cat outside all the time, stray?

Trying not to make this too long. We just moved and there is a cat that is living outside 24/7 and hangs out most of the time between my house and the neighbors. It's super friendly and wants to come in my house and has jumped in our car more than once. I tried letting him in the house once but my kitties weren't overly thrilled LOL. I've tried going over and asking if it's the neighbors but we must have different schedules as they haven't been home. This poor guy has no shelter from what I can tell other than the tiny front stoop. I see him sleeping in the dirt between the bushes next to my house a lot. My husband has seen him a few blocks down around the corner before also. 

My daughter and I pet him wherever we see him outside and are getting attached. He seems to be well nourished although his teeth are filthy. The house on the other side of me is vacant right now as the new owners haven't moved in yet. I kind of want to take him in, but I don't want to steal someones cat. So far I haven't fed him. But if I can feel ok that I'm not stealing someones kittie I'd totally take him in, I'm sure my kitties would adjust. I feel sick that he spends all his time outside and that he seems to be really wanting some love and attention. 

What about buying a break away collar and taping a note to it for the owners to contact you if he's owned by someone. If he can keep the collar on, hopefully the owners would contact you. You could also put up flyers asking if he's someone's and give them an email address or something to contact you through. 

Ok I got a chance to talk to the neighbors and it is their cat.

Aw, poor baby! :heart3:

The neighbors told me not to let her in my house because she pees on furniture 

Wow, POOR BABY! I wonder if she's got an untreated UTI?

LDG said:

Wow, POOR BABY! I wonder if she's got an untreated UTI?

Click to expand...

Very possible - OH this poor cat.....

Well, I couldn't take it anymore. There was a storm last night and I got up and tried to look for her knowing she must be outside. When I couldn't find her I left the garage door cracked open enough for her to seek shelter if came by. We have an big old dog bed in there anyway, so she would have something to sleep on. I went out to the garage today and there she was and she ran right to me. I gave her some wet food and water. She wants to come in the house but my dogs are inside and she is unsure of them. Plus when we let her in the house the other day, she ran right up to my door when we came in my cats followed her everywhere and she decided she wanted to go outside again. 

I just feel guilty because she is the neighbors cat and they do feed her. She could use a dental cleaning though. She is so sweet and friendly I feel bad she spends all her time outside by herself. 

Did I mention she is a purebred ragdoll?

You must talk with your neigbours...  As friendly and as diplomatic as you can manage.

How is it, do you have possiblility to adopt this cat?

If yes, you could talk with the neigbours, and propose them this you take her. Perhaps even pay some symbolic sum. To them or some charity you both agree on.

If you cant. 

a) similiar scenario, but you try to find her a new home with someone other

b)  .you advise them how to build a shelter, as they want her to be an outside kitty.  Having shelter, food, vet check up now and then, the cat could do OK.

IF it is true he uses to pee everywhere inside, it will be difficult to find it a place as inside kitty. So outside kitty or barn kitty are the best options.

When talking with them, try to get more out from them. Pee problems arent unusual, we had lots of threads on this in the other Forums.  There are many reasons why a cat begins to pee. Two common is he is fertile, or he gets a URI...  Both are helped with a visit to the vet.      And there is also many tricks to stop the peeing.  The most important to have several litters, not just one.  And wash of all traces of pee in wrong place. There are nowadays biological enzyme cleaners. They are much more effective than the old home remedy tricks.

So you must play their advisor.  Or ask them to ask here...

Much to do, but with any luck you will also get not only good and clean conscience, but also good neigbours as an bonus.

Good luck!   *vibes*

She had already been in my house a few times before I found out for sure that she was the neighbors. She just came right in and made herself at home. She won't come in if she sees the dogs though, only if they are not out in the common rooms. My dogs are good with cats though. I've let her in a couple times since, like today. She hung out with me in my room and let me brush her and I cut off a matt she had on her britches. I've never had a peeing incident with her and I've always watched her the whole time because my two cats are not sure if they want to make friends or not. There has been some posturing but no fighting. I've been giving them all the chance to at least get to know each other for short intervals. I could adopt her but I'd want to be sure she would fit in and be happy. I've only talked to the neighbors a few times as we haven't lived here long so I really don't want to insult them or cause bad feelings. 

I just feel so bad knowing that she is outside all the time, and she is so affectionate and always seeking attention from us anytime she sees us. 

Ok. From what you tell, it sounds as she would soon adapt to the company, and vice versa.  Both cats and dogs. Definitely.  If not 100% sure to be a best friend, so at least a peaceful coexistence.  I almost dare to quarantee this.

