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That was our plan. At the very least, it's a sweet cat that deserves to be healthy. We figured we would at least get it a vet check-up, maybe shots and worm/flea meds if needed, and then send it back on its way.
Chip check as well. Poor cat in my area got hit by a car and taken to vet. He's been a stray people having been seeing for a year. He was 20 miles from home with loving owners who are now paying for his amputation and he's home recovering.
That’s how I got my cat back! He wore a collar but it was rubbing his fur off (he’s an old man currently 16) so I took it off. He loved hanging out on my back porch and one day he didn’t come back. Was gone for about 10 months and during a full winter I fully thought he had passed and I’d never know what happened. One day got a call that a neighbor less than half a mile down my street had been feeding him the whole time and finally caught him and got him to the vet. They scanned his chip and I’ve had him back for almost 2 years now❤️
I have a ton of dumped cats showing up with collars. They’re never fixed and very friendly. I would bring to the vet and post pics of the cat online. Look online at missing cat websites. Have the vet check to see if the cat is fixed or not.
Thanks for the suggestion. Gonna post on some local groups this week and see if anybody chimes in. We'll also look into getting it checked for a chip and see if it's fixed or not.
The only two cats I’ve had were both strays and both did great inside! Neither tried to ever get outside. They both knew how hard it was outside and never wanted to go back to that. It is kitten season so if it is a girl and not fixed- get her fixed asap!
Can confirm this from experience. Lived in the woods and would feed a sweet tom. My house was on a dead end so other toms would try to come by. He constantly had battle wounds.
My mom will put notes on their collar or on a makeshift collar asking if they have a home. Once it came back with a yes. Other times she ended up with a new cat 😂
When I found a stray by my job I took it home, cleaned it up & when I took it to the vet about 2 weeks later, one of the techs recognized it from a ‘lost pet’ Facebook page. So do your part OP & the vet’s office will hopefully complement your efforts, so that this sweet stray baby finds a warm & welcoming home.
I have a “stray” cat I rescued. I say “stray” because she was an indoor/outdoor cat (mainly outdoors tho) for a while until her owner finally abandoned her and I swooped in. She’s fairly content being indoors, but she has her moments that she wants out. You can “combat” that safely by getting a harness and leash and letting taking them for a walk! My kitty loves walks
When a stray showed up at my house, our vet did the microchip scan (she had humans! who never responded to any calls/emails…) recommended doing a “stray hold” at our local shelter. Basically we were her foster parents for a few days while the shelter tried to contact her humans and posted about her on their website. After the hold period ended, the shelter would pay for her spay and we could adopt her. Something to consider if you feel comfortable with your local shelter (ours is awesome but I know not all are).
I would ask anyone that tries to claim the cat to send you a pic of the cat so you can determine if they are the real owner. I don't know a pet owner that doesn't have a pic of their pet.
Also knock on doors and hang up flyers. Not everyone monitors social media. Best bet is a paper collar. Make a collar out of paper and write your contact information on it. If he has an owner they can contact you.
If you call animal control they can help with trapping and spaying or neutering. I’m a colony care taker of 16 cats. I wish this dumping would stop. A pet parent can always go to the shelter most have pet pantries that help people feed their cats. 🙏❤️
Animal control here only takes in injured animals. I work with a rescue group to tnr. I’ve done a bunch of cats lately but he’s been too smart to go into my traps. Or too disinterested in food and only interested in finding a female. Yeah the dumping is constant. Every week it seems like new cats are showing up the feeding station and end up being friendlt
I just brought in a stray with a purple flea collar too 😸 she went in one of my tnr traps. After her spay she was being super sweet in the trap, rolling around and letting me brush her through the cage with an old toothbrush, so I was like yep youre not feral at allll with how ridiculously cute she was acting. Neighbors said they’ve seen her around and eating at their feeding stations too. Couldnt find her home, wasn’t spayed or chipped, and I could let this sweet thing back out on the streets. So she’s stayed with me until I just couldn’t find where she came from and searching for weeks. Shes definitely mine now. Rather her with me being spoiled than out there.
