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Signs that a cat is actually Homeless ...

post #1 of 10
11/13/11 at 11:18am
Thread Starter 

Trap or not to trap - that is the question.

 

How have others dwelt with this decision?

 

I have several cats now coming for food - most of them seem picky about the food offerings - should I consider them a "Neighbor's Cat" and not attempt to TNR them?

 

I sort of think the ones that are picky about the food I provide might be someone's cat that they let outside at night - but, then I've been feeding them really well for the last month - so ???? :)

 

Any suggestions on how to discern the status of the cat?

 

 

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post #2 of 10
11/13/11 at 12:34pm
If it has a collar, I'd be less inclined to trap it, if it doesn't have a collar and you TNR it, well, that's on the family that didn't put a collar on their pet. Too bad.
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post #3 of 10
11/13/11 at 8:32pm
I figure all cats need spaying/neutering, owned or not. So if they come on your property, fair game. I'd hate to put a spayed female through being doped and shaved again, but better that than a litter of kittens in your garage. I might be inclined to let the females alone for a while, to see if they seem to come into heat or not. But an unneutered male? Snip snip!
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post #4 of 10
11/14/11 at 4:13am

A problem is also the costs. Unless you really do afford (either being well to do or by having access to a very cheap and helpsome vet).

IF the cat is owned, you can hopefully talk the owner for neutering.  You perhaps promise to help with the practical details.

 

Good luck!

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post #5 of 10
11/14/11 at 10:05am
Hi Gloria, and bless you for feeding these stray's. They found a real cat lover in you hugs.gif. My thinking is this, if the cat or cat's come around everyday in search of food, and you see them multiple times a day, then I would consider them homeless IMO and would start trapping. Are they friendly? Can you pet them? Do they rub on your legs? OR..... do they run off when you bring out the food? Watch you from a distance? Meow at you? That would help help discern the difference too. If they are friendly, you could try to put one in a crate and bring to the vet only to see if there is a microchip. The vet won't charge you for that. If no chip, then I would assume they are homeless and just friendly abandoned pet's. Good luck with these outside kitties. Since you live in California, these cat's might not always be hungry and be catching prey, but are hanging around because you are SO NICE biggrin.gifbiggrin.gif . Sometimes in the summer month's, my feral's will walk past the food I put out because they are just not hungry. Probably just ate a rodent agree.gif. But in the winter months here in the MIdwest, they will hang close to their caretaker and wait for those nice warm meals. wavey.gifvibes.gifvibes.gifvibes.gifvibes.gif
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post #6 of 10
11/14/11 at 11:35pm

Yeah get those kitties and as someone else said "fair game". I am the ultimate conflict-avoidant person and my avoidance cost my foster boy Curly coming down with FIV. I was told he was the neighbors cat and yeah he was, but abandoned.

 

Every single time I have ignored my instinct I have had to do much heavier lifting than if I had acted promptly right from the beginning. So trust that if you are doing a lot of feeding, sadly the people on the other end aren't caring properly for the cats. 

 

If you do have access to spay/neuter low cost, you can always also circulate a flyer offering your services and strike up a conversation that way, but still take the kitties as they appear and TNR them, feed them, treat them and put them up for adoption if you have access to a group or are part of one. The most important way to find out if you have a caring family on the other end, take the cat, wait a week, call all the hospitals police etc and see if the family reports it. My families never have said anything.

 

I have learned over many years and the hard way that always it is better to just take the cats and wander back later, innocently, with inquiries if you so choose. So long as you do the vetting etc. you will never get yelled at since it saves them money.

 

No matter what you can always go back if you choose, but you can also just move the kitties to a better place if your gut tells you that is where they belong. Either way you cannot go wrong doing what the cats need and later approaching the neighbors. 

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post #7 of 10
11/15/11 at 4:47pm
Just checking in Gloria hugs.gifhugs.gif I would also start looking into a TNR organization in your area/county. This will help you with the costs agree.gif. Most will have traps you can borrow too and they are very willing to help caring folks in the community who are trying to spay/neuter strays. Sending more vibes to you and these kitties vibes.gifvibes.gifvibes.gifvibes.gifvibes.gifvibes.gifvibes.gifvibes.gifvibes.gif
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post #8 of 10
11/15/11 at 6:49pm
Thread Starter 

We have a clinic where I can take them - $25 each for altering - and I think they also give a rabies shot.

I once had contact with one person who helped me with traps and making my way around the clinic's "policies", but don't know if I'll be able to get in touch with her now.

 

I do have a trap that I can use.  Right now I'm trying to figure out where I'll house a female once she's spayed - I'd like to keep her a few days before I release her.

 

Thank you so much for your interest in helping me with this and for the valuable information.

 

Once I started putting out food - the word is getting around, and more cats are coming for food. (yes, I knew that would happen - that's part of why I'd like to identify their status so I won't feel bad about discouraging them to eat at my table.  :))  Last night I had one guy that decided he was going to be a tough guy and started not playing nice. I opened the garage door and he scooted off.   All the others get along.  I've been putting out about 4-5 different food stations so non of the cats "feel" threatened with the presence of another cat.

 

Originally I had three kittens coming - that's what got me started again.  Two males and a female - obviously litter mates.  The little girl was warming up to me and just as I was going to "collect" her she stopped coming around.  I fear something bad has happened to her.  Her brothers are still coming for their regular meal.

 

I'm more concerned about getting the younger calico - I'm afraid that she's getting closer to becoming wild and it'll be harder to get her before she comes into season.  

 

Ugh!  :)

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post #9 of 10
11/15/11 at 6:59pm
Thread Starter 

 

BarbB

Quote:
Yeah get those kitties and as someone else said "fair game". I am the ultimate conflict-avoidant person and my avoidance cost my foster boy Curly coming down with FIV. I was told he was the neighbors cat and yeah he was, but abandoned. ...

 

 

 

I hear what you're feeling about your foster getting FIV - but you did what you could with the information you had.  

 

My regrets are also that I didn't get Gray neutered soon enough - like when he first arrived.  

 

I just didn't know anything about TNR, clinics that would help with the costs, trapping - I mean I was so ignorant - and that ignorance perhaps cost Gray some health value.   

 

Gray is a big cat, and fearless - he had his family here in our yard, and he defended it and them.  (They are all inside now.) 

 

I also knew nothing about these horrible diseases - basically - I was, and probably still am a cat novice.  :)

 

We all do the best we can with the information that we have and the resources available to us - so we shouldn't beat ourselves up unless we know something and just don't do it.  :)

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post #10 of 10
11/15/11 at 8:00pm

When I was trapping cats in my neighbourhood, I put pamphlets in everyone's mailbox letting them know what days I was going to be trapping and to warn them to keep their cats inside or under supervision for those days (I didn't tell them where I was trapping for safety reasons). The pamphlet also had some general info on feral cats and TNR to help increase awareness. I know for a fact that I caught at least one cat that was "owned", but he was an un-neutered male with a huge abscess on his front leg from fighting. Clearly his so-called owners didn't give a damn. He's since been adopted into a loving home by people who actually care about his wellbeing. So ya, "fair game" indeed!

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