Stray or abandoned cat who's struggling to relax

shadyferret

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My Question:

I don't know how to make the stray I'm caring for happy by meeting his needs to roam while being safe (which is making it very difficult for the humans to sleep), I don't know if I can get a hold of his registered owner - who's listed number lead me to a very suspicious phone call and I can't tell if I'm being tricked into giving the cat to wrong person in a divorce, and I don't really want to bring him back to the local Humane Society shelter because I know how hard it is for an adult cat to get adopted. I'm torn because part of me really wants to keep him but the current situation isn't working while the other part of me wants to reunite him with his right owner but I can't tell if that's the right decision for him. Another part of me wants to update his shots, let him back out to his territory and bring him in during bad weather or whenever he wants but there's so many concerns with that idea.

Any ideas on what I should do or how I can safely cater to his needs? Open the windows is out because he tries popping out the screens and the balcony isn't safe for him because he keeps jumping on my banister and I'm on the 3rd floor. I give him supervised visits to the balcony but I can't do that at night. Also, I have 2 cats who are adjusting to him being there but he can't fully roam the apartment. They are giving him more and more opportunity every day though, so maybe he can in a week.

History:

I live in an apartment complex and my building is nestled in the edge of a forest, by a large dog park, and next to the garbage and recycle dumpsters. You can imagine what kind of animals lurk, or don't lurk, in my area.

One night about 6 weeks ago I decided to call a cat who's been watching me and see what he did. He came running towards me and rubbed himself madly against me - basically he was petting my hand with his head - and even kept asking for a tummy rub!! o_O I lead him back to a unit I thought was his (in a different building) and the woman seemed happy to see him. She said his name was "Buddy" and that he had adopted her family when they moved into the unit. When I got back to my unit I found both my hands were black even though he's half white.

Up until last week I would spend time with him and periodically bring Buddy home when it was late and the winds were stormy. Each time a new person would answer the door and be less enthusiastic about me bringing Buddy back than the last. Then last week I saw Buddy out all day waiting by their back door, except when I went to take out the garbage. I thought that maybe they'd finally let him in. The next morning my roomie told me that Buddy was still out at 11pm during stormy winds. He appeared to be waiting for someone in our building.

We were pretty mad about that so we set up my roomie's bedroom and joining bathroom for Buddy. I got him into my unit fine and I scheduled a vet appointment for him to make sure he didn't have FeLV, fleas, etc.

He's healthy, other than a few fleas which is now treated, and he has a chip. I called the chip registration company and found out he was adopted in 2007 as a kitten to a Chelsey, who lived at a very different address. They couldn't reach her and she didn't have voice-mail. I can have the cat transferred to me, but its best to get a hold of Chelsey first. I called yesterday and got a hold of a person who gave me "Chelsey's husband's number". She seemed pretty calm, almost unconcerned, about the news I gave about the cat. Chelsey's husband's voice-mail is full so I can't leave a message.

While I've been doing this, Blue - turns out that's Buddy's original name - has been struggling to adapt to an indoor-only lifestyle. He (very loudly) mournfully cries at night at the windows and doors. I think it's because he wants to roam his territory. I have no idea how long he's been a stray, but he struggles with a lot of what should be normal concepts for an adopted cat. He's perplexed by grain-free, 95% meat wet food and grain-free dry food alike (I don't have raw in the house at the moment). The male cats have adjusted surprisingly quick to each other, but a fight nearly broke out last night because Blue's antics at the window freaked out my female cat.

I do have a balcony that is set up for my cats to roam about and they are allowed unsupervised visits to the balcony during the day and evening. My roomie and I give Blue supervised visits to the balcony but he keeps trying to jump on the banister and we're on the 3rd floor.

