Met a new stray kitten friend in my neighborhood

Hello everyone,

Last week i met a stray cat with my friend and we've been feeding him ever since. My friend was the one who found him it was raining and he tapped my friends leg and meowed at him. We did not understand what he wanted maybe food? We noticed was hanging around this house with bushes and a tiny front lawn (i live in nyc). In the beginning he was shy and backed away when we tried to pet him (seperately). After 2 days past he let us pet him and started licking us (i'm guessing he likes us now). These past 2 days he actually comes out from the bushes and meows at us. I fed him today and i walked away for a second and he came out pass the bushes. This must be a good sign since he usually stays far away back in the bushes. So he meowed at either me or my friend to come sit down and stay with him while he was eating. He is very kind and cute i want to actually try to adopt him for myself.

But yesterday and today i noticed something strange. He licks, scratches, and bites himself now. I know he's probably grooming but i didnt really see him do all of that in the beginning when i met him. Also i noticed when he was eating the back of his front legs were spikey, Does this mean he has fleas on him now? I'm still very new at cat behavior so i dont know what this means. I really wanna help him but i dont know how. Any Suggestions?

thanks for reading!

photos said:

 He is very kind and cute i want to actually try to adopt him for myself.
But yesterday and today i noticed something strange. He licks, scratches, and bites himself now. I know he's probably grooming but i didnt really see him do all of that in the beginning when i met him. Also i noticed when he was eating the back of his front legs were spikey, Does this mean he has fleas on him now? I'm still very new at cat behavior so i dont know what this means. I really wanna help him but i dont know how. Any Suggestions?

thanks for reading!

Click to expand...

Ah, so you are going to adopt him!  Good!

Im a greet believer such spontan adoptions are the best. it like a God send gift. To be Chosen.

Better than just randomly buying a cat.

A standard advice is, before you bring such a newbe home, you go to a vet for a check up, defleasing, deparasiting.  So the vet will also look at his scratching.

Him getting fleas NOW is interesting.  It would hint he is got astray or got dumped quite recently, as he got fleas first now.

If he got dumped, you will not find his old owner.

But if he got astray, you can try and seek, even should.  Look at message boards around for Missing. Contact shelters and vets around for Missing.   You can also put on your messages Found.

But dont describe him too closely. Let the owner identify himself by describing him exactly.

Likewise, use a prepaid cell/mobile phone card, if you dont want to reveal your exact identity to everybody.  There are some jerks and quirks out there.

Ok, the self catch.   If he is astray or dumped, he will probably know what a carrier is, and hopefully, will go into it himself.  You can have some treats inside.

Otherwise, lay a towel over him, and wrap him up.  Wrapped up, he is immobilized, and ceases resistance.  It is no treason, it is a mild way.

I know owners of cats who hate to have nails clipped, they wrap their stud in such a toga / burrito, and they can proceed with this nail clipping with amiable friendliness.

Good luck!

He may have fleas.  If you are going to adopt him, you'll need to take care of those and any other parasites he may have picked up.  Make a vet appointment for him and see what the vet says.  Once he's got the all clear (treatment for parasites and his vaccinations), you can take him home with no worries.

He may take awhile to adjust to your home.  Giving him his own room, complete with food and potty, will help his adjustment go easier.

i'm a little scared of trying to capture him even with a carrier. will this make him feel trapped and i did something wrong to him? i wanna naturely make him follow me home if thats even possible i'm sure all cats are different but trapping seems a little harsh.

It would be dangerous to try to get him to follow you home. He might get hit by a car or chased by a dog, there are so many things that could happen once he is out of his "safe area".

Get a large carrier and sit down next to it. Give him food or play with him as usual to help him relax. Some cat treats or cat nip will encourage him to go inside. Let him take his time and he won't get stressed out. He might be a bit surprised once you shut the door and move him, but think of how happy and safe he'll be once he gets to his new home.

It's much better to try and take him home as soon as you can. Sadly, young cats don't last very long outside on their own.

I agree with Nora-chan.  Besides, having him in a carrier makes it easy for you to take him immediately to the vet.  If the vet has not time for him immediately, he can be in this carrier several hours waiting.

If you take him home first, 1. you risk to get the quarantine room full with fleas.

