Found very skinny young cat in the rain!

elizwithcat

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Originally Posted by Loveysmummy

Bit of an update: BF just came back from errands and such and without my knowledge went to the neighbours around our friend's..!!!! I am mad but happy..
One of the neighbours said that she saw him recently (a few days ago) but that she didn't know him and had put out a bit of dry food for him when he came by..She said he scarfed it up and that she was going to take him in if he came back...

This is likely why he was hanging around the area?
Maybe somebody just dumped him there. You said yourself people dump their cats in the area and hope the cats fend for themselves. And if you didn't take him, then somebody else would, if the cat didn't get hit by a car and died first.
 
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loveysmummy

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Well, with this new knowledge, I think its a safe bet to say he is staying here..

But things could change if my friend lets me know that someone is looking for him.
 

elizwithcat

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Originally Posted by Loveysmummy

Well, with this new knowledge, I think its a safe bet to say he is staying here..

But things could change if my friend lets me know that someone is looking for him.
I think some pictures are in order.
 

talon

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I'd call around to the SPCA or whatever, look in the papers lost and found, and if no one is looking for him (cause if he was mine I would be listing in ALL of the above)... he has found his furrever home in you!
 
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loveysmummy

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Thanks all..I will have him scanned at the vet and will take a pic at the same time.
I WILL look out for signs..but its a tight knit complex where my friend lives and if anything happens, it will likely be her telling me someone is looking for him..
(which yes, I fear)


A QUESTION: Is it normal for him to be sleeping alot? He has been active since he got here checking out the room and playing and cuddling and now he has been sleeping under my bed, not coming out when I call him, for what seems like the last two hours....
BF says that he likely has not slept well for awhile and this is the reason..
Is this normal?
Lovey takes his naps but is always alert and gets up when I move about, etc.

Tx!
 

laceydf

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My bet is that he's just so comfortable and feels safe at last, and is taking advantage of it.

You won't know for sure until he gets checked out by a vet though.

I'm SO looking forward to seeing pictures! I pray that the vet says he's healthy!!!
 
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loveysmummy

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Me too, Lacey, me too!!
What if they say he is not? I am not familiar with feline diseases.
Would I be able to keep him if he has something?
I am worried about Lovey contracting something airborne even, but this cat seems healthy and active.

I will have to see on Monday..
How long until test results come back?

EDITED TO ADD: BF just checked on him as I can't seem to get under there...
and he nuzzled BF's hand and then conked out again sleepily.
I am so happy he feels comfortable here..He looks so content. ahhh sigh.
I am no angel compared to what most of you do by any means but I can guess the satisfaction you feel when giving an animal the love and necessities it needs...
 

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I do hope you keep him and that the vet exam is OK. That said, I do think some people on this thread were too harsh about a possible owner. You agree that the cat is probably not feral. As we all know, there have been many threads here from loving owners whose indoor cats have got out and who then can't find their way back, or whose indoor/outdoor cat ( and some of us are loving owners too) has been chased away by an animal or somehow got lost. So I think in all conscience you should ask around - some child may be crying herself to sleep for losing her cat and blaming herself for letting him out. And he is young - he may simply not have been fixed yet.

But of course I am so glad that you found him and whatever happens he will have a loving home.
 
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loveysmummy

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Originally Posted by jennyranson

I do hope you keep him and that the vet exam is OK. That said, I do think some people on this thread were too harsh about a possible owner. You agree that the cat is probably not feral. As we all know, there have been many threads here from loving owners whose indoor cats have got out and who then can't find their way back, or whose indoor/outdoor cat ( and some of us are loving owners too) has been chased away by an animal or somehow got lost. So I think in all conscience you should ask around - some child may be crying herself to sleep for losing her cat and blaming herself for letting him out. And he is young - he may simply not have been fixed yet.

But of course I am so glad that you found him and whatever happens he will have a loving home.
I don't in all honesty, think anyone was too harsh.
Its a fact that if you let your cat roam, he may get lost, hit by a car, ravaged by a coyote, etc....

I am upset that this cat was allowed to become so malnourished.
If it was Lovey, I would have had signs up, called all the vets and humane societies and warned all of my neighbours...

And I don't mean to be harsh when I say that if a child lost this cat accidentally, then that child will learn a valuable lesson.

Maybe I am just being a mama bear here and not speaking rationally though...

I do respect your opinion.

