A Stray Adopted Me

hi-

I have 2 cats already,about 7 months old, and now another cat, approx the same age has wandered into my house. I leave the back door open when I'm at home, and this cat just decided to come in and stay.

She's awfully skinny--I have been able to get close enough to feel her ribs and backbone--but has a collar and ID tag that I haven't been able to read. She tries to claw me if I touch her at her neck.

My question is this: should I put her out and not let her back in, since she has a collar, or go by my gut instinct and give her shelter and food since she seems neglected and maybe lost? What I want to do the most is get to her collar and call her human companion, but that's not feasable right now. This has been going on for 3 days now.

Any suggestions?

If lost, she has perhaps the usual vaccinations and you perhaps dont need to do them again. But she may have parasites. So you must isolate her from your own cats. And especially if they arent full-vaccined.
Preferably have her in a room of her own - a "quarantene". (standard advice for all taking in feral/unknown astray cats).

If you are afraid for contagious sickedness (for example distemper going on in US new England now) and want to held her outside - try and build her some form of shelter and give her food outside.

Yes, take in her as she is apparently astray and needs help. Her owners are NOT your nearest neighbours.

But you must seek after her owners! The collar in time,

but in time between hang up her description in the wide neighborhood, say 10 miles (15 kilometres) around. - Food shops/markets, and so on.
Do US police register lost domestic animals? Then police too.
EDIT - I see now you are from Holland. OK, if Netherlands Police...

Shelters around?

And so on.

I say give her shelter. Check toot that the collar isn't too small for her now - and that isn't what is hurting her neck area.

Good luck!

One thing more. She is domestic, so she may be chip-marked.

If you go to a vet with her - ask the vet to look after. Vets usually have the chip-reader.

I believe even they do the chip-reading for free... - In Sweden they do in any case...

Originally Posted by CrazyCatnipper

hi-

I have 2 cats already,about 7 months old, and now another cat, approx the same age has wandered into my house. I leave the back door open when I'm at home, and this cat just decided to come in and stay.

She's awfully skinny--I have been able to get close enough to feel her ribs and backbone--but has a collar and ID tag that I haven't been able to read. She tries to claw me if I touch her at her neck.

My question is this: should I put her out and not let her back in, since she has a collar, or go by my gut instinct and give her shelter and food since she seems neglected and maybe lost? What I want to do the most is get to her collar and call her human companion, but that's not feasable right now. This has been going on for 3 days now.

Any suggestions?

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I would do a 2 prong approach...first, I would take her to a local vet...explain you found this cat and ask if they can determine her current health status (also ask if they have a microchip reader that they can check her for a chip), secondly I would post "found" posters around your local area and contact local animal shelters to determine if she is indeed owned. If no one responds within 7 days....and she doesn't have a chip and her collar cannot be read...then there is a good chance she has been abandoned. At that point you can determine the next steps...but for now I would keep her seperate from your own two cats but I would certainly provide her shelter until you can get her vet checked.

Katie

I think she's a housecat, since she's collared. She also knows how and wants to use the kitty box, instead of going outside. I don't think she's sick, just neglected and stressed. She has a good appetite and grooms herself.

I would love to take her to the vet, but I can't get close enough to put her in a box. Even when I try to read her collar she scratches at me and hisses.

My other two aren't bothered (much) by her presence, so I'm going to keep her in tonight, hoping that she will start to relax if she knows she isn't going to be tossed out. She slept outside the last two nights, and stayed in the garden, not going away. I guess she feels safe by me, even if I can't touch her.

I'm putting FOUND posters up tomorrow. I can't print her picture, but I will include a description and my telephone number.

I'll let you know what happens next. Worst comes to the worst, I guess an extra cat in the house won't make that much difference

I would love to take her to the vet, but I can't get close enough to put her in a box. Even when I try to read her collar she scratches at me and hisses.

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Perhaps if she isn't owned..you can borrow a trap from the local humane society and trap her. That way you won't have try to catch her.

Katie

Alternative for a carrying box?

Here in Sweden people usually have big plasic basket for their wash cloth. Holes in the sides.
These are probably in Netherlands and USA too.

And those can be used as emergence carrying boxes! And. Some cats dont like their carrying box, takes a lot of work to get them in there. A solution in these cases is to get them in the wash-basket instead! Much easier!

Perhaps it would do also with your astray-cat?

Have a blanket or something at the bottom of the wash-basket, and bind or tape in the locket so she will be secure and safe - and be nice in there too...

