First Timer - What Do I Do?

Alicia88

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I've never rescued a stray cat off the street before.  About an hour and a half ago, my boyfriend walks in with this fluffy orange kitten he found on the street by the grocery store.  He's skin and bones and smelled like car exhaust but seems healthy otherwise.  My cats are not happy about him being here.  I closed him in the bedroom - after giving him a flea bath, which I know isn't gonna do much for the fleas, but at least he smells better - and they've been staring at the bedroom door growling and hissing ever since.

So, I guess tomorrow I need to get ahold of a vet and get flea and worm treatment - for my 2 boys as well as the newbie.  Because I'm over protective of my babies.  After he dries, we're gonna take a picture of him and post him on the lost pets facebook page, but if he doesn't have a family, we'll probably keep him.

I can't tell if he's neutered or not.  He's accustomed to people - he keeps purring and nuzzling, anyway.

So, can someone tell me exactly how to go about this whole rescue thing?

By the way, I'm already attached to him and I've named him Mickey.

And, the cats are going to have to be introduced sooner rather than later.  I know the ideal is to keep them apart for awhile, but I have a tiny one bedroom apartment.  So that isn't feasible.
 
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Alicia88

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He eats like he's starving to death - and he probably is.  My boys usually don't even finish half a can of soft food each and this little guy eats a full can like he's never seen food before.  Should I give him more?
 

tabbytom

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Roughly how old is he? Less than a year?
As you mentioned that he was skin and bones, most proably he's deprived of food and under nourished before he was found.
Just like when my boy was found, he was very skinny and when he was given wet food, he gobbled up the food making the 'nom nom nom' sound as he ate :lol3: He was truly hungry and he ate lots.
Feed him more food and equalmout the amount and timing so that he gets enough food at one sitting till the next feed.
So glad that you took him in! :clap: :clap: :clap:
 

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So glad you and your boyfriend have taken Mickey in. Poor little one. Please keep us posted on how he is doing [emoji]10084[/emoji]️
 

shadowsrescue

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The first step is to get him to the vet.  They will want to scan for a possible microchip.   Not only will you want flea meds, but you will want this little one tested for feline diseases that he could possibly pass on to your cats.  He also will need to be checked to see if he is neutered.  This is most important.  Please keep the cats separated until he is vet checked.  He most likely will also need to be wormed which is another reason to keep him sequestered. 

After the vet visit, you will then know how to proceed. 
 
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Alicia88

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I couldn't get him in to the vet today, but someone claimed him and I'm going to cry.  She has pictures.  It's definitely him.
 

tabbytom

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But at least someone owns him and is looking for him. He might have escaped and couldn't return home and ended up in this state.
 
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Alicia88

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No, he didn't escape.  She lives right next to a highway and thinks it's just fine to let him run outside all the time.  I feel like by returning him, I sentenced him to death.  I tried getting her to understand how dangerous it is.  Apparently he's been missing for 3 days and that still didn't cause her to think twice.  That poor cat.
 

tabbytom

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Does she wants her cat back badly? If not, tell her that you would like to keep him and take care of him. Listen to her tone and body language and you'll probably know if she's sincere in taking him back since you said it did not cause her to think twice since the cat went missing for 3 days.

Maybe some others here may have a better suggestion or advice better than mine for you.
 
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Alicia88

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She said she did.  And I returned him.  But I worry for him.
 
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Alicia88

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She's an idiot, though. Muy friend knows her. A year ago, her house almost burned down because she was using the oven as a heater and went to sleep leaving her toddler unsupervised and the toddler put stuff inside the oven and it caught fire.
 
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Alicia88

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I don't think she's responsible enough to raise a kid or a cat!
 

tabbytom

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Oh dear [emoji]128561[/emoji] Hope she make up her mind and look for you and give you the cat. Cat will be safer with you.
 
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