I just want to do right by this cat.
 

jennyr

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I know you want to help him, and I think that is great. But some others maybe went a bit far in 'possesion is 9 tenths of the law' attitudes. We have all on TCS been so supportive of people who are trying everything to find their lost cats that I just wanted to put in a word on their behalf - I could imagine some of them getting upset at the implication that they were somehow bad owners per se for losing a beloved companion. I do agree that not seeing any flyers or anything does not speak well for hte owners, but then again, you don't know how far this cat may have travelled. Anyway, good luck with him. I certainly did not want to upset you - you have done the right thing in caring for him.
 

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I agree with Jenny, you should make a concentrated effort to find out if the cat is owned. I know that I have some go missing in the past, and not knowing is what kills me. My hope would be they found someone like you- and one did- I saw her quite by accident a year after she vanished in someone's window! I got her back! But again, just because you want to keep the cat does not mean you should not look to see who might have lost one-
 
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loveysmummy

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No, Jenny, I think you gave good balance to the discussion.
Its funny, but you do bring up the points that there is "another" side to everything.
I am just being selfish in my thoughts sincerely. I do admit that.

I would be sick if Lovey was lost. I really would...
 
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loveysmummy

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I am feeling worse and worse about this cat being here now.
I don't want to get attached and then have to give him up possibly but its likely the right thing to do.
But what if I scour the neighbourhood, get him vetted, neutered and give him back to the owner only to have them let him out again and be miscared for????
 

jennyr

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Obviously, I hope you keep him. But you don't know that he was miscared for. He could easily be a cat who bolted for the door one day and got scared and ran. He does not sound abused - he has not lost his trust in people, he is happy in your house and has made friends. Cats can lose weight and condition very quickly if they are indoor cats suddenly in the wild with no hunting practice, and you have no knowledge of how long he has been lost. These are just points to consider. It is possible that all the vets/shelters in the county are alerted for him - I just think you should find out. Otherwise, if it were me, I should never be able to keep him with a clear conscience.
 

elizwithcat

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Originally Posted by Loveysmummy

I am feeling worse and worse about this cat being here now.
I don't want to get attached and then have to give him up possibly but its likely the right thing to do.
But what if I scour the neighbourhood, get him vetted, neutered and give him back to the owner only to have them let him out again and be miscared for????
He was not cared for properly even if he has owners. Personally, I would not give the cat back to people who let him roam the streets.
 

elizwithcat

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Originally Posted by jennyranson

I know you want to help him, and I think that is great. But some others maybe went a bit far in 'possesion is 9 tenths of the law' attitudes. We have all on TCS been so supportive of people who are trying everything to find their lost cats that I just wanted to put in a word on their behalf - I could imagine some of them getting upset at the implication that they were somehow bad owners per se for losing a beloved companion. I do agree that not seeing any flyers or anything does not speak well for hte owners, but then again, you don't know how far this cat may have travelled. Anyway, good luck with him. I certainly did not want to upset you - you have done the right thing in caring for him.
This cat could have easily died on the steet. If somebody is crying because they lost a beloved companion, they should have taken better care of the cat to begin with. At least right now he is not dead and with someone who cares about him. Some people love their cats but take horrible care of them, do not take them to the vet, let them roam, etc. It is my opinion that people like this are better off not owning pets even if they have good intentions at heart.
 
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loveysmummy

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When I take him to the vets, I will have them scan him for a microchip as I think this is basic cat care these days, especially with an outside cat or with a cat who shows signs that he might escape..At the very least, you would think a collar would be wise, a tattoo, anything...But if he has a chip, I will go to the owner's house and decide from there.

I am not going to put up signs, but rather I will look for signs myself.
I have decided that if this cat is truly loved, then the owners would put up posters all over the neighbourhood, as I would do in their case.

Its not my responsibility so much to find them, but if they find me, then I feel this is fair and shows evidence that they are caring owners and deserve a chance at having him back..

As for now, "He" is up from his nap and scarfing down his dinner...

I have never seen a cat nap that long..>He must have been exhausted.

Cheers
 

talon

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I am soo glad you found this little treasure! He sounds like he need a good meal and a place to sleep. Now he has both! I would do what you are doing too - looking for signs that the owner(s) are actively looking for him. Once when Beau (my 17 yr old - RIP) went missing - I called the local county sheltrers, left messages and made up flyers and printed out about 100 copies on my little printer - I was about to walk out my door with the fliers when the little stinker came home. If he hand't come home at that time, beleive you-me that everyone in the area would have known my cat was MIA.
 
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