Major Dilemma. Need some advice.

I finally picked up a cat that I've been looking for for a month or more now. My sitter moved, and unfortunately had to leave the cat behind as it didn't come home before she had to leave. Shes found it two or three times, but it keeps going back to the old house as soon as she lets it out (which is the same day).
My dilema is that if I give this cat back to her, the same thing is going to happen, and the cat has to cross busy streets and a highway to get back to this old house. Eventually, its going to get hit.
Its also a few years old, and not neutered. Id hate to give the cat back, only for her to let it back outside and increase the cat overpopulation.
I know this cat is her property, but she doesn't take proper care of it. Its coated in matts, and has scabs and scars all over its body. Its also in need of vet care, which Im pretty sure she wont provide. I want to do whats best for the cat, and whats right, but I dont really know whats right in this situation.
Can anyone offer some advice? What would you guys do??

Hi,
The T is for trap (which you don't have to since the cat is friendly) the N is for neuter and the K is for keep indoors after that for a bit until you can find another situation for this poor fellow. It sounds like he needs immediately vet care as well. If you find an organization that does TNR (look up on the internet for your area) then you only have to pay for a small donation to get the neuter, shots, flea treatment and worming done. You will have to follow-up with the second worming at your own cost though. But is is a start.

My advice, help the little guy!!! You will be saving his life and the life of all of the kittens he will have too. Good luck

The cat got lost after she let it out. Nothing you can do about that.

In other words, if you can afford this kitty, keep it. Of course this will be a problem if she is going to be in your home and will see the cat.

If any cat meets the criteria for "rescue kitty" it's that sweet boy. Do what's right by him, your sitter had her chance!

What you mean your sitter? Pet sitter? Baby sitter? House sitter? What kind of contact are you going to have with her in the future?
I would document the conditions of the cat now, in writing and with pictures - of the mats, scabs, scratches, etc. Take to the vet, get it fixed and keep it. IMHO, if she moved and left the cat behind, the cat is no longer hers, sorry, too bad. She might get pissed off, but the conditions of the cat tells it all - the cat wasn't properly taken care of to begin with, and then it was left behind. I wouldn't even mention I found the cat. And if she is your sitter, just fire her, and she is no longer going there anyways. I don't think anybody in their right mind would prefer to give the cat to her instead of you. My conscience would be 100% clear about this!

This is what I have been leaving towards. I cannot keep him though, even though i'd love to, as Mufasa will kill any other male cat in the vicinity. He would be fixed up, then re-homed.
Just found out he has fleas as well, so no more contact until I get some Capstar for him tomorrow, and some revolution for him and the other furbabies. I REALLY do not want fleas in my place!!!
I'm surprised he has fleas, as its in the negatives here.

if the guy isnt fixed then thats a big reason he is running off. Is there a female around in heat maybe?

Its my babysitter. She is wonderful with kids, its just that she's a little clueless when it comes to animals. She has an unneutered dog as well, but at least its kept in the house.
I'm hoping my son doesn't slip up and let her know that we found the cat though, because at the moment I'm not going to tell her that I have it.
I'm going to try and get a vet appt for tomorrow night, and get a FeLV test done. I dont think he's ever been tested.

Not sure if there's any cats in heat out, but I wouldn't doubt it. Alot of people around here have cats that are outdoors and not altered.

HAHA! Mufasa is NOT impressed. He keeps trying to break down my bathroom door to 'kill' the intruder.
Good thing its a strong door. That man has some SERIOUS issues!

If she's picked him up 3 times, she must feel something for him. My gut tells me to be totally honest, let her know you have him, and not return him until he is neutered and healed, at the very least. She may not want him, but I'd hate to think I tried 3 times to get my cat back and never found out what happened to him.

Just my humble opinion.

Originally Posted by threecatowner

If she's picked him up 3 times, she must feel something for him. My gut tells me to be totally honest, let her know you have him, and not return him until he is neutered and healed, at the very least. She may not want him, but I'd hate to think I tried 3 times to get my cat back and never found out what happened to him.

