Please help! What should I do?

[chubbycat01]

Hello all.

Recently there has been a cat hanging around my house and I am unsure whether or not it is a stray.

I already have a cat and in late December, a black cat started turning up that I haven't seen before. Initially, he (I am unsure on the gender) and my own cat would get into a few fights, and me and my family just presumed it was due to being 'that season'. Several times now I have caught him inside stealing some of my cats food. He always runs away when he sees me and disappears. We have also caught him sleeping underneath the house during the day several times as well, and yet again, he always runs away. We had presumed he was just a new cat in the area (There have been quite a few people moving in and out of the neighborhood these last few months) but things changed a week or so ago.

While feeding my cat one night, we heard him meowing at the back door. Not the typical reowing of part-burmese cats, but short little meows. We opened the door and he ran off into the yard but kept on meowing at us. This behavior has occurred every night for the last week now. We have started feeding him dry food at night when he starts meowing (and even after feeding him, he wont stop meowing). To begin with he was nervous and wouldn't let us near him, but he always eagerly ate all the food we gave him. Tonight, he actually let us get close to him and pat him!

He seems in too much of a good condition to be a feral cat, so we are wondering if he is lost and hungry. Either that, or he is just using us for free food every night!

I am unsure on what I should do about him. My cat is now too nervous to go outside alone now and gets very upset every time she hears him meowing. She used to love being outdoors and sleeping under the house; now she just stays inside all day. But at the same time, I don't want the little guy to starve. Due to my cat, I am unable to keep him or allow him indoors. Taking him to the vet seems like the next option, but it is very difficult as he only comes around late at night and all vets are closed by then.

What advice would you give me? My cat is getting older and she has always been a bit nervous. At the same time, I want to help out the other cat if he is lost or stray. I have been on every lost pets site I can find, and no listings match his description. I live in Australia, by the way. 

Thank you for your time!

 

[chubbycat01]

I should have also mentioned that it is very unusual for cats to be out at night in Australia. They are normally kept in doors overnight because of other dangerous wildlife that could harm them. This cat is coming around after dark (around 7-9pm, which further makes me wonder if he doesn't have a home to go to.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Welcome to the forums!  It does sound like this new cat might be a stray who is quite hungry.  Thank you for caring for it by providing some food.  Many stray cats take on feral like qualities if they have been left on their own for awhile.  They become fearful of humans and hide during the day light usually coming out at dawn or dusk for food. 

If you can, you will need to trap this little one and get it to a vet to check for microchip and also spay/neuter.  Since it might be mating season where you are you don't want this cat pregnant.  If it is a unaltered male, he will possibly fight and spray your area to mark his territory.  If there is a way you can borrow a humane trap and then take him to a vet for care.  You could then bring him back to your area once he/she is spayed/neutered and continue to feed.

Also

 

[chubbycat01]

Thank you for the quick reply! 

I think that within the next few days, I'll be able to gain its trust enough for me to easily pick him up. The only problem is, like I said, he comes around after the vets have closed. I don't have a room where I can keep him safe until the morning and I hate the thought of keeping him in a box overnight. Is there anyway I could make the experience less traumatic for him? I will defiantly try and get my hands on a larger box/cage to keep him in. But I don't like the thought of him spending the night trapped in the dark.

 

[shadowsrescue]

If you can put the cat in a carrier or large cage for the night, just place it in a bathroom or garage.  You can then put a sheet over the cage to keep the cat calm.  It will be fine in the crate or carrier overnight as long as you can get it to the vet the next morning.