Saw A Black Cat Hanging In My Patio Outside? Anything I should Do?

[OopsyDaisy]

Do you think the cat is cold? He seemed to have slept on my chair with no covering all right. Should I give him/her some food?

I was going to ask you if it was cold there. That's why I suggested a box. My sister makes them out of large plastic storage containers for stray cats where she lives. I would put out some food...but you know it will come back for more. Do you have a cat in your place right now that it is perhaps smelling?

 

[SeanS]

I was going to ask you if it was cold there. That's why I suggested a box. My sister makes them out of large plastic storage containers for stray cats where she lives. I would put out some food...but you know it will come back for more. Do you have a cat in your place right now that it is perhaps smelling?

Hi yes, I have a small cat. It's 40-30 F right now where I live.

 

[SeanS]

Clearly not a feral. He didn't mind me and my cat looking at him through our windows, though when I opened the door, he/she bolted again. Not sure what to do since it's rain at my place tomorrow and the following day.

 

[Furballsmom]

I had something of the same thing these past couple hours, in that I didn't know what action to take - we saw a dog across the street that apparently the people discovered had come into their backyard through the gate that the wind blew open. The teenager who was home wasn't sure what to do but eventually let it back out front, but was clearly worried. I got mixed information from what my partner saw through the security cameras and by the time I figured out it was truly a stray after briefly talking with the teenager, the dog was gone down the street and since I didn't know which way it turned at the corner, I lost my chance.
We have a nasty storm coming in tonight, I should have grabbed a coat and followed my gut instinct, but I missed him/her. There are a couple of hopeful possibilities where maybe its owner was out looking (which is what I think the parents of the teenager told her ), or maybe it went down to where the grocery store is and somebody took it in from there, but I'll never know.

It's hard sometimes. If you put food out, your outsider will be less likely to leave since s/he really likes that chair. But on the other hand, you don't want it to go hungry in the bad weather, that makes it more possible for it to get an illness if it's undernourished.

 

[SeanS]

I had something of the same thing these past couple hours, in that I didn't know what action to take - we saw a dog across the street that apparently the people discovered had come into their backyard through the gate that the wind blew open. The teenager who was home wasn't sure what to do but eventually let it back out front, but was clearly worried. I got mixed information from what my partner saw through the security cameras and by the time I figured out it was truly a stray after briefly talking with the teenager, the dog was gone down the street and since I didn't know which way it turned at the corner, I lost my chance.
We have a nasty storm coming in tonight, I should have grabbed a coat and followed my gut instinct, but I missed him/her. There are a couple of hopeful possibilities where maybe its owner was out looking (which is what I think the parents of the teenager told her ), or maybe it went down to where the grocery store is and somebody took it in from there, but I'll never know.

It's hard sometimes. If you put food out, your outsider will be less likely to leave since s/he really likes that chair. But on the other hand, you don't want it to go hungry in the bad weather, that makes it more possible for it to get an illness if it's undernourished.

Interesting. I assume, based on where you live of course, if you see a dog outside, it almost certainly has to belong to someone and is lost? Not like there are feral dogs out there?

So what do you recommend? Even if I put out food tonight, will the cat be able to find a way back if it rains two nights in a row.

He or she didn't mind us looking at her through the window at all, which was surprising, but like I said, bolted when he/she saw us.

 

[Furballsmom]

You're correct, not a feral
The cat will be able to find you .

 

[SeanS]

You're correct, not a feral
The cat will be able to find you .

Well guess I'll put some food out and talk to animal shelters again tomorrow.

 

[Furballsmom]

Sounds like a plan.

 

[OopsyDaisy]

I would put food out. Also, a little shelter of some kind over the chair. I think it may just be lost. If you could find out if it has a chip or anything, maybe your could eventually get it back to its owner.

 

[SeanS]

The black cat is doing well I suppose, certainly getting more use to me I guess, but still can't get near.

Off topic, but today I finally saw a fox in the area. I hear their yells all the time at night. But today, as I went to my bedroom, saw my cat looking out the window. Assumed it was a bird, but it was a fox. The fox and my cat must have being starring each other down for a few minutes. Fox bolted when it saw me, but my cat was hissing at it the entire time.

Curious how the fox stumbled upon us through the window.

 

[Furballsmom]

As long as he's eating, drinking and using the litterboxes for both jobs he and you are doing great!

Time and patience. He'll come around . Thanks so much for the update (the fox probably saw your cat's movement in the window? )

 

[di and bob]

Foxes are not know at all to hurt cats. Your stray may be lost or dumped. Even if he was very tame, most cats bolt when a stranger gets near. That will change the more he gets to know you.

 

[CatladyJan]

Interesting. I assume, based on where you live of course, if you see a dog outside, it almost certainly has to belong to someone and is lost? Not like there are feral dogs out there?

So what do you recommend? Even if I put out food tonight, will the cat be able to find a way back if it rains two nights in a row.

He or she didn't mind us looking at her through the window at all, which was surprising, but like I said, bolted when he/she saw us.

. Feral cats don’t mind being watched. The bolting can be a feral or a stray that is scared. If you can afford to do TNR and keep it asan outdoor cat that is up to you as others state it’s s commitment. Since it is coming to your place it would be nice to provide a shelter.

 

[Margot Lane]

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The black cat is doing well I suppose, certainly getting more use to me I guess, but still can't get near.

Off topic, but today I finally saw a fox in the area. I hear their yells all the time at night. But today, as I went to my bedroom, saw my cat looking out the window. Assumed it was a bird, but it was a fox. The fox and my cat must have being starring each other down for a few minutes. Fox bolted when it saw me, but my cat was hissing at it the entire time.

Curious how the fox stumbled upon us through the window.
[/QUOTE

My cat does this too—- often face to face w/ a fox just outside the window. I wonder if they are communing. Hasn’t happened in awhile, and, I think sometimes my cat pines for this odd interaction, waiting by the window.

 

[SeanS]

As long as he's eating, drinking and using the litterboxes for both jobs he and you are doing great!

Time and patience. He'll come around . Thanks so much for the update (the fox probably saw your cat's movement in the window? )

Just curious, I assume all abandoned cats that once lived in a human home, but were tossed outside to fend for themselves are stray cats. But are all stray cats abandoned cats?

How does a cat become a stray?

I know signs a cat is feral, is that you never see them, and they make no noise to humans.

But wondering the difference between a stray and abandoned cats?

 

[game misconduct]

depends on you i guess we had several cats hanging around my bedroom window things would have been ok had not this black feral began trtying to attack graycie by jumping up at our window scaring and causing her large amounts of stress so bottom line is they are not welcome around any more.

 

[CatladyJan]

Just curious, I assume all abandoned cats that once lived in a human home, but were tossed outside to fend for themselves are stray cats. But are all stray cats abandoned cats?

How does a cat become a stray?

I know signs a cat is feral, is that you never see them, and they make no noise to humans.

But wondering the difference between a stray and abandoned cats?

A stray would be a domesticated cat that could have been abandoned intentionally or because the cat got out and never made it back home or was an outdoor only cat that had kittens and nobody took care of them if they ran off. So no all strays are not abandoned.

 

[SeanS]

A stray would be a domesticated cat that could have been abandoned intentionally or because the cat got out and never made it back home or was an outdoor only cat that had kittens and nobody took care of them if they ran off. So no all strays are not abandoned.

So a stray cat must have had a decent bit of human contact? And doesn't necessarily need to have live in a human home?

 

[Furballsmom]

And doesn't necessarily need to have live in a human home?

This might help;
A Feral Cat Or A Stray Cat? How To Tell The Difference – TheCatSite Articles