Just my humble opinion.

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I agree with this. At least sit down and talk to her and tell her how you feel and maybe offer assistance in getting him fixed and healed up! Maybe she is having a tough time and cant afford it and doesnt know about options in your area!

Did you say you found a stray?????

If she can't care for him, and she keeps letting him run away, then I agree, she's had her chance. I would keep him myself if I was able, otherwise I would take him to a shelter and let him be adopted by someone who really loves him. Hopefully a shelter wouldn't give a cat back in that condition if she came looking for him. Or...if you wanted to be really naughty, you could go for a long drive and take him to a shelter she wouldn't think to look in, that way she might not find him if she went looking.

Originally Posted by threecatowner

If she's picked him up 3 times, she must feel something for him. My gut tells me to be totally honest, let her know you have him, and not return him until he is neutered and healed, at the very least. She may not want him, but I'd hate to think I tried 3 times to get my cat back and never found out what happened to him.

Just my humble opinion.

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I've got to agree. If you can afford it, I'd get him neutered and healthy again, and then go from there, explaining to her that she absolutely has to keep him inside for a minimum of six weeks till he views her new place as home and the diminished hormones stop his wanderlust.

Well, I made my decision. I took him to the vet for a check-up today and was hoping to get a FeLV test done. This vet clinic apparently has an adoption program, and she said that if I paid 140$, they would vet check, neuter, de-flea, de-worm, de-matt, FeLV and FIV test, and pay any other medical bills if I released him to their adoption program and fostered him until they were able to find a home. He's at the vets until tomorrow night. They're going to neuter him tomorrow!!
If I did all this myself, it would cost around 4-500 dollars. This cat needs alot of work, so this was the best thing to do for him.
I honestly don't think my sitter will miss him. She says she's picked him up three times and he keeps running away again, but I'm not sure if I believe that. A little less than a week before the move, I suggested that she keep the cat inside to make sure it would be there when they moved, and she just stated that it was an outdoor cat, and if it didn't come back, if would just re-vert to its wild side and become a wild cat. Not once has she mentioned the cat, or that she was looking for it. I live only 2 minutes away, and she knows that I love cats and would have been happy to help her find it. I asked her the other day how finding the cat was going, and she said she hasn't really had time to look for it lately! If this was my cat, I would be out EVERY day trying to find it. Expecially now that its winter and gets very cold at night.
Not only that, but I told her the cat looked sick a about 4 months ago, and she just strugged me off, and said that if it died, it died.
Maybe she is fond of the cat, but in my book, it doesn't seem like she would miss it that much.


I was told that I could pick out a name for him. Now that he's going to find a new home, does anyone have any suggestions (I have no idea what they used to call him, if anything)
Here's a pic to help.

He sure is beautiful, and very lucky you cared enough to look for him. I just couldn't believe how easily you found him and how quickly. It doesn't sound to me that she really cared very much for him, so I am very happy and totally agree with your decision.

Getting proper medical care and then being placed in a good home, what a happy ending for him. I think what you did for him is wonderful!

Just picked him up from the vet. The neuter went very well, and he tested negative for FeLV and FIV. The vet estimated him to be around 1 to 1 1/2 years old.
He got an antibiotic shot as he had quite a few wounds that needed cleaning. And some pain meds for the next few days.
They gave him revolution yesterday, and already the fleas are falling off him. I didn't think it would work that quick.

I've decided to call him Roscoe. He is a MAJOR sweetheart. He peed in the carrier on the way home and was completely covered in it, so I had to rinse him off with some water when we got home. He didn't like it, but never once tried to scratch, and LOVED the blowdryer afterwards.
He is going to make some person really happy, and I hope he finds a new home soon!!

Glad to hear all went well at the vet. He's such a handsome boy! Love the name Roscoe. It suits him!

He's a beautiful cat! I'm glad you are taking care of him, until he can get a good home, with people who will treat him with the respect he deserves!