Could you put some cat food in your cat carrier???
When they stray I had bit me I was afraid to pick him up but I have welder's gloves which are leather, long and padded. That worked for me.
It seems that there must be something going on with the collar if he doesn't want to be touched there.
Good luck!!

Oh yeah I forgot to mention I have 2 cats. My female was a stray and she would come 3 times a day, 7 days a week in all weather just to eat. What amazed me the most is when one time she came in a 2 foot blizzard to eat, im so glad she is a part of my family now.

FINALLY!!!!!!!

After 5 days of sitting next to her regularly and talking very softly, she let me take her collar off so I could read the tag.

I called her human companion and she came immediately to pick her up!!! Thank goodness.

I wouldn't have minded keeping her if necessary, but I know how I would feel if either of my babies got lost. I wouldn't be able to sl;eep til I found them. So I am glad this family was reunited.

Thanks for all the help and advice you gave me.

Jeff

Yeah!!!!!!! I love happy endings.

I had hoped this wouldn't happen, but it did......

The woman who came and picked up the cat was not very enthusiastic, and mentioned that she would be going out of the country for 6 months. She also said that she wouldn't be surprised if kitty showed up at my door again, since she wasn't very happy at her own house (she was found by the woman on the street a few months ago).

And she did show up again, this time with no collar on! The cat has some obvious health problems, so I just took her to the vet today. It turns out that, aside from a major flea infestation and worms, she may have a thyroid condition which would require surgery to correct. Depending on the results of the tests, she will get the surgery a week from Monday or Tuesday. Does anybody here know about thyroid in cats?

I know I am a patsy and a softy, but I saw no other option. The woman who was "caring" for her has obviously neglected her, given the fleas and what not. And the cat is miserable as it is--she just sits in the kitchen under a chair and howls if you try to get too close. She's majorly angry at being taken to the vet, but has made no move to leave my house, and the door is open (literally) if she wants to go.

So now I have 3 kitties, I guess. I already had Louis (Armstrong) and Ella (Fitzgerald), now I also have Shirley (Bassey). My musical family is complete.

Yes, so the Fate has decided the outcome for you.

God bless you.

Good luck!


ps. It is maybe an idea to contact the woman, get it in writing she gives the cat to you. So nobody can come and charge you to doing things with peoples cats.
Another idea is of course to have her as a stray - as she de facto is. Some veterinarians charge less for strays and ferals getting a new home.

After a little thinking I think the women abandoned the cat with purpose. She saw you were a possible and GOOD new owner. So she said a little lie about the journey. Took the cat in your neigbourhood, took off the collar and let her go. So in a way she cared.
There are those who take pregnant catmoms, drive them where they dont have any chance to return, and abandon them there.... *terrible - but probably true.*

Anycase. Fate and God had send you one more cat to take care of and love.
You seems willing. Im sure the cat will love you after a time. Especielly if she is sick and you nurse her.

Good luck!!!

Thanks a lot, Stefan!

I just spoke to the doctor and kitty does, indeed have hyper thyroid. I am starting her on meds tomorrow, and in 2 weeks we will have surgery. Please keep your fingers crossed for us!

I think you would provide a better home for this kitty. Obviously the owner couldn't care less about this cat. This cat is better off for finding you. Good Luck!!!!!!!

Well, we started on the meds today, and I got the lab results from the vet at the same time. Shirley's T4 count is about 8-10 times the normal, which is very concerning. We are starting her on Felimazole, 5 mg 2 times a day for the next 2 weeks, then retesting and operating on the thyroid.

I have to say she has been acting a little better today. I don't know if it is the first dose of the med or what, but she actually sat on my lap for the first time, and purred and let me pet her.

Please send good thoughts our way for a full recovery from this disease.

I'm sure that in some way, Shirley is settling in and feeling better. My cat was wacky with estrogen hormones due to ovarian cysts. And even the day she was spayed, you could tell she felt better.

I don't know that much about thyroid in cats...but I do know that in people once you get the levels down, it's fairly easily managed. I think she was really smart coming to you!

Thank you for being so patient and caring for this lost soul until you could find her human companion. It's good to know that there are compassionate, kind people like you out there in the world.

Originally Posted by CrazyCatnipper

FINALLY!!!!!!!

After 5 days of sitting next to her regularly and talking very softly, she let me take her collar off so I could read the tag.

I called her human companion and she came immediately to pick her up!!! Thank goodness.

I wouldn't have minded keeping her if necessary, but I know how I would feel if either of my babies got lost. I wouldn't be able to sl;eep til I found them. So I am glad this family was reunited.

Thanks for all the help and advice you gave me.

Jeff

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