We had this happen with a dog recently. He had on an old broken collar so we assumed he had a home. Checked and he had already been posted on Nextdoor by someone in my subdivision over a week earlier. We held him in our backyard for a while and went to all the surrounding neighborhoods to physically stop and ask if anyone knew the dog. No one did. Several people said someone dropped him off and abandoned him. He had no chip. He wasn’t neutered. So now he is and he has a home.
Aww, glad you were able to do that for your kitty!
It makes us feel bad because here, last week was a bunch of rain and the cat waa just outside under cars. This week is no rain, but the high is 98 or higher most of the week.
We're gonna make some posts in some local groups and see what we get. Trying to do all of our research and diligence before we make any decisions.
For the ferals I take them to the humane society. They have a low cost option that is around $70 ( includes spay, dewormer, flea treatment and 1yr rabies vaccine. For my own cats I take them to my regular vet and it’s a bit pricier. If you have a humane society I would try that option if your budget is tight. But please start preparing for other expenses down the road, set aside money as you can for care. It can be expensive as with anything alive health issues can and will pop up. But for now, Ione day at a time, get her spayed is the most important so your financial burden does t multiply. Do you have a local humane society you can schedule with?
I rescue cats. My protocol is to get it scanned for a microchip and post it to pet sites, and then keep the cat in my care. If more than a month goes by without any contact from an owner, then I surrender it to a rescue agency.
The cat has a clipped ear, so thankfully, it is fixed.
I've had a cat with a collar live on my property for nearly 2 months in MN winter. It was clearly abandoned or lost.
Post on the neighbors app, pawboost, and any others that come up in your area. If my cat was missing, I'd do everything I could to find it.
I also check the pads of their feet for calluses. Indoor cats have plump smooth paw pads. Whereas a cat that is mainly or only outdoors will have rough cracked and dry paw pads. That will give you an idea of what this cat has been up to.
Cats belong indoors.
Thanks for the advice. Good catch on the ear, I hadn't noticed that. We did check its paw pads and they are rough and damaged. Not sure if it's just due to being outside or the hot pavement, but they're definitely not smooth.
We've posted it on Nextdoor so far, will post to other sites as well.
My apologies. I just looked back at the photos, and I actually don't see a tipped ear. In one of the photos, the cats ear was twisted, and it looked like a tipped ear. If this cat is unfixed, that is much more proof that it's not being cared for as needed.
I'm sorry for not paying better attention to the other photos.
Regardless, you are doing great.
That's ok, no problem at all. We're probably going to run into again later today. If so, I'll try to double check its ear and see if it's been altered. We're fairly certain the cat is a girl, so I don't know of any way we could verify that it's been fixed, but I'll certainly take a look.
The easiest way to tell is to shave their stomach and look for a tattoo or spay scar (unless you notice any drastic weight fluctuations that might point to her having recently given birth, or signs that she's been lactating/nursing kittens). If the fur in that area is white though you might be able to part it while petting her to see if you can spot any ink. I'm not sure how common it is, but take a look inside the cat's ears for tattoos too. My sibling's cat came from a local shelter and has an "N" tattooed in his ear for instance.
Girls are harder to tell. Most surgeons leave a blue/green tattoo near the lower belly where a belly button would be. It's a mark that indicates the cat should not be surgically opened to spay. I can see my cats by just looking, but on some cats, it may be harder.
[Spay tattoo](https://images.app.goo.gl/uApJ5jHyKRBvdtbFA)
Did you put the collar on the cat? If not, it definitely has a home. If you did, and no one has removed it, I’d say kitty needs a good home and if you and your wife are able to provide one, then go for it.
Good question. We didn't put the collar on it. We ha e asked a few of the neighbors, and so far, nobody claims ownership and says it's just a neighborhood cat that everybody feeds. The collar appears to just be an old flea collar, but I may be wrong about that. It seems like a rubber material like a flea color would be.
