Can you help me tell if this cat is stray?

Hi

We have a cat that's been visiting us for a few months now and I'd really like some advice about whether you think she is a stray or not.

She is extremely affectionate towards us, and always seems ridiculously happy to see us. At the start she was very thin but now her belly seems quite round (more round a few weeks ago and now she has a saggy bit near her back legs so we wonder now if she was/is pregnant) but her fur also seems in good condition, not like you would expect a stray cat's to be. She has no collar.

We thinks she must have owners though as she seems well fed, and also there is a similar cat with the same markings as her (but furrier) that we sometimes see, that we think might be a sibling that might live with her somewhere.

She is constantly trying to get in the house. If we leave a window open she will jump in the house (even on the second floor).

She has now started scratching at the windows and door to get in and meows when she sees us from outside. In the last few days when it's been cold and frosty she has been round more often, but we're not sure if her owners are just throwing her out when they are at work and on the weekends.

She seems to be at our house more and more lately, and we don't know whether we should feed her/ let her in, as we don't want her to be hungry or cold. I fed her twice when she had been at the house all day and night and I was worried she mustn't have eaten elsewhere, but she has acted like this even before then.

We would take her in if we knew for sure she was stray, but don't want to suddenly take over someone else's cat.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Karen

I would put up fliers around your neighborhood.  Go door to door with a picture of the cat asking neighbors if they know of this cat.  She certainly must be owned or fed somewhere.  She also seems to want a warm house and bed, but her owners have put her out.  I certainly hope she is not pregnant. 

Try the fliers and word of mouth with neighbors.  You could also get her into a cat carrier and take her to a vet to see if she has a microchip.  If no one answers your fliers, you could start to care for her.  Just be sure she is taken to a vet for a clean bill of health as well as to be sure she is spayed. 

Thank you for caring for this sweet one.

If you are really alarmed, you CAN take her in already now, but simultaneously, you must seek after owners, as skissed above.

That is the tip for cats whom you think are freshy astray / dumped.  As the first time on their own is very dangerous, before they learned the basic of surving outside.   In such cases its not enough to "have your eyes open."

She is apparenty used to roam, and take care of herself, at least somewhat.  So here its not the same hurry.

But if you decide there are dangers, you may - but seek after owners, whichever version you choose.

Tx for caring!

Good luck!

Thanks for your answers.

I'll do as you both suggest and put some filers up in the local shop and around the neighbourhood and if I don't get a response then I'll try checking with a vet if she's been chipped. I don't want to offend the possible owners by suggesting their cat isn't been cared for, but it would be a relief to know she did have somewhere to go, as she does seem so desperate to get in our house.

Thanks again for your advice.

ShadowsRescue said:

I would put up fliers around your neighborhood.  Go door to door with a picture of the cat asking neighbors if they know of this cat.  She certainly must be owned or fed somewhere.  She also seems to want a warm house and bed, but her owners have put her out.  I certainly hope she is not pregnant. 

Try the fliers and word of mouth with neighbors.  You could also get her into a cat carrier and take her to a vet to see if she has a microchip.  If no one answers your fliers, you could start to care for her.  Just be sure she is taken to a vet for a clean bill of health as well as to be sure she is spayed. 

Thank you for caring for this sweet one.

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Sometimes children walking to/from school or people who take their dogs for regular walks are also aware of where cats live.