Cat found his way to my house

I have one cat that is outdoors. She was wild when she became our kitty and still will not allow a person to hold her for more than a couple seconds although she is fine with petting. She has a cat condo on our back porch and has a safe spot there. She gets along ok with our dogs who do go out in the yard but still has her own spot away from them also on the porch.

Anyway that brings me to my story. I had also been putting some food and water on the front porch for her also. I occasionally get one of 3 cats, 2 of which I am pretty sure have no homes, come up and eat here. 

One day a new cat came around. He would run when I would go out or come home and see him here so I kept talking to him and he looked like he might let me around him after a few days. He is long haired and matted up. He had drainage from his eyes and his face looked like it had something going on, on it like infection or something, I couldn't quite get a good look at him.

I bought him some canned food, my cat will not touch canned food, anyway he was starving and when he let me pet him I was shocked. He was absolutely so thin, all I could feel was his bones. 

I took him to the vet, bought wormer and got him on antibiotics and he is eating his canned catfood well now. We are going to take him back to the vet when he is stronger and have him shaved and his teeth cleaned. 

He stays almost exclusively on my front porch now and only occasionally goes off into the grass. I put him in the crate and bring him in if I need to like last night we were in a severe thunderstorm watch and then take him back out. I cannot keep him in the house yet with the dogs. I am home almost all the time so I keep as good an eye on him as I can.

We have a different house we are remodeling and will be moving into the summer. It has two enclosed porches that are perfect and safe and the plan is for them to live there with a catio I plan to build off the window on one side. 

Anyway I have lived here 6 years and never seen this cat and have no idea where it came from. He is a long haired, beautiful cat that has been neutered according to the vet, and has been declawed. He still doesn't eat dry food and he had no way at all to catch any food. The other cats in the neighborhood would have kept him from getting to food if there was any. Our mail lady feeds strays and she hadn't seen this cat around either. I can't figure out where he came from or how he ended up here but he knows he lives here now. 

Bless you for rescuing this guy.  Does he have a name yet?   It's horrible that he's been out there with no claws and no way to defend himself or to catch food. He's been through the ringer, poor boy.  If he could talk, he'd probably tell a very sad story.   But now those days are over - hurray!      You'll have to take pictures of him to show us.  He sounds like he's a real sweetheart.

BTW:  Welcome to TCS! 

Here he is rolling on the porch floor.

Wow,  he really is beautiful even with the matted coat.  And what a sweet expression on his face.  He's very glad to be home.  

He really is a cutie! He purrs and meows now too. When he first came his mouth would move but no sound would come out. I'm pretty sure he was very dehydrated. He's a little squeaky though. 

You are so kind for taking care of him. He is a really cute guy

Aww, he does look like a sweetie! Bless you for taking such good care of him. 

He looks very content. Bless you for helping this guy out. I think you have a new best friend

Just echoing the other sentiments previously expressed: bless you and this sweet soul. I'm so glad he found his way to you. Without claws to defend himself or find food, he did not stand much of a chance out in the world. As Margd said, his story is probably a very sad one. But, he found is way to his person and his present and future is full of warmth, safety and love!!!

It sounds like this kitty fell into kitty heaven!  Your new house sounds wonderful and how miraculous, really, that this cat found you now.  Thank you for caring for him.

O that poor baby, I'm so glad that he found his way to you.  He looks like he's going to be a beautiful cat once you have him all sorted out.  He looks something like a snowshoe, with his white paws and the small, inverted white V on his muzzle. 

Be very, very welcome here!  We're always so happy to have a new member who is doing so much for a cat.

He is so cute... you are his hero now... beginning of a strong bond for a long time.. god bless

It is amazing how much he is changing as he gains strength. If I leave, he comes off the porch when he hears my car come home and he is right up and at the door every morning waiting for me to bring his food. He meows at me now if he wants more food or attention. 

I have a question if anyone could offer some advice. I have some straw on the porch and he has been using it to potty on evidently as well as going out in the yard, I have seen that also. I'm wondering if I should try to put a cat box on the porch or just see if he will use the ground off the porch. I will be moving him indoors when we move so I thought getting a box on there might be a good idea but I dont know if it would help or be more confusing.

I don't think a box would be confusing at all.  If you don't get rid of all the straw, he might not use it but otherwise it sounds like it would be an excellent idea. Cats understand the concept of litter boxes very quickly.

I think that's an excellent idea, actually.  Use some dirt or dried leaves from your yard on top of a layer of regular litter.  He'll get the idea pretty quickly, I think.  By the time you move him inside, he'll know exactly what to do.

If you have disposable gloves. you can even move a tiny bit of his own feces into the box, giving it his scent.  Not confusing.  If he can get used to using the box now, it will be much easier when he transitions to an indoor cat.

He's a handsome boy and it's so good of you to take him in. I'll bet someone dumped him - but why they would do that to such a beautiful cat is unbelievable. On the other hand, maybe he escaped from someone traveling by. In any case, I think a litter box is a good idea. Like everyone has said, cats catch on to litter boxes fast. 

Thanks so much for all the help and advice. I will work on the catbox idea soon. I have some medical things this week to deal with first. He seems to be really doing better. As soon as I think he is strong enough to handle going back to the vet and being put out to get his teeth and shaving done, he will go there. I have had a lot of worry about him because he is so thin. I had to take one of my dogs in last year for bladder surgery and he never came back home so I worry and don't want to go through that kind of thing again so waiting is ok with me. 

So sorry about your dog!  It is so hard when we lose a pet.

This kitty is in good hands now, so follow your instincts on the next vet visit.