How do I tell if collar-less cats are strays?

Hi,

I moved into my new house a few months back and noticed there are at least four local cats, most of whom do not wear collars. This is not normal practice in the area (my girlfriend keeps cats, all of them wear collars all the time, as did the family cats) and I'm concerned as to whether or not these kitties have homes. I've been putting out a dish of dry food and it's always eaten - sometimes whoever is eating it will finish multiple bowls! - but I've never actually seen any of the cats eat the food. I've been doing this for a week and have yet to see a single cat around the food, but it always vanishes. 

Out of the four cats I've seen, I'm certain at least one is a stray, possibly - he's very skinny and timid, and I've mostly seen him from a distance. The others have let me approach them, and have responded to my petting with various levels of affection. One even let me fuss over them for a good five minutes on the street!

Since I'm still new to the area I'd feel awkward asking my neighbours about their pets, and the neighbourhood is pretty big. If I could catch the cats I could take them to the vets to have them scanned for microchips, but that's not likely if they won't even let me catch a glimpse of them with the food!

I'm very worried about these kitties. Is there anything more I can do for them? 

Welcome and how very kind of you to be concerned about the stray cats. As for the timid and thin kitty - I am feeling this one needs more help than the other friendly one. In these instances, I go ahead and set out traps. If the cats are not microchipped when I bring them in AND they are not spayed/neutered then I go ahead and TNR (Trap/Neuter/Release) otherwise more kittens will be born outside adding to the feral cat population. It may very well be that you have some feral cats in your area that need TNRing. Can you contact a local TNR Organization in your new area and ask for their assistance and expertise? Some will offer you traps and will set you up with their on-call TNR veterinarian.

In answer to your question though - I assume they are strays if they have no collar, are not microchipped and are unaltered. Friendly or Feral. Even if you are new to your area, there is nothing wrong in being compassionate about the roaming cats by going to ask neighbor's. Don't be shy about it either! You may find that other's are willing to join you in your efforts to help spay/neuter the free roaming stray cats too. OR you may find that one of the cats - the friendly one - belongs to another cat loving neighbor who can fill you in on whether or not some of the cats you are seeing are homeless. Best of luck and thank you so much for wanting to help these cats.

Lots of cats roam around without collars. I can't keep a collar on my adopted feral. I only use the break away type because the cats can get caught up with the other ones, but my cat knows how to get the break away collars off. Some cats just don't like collars, and some people don't think it is safe to put collars on cats. 

I personally would ask around before taking what may potentially be someone else's cat to get neutered/spayed....especially spayed because the cat may already be spayed for all you know. So it would be best to ask around before doing something like that.

Some young cats are skinny too. I took my adopted feral to the vet because he is skinny. No worms...he is just a growing youngster and thin and lanky right now.

It is great that you are feeding these cats and concerned for their well-being. 

Honestly, if there is a cat who is free to roam and is unfixed, I have no problem trapping and fixing that cat, whether owned or not!

Every day of my life is spent cleaning up after other people's irresponsibilities regarding their cats.

If they don't want them fixed then they should NOT be allowed to roam freely.

If the cat is found to have already been fixed, then no harm there.

To allow an owned but unfixed cat to live outside at it's own leisure is a community issue and problem. THAT is exactly why there are endless amounts killed every single day due to unwanted births and not even close to enough homes for all of them.

It also creates a public opinion that cats are a nuisance, due to the unfixed fighting, mating, howling, spreading of serious illnesses and infections from fighting, and all of the other reasons.

I'd personally consider them all homeless strays and feel free to TNR them.

It's for the cat's who will be able to live much better lives!

ShellyChip said:

 
Lots of cats roam around without collars. I can't keep a collar on my adopted feral. I only use the break away type because the cats can get caught up with the other ones, but my cat knows how to get the break away collars off. Some cats just don't like collars, and some people don't think it is safe to put collars on cats. 

I personally would ask around before taking what may potentially be someone else's cat to get neutered/spayed....especially spayed because the cat may already be spayed for all you know. So it would be best to ask around before doing something like that.

Some young cats are skinny too. I took my adopted feral to the vet because he is skinny. No worms...he is just a growing youngster and thin and lanky right now.

It is great that you are feeding these cats and concerned for their well-being. 

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Agree totally. Care is needed. My cat was clearly taken in by someone all the weeks she was missing. I do nto collar my outdoor cats as they love trees and it just is too dangerous. Also microchipping is not much done with cats here; I am in rural Ireland. The cats you think are strays might be someones beloved pets and worried.

ShellyChip said:

I personally would ask around before taking what may potentially be someone else's cat to get neutered/spayed....especially spayed because the cat may already be spayed for all you know.

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The TNR vets would see the spay scar IF the cat were already spayed and if owned by a responsible cat guardian it would have a microchip. Asking a few neighbor's is fine before taking action, but I do not wait long after making contact with some. IMO, any loose, free-roaming cat is potentially, 9 out of 10 times, in need of altering and only adding to the already overwhelming count of feral cats and adding to the suffering of needless amounts of kittens being born out in the wild. We always encourage asking around first but after that - any cat coming around for constant feeding needs to be trapped and taken in for TNR.

This member lives in a country where indoor/outdoor cats are the norm, rather than an exception, so it's extremely advisable to ask the neighbors whom the cats belong to before assuming that they need to be TNRed.

