Possible Stray Cat Advice Please

candykisses

Hello

Being a "dog person" rather than a "cat person", just wondered if anyone could help. Btw, I do like cats, just have always owned dogs.

I live in a row of terraced houses and there is a cat that I've seen about for a few months. He seems to lie on top of my wishing well in the sunshine but more recently has started lying on my window sill. One evening he was on the window sill meowing and looking in at me, I felt really guilty I couldn't let him in because my dog doesn't get on with cats.

I asked the neighbour about the cat and she said she has been leaving food out for him. According to her, she thinks he belonged to the end house but they moved out and left him behind - nobody knows where they went. She thinks this as she said he used to have a collar on but he doesn't now.

He doesn't look thin or unhealthy - I have seen him carrying the odd mouse too! The neighbour won't take him in incase he's got fleas etc and they haven't got money for vets etc. I can't because of the dog.

So, what should be done? He seems happy enough but last night it was raining and I could see him curling up under my conifer hedge. My oh thinks I'm overreacting, said that cats do go outside and night but I'm fretting he's cold or wants to sit on someones lap etc etc.

I had thought about ringing Cats Protection League, but if they took him away would they be taking him away from the area he loves? Maybe he's happy as he is.

Sorry for all the questions, I just don't know much about cats living habits, if they all must have access to a home or if they are ok to live outside if they are getting fed.

thank you

krlyr

The RSPCA website has a template for paper collars that you can print and put on a suspected stray. It's got a message along the lines of "I keep spotting your cat, if he belongs to you can you please call me on --- to confirm he has an owner" or similar. Think the link to the PDF is on this page (work filter blocks it so can't check, sorry)
http://www.rspca.org.uk/allaboutanimals/helpandadvice/straycats

Cat rescues are so overwhelmed that many won't even take strays in anymore, especially healthy ones. Some charities might neuter him, if he isn't done already, to keep the cat population down but they'd probably re-release him to the same area.

rising_from_the_ashes

krlyr wrote: »

Cat rescues are so overwhelmed that many won't even take strays in anymore, especially healthy ones. Some charities might neuter him, if he isn't done already, to keep the cat population down but they'd probably re-release him to the same area.

Do you know roughly how long it is since they left?

If it's a while and he's happy and healthy he must be happy as he is.

As Krlyr suggests, a paper collar is a good idea to see if he does have an owner.

If no-one comes forward, is there any way that between you and your neighbour you could provide food / care if he lived outside?

As long as he's got somewhere to shelter from the worst of the weather (you can make an outdoor cat shelter relatively cheaply - like this one http://www.orphankittenrescue.com/feline-care) and put it in a sheltered place away from the prevailing wind, which would make a comfy, warm, dry place for him to shelter.

candykisses

thank you both for the replies.

risingashes - i had been saying to my other half last night about making some kind of shelter, he seems to have been around and about for several months now - i just feel so bad sitting in a warm house when he is looking in meowing.

I think I would feel better knowing he had a little shelter, I could put that under my front window at the side of the conifers.

I will also have a word with neighbour to see if they want to continue feeding him - perhaps I could contribute to cost.

Also, feel like he should be checked over at vets. Do cats have microchips sometimes??

Thanks for the link to the shelter ideas-we had been thinking of making a wooden one but this looks easier and more snug - would also be easier to clean out.

candykisses

can I just take a cat to my vets if it's not mine and we dont know whose it is???

gettingready

Of course you can

candykisses

Thank you, think i'll get him checked out and make sure there's nothing wrong with him .

Bexm

We had a cat who was doing this, constantly mewing at our window, sleeping on our garden and wanting to come in. We invited it in for food and were going to adopt it.. but found he was being a cheeky thing and actually belonged to someone on our street and was well looked after, just wanted more food!

If I'd known of the paper collar that's a fantastic idea. Also maybe give the vets a call and say you want to get a cat scanned, see if he is chipped. I'm sure they will be OK with that.

rising_from_the_ashes

Great idea to get him checked out (and while there you could prob get him wormed / flea dosed!).

Re the shelters, meant to say you can get plastic storage tubs fairly cheaply at places like £stretcher.

The smaller ones needs to sit in the big one snugly but allow enough room for insulation around it (straw or similar could also do for this) - the hardest part is getting the holes to line up when you cut them! (remember to put something under the smaller one when you mark it to allow for the insulation - and make it a good few inches off the ground so wet can't get into it).

gettingready

candykisses wrote: »

Thank you, think i'll get him checked out and make sure there's nothing wrong with him .

... then introduce him slowly to the dog

Dollardog

Many years ago, we had a cat that used to shelter in my garage, it seemed to be getting very thin, so I started feeding it. It then took to coming and sitting on the windowsill. My dad was alive then and he was housebound, he used to tap on the window to it and you could see it purring and rubbing against the window as it would have done someone's leg given half the chance.
I wouldn't have minded taking it in as I like cats, wouldn't really choose to have one thoughas I live on a busy road. We had a dog though who was very jealous of anyone coming near me, she wasn't nasty with people etc, just used to barge her way in between me and whoever she thought was getting too close to 'Her' mum. She had come from a house with lots dogs so they never used to get cats in their garden and she'd never really had any dealings with cats. She was always friendly with other dogs though.
I decided to take the cat to the vet as I thought it was a female and wanted to get it spayed so it didn't have any kittens in the garage as I was always worried about it being in there anyway when I started the car because of the exhaust fumes. Anyway - silly me - it turned out to be a male so I had it neutered anyway.
After the op, the vets said it needed to be kept in at least overnight to keep an eye on it - dilema!! - I decided to risk taking it in and seeing what happened. After a bit of investigating and a lot of scowling from the cat, they got on fine and after a very short time, it was obvious that the cat idolised the dog, used to wait till she got in her basket, then so very carefully got in at side of her making sure he didn't tread on her, he looked at her with such love in his eyes. She used to look up at me as if to say - "Do I have to put up with this?"
I was so glad I took him in.
You might very well find that if you are careful how you introduce them, your dog might very well accept the newcomer.

Good luck and thank you for caring enough about it to worry.