Background: We have four strictly indoor cats (and, currently, five tiny kittens). For the past few weeks, a big beautiful buff tabby (I'll call him Mooch) has been visiting our deck at dinner time. When he first started showing up, he was a little thin (and had a patch of fur missing from his back). So of course I fed him.
Initially, Ace would posture aggressively when Mooch showed up: swelling tail, yowling, the whole bit. After several run-ins with the spray bottle and a few weeks of exposure to this cat, he's lessened his aggression to the point that yesterday he was making slow-blinks at Mooch. Yay! And Mooch has never acted aggressively toward any of our cats.
Anyway, Mooch has taken to spending all day on our deck pretty much. And he is SUCH a sweetheart. He really wants in the house. We've come to the conclusion that even though he obviously was someone's cat at one point, either he's currently without an owner, or he's being neglected to the point that—pardon my righteous indignation—his owner doesn't deserve such a loving cat.
I think I should probably take him to the vet to get him checked out. And obviously I will keep feeding him. Beyond that, what's the best thing to do?
Initially, Ace would posture aggressively when Mooch showed up: swelling tail, yowling, the whole bit. After several run-ins with the spray bottle and a few weeks of exposure to this cat, he's lessened his aggression to the point that yesterday he was making slow-blinks at Mooch. Yay! And Mooch has never acted aggressively toward any of our cats.
Anyway, Mooch has taken to spending all day on our deck pretty much. And he is SUCH a sweetheart. He really wants in the house. We've come to the conclusion that even though he obviously was someone's cat at one point, either he's currently without an owner, or he's being neglected to the point that—pardon my righteous indignation—his owner doesn't deserve such a loving cat.
I think I should probably take him to the vet to get him checked out. And obviously I will keep feeding him. Beyond that, what's the best thing to do?