scratches, I found that its ear looks like its torn in a place, there's things stuck to its fur that I can't brush out (I'll let the groomer take care of it; fortunately, no maps). I thought it was going to attack me but it just gave me a look and walked off.

It just came over and plopped his head on my leg, so I'm not sure if he's mad at me, or if I'm forgiven, but I feel bad. I'm not sure if I should just let him out and let him go if he wants to, but I can't leave the screen open all night, and I am not sure a cats meow will be enough to wake me up to let it back in.

PS: I just a headbutt on my arm; not sure what this means ...

EDIT: he just used the litterbox I setup, this cat was definitely owned before, and almost surely abandoned.

Awwww, he loves you already. I'm so glad you are taking care of him.

I think he's marking you with a head bunt - telling all the other kitties that you're his human. I don't think he truly wants out at all, and he does sound like a house kitty that was left to fend on his own (damn his previous owners - how can anyone think it's ok to let a domestic animal try to survive on its own?). I have a very soft spot here as both my cats were picked up as adult strays - at least they got to animal control but it took a very long time for them to be adopted. My girl was at Petsmart for over five months, my boy for over four - as they were about three to four years old and not 'cool' colors (she's grey and he's black).


I'd say keep him in - if he had really wanted out you would have noticed, with all the scratches, etc. he would have inflicted on you. That cat must have been loved, though, somewhere along the line, to be so trusting now that he found another warm heart.

Originally Posted by darlili

I think he's marking you with a head bunt - telling all the other kitties that you're his human. I don't think he truly wants out at all, and he does sound like a house kitty that was left to fend on his own (damn his previous owners - how can anyone think it's ok to let a domestic animal try to survive on its own?). I have a very soft spot here as both my cats were picked up as adult strays - at least they got to animal control but it took a very long time for them to be adopted. My girl was at Petsmart for over five months, my boy for over four - as they were about three to four years old and not 'cool' colors (she's grey and he's black).


I'd say keep him in - if he had really wanted out you would have noticed, with all the scratches, etc. he would have inflicted on you. That cat must have been loved, though, somewhere along the line, to be so trusting now that he found another warm heart.

Click to expand...

If this is the case, is it likely he'd be ok if put up for adoption? He's already come quite attached to me with his behavior and whines if I leave or go into the other room and doesn't see where I went (he's been sleeping almost constantly since he came in)

Obviously, it depends on how his blood work and such comes back after he goes to the vet tomorrow, but my friend, who takes cares of many strays suspects that this is/was close to death given the condition of the fur, the lack of fat, etc.

The cat seems to be trying to purr, but its like it can't; like it coughs when it tries. I honestly don't know what to make of it.

EDIT: here are photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...2&l=cfa29a594e

My camera sucks, so its hard to tell how roughed up the fur is. I'll take some with the good camera later.

That poor little baby.... I just think its too much of a coincidence that he just walked right into your home, when others haven't been able to catch him before.

Just throwing this idea out, if you did take him back to NYC with you, you could keep him in the bathroom while he adjusted to being in a new place and your kitty back home adjusts to him being there. People intro cats to cats who don't know each other together all of the time, very successfully.

He is so lucky he found you, no matter what, you are such a good person for helping him

Originally Posted by Pami

That poor little baby.... I just think its too much of a coincidence that he just walked right into your home, when others haven't been able to catch him before.

Just throwing this idea out, if you did take him back to NYC with you, you could keep him in the bathroom while he adjusted to being in a new place and your kitty back home adjusts to him being there. People intro cats to cats who don't know each other together all of the time, very successfully.

He is so lucky he found you, no matter what, you are such a good person for helping him

Click to expand...

The apartment in NYC is shared between me and my mom, and the bathroom is too small to be able to setup a litter box and food/water and still be able to use it as a bathroom. I sleep in the living room, and my mom takes the one bedroom. I have it mostly to myself next week, but I can't keep the cats separate without one sleeping in my mom's room, and she'd had a fit if I forced that upon her (she isn't thrilled taking care of my cat in the first place when I travel or stay at my grandmas, but I got forced into an unconfortable living situation).

I don't have a good solution for enforcing a quarantine short of having one on a box all day and Sabra would moan all the day if I did that, then destory a piece of furtine in revenge.. My other cat is a 7 mo kitten, and looking at this one, I think he's 5-6 years old.

EDIT: and it just started downpouring outside, glad the cat is in and not out.

Oh my gosh! I don't think there is a soul on this site that doesn't want you to keep this kitty! I hope you can find a way to work it out. It truly sounds like divine intervention...

Awww. I looked at the pictures. He has chosen you. You are his human now. Don't know what to tell you. BTW - he is a light red tabby and white... looks like a medium length coat.


Bless you for taking him in and helping him.

Aside from being dirty and rather thin, he actually doesn't look that bad. I've taken in cats that looked much worse - Sherman had the side of his face torn open and Siri had EGC sores/bumps and fur loss (DH called her leper cat ).