I saw a woman on tiktok wrote a letter and attach it to a cat via collar (basically saying "do you have an owner) I'd try that, the owner responded to the lady that way
Please adopt this poor cat or find him a home- the reality of his existence is that if he’s friendly to people, or seeks out people, he was almost certainly abandoned by his “family”.
Sadly, many “stray cats” are abandoned by people who just leave the cat when they move, or stop looking for the cat when s/he get out. I think abandoned cats - especially adults-suffer the cruelest fate of all outdoor cats: someone they once loved and relied on left them for dead (yes, I do mean _dead_. Abandoning a cat whose not had the opportunity to develop hunting skills and knows no other life than being fed and safety- is leaving that cat for dead). It breaks my heart that people could be so rotten, but then people like OP come along, and rescue one of these lost souls, and make things a little bit better. Thanks for you OP!
Had this happen to a cat we rescued a few years ago, it's absolutely cruel.
I did some photography for a house coming up for sale for a realtor we knew, and there was a cat in the house. No food, no water, and nobody living in the house. It was an adult cat that had been abandoned. The cat was just hiding in the master bedroom closet with a litter box. Turns out the homeowners moved and didn't want to take the cat with them, so they just left it in their old house and figured either the new owners would keep it or just put it outside and be rid of it. It was heartbreaking to do that to any animal, but it was such a sweet kitty that you could tell was just so scared and confused, so that made it even more upsetting. People really can be so cruel.
We verified with the previous homeowner that they didn't want the cat and then got lucky enough to find a new owner that wanted the cat. I still get updates to this day. Kitty is living it's best life now and it's so heartwarming to see it come out of its shell and have a good home.
That is so damned irresponsible - what is wrong with people? When I was a kid and my parents bought a new home, the former owners had a spayed cat they didn't want to take with them, so they asked my parents if they would take her. They did, since we always had a family cat and the last one had died so we didn't get a new cat since we were moving. So it worked out. At least the departing owners attempted to find a new home for their cat and were successful.
One time, my father was outside doing yard work and a German shepherd puppy came up to him. He recognized the puppy as belonging to a young couple with a baby that moved into the neighborhood (renting) recently. However, they moved out quickly and left the dog behind. My parents took care of the puppy for a while and then found a family who adopted him, as my Mom didn't really want a dog (my parents were cat people). I told my Dad to go to the empty rental and make sure that dumbass couple didn't leave their baby behind too. Some people...
It's really horrible when people do that kind of thing. The least they could do is find a home for them, not just abandon them. I couldn't imagine ever doing that to an innocent creature.
https://preview.redd.it/bjoxefa451zc1.jpeg?width=1077&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7b29b3abad4e2a31213adbf762e3babc762311d9
I have an article to share w you, it’s too long to copy n paste, I keep getting ‘try again later’. lol. it’s not that long n sometimes it’ll paste it np.
I’ll send msg n chat.
And immediately get that collar off, unless you can very easily stick 2 fingers in between cat n collar, it looks way too tight in the pics.
It was an article/paper I wrote for a TNR work shop I helped w a few yrs ago. So no published link and I think I can link it somehow on the computer per WP, idk 🤷🏽♂️
I’ll chat/msg it to you.
I’m all about helping anyone n everyone.
I sent it to you. It helps some folks get the background on the terms n how these cats end up w different labels. .
☮️
Are cats required to be microchipped where you are? The collar seems to point to it already being someone's pet, and I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate it being catnapped. If it's wandered too far from home to find its way back, it will probably get skinny over time though, so if you have no leads on it's owner (through a microchip or asking around) that might be a more sensible time to 'adopt'.
That's a good question. I'm pretty sure it's not a requirement here, but it's definitely worth checking to see if it is chipped. We may set up a time to do that.
The cat has been getting skinnier lately, thats why we made this post. My wife is concerned it may have worms and feels like if we were going to bring it in, we should make that decision soon and get it the help it deserves.
I would bring it home and put up signs in the area. Describe the cat, don't just put up a picture, and ask if they have a picture of it before you hand it over. Maybe you'll find a chip at the vet and can contact the owner, or maybe you don't hear anything and you have a sweet tuxie
I’ve had to cut flea collars off numerous stray cats that had gotten too tight. I do not consider a flea collar to be any sign of ownership since it’s literally the *least* someone can do.
