Steal a stray?

skintchick

NOW UPDATED: See post from Nov 1st.

I wasnt sure what to title this.

down the road from me there is a lovely cat. He is a long-haired cat and is always in the gaden of a particular house. In the past I've had concerns about his welfare due to a very matted coat and have phoned the RSPCA, but recently that has been sorted out.

The other week he followed me and DD home and I let him in the porch and gave him a drink - he was very thirsty - but didn;t feed him as I thought he belonged to someone else.

Today I spoke to the lady who lives at the house where he is always hanging around and she told me he is a stray (her words) and he fights with her cats so he isn;t allowed in her house, but she feeds him so he hangs around.

I got the impression she's not overly fussed about him but she obviously looks after him as after I called the RSPCA his matts were cut out. either that or the RSPCA did it because he is a stray.

Anyway, the thing is that my daughter wants a cat, she loves that cat and he likes her - he runs to her in the street when he sees her but he runs away from all the other kids in the street.

Would it be awful to feed him and let him in my house? The woman said he's a stray so she obviously doesn't think of him as hers (she has three cats of her own) but she does look after him a bit. I just hate the thought of him sleeping outside, and me and DD have built up quite a relationship with him!

Would you "steal" him?

MrsAtobe

I think a cat chooses his owners, and I think you are his chosen ones... or suckers, depending on how you look at it

snozberry

Well, I'm soft when it comes to cats but if I were you I'd keep schtum to your child, take him in but have him scanned at the vets first. There is always a chance that he is a missing furbaby. If he isn't chipped and is definately a stray then I'd adopt him, tell the world about him and love him forever!

roxy13

Yes!!! Let him in and look after him. How lovely!

roxy13

Just read what Snozberry said. I agree. Could be a pet that has gone missing. But if not chipped then take him home and get ready to be 'owned'!

skintchick

MrsAtobe wrote: »

I think a cat chooses his owners, and I think you are his chosen ones... or suckers, depending on how you look at it

He is gorgeous. DD and I love him and always stop to see him. DD was delighted when he followed us home but I thought he was someone's actual pet so I discouraged him apart from giving him a drink.

But as he isn;t actually anyone's...

And I am thinking it's worth getting him scanned because he is SO friendly he is clearly not really a street cat.

Just got to get Oh to agree to my plan now.

arbroath_lass

I'd take him to the vets first and make sure he's not chipped, then I'd probably put a collar on him with a note and maybe put up a few posters. If nothing came back on the note or from the posters I'd take him in.

I had a cat who (hopefully) decided he wanted to live elsewhere. It broke my heart not knowing what had happened to him.

skintchick

arbroath_lass wrote: »

I'd take him to the vets first and make sure he's not chipped, then I'd probably put a collar on him with a note and maybe put up a few posters. If nothing came back on the note or from the posters I'd take him in.

I had a cat who (hopefully) decided he wanted to live elsewhere. It broke my heart not knowing what had happened to him.

I don't think there's any point in a note because he does just live in this woman's garden. He usually sleeps on the front lawn but today he wasn't there and that's why she spoke to us - I told her DD was peering over to find the cat, and she told us he was asleep on the BBQ, then told us he's a stray, Was a bit random - unless she wants to get rid of him maybe?

arbroath_lass

skintchick wrote: »

I don't think there's any point in a note because he does just live in this woman's garden. He usually sleeps on the front lawn but today he wasn't there and that's why she spoke to us - I told her DD was peering over to find the cat, and she told us he was asleep on the BBQ, then told us he's a stray, Was a bit random - unless she wants to get rid of him maybe?

I suggested it as a "just in case". I don't think there is any harm in it. Just because this woman thinks he's a stray doesn't mean he actually is.

arbroath_lass

BTW you could do all this whilst tempting him over to your home. As long as DD will understand if the "real" owners turn up.

Of course from what you say even if there are real owners they may not want the cat.

Red_Tabby

First time poster here... But your post finally prompted me to stop lurking!

Please take him in, please get him checked for an id chip at the vets. Then if you can, please keep him and love him endlessly.

I recently had the unpleasant experience of picking up the local stray who had been hit by a car and was left in the road, I took him to the vets, but he died on the way, they scanned him but no chip present.

After his sad death, I leafleted the neighbourhood but no one claimed him, but lots of people said they had seen him hanging about. I wish I had realised he was a stray as I would have tried to get help for him.

Best of luck with persuading OH.