Please pray for stray kitty

A little red and white neutered male showed up in my yard today. He has a tatto in his ear. He's painfully thin so has been lost for some time but I would think if someone goes to the trouble to neuter and tattoo, they would be looking for him. I've checked the paper and craigslist for lost cat ads, nothing. I've called my vet, nothing on their list either. I'll call the shelters and the other local vets tomorrow (all are closed now).

I fed and watered him, and he's very very sweet. And very sad. It breaks my heart leaving him out there, but of course I can't bring him in here. I say he is young because his teeth are white and shining. He's obviously been lost for some time. I put a rug out under the wood pile where he's hanging out, with his food and water, as long as we have dry weather tonight at least he will have a protected soft bed.

I printed up some flyers and stuck them in mail boxes up and down my road. That was before I'd gotten close enough to see the tattoo in his ear. If I can get one of the shelters to agree to take him I will not leave him out there very long, I can't bear it. The shelters around here are 'no kill' so he will be okay if I can get him in. I won't have any trouble getting him, he is starved for affection.

Please say a prayer for him. I can hardly rest easy knowing he's out there.

Thank you.

I know the timing is bad. But I am willing to provide a nice donation to help with his upkeep and tests.

Thank you. It's breaking my heart knowing he's out there and all he wants is some love. I'm afraid to give him too much, I've already had to strip and shower twice after being out there, I am that paranoid about passing anything on to my cats.

I'm half tempted to just scoop him up and bring him to the vet in the morning, ask them to test him, deflea and deworm him and scan him for a chip. Then, if I can't get anyplace to take him right away, at least I will know whether I can safely pet him or not.

Thank you. I am trying hard to remind myself that he's been alone a long time, so it won't hurt him to be alone one more night.

I am not cut out for rescue.

Someone tell me, was it wrong to offer him a little love and petting? Will it make it worse for him out there all alone, by contrast, or will it give him hope that if he stays out there, tomorrow will be better?

All I can do is sit here and bawl. I'm just not made for this.

By the way: It is pure chance that I was out in my yard with my cats when I saw him today (he was across the way) Normally I am not even home that time of day.

But no....I don't believe in chance. He was put in my path for a reason.....so I will do what I can for him.

Thanks for your support. I am going to bring him in to my vet in the morning to be scanned for a chip, and to be tested for disease. Then at least I will know if I can pet him without fear of infecting my cats. I'll ask them to deflea and deworm, too.

Thank you Laurie! I known you've done some rescue work so I value you opinion.

This little kitty has proven my belief that a cat will starve rather than eat something he doesn't like. I left some Blue kibble out for him earlier. He ate some of it but not very much, I was surprised to see.

A friend who works in rescue advised me to not leave the food out overnight because of the danger of drawing other animals. Since he hadn't eaten much of the kibble I gave him some canned which he devoured, and asked for more

I only let him have three ounces, I was afraid he would bring it all back up.

He is staying perched on top of the woodpile for now, I know cats prefer to be up high, but I had to put his bed under the logs, on the ground. I put a plastic bag under the rug to protect him from the damp ground, if he uses it.

Robin, I don't know. I don't know a lot about tattoos either. If it was done at my vet, maybe they will be able to identify it.

When I went out this morning he wasn't around, but five minutes later I looked out the window and saw him trying to hunt something in the grass.

It appears as if he is hard of hearing or deaf. He doesn't respond to voice, but when I stomped my food he looked up and then followed me, with the dish of food, back over to the wood pile where I fed him. I also put a frontline plus application on him as he ate, since I had one in the house.

I'll be calling the vet shortly to see if I need an appointment or can just run him in (for the chip scan and FeLV/FIV test)

He's very loud and talky, and would almost rather have love than food, but I am afraid to touch him too much. He's got a redness at the 'bald spot' in front of his ears, it could be sunburn I suppose but I am very paranoid about bringing anything in to my cats.

Tolly was watching him hunt from the downstairs window and thinks I should adopt him. I told him four cats is our limit.

Thank you Brandy.

I've been calling vets this morning. One of them suggested I call the radio stations, they plug lost pet ads free of charge on the air and on their website, so I have done that too.

I have an appointment for him at 1:00 this afternoon to be vetted. I just went out to put him in the carrier, to keep him contained, but he's wandered off again. Fortunately I can be home this morning so I can keep watching for him.

More food or the prospect of more loving should keep him around I hope.