Try to talk more with your neigbours.  You dont need to always talk about her. Greet them here, a little small talk there.  Go and lend some sugar when the shops are already closed!   Return the sugar next day perhaps with some small gift "you saved our evening! we could make this ah so necessary cake!"...   And chat amiably and friendly.  

After a while you can probably mention this cat. Perhaps mention you do participate on our forum.  And from here you shall play it by the ear, how much open and ready to listen they are.

Tell here you do see people having outside kitty do make shelters for them. With heating pads in the winter...  (in fact there is a tread about such pads right now, you surely saw it).

If they are eager, fine.  

and who knows, they perhaps are even ready to listen to advices how to make her 100% sure pee free.    (one tip.  If she happened too pee somewhere, and they didnt cleaned it properly, risks are big she will pee there again.  Which may explain why they think she is a peeier, but you didnt saw any signs for it).

If they arent eager to change anything, if they sound like this is a lot of trouble, you can propose to adopt her.  Offer a small sum in their name to a charity.  Or even in the cats name..So they will get a good memory of her - and of you.      Dont offer the sum to them - they may get greedy and demand a bigger sum...

This here of course only if it is ok for you to adopt her. You cant adopt them all!

Otherwise, you can perhaps find her a new home otherwere.  Especielly as it is a purebred cat, and friendly..

Good luck!   *vibes*

Thanks, you've given me some really good advice. 

I had a really similar thing happen. When we moved to this house we're currently renting, I found a gray cat in my yard constantly. She was super thin and no collar, nothing. So I started feeding her. She was wary of me at first, but not for long, and soon became very affectionate, coming inside, etc.

One day I found a flea collar on her and I took it off immediately - they're so dangerous. But I knew something was up. Next thing I know, a neighbor is telling me to stop feeding her because she won't go "home" to them. I declined, saying I was trying to bring a feral in (who is now Mr. Jinx), so I couldn't stop putting food out, because then he wouldn't be fed.

So this neighbor starts telling me all about this cat, and how she lives two doors down, and I ask many questions about her care, etc. There are very few answers. And this cat is ALWAYS outside. And she too, was a "pee-er" but only because she'd never been properly litter trained, which didn't take long.

She now sleeps here every night. I too have issue with "stealing" someone's cat, but I know when an animal is not being looked after. Besides this, the neighbor was rough with her (picked her up harshly) and I could tell she was deathly afraid of him. He couldn't even believe we didn't have to coax her into our house or force her (she comes in on her own every day, many times per day, and all night).

She was also ear tipped, and when I spoke to my vet about her, he told us that the most likely scenario is that he lied and took her to a TNR vet to get a free spay, and didn't care about her also losing her ear tip for that. NOT okay in my book.

If this cat is super friendly and is dying to be loved and come inside, then I think you should let her. If the neighbor starts asking about the cat, I would just say what I did say: "She likes to come in. I don't mind. She's sweet, so it's no problem." More than likely, they won't care, because they probably don't already. Outside in the rain? No way. Not acceptable. She could've gotten sick, and being outside she can get sick constantly!! What about her vet care? And the state of her poor teeth? They're not doing a good job taking care of her.

I was thinking something similar to what you posted. I was worried they would say something about the garage door being cracked because they easily could see her going in and out. My daughter said she was in the garage late last night after I went to bed because my daughter went out there to the garage fridge and saw the door cracked open so she said she called to her but didn't see her. But when she went back later she was there. So she hung out all night and all day in my garage. Not sure if she is in there now as I haven't checked since we had dinner. I figured if anyone asked I'd tell them I'm leaving it cracked due to the storm in case any strays need shelter. 

I'd never heard of ear tipping, I guess they do that for ferals so that they can easily identify who has already been spay/neutered? I can't imagine allowing that to happen to my cat just to save the cost. UGH!

Right, exactly. And you know, if they ask, well - they can only control what this cat does if they keep her indoors. They can't control you, or whether you let a cat in the cold come in. If they don't agree with it, they'll have to change their behaviors, and since they don't really want to, they probably won't, KWIM? And FYI, that "neighbor" has never asked about her (our Sammy) again. So shows how much loss that was. And yes to the tipping - So awful. We just neutered Mr. Jinx this week and I happily paid full price to take him to my vet and get every proper medical thing he needed. And he got to keep both ears!

Melesine said:

I was thinking something similar to what you posted. I was worried they would say something about the garage door being cracked because they easily could see her going in and out. My daughter said she was in the garage late last night after I went to bed because my daughter went out there to the garage fridge and saw the door cracked open so she said she called to her but didn't see her. But when she went back later she was there. So she hung out all night and all day in my garage. Not sure if she is in there now as I haven't checked since we had dinner. I figured if anyone asked I'd tell them I'm leaving it cracked due to the storm in case any strays need shelter. 