I'm struggling to sleep because I have a very upset kitty who's either crying to be outside or freaking out my female cat so I periodically have to lock him back up, which is making him very lonely. Blue is locked up in my roomie's room, which wasn't a problem until the crying started so now my roomie is unhappily sleeping on the couch. Blue is super sweet, loving, social, and trusting cat but he's confused and while he's happy to be around my roomie and I, he's still sad.

Much thanks to any advice!!
 

feralvr

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I am trying to get this straight! :lol3: I have your post a couple of times. SO Blue was basically abandoned at the complex where you live. He has a chip and is he NEUTERED?? Because that will help with him to settle down indoors. So I will assume he is neutered since he is chipped and was owned by somebody at one time. The lady who lives near you says that this cat whom she calls, Buddy, was just there when they moved in so she started caring for him? AND you also care for him. :hugs: You have tried calling the number listed for the microchip, so you are doing the right thing. I doubt that these people will want the cat back, but who knows. He could be lost, but is unlikely. Maybe keep trying to call a few more times and then that's it. Honestly, I would go ahead and get his shots and claim him as your own cat. NOW do you want to keep this kitty as your own? OR do you want to try to find him a home? I don't think I would just release him back outside and care for him as an outdoor cat. I think he wants more than a life outdoors. But can you keep another cat, is the question. I agree that it is worrisome that he is on the balcony railing looking down as if he might jump (so it sounds). :nervous: Can you make it safer by enclosing the balcony? There is screening you could probably install, but that would require the approval of the landlord. :sigh: I wish I could suggest more and I think we need to know if you want to keep this cat. I think he is unowned as of now, has no home. Was abandoned. :shame: So he needs someone to help him find his way to a forever home.

It can take quite some time for a cat to adjust to living indoors, but it can be done. Building an outdoor, safe area is the best of both worlds, if possible. Blue sounds really sweet and I think he is stressed, obviously, because of being abandoned. Cats love a routine and schedule, especially kitties that were once house kitties. We don't know for sure Blue's past, but it sounds like he is not sure what he wants indoors or outdoors. You have to make that decision for him. Please let us know how this all turns out. I hope others come along soon with some more helpful suggestions. :vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes:
 
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shadyferret

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I finally got some sleep without interruption last night. I think I can do a better job of explaining the situation now.
BTW, yes he's neutered. I don't know if it's possible to get an unaltered pet from a shelter, at least in this area. Clips and chips seem to go hand-in-hand


When I took Blue to the vet the first time, he was surprisingly healthy in some aspects. When he started crying so loud I couldn't sleep very well and I thought that maybe the neighbor who calls him "Buddy" had been caring for him but giving into his demands to be outside. So I mentioned it because I couldn't think whether or not it should be considered an option. I know, that idea wasn't clear.

However, now that my mind is functioning better, I've re-examined what I know. His flea collar was old (I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they didn't know flea collars are not good for a cat), his fur is very loose despite being a big cat, and it's possible that his once-blackened fur is clean because he washed the dirt out and not because his family washed him X( I noticed that the less black residue on my hands from our encounters disappeared, weeks later. Until last week I didn't care for him, other than giving him lots of affection, because I wanted to respect the woman who said "Buddy" was theirs because he had adopted their unit. I tried feeding him once but he just put his face in it so I opted to giving him the frequent attention he wanted.

A part of me started feeling bad about taking a family's cat (and still does), but they clearly didn't care for him and I don't think talking to them will go well. They would probably want the cat back because there's children in the house, but they are just old enough to really want a kitty without being able to care for said kitty. I've been watching and listening for any signs that they miss the cat and I figure that I would tell them when that happens. I think the lady once cared for him but time and the children have worn on her. I kind of get the impression that she's caring for her grandchildren without much help. Perhaps she still wishes she could care for him, but the evidence points to a person who once cared and no longer can. It seems like he's been abandoned over and over again :(

Today he finally ate two meals with relative ease on the humans' part. He does like the food, he just has trouble figuring out how to start eating and I think it relates to being able to relax. He finally ate yesterday after about 30 minutes of continuous affection before we re-presented his food and without the other cats present. He's almost completely free to roam now so long as he gives the female cat, Poe, space for the most part.