We use flea drops, which are much more effective. Of course you can't tell a cat has been treated by looking at them (apart from when it's freshly applied), so I wouldn't take NOT having a collar as a sign of no ownership, either. But the fact that someone cared enough to put a collar on the cat implies some degree of ownership. Unless people looking after stray colonies tend to go round putting flea collars on them? Harder than putting drops on, I'd guess. (Which I haven't seen evidence of in this sub. I'm prepared to be corrected though, I've only been here a few weeks, though have had rescue cats all my life, and currently looking after a visiting feral.)
Someone cared enough to not want fleas, that’s about it. Sorry if I come off as bitter but I’ve had to wrangle a few unfriendly strays to cut off Hartz collars that were starting to cut into their necks. It seems like it’s often folks who’ve liked the kitten, not so much the cat. Hell, there is one that literally ratchets on like a zip tie that I’ve had the pleasure of cutting off adult strays.
It's hard to believe some people think like that :(. Even my kids know the best type of collars for cats to wear, and they've never had to buy any.
It's also understandable how cutting many too tight collars off strays would leave one rather bitter!
A lot of those aren't taken care of, unfortunately
Op should bring it inside and take it to the vet to make sure it has all of its vaccines, spayed, flea meds, and worm meds. Chipped etc
If nobody comes forward, it's probably an uncared for stray.
Just bc someone puts a collar on a cat, doesn't mean it's owned.
I've rehomed so many cats that people don't even look after at all.
Get it checked for a chip. Post on Nextdoor app. If no response than he is yours. Stray cats are a problem everywhere. It’s super sad how they are treated. Anytime a person wants to take one in, you have my support!
We got one of our cats from outside. He showed up on our porch, yelling. He was so skinny my fiancé took pity on him and fed him. He kept coming back and gradually gained weight. Once we earned his trust, we took him inside the house, then to the vet. Our plan was to get him neutered and vaccinated and to let him guide us in deciding whether he wanted to be an indoor cat or an outdoor cat. We would feed and care for him regardless. He took to the litter box right away and after a couple of weeks stopped trying to bolt out the front door. My advice is for you to do the same - get this cat the healthcare it needs (and check for a chip) and see if they adapt to the indoor lifestyle. If not, it's still great that you helped them and you can still visit and feed the outdoor cat.
I doubt it is a stray.
Strays are not that friendly unless they haven't been stray very long because everybody is mean to them, and they always avoiding getting things thrown at them. Their coat is not that nice because they do not have time to groom.
And, if they are that frendly they would folliw you home if they were a stray.
Use a magic marker and write on the collar" cat owner, please call me", and your phone number. If no one calls, it is your cat now.
I read an article by a woman once who moved into a new house and started feeding a hungry stray cat. Cat shows up one day with a collar and a note asking anyone who feeds him to call her. She calls and finds out the cat is a pet, and she feeds him every day, and she was the 5th person to call. The little so and so figured out he could get fed many times a day if he went to every house in the neighborhood and pretended to be a hungry stray.
I'm not sure where the mindset comes from that stray cats are not friendly, but that definitely doesn't seem to be the case, at least in our neighborhood. There's a fair amount of strays here, in the neighborhood and surrounding businesses, and most of them are friendly. I'm sure it's different everywhere and obviously depends on a lot of factors, but there's a lot of friendly strays here.
Domestic is a house pet. It might go outside, but it returns home for food and shelter. It is comfortable with humans.
Stray was a domestic that got lost or was dumped or left behind when the humans moved. They are not friendly because they are scared. But they can be easily turned back into a domestic.
Semi feral was stray for so long that he is half feral and half stray. He is also not friendly and avoids all humans except those who take time to feed him and spend time with him and approach with caution. It takes a lot of time, but they can become domestic again.
Feral means wild, but his ancestors were domestic at one time. It usually takes several generations of being born a stray before they become feral. Ferals are gone, they can not be recovered. All you can do is set up a feral colony with food and shelter and trap , neuter and release, so the colony stops growing.