I've got him!!!! He's in the carrier now, eating another can of food. He's not thrilled about being in there, and he will have to just stay in there until his appointment, but I can't risk not finding him when I need him.

He is so unbelievably sweet. He would rather be loved than eat. This next hour is going to be agony.

I have called all the shelters and vets in a wide area, and the ad on craigslist and the radio stations. No one seems to be looking for him, but I did have to leave messages at two of the shelters. I hope one will take him, I can't bear to leave him out there. I just can't bear it.

I think I was wrong about that, Laurie, when I didn't seem him I called very loudly "kitty kitty kitty" and he came running from somewhere. I'm sure he thinks I've betrayed him by stuffing him in a box, poor little thing.

Well I am a terrible judge of gender and age, LOL!

She is female. The tattoo in the right ear, (we are hoping) means she was part of a TNR program, but it indicates she is older, as tattoos are not done anymore. She has severe stomatitis, the poor little thing.

She was just as sweet as she could be at the vet, soaking up all the love. Severe flea dermatitis (we hope that's all it is) Negative for FeLV/FIV/Heartworm.

Her name is Blue. I don't know why, it's just what came to me, when I thought she was male, I was calling her Little Boy Blue as we drove to the vet. Well she's not a little boy, but she is Blue.

Now comes the spooky part. I don't know what's going to happen to Blue. I can't take her in, and while I would be willing to pay for her dental work and pre-surgical blood work (vet thinks most would have to be extracted) it's not a decision to make lightly, because where will she go while recovering from her surgery? Who will take care of her? I cannot.

We decided to at least put her on an antibiotic to maybe help her mouth clear up a little, while waiting to see if anyone claims her. After discussing the pros and cons of liquid vs pills (vet felt I might cause her too much pain pilling, I was afraid she wouldn't eat food with liquid antibiotic mixed in) I agreed to the convenia shot.

However.....their water sterilizer went on the blink just at that time. So they couldn't make up the convenia. I couldn't wait around. They offered to keep her overnight, give her the antibiotic shot when they could make it up, feed her up, love her up.

There is something bigger than us working here for this kitty.

(by the way, with all that going on, we forgot to scan her for the chip. I've just called and asked that they do it while she's there over night, though, because of the old tattoo, I doubt one will be found)

So I have a night I won't have to worry about her, and who knows what tomorrow will bring. I spoke at great length to the Shelter manager where I adopted Mazy from, she rememberes Mazy and was delighted to hear about her. Her suggestion is that I wait a few days to see if anyone makes a claim. If not, I am to call her back and she will try to find a place for her at the shelter. I will be honest about the condition of Blue's teeth and offer to sponsor her for the dental work, if they will take her in.

I am now officially late for work but wanted to get this update on!

Keep the vibes and prayers coming for Blue.

(thanks to all for replies and suggestions posted, no time to read and respond properly now, but will later)

Laurie, I may just decide to do that. If she is at the vet she can get daily care, and they can give her pain medicine while her fate is decided. I'll talk to my vet about it tomorrow, thank you for the idea.I don't care about the money, my own peace of mind is worth it.

I won't be sitting in my cozy home fretting about her outside all alone.I've been thinking about that tonight. Last night I barely slept, worrying about her and weeping.
Tonight I know she is safe and warm, and if she's a little lonely, well, I know she had lots of cuddles before the night staff went home (they leave at midnight)

Thank you to all of you for your support and kind words. I've rescued before, and kept them, (Tolly, Jennie and Queen Eva) but I've never been involved with a kitty that I knew I was not going to be able to take in.

Blue is a sweet sweet little girl who deserves a home where she is doted on and fussed over, so keep those prayers and vibes coming, and I bet she ends up having just that, somehow.

I've got good news!

This morning I spoke to the Shelter manager. She has agreed to take Blue, if I have the dental work done on my end. My vet is going to work up an estimate for me, and get her on the dental surgery schedule as soon as possible.

In the mean time Blue will remain at the vet, being doted on, fed and given pain medication. I didn't ask how much the boarding will cost me, because it doesn't make any difference, I can NOT put her back out on the street.

The Shelter Manager has even offered to pick Blue up at the vet after her surgery, when she is ready to go to the shelter! The shelter may end up being her forever home, but on the other hand she is so incredibly sweet, there may be a special person out there just waiting for her So pray there is one like that for Blue, but no matter what, what she's going to is better than where she was.

Thanks for continued vibes and prayers for little girl Blue.