This is my first post here - I just found this forum today. I know the usual forum etiquette is to lurk awhile before posting but I need advice.
We live in a townhouse with four cats, three of them elderly. In fact, one of them is dying of "human" leukemia (NOT FeLV - he tested negative).
Yesterday we saw a cat in the window two doors down, in a vacant townhouse. It was a stray we have seen around the neighborhood. We think she must have slipped in while the maintenance man was there. Fortunately we were able to open a window and our first thought was to let her out, but with it being so cold (we're in Ohio) we decided to leave her in there but have been taking food and water to her. She is friendly and affectionate. Now here is the dilemma. My husband wants to keep her, although I'm not sure it's wise. What steps should we take - take her to the vet first for shots and appropriate testing, and wait for the results before bringing her in? And how long will that take? We are not sure how long she will be able to be kept in the vacant apartment before management finds her and lets her out.
The other issue is our dying cat. Will this be too upsetting for him? He is very lethargic but still eating and drinking, and doesn't appear to be in pain so we don't feel the time is here yet to euthanize him. He tends to spend his time in his favorite hiding places, and the other cats don't bother him.
Please advise!
We live in a townhouse with four cats, three of them elderly. In fact, one of them is dying of "human" leukemia (NOT FeLV - he tested negative).
Yesterday we saw a cat in the window two doors down, in a vacant townhouse. It was a stray we have seen around the neighborhood. We think she must have slipped in while the maintenance man was there. Fortunately we were able to open a window and our first thought was to let her out, but with it being so cold (we're in Ohio) we decided to leave her in there but have been taking food and water to her. She is friendly and affectionate. Now here is the dilemma. My husband wants to keep her, although I'm not sure it's wise. What steps should we take - take her to the vet first for shots and appropriate testing, and wait for the results before bringing her in? And how long will that take? We are not sure how long she will be able to be kept in the vacant apartment before management finds her and lets her out.
The other issue is our dying cat. Will this be too upsetting for him? He is very lethargic but still eating and drinking, and doesn't appear to be in pain so we don't feel the time is here yet to euthanize him. He tends to spend his time in his favorite hiding places, and the other cats don't bother him.
Please advise!