Help! Sad kitty at my door :(

kataklysm

Hi everybody! I hope you can help, we seem to have acquired a new visitor and we're not quite sure what to do.. sorry for the long winded post, but ya know details count

On Saturday, we noticed a new cat wondering around the garden, meowing a lot, and looking a bit confused. He wondered up to the window bold as you like ignoring our two cats on the other side..and started meowing at us. He disappeared for a bit, then sat in next door's garden for a while (they also have a cat, so he obviously isn't aware of the territory ) and we didn't see him after that so we assumed he'd gone home.

Yesterday, though he returned. It was pouring down with rain and he was at the door desperate to be somewhere dry. We're a couple of softies/eejits, and sensing that something was wrong, we shut ours in the kitchen and let him in briefly, thinking that if he had somewhere to go, he probably wouldn't be sitting out in the rain.. Poor little mite was soaked through, but super friendly, an absolute sweetie and glad to be in the warm i think. Looks in good condition, clear eyes, brushed fur, quite young I think, but no collar. Not exactly thin, but maybe a little on the light side. And meowing constantly! In fact, I'd say it was more like crying

Well, of course we (stupidly perhaps) gave him a bowl of water and some bics, and he wolfed it down, so I set up a warm shelter outside and sent him on his way. At about 1am, he appeared at the door again.. this morning, he was still there, the OH has just got back from work now - and it looks like he's not going anywhere.

So we're thinking one of two things: either he's new to the area and has got himself lost, or someone's moved away and left him. I've been out to get a collar and tag for him, and we'll leave a note on him so that if he does belong, they can phone us and we'll know not encourage him. We'll also put some notes around the neighbourhood to see what comes of that. I had a check on the lost+found websites in the area, and there's nothing matching his description there. He's such a lovely little thing, someone must be missing him.

But here's the thing: the OH called the local vet, and they won't check if he's chipped unless we sign him over to the RSPCA... which I'm no way doing, who knows what'll happen to him there, and anyway I think it's too soon. We'll probably give it a few more days and then contact Cat's Protection if no one calls.

But until then...it's January... we can't leave him out in the freezing cold.. what to do? We have a spare room, but it's full of the OH's junk. Next door have a shed, and we have a garage, would either of those be advisable? Or would he be ok in his 'nest' a few more days if we made it a bit nicer?


I thought I'd post here as I know you guys always have some great suggestions for this sort of thing. Is there somewhere that will check his chip for free and get in touch with the owners?

picklepick

Ah no, poor little mite

Grab a copy of the yellow pages, and start ringing the local vets. All of them! Leave them a description of the cat, and ask if they will scan him for free. I've never heard of a vets who will only scan cats handed over to the RSPCA?!

You did the right thing with making him comfortable outside, if hes just being a little git (as cats can be) and hanging about yours even though he has a perfectly good home to go to, this might encourage him to go home.

Did he look like hed been wearing a collar but has lost it? You can make a collar out of paper and cellotape quite easily to write on that you think hes lost and asking for the owners to contact you.

Apricot

Poor little mite, make up a few posters with cats picture on and hang in local shops and on a few lamposts around the area. Try ringing Companion Care if you have one locally - they recently scanned a cat for a chip for my auntie who found herself adopted.

The shed or garage would be fine, get him a nice cardboard box and a blanket so he can snuggle himself up when he needs to. I would say try to keep track of his coming & goings as much as possible to see if perhaps he is only coming around at certain times.

You could even post a picture on this thread & the area you're from in case anybody recognises him?

Artytarty

Aw, little guy maybe just found himself a really kind new pair of people to love him.
(They can tell you know)
ps . sounds like you are being very responsible and doing "all the right things"!

kataklysm

Yep, that confused me as well! I could understand them not wanting to give us the details, but to not even try? I'd like to think that if mine went astray, they could be returned fairly easily that way, obviously not. I'll call around some more tomorrow.

He didn't look like he had a collar, but to be honest, ours don't wear them since one of them came back with it wrapped around his shoulder... hopefully the chip will tell us who he belongs to, just a shame he has to endure another night alone in the cold or she! not actually checked that... i thought it might be impolite lol!

severina_2

*laughs* i had this problem december 2008, RSPCA and the Cat's Protection didn't want to know, i was just told to ignore the cat until it went away. Well i'm a softie too and couldn't bear to do that so i let this tatty looking cat in for the night. i also put a collar on her with a rolled up piece of paper in a container saying where she keeps turning up and my number, noone did ever call though

She's still here, sat on my lap watching me type !

spike7451

May I suggest you copy your post over to Purrs?
http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php
If the wee puss cat is lost,they may be able to help.

kataklysm

severina wrote: »

*laughs* i had this problem december 2008, RSPCA and the Cat's Protection didn't want to know, i was just told to ignore the cat until it went away. Well i'm a softie too and couldn't bear to do that so i let this tatty looking cat in for the night. i also put a collar on her with a rolled up piece of paper in a container saying where she keeps turning up and my number, noone did ever call though

She's still here, sat on my lap watching me type !

Awww! Don't tempt me... otherwise I suspect my next post will be how to introduce cats to each other.. :rotfl:

Just trying to figure out how to type up leaflets in Word...:mad:stoopid software lol.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

My cats don't have collars or chips. They're indoor cats and would be hopelessly lost outside. Having said that though, I suspect that, if they were to fall out of a window or something, they would head for the nearest place that smelled of crunchies on the offchance and stay there, wondering if we were smart enough to find them.

The odd poster up on a tree tends to get a response - leave out some essential detail, like a little marking on one paw which the real owner could tell you about easily. But it would probably be a good idea to have the number to call go straight to answerphone, as there will probably be some muppets calling, too. Perhaps the message could ask 'please leave your name, number and a brief description of the cat'?

Failing that, the next post will be 'Help! Name for sad kitty needed'

Apricot

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

The odd poster up on a tree tends to get a response - leave out some essential detail, like a little marking on one paw which the real owner could tell you about easily. But it would probably be a good idea to have the number to call go straight to answerphone, as there will probably be some muppets calling, too. Perhaps the message could ask 'please leave your name, number and a brief description of the cat'?

Yes totally agree with this when Missy went missing I one night I had a "heavy breather" who called me 9 times throughout the night - I turned my phone on silent after the first 3 but it was a little bit disconcerting, even though they never rang back after that one night. Im convinced it was from my number on the posters as none of my friends are that childish.

spike7451

princessleah_ wrote: »

Yes totally agree with this when Missy went missing I one night I had a "heavy breather" who called me 9 times throughout the night - I turned my phone on silent after the first 3 but it was a little bit disconcerting, even though they never rang back after that one night. Im convinced it was from my number on the posters as none of my friends are that childish.

If you've got an old mobile,get a free SIM & bung that in it.Use that & top it up with a tenner,when anyone calls,use that to return the call.