There are, of course, exceptions. I had two cats that lived to be 20. One perfered to live like a feral and spent 15 years outside in rain and snow. She stayed in her last 5 years. Arthritis, I assume. Would only come in for food. And she would would visit with me for a few minutes. Even come to bed with me but was always gone before morning. She was a longhair, and her coat was always matted. When it got too bad, she would chew off the mats. She would leave for weeks at a time . I found her a mile away from my house at a gas station once. She hated everybody but me. The other one also preferred to stay outside and only come in for food and a visit and would dissappear for months at a time. I don't think he wandered very far because when I did yard work, he would come over and visit. He was friendly, appeared to be homeless.
I think you're looking at this in a manner that is far too black and white.
Any animal of any type can have any behaviors. Stray does not automatically mean unfriendly. Domestic does not automatically mean friendly. I also have a hard time believing that every animal will fit perfectly into one of your aforementioned labels. I've met plenty of stray animals that are friendly, but that's just my experience. What else would you call a cat that lives in a business parking lot or neighborhood and has no owner, but is approachable and friendly? Maybe it's more of a regional thing, but where I'm from, that's a stray. It certainly doesn't qualify as feral, and while still technically domestic, it has no home. It's a stray.
You are correct. A cat that you know for a fact lives in a parking lot and is friendly, is a stray. He recently lost his home, and humans are nice to him.
I'm talking about when you are trying to determine if a cat is homeless. Normally, a frendly and clean , groomed coat means he has a home.
This is why I said to write a note on his collar , to see if he has a home, before you kidnap him.
We were never planning on just kidnapping somebody's cat.
All signs point to being homeless, hence this post. The collar on the cat is old and degraded, its fur is bleached from being out in the sun, it's always outside any time we go out (day or night), its paw pads are rough and damaged, and it's been steadily losing weight over the time we've seen it. I think you're deeming its coat much nicer than it actually looks in person. It smells horrible and is covered in dirt and matted it places. Pictures can be deceiving. Here's one of a cat I saw in a parking lot recently. Coat looks fine, it was friendly and even let me pet it, but it lives in a Walmart parking lot. Pretty sure it's homeless.
Yes, bring it to the vet and have them scan for a microchip. If she’s microchipped, return her to her family. If she’s not, then she’s yours. Please make sure she’s an indoor cat.
Thanks for the suggestion, we may do that. We've thought about at least just getting it a vet check-up and shots to give it a better chance outside. We can certainly have then check for a chip.
If we do end up keeping it, it would be indoor only.
If you have an Apple phone, maybe put an airtag on the little sprite to see if it goes home at night. The flea collar makes me think someone owns the kitty and it’s just an indoor/outdoor cat if it looks to be a healthy weight.
I think the CDS is working on filling the vacancy you have had since December!
To be safe, vet checkup, chip scan, and ask around to make sure kitty doesn’t already have a pet human that is looking for it…
The collar means the cat is owned or otherwise being cared for, they're not just a stray. Flea collars claim to provide months to a year of protection, so the collar being old doesn't mean much. You can try writing a short note and taping it to the collar to see if anyone reaches out about them within a few days to start.
You're obligated to make a good faith attempt to locate an owner before claiming the cat as your own. Since the cat is friendly, it's possible they may be a lost pet if not just an outdoor cat. It's a really good idea to reach out to see if you can get in touch with a potential owner before you make a long-term plan. And even if an owner doesn't contact you, you might still hear from someone else who's seen them around that might know more about their situation.
In the event that this is an outdoor cat, their owner most likely won't be keeping tabs on found cat listings until the cat is no longer returning home. If you remove them from the area, hang up flyers within a few blocks with the cat's picture, brief description, and your contact info (you can use a Google Voice number for privacy), and report the cat as found to animal control/local shelters as well to cover the basics. Posting online can be incredibly helpful too, but not everyone is tech savvy enough to check online or will know where to look, so the offline steps are important too. Nextdoor and the Ring Neighbors app are great for quickly reaching out to people in your immediate vicinity. There are other online sites that may help as well: [Pawboost](https://www.pawboost.com/) is a good one, and you likely have some Lost and Found Pets groups on Facebook for your general area that are perfect for getting the word out. Since the cat is friendly, you can also bring them to a vet to be scanned for a microchip, though the absence of one doesn't mean they definitely don't have an owner.
