Keeping our new friend?

Hi All,

My first post and I'm already needing some serious advice.

A few months ago there was a cat the we saw wandering through the garden every now and then, she would often stop to be stroked. We started to see her more and more frequently and she started jumping in the windowns/coming into the house. As we love cats we didn't mind this but tried not to encourage her.

After about 1 month of her coming and going it got to the stage where she basically never left, she would come in and sleep through the night in between us on the bed, we'd put her out and she'd be waiting on the step when we returned home from work. If we put her out for too long she'd be meowing at the door to come in.

As she was there that often we became concerned that she didn't seem to be going elsewhere so may not be getting fed, cared for properly, so we started buying here food.

This was all fine and she basically became our cat, I wasn't too guilty about this is I believe that cats choose their owners and not the other way round, and she always had the option of returning to her home (if she had one).

The problem we face now is that we are moving home, we really want to take this cat with us as I believe she has chosen us to be with, she isn't putting on any weight so I assume only we are feeding her. I don't want to leave the cat behind in case she is no longer being looked after by anyone else. Also I have grown massively attached to this cat and wouldn't want to move without her.

I plan on taking her to the vets to see if she's microchipped but I don't know what to do then, if she is microchipped will they take her off me and not allow me to speak to the owners, if shes not microchipped will they let me keep her or take her in and put her up for adoption?

Help!! I really want this cat but don't know what to do?

Unless you live in a heavily urban area, the chance that the cat is microchipped is very small. And, if she is microchipped, I would imagine the vet would contact the registered owner and ask them about her. It may be that they moved and left her behind, or stopped letting her in the house, or she got lost, or any one of a number of things. We get pets at our shelter on a regular basis whose owners changed their microchip identity to a fake identity, so they couldn't be tracked down easily when they dumped the animal.

There are all kinds of possibilities, but, as you say, the cat seems to have chosen you and likely doesn't actually have another home. It happens all the time. And we see just fantastic cats, even purebreds, in our shelter who were clearly abandoned. I mean, no one lets a purebred Himalayan outside, or a wedgehead Siamese, or an American Curl. These are cats someone probably paid good money for.

Go to the vet with a positive attitude; the outcome is likely to be exactly what you want.

Originally Posted by mrblanche

even purebreds, in our shelter who were clearly abandoned. I mean, no one lets a purebred Himalayan outside, or a wedgehead Siamese, or an American Curl. These are cats someone probably paid good money for.

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To TS: Yes, plan to take her with you. Of course. Do NOT leave her behind unless she is taken back by a good, stabile home.
But you perhaps want / should seek a little more after owners, to get their OK? It is NOT sure she was dumped, she can have got astray. And if she did choosed you, although already having an decent home, it would be good if you got OK from her previous owners. You may perhaps pay some symbolic sum, but it is worth..

To mrBlanch:
I do agree with you in the whole. But I know for sure it is not very unusual even to purebreds to go astray. I have some connections with swedish-norvegians Russian Blue circles. I know for sure several did got astray. Some got found, some not. And most of these were indoors only. Only one I do have some suspicion he may have been dumped, as he was on the "transfer list" them seeking a new home for him. But probably he felt he wasnt longer welcome, so he left...

Another story, told by a vet ass in a veterinay station at Gothenburg, Sweden. They do now and they gets found cats to pts. Cats where founder told he sought owners, but didnt find. The personel wasnt happy of pts of healthy animals, so this vet ass was allowed to make an extra search.
And had you seen? Every year did she found several grateful owners, who were extremely happy and grateful to get back their beloved household members...
Lesson? Do always seek after owners. Not just a quickie because you should, but do put in some effort.
Some owners dont care very much. Not so few are dumping or leaving behind. But even very good, loving owners may lose their loved pet, without being careless nor negligent.

Seems that the chances are she's microchipped are low. But if she is, and the registration is current, and the owners are looking for her, I think you'll feel wonderful about reuniting her with her family. And this leaves you able to adopt another homeless cat once you've moved!

Of course, given the likelihood is that she isn't microchipped... once you know for sure, then she's yours to take with you, which I would certainly recommend!!!!!!!

You can also put a collar on her with a note attached, saying something like "if this is your cat, please call (your phone number)". That way, if she does go home to someone else, they at least have a chance to let you know about itt.

If, for over a year now, she has been at your house and does not leave...she is your cat, IMO. If you want to have her checked for a chip, you can go to any local shelter or vet and they should be able to check for you. I don't think they would take her from you...they might offer to try and contact the owners, etc. But they can't just take her away from you.

I am willing to be, after a year, she is definitely your cat!

Yes, as everyone said above, take her with you. You cannot just move and leave her as you are her only family and are her guardian now. She has chosen you . And as LDG says, if she is microchipped and reunited with her family, you have done a good deed. There is also the chance that if she is chipped, the owners wouldn't want her back. We have a many strays at the shelter, that were strays with chips and unwanted back by their owners . So I think you have a cat for life .