Getting Rid Of A Stray Cat Whom I Have Been Feeding

[Neo815]

Hello friends,

First I would like to apologize for my English. I am from Pakistan. This summer a stray cat brought her kitten to our house. I started to give them milk as I had done before. The mother usually leaves after a few days with her kitten but this time the decided to stay. We had to visit our relatives in another city. The house was empty for more than a month. When we returned the cat and her kitten was still there even though no one was feeding them. I would give them some milk but not regularly. After a few months the mother would leave the house for long periods but the kitten stayed in our house. I grew affectionate of it and started playing with it. I would feed it in the mornings and at night. My friend asked me that if I had decided to adopt it. I said that I had no such plan. He warned me that I should not feed it and leave it alone. I decided to stop but the cat would sit at our doorsteps and I kept feeding it. One thing led to another and now she is rubbing her head and body against my legs and giving me love bites. I have not taken her to the vet as they are not readily available here. I don't know if the love bites from a stray cat can be harmful. She had scratched my hand a week ago but it has healed. I have thought about it and I think that I am doing more harm to the cat because I don't want to keep it. There are no Animal shelters here. I have read the methods to get rid of the cat. I tried some like vinegar and lemon juice spray on floor or ammonia before I started to feed it but the smell of those things don't work on it. I don't want to use pepper spray.
Guys I know that I have made a mistake. I don't want yo adopt a cat. What should I fo next? Stop interacting with it or stop feeding it? How would it leave my house. Also my brother has cat phobia and he will visit our house next month. He won't appreciate what he will find and our doorsteps.
Peace.

 

[Norachan]

Hi N Neo815 assalamualaikum

I appreciate that you don't want to adopt the cat, but I urge you to reconsider. This cat has already decided that you are her person. If you don't help her or try to drive her away she will most probably die.

The most important thing to do is get her spayed. Whereabouts in Pakistan are you? There are some veterinary clinics in the country and other animal charities that might be able to help you.

Pakistan Animal Welfare Society

Pets & Animal Care Organizations in Pakistan

Animal Rescue Organization, Pakistan

If you get this cat spayed so she doesn't have any more kittens (Or if the cat is male, get him neutered so he doesn't father more unwanted kittens) and let her stay she will keep your home free of mice and rats and stop other cats moving in.

She won't need much. Just a place to sleep and some water and a little food now and then. There really isn't any humane way to get rid of her, unless you can find someone who is willing to adopt her. She needs you, but she will repay your kindness if you help her now.

 

[Neo815]

W Salam
I am from Faisalabad. How would she die? Stray cats can survive on their own. I think she is 8 or 9 months old. A mother cat teaches her kitten survival methods.
I keep her outside the house and I cannot let her in. Is it possible to trap her and change her location or send her to some village?
We don't have any rat or mouse problem here. Birds used to come at my place for water or food and now they don't visit at all. My house has become a no bird zone.
And even if I take her to a vet to spay her, the animal cannot be released after the treatment for a while. How would I keep her under check? I have no room available to keep her in. She roams around freely in different houses.

 

[Norachan]

Lots of animal hospitals in your town!

Pet Clinics in Faisalabad,Pakistan | Animal Hospitals,Veterinary Clinic,Vet Doctors,Veterinary Surgeons,Pet Consultants,Veterinarians,Pet And Vets Clinics


If you trap her and try to relocate her you would need to find someone who will take care of her. If you take her to a strange place and release her she will try to get back to her home. This will mean she will pass through lots of other cats territory. These cats will attack her and try to drive her away. She won't know where to find water or food or where is a safe place to sleep. It's unlikely she will survive the journey back. If you are going to relocate a cat you need to keep her indoors at her new home for at least a month.

If you take her to a vet for a spay you can ask them to take care of her for a few days so that she recovers from surgery.

Stray cats can survive on their own, but they have much shorter, more dangerous lives than pet cats that are taken care of.

Will Cats Become Extinct If We Spay/neuter All Of Them?

Should You Try And Tame A Feral Cat?

9 Ways To Help Feral Cats During Hot Summer Months

The Five Golden Rules To Bringing An Outdoor Cat Inside

 

[Neo815]

I had another question. Can I get an infection from it? Is stray cat's saliva clean?
It has only started to rub its body agsinst my legs and love bites from today. If I stop feeding her and leave her alone she will have to go out to find another food source.

 

[Norachan]

Did the bite break the skin? Even bites from a healthy cat can lead to an infection. Wash the bite with warm water and apply antiseptic cream. If it becomes inflamed you should get some antibiotics from your doctor.

 

[Neo815]

No, the skin is intact. She very lightly nibbles on the skin. Its not a proper bite. I can't take her to a hospital. I'll have to trap her first to take her to the vet. She doesn't let me touch her. It's a lot of hassle. If I stop feeding her will she leave. I don't want to adopt her and I can't ask anyone to take her in. And please don't persuade me to adopt her. I shouldn't have feed her in the first place.