2.  This will be worse to take him to the vet from your home...

Easier to do it at once, take to the vet, and he comes home to you after the unpleasant vet visit and you let him out from the carrier at your home.  This is a trick by itself.  

Good luck!

My cats will not speak to me for hours after a vet visit - it's a natural reaction.  But you have to remember he needs to be healthy and as his owner, you will be responsible for that.  Once you have him vetted, leave the carrier out in your house.  He will get used to it and may even use it as a hidey place, like one of my cats does.  Everyone else avoids the carrier like the plague!

If you do try to get him in a carrier, try tossing treats in it to lure him in, rather than trying to pick him up and put him in it.  If he isn't used to being picked up, he will struggle and may scratch or bite.

Good luck!

little update for today, i got him to follow me this time for his meal at his usual spot and when i left he kinda followed me but i noticed he stopped at his border. The border from where i usually see him and doesn't seem to cross that border. but i walked a little farther and looked back not sure if he walked back or walking towards me i hope he goes back. naturally he goes into hiding so i hope he does that until i can actually take him to the vet. Its a busy block so i was planning to get him into a carrier at night bring him home and take him to the vet the next day.  I have work til 8pm ish so idk if i can bring him immediately to the vet. but i think i'm definitely earning his trust now. Is there a alternative to a carrier since i cant get a hold of one anytime soon?

can't wait to see him tomorrow!

You definitely want to use a carrier-cats most definitely have "territories" & you may have walked him up to the edge of his. So next time bring a carrier & get him straight to a vet. Don't take him home first in case he does have fleas! You don't want to bring those home!!!! Good luck with your new baby-how wonderful he found such a great caretaker!

He seems to have chosen you as his person. That's great! Good luck with getting him to the vet and into his new home.

I can't wait to see some pictures of him.

hello,

So i've been doing the same thing feeding it everyday with the exception of missing one or two days. It can now follow me in short distances. For example he is laying somewhere not near my usual "spot" where i feed him he would follow me anyway even if i don't have food. He would rub his head on me hand or leg. Of course later on i give it to him when my friend comes from the grocery store. I think i'm gonna finally pull the trigger and attempt to catch him on tuesday other than leaving treats or catnip in the carrier any other tips or advice i need to know?

thanks i will get wonderful pictures of his new home soon!

New update,

Is he having a change of heart. These pass 3 or so days he's been acting a bit distant. Not coming over to me when i sit down at the "spot". not licking or letting me pet her. Tonight i was trying to pet him and try to get him to lick me, i wasn't too aggressive, he walked around me and under my legs but didnt let me pet him. Then something even more STRANGE happened. While he was walking around me a couple walked pass us with a cage in their hands. Could they have been trying to catch him? Is this why he has been acting distant with me? Does change of clothes come into factor? i am very confused and getting impatient with him.

That is kind of weird.....

Did you get chance to talk to the couple with the cage? They might be concerned about seeing a cat out on his own and be trying to catch him too. Maybe you could tell them that you are planning to keep him, then they won't worry about him.

Cats can be very moody creatures. They'll have their "distant" days and their "friendly" days. As long as he is still coming up to you and isn't hissing at you or trying to hide I wouldn't worry about it. Try sprinkling a bit of cat nip on your clothes. That should make him come closer.

If you have the cat carrier and everything ready but he won't go in on his own you could try wrapping him up in a blanket and putting him in there. You'll probably only get one shot at doing this so stay calm, come up behind him, put the blanket over his head so he can't see what's going on then pick him up and put him in the carrier. Then you can take him home. He'll probably struggle a bit, I recommend long sleeves and gardening gloves in case he scratches. I've done this with a totally wild injured fox once, so it IS possible. The trick is to be calm and act quickly.

Good luck.

We may all have jumped the gun by telling you to take him home.  Before that happens, make sure he isn't someone's cat.  Do you know if he's already fixed?  If so, you need to make an effort to find his owners.  He may be a stray but he may also be an owned cat who is allowed to roam outside.

The couple with the cage may have good intentions - or not.  This was one reason we urged you to use a carrier and take him home.  Cats are territorial - you are feeding him in his territory.   If you find he has no owner and take him to your apartment, he will learn to recognize it as his new territory.  That may take awhile and it is vital you not let him out at all.  Actually, cats are better off inside anyway.  Too much bad stuff can happen outside.

If you are going to take responsibility for this cat, do it now or your chance will be lost.