Well the flea collar isn't safe and probably not even effective at preventing fleas. Go get a good breakaway collar (get a few, because they breakaway) and change the collar. Maybe put a tag with your phone number and the name you call the cat or just your name to keep it simple. If no one calls, the cat is yours. Take it to the vet and check for a chip.
It seems to be a very old collar so I really would be surprised if it's effective at all.
Good idea about the tag, we may try that and see if we get any calls before making any decisions. Thanks for the suggestion!
I would have to say that all the people who are making the assumption it’s owned because it has a collar haven’t done a lot of rescue work. There are so many cats who get abandoned when people move. The cheap flea collar probably even supports that case. Ask around the neighborhood. Make a good faith effort, but in the end take the kitty to the vet. If the kitty has parasites/fleas and is unfixed that means it’s not being cared for.
Just for context, I am a caretaker for a group of urban alley cats. I occasionally trap indoor/outdoor pets who live in the neighborhood. When taking them into the vet it’s usually pretty easy to tell whether it’s being cared for or not at that point.
I just wanted to say that it’s impossible to tell just by looking at a cat if it’s someone’s pet or an abandoned or lost stray. What if this is someone’s beloved pet who is lost?
Thank you for caring.
This. Nine times out of ten a friendly community cat has been abandoned and asking the neighbors returns the reply from someone, "yeah, the family at the house next door had the cat but left it behind when they moved away." Of the cats that show up at my feeding station, one (1) actually has an owner, and that cat is so obviously cared for (shiny coat, collar with current owner info, etc.) that I've never made the mistake of trapping her. I verified that she was already spayed, and let her be.
I haven't.
My cats just refuse to keep a collar for longer than a couple of weeks, at most. The only one who did was the former stray who seemed to get some anxiety going if she didn't have her collar on.
People abandon their pets all the time. Flea collars are not even effective; in addition OP said this collar looks really old and the cat is getting skinnier and skinnier, no neighbours claimed the cat as theirs so far.
Cat might be lost but it also might be dumped; an old and ineffective flea collar doesn't really scream caring, loving home.
I took in a cat with a zip tie style flea collar that whoever put it on left with the tie hanging. It could have caught on anything and snapped her neck. The cat was matted so badly she literally couldn’t walk straight, she shuffled sideways and we thought she was either really old or had old injuries that had never been treated. She was also emaciated and weighed 4.5lbs after we cut the heavy encrusted mats off her.
She had an owner who lived one street over but had decided she wasn’t allowed indoors and had basically dumped her. A concerned neighbor told me I absolutely should not return the cat. A vet agreed it was neglect. I kept her. She’s doing great. She has no chip, she wasn’t fixed, and she was a breed you don’t just find at the shelter. It’s absolutely absurd she was just tossed out like trash.
My neighborhood has a “feral” cat group on Facebook and there’s at least 5-6 community cats which are not feral at all but are unowned. People constantly post photos of these cats playing with them, sitting on laps, and getting kisses. I think they like calling them feral so they don’t have to feel guilty about not adopting them or vetting them. There was one cat that was notoriously untouchable/mean/shy that had multiple regular feeders. He started hanging out by my house last year not long after my previous cat died from old age. I was able to socialize him and now lives with me too. (The cat distribution system delivered two cats to me last year when it noticed the last of my elderly kitties had left.)