 

[talkingpeanut]

This cat depends on you, and is showing affection to you. Abandoning the cat at this point is cruel. There is no humane way to do what you are asking.

 

[Neo815]

Can she survive on her own? If I stop feeding her she will leave the house to find food.

 

[Neo815]

How am I suppose to take care of her after the Doctor oprates on her? I had no idea about this spay thing. You cannot leave an animal outside after the operation and I have no room where I can supervise her. I have talked to the Doctor. They don't take care of the animal there. You have to take it home after the operation.

 

[talkingpeanut]

If you can keep the cat inside overnight, or in an enclosed space like a shed outside, she should be ok to release the next day.

There is no guarantee that she will find food elsewhere or survive. The cat has depended on you for a long time now. You would be abandoning an animal that has come to depend on you for survival.

 

[Neo815]

If you can keep the cat inside overnight, or in an enclosed space like a shed outside, she should be ok to release the next day.

There is no guarantee that she will find food elsewhere or survive. The cat has depended on you for a long time now. You would be abandoning an animal that has come to depend on you for survival.

 

[Neo815]

Not a long time. I used to give her milk which she doesn't like much. Her mother drank thst milk. I have only given her solid food for 2 weeks. My mind is not accepting it . Help me out here brother .I am not good with responsibilities. And I am feeling very depressed after the affection the cat has shown me today. I am more of a bird person. You feed them and they fly away.

 

[Neo815]

I don't have a shed or a place inside. Honestly I don't want any animal inside my house. I know its a hard thing to hear for pet owners but I never owned a pet in my life. I am really sorry I am saying things which might sound very cruel and harsh to other people here. I just want the cat out of my house.

 

[Norachan]

It does sounds as if the cat has grown very attached to you.



But I understand. Things are not the same in Pakistan as they are in Japan or the West. (Although I did meet a man who had about half a dozen very healthy looking house cats when I was traveling in Hunza.....)

If you can't find anyone who will take care of the cat you have to accept that she is going to stay around your house. That is her home now, even if you don't feed her she will stay in her home territory. She will have kittens very soon too. Whether you are going to take responsibility for her or not it will make your life a lot easier if you get her spayed.

I have had lots of feral cats spayed or neutered. It sounds as if this cat would be quite easy to trap. You would need a pet carrier or cage. You could put some food in the cage and then just close the door after her when she goes in. Ask the vet to use dissolving stitches so she doesn't need to go back to hospital and give her an injection of antibiotics to prevent infection.

After she has had the operation bring her home in the carrier and put it in a quiet corner of your house or garden. Cover the carrier with a blanket so the cat can't see out and other animals can't see she is in there. I used to keep the cage in the back of my car until the next day. As long as the cat is protected from the weather while she recovers she will be OK. The feral cats I had fixed were released 24 hours after the operation.

You don't need to worry about the bite on your hand being infected if she didn't break the skin.

Please don't do anything to hurt or scare the cat. She see you as her friend, it would be a terrible thing if you tried to drive her away.

 

[Neo815]

Thanks for the replies friends,

I am sorry to say but I have relocated the cat to another house a few blocks away from my house. I hope she finds another home and people who can love her. That house is empty and their are a few caretakers there.

 

[talkingpeanut]

If you were able to relocate her, surely you could get her spayed and then move her.

I can see that you are struggling and anxious with this, but you have an opportunity to make a real difference for this cat.

This situation is very upsetting.

 

[msaimee]

You do realize that taking a cat and putting her on a block a few blocks from your home is not going to resolve the situation, right? Cats can travel a mile or more to return to their territory. They do it all the time when they mate. So she will return to you soon and you will be right back where you started. Do the right thing. Get her spayed. Allow her to continue to hang out around your house, and provide her with some dry cat chow once or twice a day. You must have known when you came to a forum where people addvocate for caring for feral and stray cats that your story would break our hearts and we would encourage you to do what we believe is the right thing. And you must care about the cat or you wouldn't have come here asking for advice.

 

[Neo815]

I had no intention of causing any pain. I searched for cat forums and this site was at the top. I thought people here would have better understanding of stray cat behavior. If my mind is not accepting to take a pet then I won't be able to treat her with respect. That is not fair to an animal. I made a mistake and feed her for a week or two. There were other ways on the Internet but I could not bring myself up to use them. If I have caused any pain then I sincerely apologize.

 

[msaimee]

You have treated her with respect and kindness and she bonded with you. I do understand that stray cats bond very quickly with their human caregiver. I hope that you'll reconsider and continue to care for her, especially since it's very likely she'll find her way back to you. I didn't mean to come across as harsh, I just feel very sorry for the cat, she must be feeling so scared and confused right now, it's a very upsetting story.