I'd never heard of ear tipping, I guess they do that for ferals so that they can easily identify who has already been spay/neutered? I can't imagine allowing that to happen to my cat just to save the cost. UGH!

Click to expand...

AW you have a good heart and this cat needs you . Honestly, I would just go directly to the neighbor's and discuss the cat with them right out. Nicely, of course. Just be totally honest and up front. I think it is wonderful that you are caring for this cat the way you are. I have to really wonder if you would be doing the neighbor's a "favor". I would go and talk to them about this kitty, politely and honestly and see how they feel about maybe you adopting this cat - if they don't mind. It seems to me they obviously do not care one way or another for this cat anyway. :shame: Good luck with you decision - either way - I would keep caring for the beauty and not worry if anyone sees the cat coming in and out of your garage. You are doing the right thing - for the cat - that is what is most important IMO.

Side note - The ear tipping is done for all feral cat's that will be released back outside - then this cat will be visibly identified as an already sterilized feral and wouldn't be trapped a second time. OR if the cat was trapped, it would be released right away upon the trapper seeing the ear tip. Some feral TNR organizations will agree to not tip a friendly stray's ear if you are able to adopt the cat or will promise to find it another home. In other words - that the cat will never be released to live outdoor's as a feral cat...... and you will be taking responsibility for this cat in finding it a forever home.

And not to hi-jack (I apologize!) but considering that our "neighbor's cat" was ear-tipped tells me (as someone who doesn't necessarily know any different) that this cat is a feral who is completely adoptable, because she was turned out to live a life outdoors.

And yes, please! Keep helping that little lady you have there. She is obviously in need, and she found the right giving person to help her. Eventually I'm sure she'll be yours, as is Sammy. We now take care of her food and vet visits, etc. Worth it, because we love her. She's our spazzy kitty! All legs, and once dropped a live mouse in my bed (under the covers!!!!). How's that for a present?! LOL

mrjinx said:

 that "neighbor" has never asked about her (our Sammy) again. So shows how much loss that was.

Click to expand...

The advice to just take the cat is quite dangerous.  YOU were lucky they totally didnt cared, and let it be.  But if they do care. Perhaps not about the cat, but about their pride, their "face"!??  You can get a lot of trouble.  Lets say the authorities will understand your standing and lay down the case against you. If nothing else, having a hostile neigbour is not nice.

Anyway, we as Advisors, or TCS site itself,  cant neither suggest nor approve such self taking.  Unless in a desperate situation being in hurry.

IF you do it, it must be as private persons entirely on your own responsibility.

Better to talk with them as skissed above.   The only question is, do it safely and slowly be getting "good neighbours" with them at first, or do it as Feralvr suggests, approach directly.

Feralvrs suggestion is the quicker. Maybe better  The drawback is, if they are semi-hostile, they perhaps dont even want to talk. And this will be the end.

I for exemple, I do never talk with telephone-salesmen. Practically never ever. I always end these talks not always even bothering to be polite..

My hypothesis: if  being on talking terms - it will be much easier to talk about, get advices accepted, etc etc.

And as a bonus - making it a win - win situation,  hopefully getting a friendly neigbour instead of a potentially hostile neigbour.

It is good and nice to live in peace and friendliness with neigbours, but nasty to live with hostile ones.

This is my opinion, both as private person and as Advisor here.  

Good luck!   *vibes*

Well she slept in the house all night last night for the first time. She was in my garage again, and I let her in. The dogs had already gone to bed so she didn't see them. My cats must be getting more familiar with her because they got nose to nose a few times and tried to approach but the following was less intense. There are some lying down near each other and my more assertive cat gave way to her, she is obviously older than them, as they aren't even a year old yet.

I let her sleep in my room with the door closed. I didn't want her wandering the house at night or to worry about possible cat fight while I was sleeping, especially with a possibility of a pee issue. She slept in bed with me the whole time and no potty problem but she didn't use the cat box at all. So I put her outside this morning so she could do her business since she was inside for 9 hours. We are using Tidy Cat Breeze and I would have heard if she got in the box in my master bathroom. 

Not sure what to do about the cat box situation. I do have 1 normal hooded box and a little clay litter left. My daughter suggested last night I set it up just to be safe. I just switched my cats over to the Breeze full time and removed my regular boxes a week ago and don't want a set back, but I could put a clay box in the master bathroom only I guess if she is going to start staying her every night. 

Use the "Cat Attract" litter - they have it at PetSmart for the lowest price. It's great! I was given that advice with Mr. Jinx who presumably had never seen a litterbox in his 6-10 years, and he took one sniff and ever since he's been the best box user ever! It's great, and for one cat, it lasts a while.

Glad she came in. She obviously likes being an indoor kitty.