And he's what you'd call white and orange -not brown.
From how thin his face looks, he's either younger than you think or neutered.

If you want to clean him up a little a damp rag and plenty of combing can work some of the dirt out of his fur.

Originally Posted by AddieBee

Awww. I looked at the pictures. He has chosen you. You are his human now. Don't know what to tell you. BTW - he is a light red tabby and white... looks like a medium length coat.


Bless you for taking him in and helping him.

Click to expand...

Well, there are other things in life that make cat ownership difficult on a long term; I travel a *lot*, which has actually lead me to decide to give my first cat to my ex since we adopted it when we were living together.

I honestly don't know what to do :-/

Suggestions: Take him back home and keep him in one of the bedrooms while he's getting better. See after that if he's cat friendly. If so, he could be very good for a kitten.

If it doesn't work out that way, make use of any friends, family, or family friends. Or at least contact a no kill rescue and see if they can take him or find suggest another rescue that will.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

Suggestions: Take him back home and keep him in one of the bedrooms while he's getting better. See after that if he's cat friendly. If so, he could be very good for a kitten.

If it doesn't work out that way, make use of any friends, family, or family friends. Or at least contact a no kill rescue and see if they can take him or find suggest another rescue that will.

Click to expand...

I have a no-kill lined up if it comes to that, but most of the people I know can't take a cat, or are allergic. In addition, once I move out of my folks again, I'm going to be living alone, and I travel upwards of two weeks on a bi-monthly basis usually. It wasn't an issue when I was living with my girlfriend, but it was this travel that is leading me to give up my first cat to my ex.

See if the ex wants two cats? Use the two cats are better than one slant. I hope you can find someone to take him, though. He's friendly and cute, so hopefully he can find a home soon if he has to go to a rescue.

O/T - but your user name makes me think of norton commander.

So back from the vet, no worms, no heartworm, no FLV/FIV, no need for quarantine! Estimated age of 2-3 years. The cat is intact, and he got his shot series started, and a bath, so he looks a little less mangy than he did yesterday. $200 dollar bill is steep though ...

*sigh*

I talked to an adoption specialist there at Scottsvile, and they have room for another cat, but I hesitated on surrendering, and took him back home, while thinking that this isn't going to be sustainable or ... ugh ...

I'm too bloody soft at times :-/

EDIT: I've added some pictures of the cat now that its clean. The grey spots are now white.

Oh, dear - what a decision to make. To me, it looks obvious that he's bonded to you and totally trusts you (showing his tummy, etc.). Once he's neutered, such a friendly boy may get adopted quickly by someone who knows how great a young adult cat can be - but, I've got to warn you, a lot of people will pass by anything other than kittens. It's silly, I think - mine were three and four when I got them, and I couldn't be happier, but people do walk by the adults.

I think you're wise in looking at your whole living situation, because the idea is to get this boy a good forever home - but I've got to admit this just sounds like one of those stories where he was guided to your warm heart. But, you've done far more already than many people would have. Bless you.

I agree with Darlili... just do the best that you can for this boy... his welfare comes first. If your lifestyle just does NOT sustain having a pet at this time, that is good to admit. Sounds like you are already attached to HIM, too. Doesn't take long does it???

And as others have said, you have alreay done more for him than most would've.

Just do the best you can to get him into safe hands, then. Some little furry darling will come along at the right time in your life.

Originally Posted by AddieBee

I agree with Darlili... just do the best that you can for this boy... his welfare comes first. If your lifestyle just does NOT sustain having a pet at this time, that is good to admit. Sounds like you are already attached to HIM, too. Doesn't take long does it???

And as others have said, you have alreay done more for him than most would've.

Just do the best you can to get him into safe hands, then. Some little furry darling will come along at the right time in your life.

Click to expand...

Well ... *sigh*, the problem is I already have a cat, but I really don't want to let him go. My current cat is an absolute nightmare compared to this one but an intact male + fixed female will probably be a bad combination, and my mom isn't going to be happy if I bring home a second cat even if the first one is leaving. *sigh*.

The only way I could do it is if I kenneled this cat for a week while I take care my my first one and get her sent off to Washington, or go to NYC, get that cat, bring it back to Washington, and then let them loose in an apartment that I don't want to stay at.

The situation is complicated and taxing and unless I kennel my cat for the periods I travel (whicH I don't think is fair to it), I don't think I make a good home, even though my mom is willing to catsit for me if I'm in a situation that I can deliver the cat, and our travel scheludes don't overlap.

*thunks head on desk repeatively*

Why me :-/

so I couldn't do it. Brought the cat to the shelter, filled out the paperwork and all, and ... I just couldn't do it.

I talked to my ex, and it looks like we may be able to move my first cat to her sooner than expected. If I can get this tom fixed, then I can keep him, at least until the end of August.

I *really* hate having my life being so turbulent, its just ... ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

(sorry to rant but I need to vent a bit :-/)