Even though you may feel awkward doing so, I recommend that you begin talking to your neighbors and asking questions about the identity and ownership of the cats. Neighbors who have lived there for a while will know the answers and will not mind telling you. I have done this in my neighborhood and in my work neighborhood when there are cats who have appeared and are roaming around. You don't want to trap a cat that's already been neutered or spayed or take ownership of outdoor cats who have owners--unless the cat shows clear signs of neglect. I think this is the very best course of action no matter what else you do.  

The one skinny cat you mention likely has parasites and fleas--I would be concerned about getting that cat help regardless of whether or not he has an owner, because the owner clearly is not caring properly for the cat.  If he has a bad case of parasites, no matter how much he eats, he will always be hungry and skinny. If you can't afford to take him to a vet, then you can get Drontal online, or if you already have a vet, ask your vet for the Drontal (many will prescribe that without requiring the cat to be examined if they know you and your cats). You can buy Frontline on Amazon or Ebay for a third of the store price and drizzle it on him.

If you can, try to get a look at the cats' genitals as they are walking away from you or stretching with their tails up--you can easily tell if a male cat has been neutered or not. If male cat has been neutered, he has an owner or used to have one. Some people move away and leave their cats behind. Again, talk with your neighbors--this is the only sure way to find out what's going on.  It's great that you're willing to get involved and help these cats.

I wanted to add as a note of encouragement that prior to my getting involved with the stray and feral cats appearing on my block, I was kind of a hermit with regard to my neighbors. Now, as a result of communicating with several of them over the past 3-4 years, I have relationships with my neighbors that I would likely never have had. I, too, am somewhat shy, especially in new situations, but know that working together with neighbors in handling cat population can be a very positive thing.

Update: the white and ginger cat was in the garden yesterday and ran almost as soon asit spotted me in the window. Its very thin, as thin as my aunt's cat that recently passed, and its eyes looked very red around the rims. I'm so worried about this poor dear - I'll go from door to door asking about him this weekend, but is there anything more I can do for him besides keep on putting out food?

gekoladie said:

Update: the white and ginger cat was in the garden yesterday and ran almost as soon asit spotted me in the window. Its very thin, as thin as my aunt's cat that recently passed, and its eyes looked very red around the rims. I'm so worried about this poor dear - I'll go from door to door asking about him this weekend, but is there anything more I can do for him besides keep on putting out food?

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Try to trap the cat and get this kitty to a vet. Sounds like the cat needs some medical attention. Poor dear. Thanks for trying to help this kitty.

gekoladie said:

Update: the white and ginger cat was in the garden yesterday and ran almost as soon asit spotted me in the window. Its very thin, as thin as my aunt's cat that recently passed, and its eyes looked very red around the rims. I'm so worried about this poor dear - I'll go from door to door asking about him this weekend, but is there anything more I can do for him besides keep on putting out food?

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Yeah, this cat is apparently your priority nr 1 here.   He is in real need of help My guess is, he is a stray / dumped, and got shy.

Im not even sure you shall bother to ask neigbours about him - dont wait if it takes more than one, max two days...

Or take him and help him, and go around then knocking doors.

A real ferale would probably NOT be as skinny.  Vice versa, quite a few succesfull ferales looks rather well done, some even not especially shy.  If they are not shy, they would of course  be labelled as semi-feral.

gekoladie said:

 
Hi,

I moved into my new house a few months back and noticed there are at least four local cats, most of whom do not wear collars. This is not normal practice in the area (my girlfriend keeps cats, all of them wear collars all the time, as did the family cats) and I'm concerned as to whether or not these kitties have homes. I've been putting out a dish of dry food and it's always eaten - sometimes whoever is eating it will finish multiple bowls! - but I've never actually seen any of the cats eat the food. I've been doing this for a week and have yet to see a single cat around the food, but it always vanishes. 

Out of the four cats I've seen, I'm certain at least one is a stray, possibly - he's very skinny and timid, and I've mostly seen him from a distance. The others have let me approach them, and have responded to my petting with various levels of affection. One even let me fuss over them for a good five minutes on the street!

Since I'm still new to the area I'd feel awkward asking my neighbours about their pets, and the neighbourhood is pretty big. If I could catch the cats I could take them to the vets to have them scanned for microchips, but that's not likely if they won't even let me catch a glimpse of them with the food!

I'm very worried about these kitties. Is there anything more I can do for them? 

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You had got some excellent answers and advices. I have a couple of comments.

1.  Im not sure leaving out food is so good, unless you know who is eating.

You dont want  cats whom DO have a home to eat it.   This is a way which may contribute an owned cat, who does have a so so but yet OK home, to be a stray instead.   Why return to this so so home - perhaps with a new cat whom it isnt friends with - if there is food to get outside?

Some cuddles and even treats to friendly cats outside is OK, but food is dangerous.

Observe, Im not even mentioning such food do costs you the same money, you could put in helping someone more in need. Or using yourself.

2.  Helping homeless, is good.  BUT you must do so with a plan if you feed them.  Either spaying them (compare with TNR) or adopting them.

If unspayed homeless eats, they tend to multiply.   And thus, making the problem worse.

BUT if you KNOW the homeless are already spayed for good, its OK and feasible to give them food.  The only but is perhaps, do it in a nice way, not to attract rats nor seagulls, and cleaning up after you - ex the cans you mention.  Its unnecessary to get the neigbours irritated on you.

The other point is talking with the neigbours.  As MsAimee told, its actually the vice versa.   Talking about pets is an excellent excuse to have soemthing to talk about...   So do talk with them.  Dont be shy here.

If you need an extra stimulus, begin to talk about the emaciated shy cat...    A strong stimulus is often a good way to dare what you otherwise wouldnt dare.