I may have made a mistake

While my brother eas working, he found my male, a presumed stray cat. He'd been hanging around the workmen and followed my brother into the house where he was working. The homeowners said he was a nuisance and she believed he was a stray.
He was small and a little skinny when I took him from my brother, he was not fixed, and he had fleas. He was very friendly and affectionate, however. I think the first vet overestimated his age though, because he has gotten a LOT bigger since I've had him. So, that could explain his size and the fact that he wasn,t fixed yet.
My brother was recently in that neigjborhod again and, as he was leaving, a cat walked into the middle of the street and just sat there. It appeared that it might have come from a house with kids playing outside but he can't be sure. He said the cat looked forlorn and lonely. This house was around the corner from where he found the other male.
After observing my male's behavior for a while and seeing that he seems to enjoy interaction with other cats more than with people, I'm worried that he might have lived with that other cat. He had fleas but he could have been an outdoor cat and I took him away from his playmate and the outdoors, which he seems to be yearning for.
It is also possible that there are a lot of strays in that area. Unless I go door to door, I won't know. Maybe, I was too hasty. Now, I don't know what to do. I can't just drop him off in the street without knowing but telling someone I've had his/her cat for months, had him neutered, and accidentally mistook him for a stray may not go ovet too well.

wannahelp said:

While my brother eas working, he found my male, a presumed stray cat. He'd been hanging around the workmen and followed my brother into the house where he was working. The homeowners said he was a nuisance and she believed he was a stray.
He was small and a little skinny when I took him from my brother, he was not fixed, and he had fleas. He was very friendly and affectionate, however. I think the first vet overestimated his age though, because he has gotten a LOT bigger since I've had him. So, that could explain his size and the fact that he wasn,t fixed yet.
My brother was recently in that neigjborhod again and, as he was leaving, a cat walked into the middle of the street and just sat there. It appeared that it might have come from a house with kids playing outside but he can't be sure. He said the cat looked forlorn and lonely. This house was around the corner from where he found the other male.
After observing my male's behavior for a while and seeing that he seems to enjoy interaction with other cats more than with people, I'm worried that he might have lived with that other cat. He had fleas but he could have been an outdoor cat and I took him away from his playmate and the outdoors, which he seems to be yearning for.
It is also possible that there are a lot of strays in that area. Unless I go door to door, I won't know. Maybe, I was too hasty. Now, I don't know what to do. I can't just drop him off in the street without knowing but telling someone I've had his/her cat for months, had him neutered, and accidentally mistook him for a stray may not go ovet too well.

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I think you shall continue and keep him.  Now when you had him several months.  After all, if his supposed owners were concerned, they would seek after him, no? Leawing leaflets, knocking doors, etc...   So nobody can really have any accustations to you, EVEN if.   The only you risk is some tear-shearing tales about some child who misses the cat...  Which cant be true as they didnt sought actively, but it would make you uncomfortable, seem hardhearted to say it aloud and deny.

It may be true, you could do this when you got your cat at first.  Take him in and help him, and parallelly seek after owners.  But done is done.

Anyways, the probability is he wasnt really owned.  At best somebody gave some food to a homeless stray...

And, IF he had a formal owner, this owner didnt care very much.

So, what happened is really the very best for all concerned.  The cat, whom got a good home, you, whom got a nice friendly cat AND had done a good deed,  and also the supposed ex-owners, whom got rid of one of their problems, easing up their burden.  My guess is they are really grateful to you, if the know the cat wasnt taken by a fox or get hit by a car, but does have a loving home.  I certainly would if I were in this postition.

Nay, the only real question is if you want to help and rescue also this other cat, whom seems to be a pal to your cat.

If you have a major suspict, go to them / or phone, and ask it if it theirs, and if yes, if you could have it.  Perhaps are you willing to pay a symbolic sum "never ever give away a cat for free"

If  not, and they dont know either, leave leaflets at message boards around your town.  In the food shops for example.

And proceed as skissed above.  Take him in and help him, and leave these leaflets parallelly.

Tx for caring!

Good luck!

You did the right thing.  You rescued a cat that was not neutered and living on the streets.  He was thin and hungry.  If you were to take him back, yes he would be neutered and have some other cats to hang out with, but who would care for him?  He would be hungry and flea infested again.  He would have to find food, shelter and protect himself from humans, predators and other dangers. 

He is now in a warm safe home.  He is neutered, fed and well cared for. 

You are his owner now.  Enjoy him, love him and know that you did the right thing.

He may yearn to go outside as he lived outside for who knows how long.  He is safest inside.  Prepare him a space to look outside.  You can provide entertainment by hanging some bird feeders.  Teach him how to play inside.  Try a laser pointer or da bird wand toy.  He will love them.  You can get a few toy mice and catnip toys too.

Thank you for rescuing him.  Post a picture if you can.  Also what is his name?

You did the right thing, and you should keep him. I hope you can rescue the other cat, too. Then he'll have his playmate back.

These cats may "belong" to a cat hoarder or someone who feeds them but doesn't take care of them. That's why they're not neutered, have flea infestations, and most likely have parasites. In this situation, you are truly rescuing these cats. I doubt any "owner" will object or start trouble with you, because then they can get cited by local animal/police authorities for having too many cats or animal neglect.    

I just hope that eventually, he fully adjusts to being an indoor cat. My female isn't helping. She has the opposite personality. She'd rather hang out with humans. It would be ideal if he had a playmate but who knows how many other cats I'd find if I went over there with the intention of finding that other cat. Hopefully, none. Then, if they didn't get along, or, if I misread the whole situation, it would be tragic. It's so much more clear cut with dogs. A wandering dog is lost or stray. 

The other things, is that my brother saw a junk yard, of sorts nearby. That could also be the kind of place where, if someone, "owned" a cat, may be a little lax. It could also be a hangout for strays. I have to decide how far into this mystery I'm willing to delve. 

someone may or may not have owned that cat, but he didn't have a home. now he does. 

That little cat possibly being around 6 months old, may have wandered many miles in seek of a mate. I don't know how many kittens have shown up in my yard, or my neighbor's yard (she would just bring them to me!)  I never saw any signs, no one came knocking. I think sometimes it is just a case of careless cat owners, not spaying or neutering, and thus have a lot of kittens that they think just because it's a cat, it can fend for it's self. I also had a little cat that I raised since it was a week old. Spent over $1000. in vet visits, babysitting, neuter and shots. That darn cat decided he didn't want to come in one night, and I never saw him again. So I guess what goes around, comes around. You have done the right thing. As far as the other cat, who knows what you might find - many more I suspect!  Before you know it, you will be on this site more than you thought, subscribing to Cat Fancy, making your own cat food...need I say more? God love you for your big heart!