I call again the number I have after I started the thread and no one answered. I called the chip registration company and notified them of the new number and my attempts, and they gave me the information I need to change registered ownership if I decide to keep him. They also gave me his registered city address, which is 27 miles from me! There's a giant lake and 3 surrounding cities between his registered city address and my home address! Either his registered owner moved and never updated the info or that cat has been on quite the adventure.

So that does leave it open to whether I find him a family or I care for him as a new addition to my family, because it appears that's what it's coming down to now. I'm not handing the cat off to "Chelsey's husband" if the man won't let me talk to Chelsey. I still find the whole conversation creepy because the woman I first talked to during my efforts to locate the primary owner said that Chelsey was/is married to her son (she had a really thick accent so I can't tell if she was using present or past tense). She gave me "Chelsey's husband's number", refused to give me Chelsey's number, refused to give me her son's name and kept saying "Chelsey's husband." Perhaps Chelsey doesn't want the cat, but that should be update to Chelsey and not this mystery man.

If I could find him a home I would, although I don't know a lot of local people anymore. There is one coworker who's very good with cats and I know she wants one, but she is conflicted with adopting a cat because of her cramped apartment and work hours. At my place, feeding was not simple even before Blue showed up. Poe has acute allergies to most cat food and Mojo is on a special diet to deal with his chronic condition and weight loss. His food happens to be what she wants and vice versa so I lock them in separate rooms. If I could get Blue to regularly eat in one of the rooms with another cat, and that cat accepts the arrangement, then that might be okay. Hopefully one day they can all eat the same food...

The balcony was partially enclosed for the other two cats. I zip-tied chicken wire along the bottom so they couldn't get caught in the rails. I could probably zip-tie something between the rails below the banister and the nails along the eaves, although that does put a damper in having a balcony - but if I could zip-tie something on the outside of my rails so a human could lean over somewhat and then attach the top to the nails already left in the eaves, that might work. I don't think I need landlord permission for that. At worst they would say it negatively impacts the building's appearance, but my balcony faces a wall of trees and my landlords seem reasonable.

Yes, cats do love routine... every morning at 5:30ish I have a little black cat waking me up. She does it with affection tho' so it's okay :) The more I think about it keeping Blue wouldn't change much as far as cat care goes. I don't have to buy anything new for him except a carrier as I already had a spare litter box, feeding bowl, water fountain, toys, and scratching posts. I buy their food and litter in bulk and I'm hoping to put him on Mojo's diet. As it so happens, September is vaccine month for Mojo and Poe, so his vaccine schedule would be the same. Costs would go up, but outside of shots it wouldn't increase by much, I think.

Clearly I have a lot to think about! I hope I'm not missing anything to consider (I have the information I or someone else needs to transfer ownership). I hope that his night cries will stop soon though because my roomie still sleeps on the couch.
 

feralvr

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You know, I think you are already this cat's owner. You have done what you can to try to contact the original name/number according to that chip. So far away, 27 miles? I bet they moved and never changed the chip info. :nod: You could just talk to the lady with all of the kids and ask her if she minds you keeping "Buddy". She might actually thank you for taking him in. :cross: We can hope. OR you just say nothing and keep on with caring and loving him. I do think in time he will stop the incessant howling to get out. I am having the same issue with my Wendall. I started letting him out on our enclosed deck. Only with my supervision. NOW he carries on all evening long while we are watching TV or on the computer wanting to go out. :rolleyes: Very annoying. Now I have to start NOT letting him out at all and hope that he forgets about it. I am hoping for WINTER to come so he won't want to go out on the deck. :lol3:

Anyway, good luck with Blue. He sounds really sweet and I hope that he works out and gets along with your other kitties. :rub: :vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes:
 
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