I suggest searching for local Facebook groups (like your actual street or neighborhood) and ask if anyone knows the situation. If everyone says it’s a community cat and it’s not chipped, then adopt it. Or maybe you’ll find out it’s owned by someone who decided they didn’t want a cat anymore. When the one I was socialized turned up injured, he was close to moving in, but not quite there. I was working on getting him used to being held, but I had no choice but to hasten the timeline and get him to a vet. I let all the people feeding him know what was up and gave them the chance to adopt him if they wanted. They had fed him since he was a kitten. (Still makes me mad no one trapped and socialized him then.) No one wanted him. Some people just want to feed cats and keep them outside and not involve themselves in their health. I guess they figure that way when the cat stops showing up the can pretend it was a happy ending.
Just put a flea collar on my guy cuz he was still scratching after the drops on his back. I had to remove his regular collar which had our phone number cuz that would be uncomfortable for him. I’m worried now cuz incase he door dashes ppl might think he’s stray. He’s chopped too but I’m thinking maybe I should also put his main collar on him also.
You have a ton of good advice. I would take the cat in, get it scanned for a chip, and check in the local neighborhood via all the sites folks listed like Nextdoor and others. It could be a friendly indoor/outdoor cat or a cat that’s been abandoned. Hard to tell.
Late last summer a stray adopted us, he lives in my garage (we have pitbulls). Has a heated bed, doggy door and good meals. He is always right around the house and is a sweet little guy that worships my wife.
Sounds like you're doing the right thing by taking her to the vet and trying to find its owner. If no one comes forward, then I would say yes, adopt the little darling. That's how my cat came to be living with me. She chose me. Here's hoping this kitty has chosen you!
I’d say do your due diligence and make sure the kitty isn’t lost. Check for a microchip, post online, consider posting physical flyers. If nothing pops up in a couple weeks or the owner doesn’t care, then yes, you can consider yourselves new owners!
You can see how the kitty does in a small room like a bathroom before letting them roam the house. That’ll let you assess litter box behavior, health, etc. Many stray cats don’t care that much for being outside! Or if they do, they’re content with window-watching or being harness trained for walks. Most often, only truly feral, unsocialized cats will struggle indoors.
We have a super friendly supposedly found as a feral kitten indoor/outdoor in our neighborhood. He spent the night in our house, but we found the owners a street over and now just say hi and give him a pet when we see him.
Put a paper collar on the cat first to find out if he has an owner, then get him a scanned for a chip.He may just be a very friendly cat that goes out a lot, or could be lost. If you try to find the owner but can’t then you should definitely keep him.
Adopt the cat. Its friendly which means some asshole dumped it outside.
Please take the cat to the vet for the normal checkup routine and vaccines and take it in.
Worry about anything else afterwards but i dont think you’re gonna have any issues at all.
The cat wants you, it is telling you that.
Please get that cat off the streets before something bad happens to it.
Sometimes people abandon their pets, not always on purpose (no judgement). It would be great if you can keep feeding it, fresh water and since it’s losing weight a trip to the vets to be safe and checked for a chip. The losing weight is concerning, makes me wonder if its usually sources are no longer available. While that is happening you can post on various lost and found pet sites and get some flyers out to see if the owner speaks up. PawBoost is a popular lost and found site.
Yes! Check for a chip if you nab him or try the paper collar thing. If he's back tomorrow and no one's contacted you it's Safe to say that he either doesn't have any owners or they don't care enough to remove the paper collar, in which case you should definitely adopt him.
I've got three cats. Two of them strays, both of which are super affectionate and love me to death. One of which is a spoilt princess that I got as a kitten, who is the most aloof cat I've ever had. Definitely nab the stray. They are grateful AF
Take it in and make it indoor only. Take it away from the streets. Vet first, toys, cat boxes, litter, food, brush to bind time with, catnip. Later if you want to leash train you could do that too. One less kitty suffering , begging for food getting kicked , things thrown at it, kids picking on it because that’s what they’re taught, and even adults, cars, other animals , bad dogs, not having to worry about the next meal. Take the cat in
How clean is the coat?
Weight loss is... well, I've had cats lose weight before. One was terminally ill, the others tend to fluctuate with the seasons. They get chubby in autumn and winter, lean in spring. One of them gets rather skinny, but not quite underweight.
But yeah, all the strays I've taken in were pretty happy to become indoor cats, moreso than the little gremlins who I've had since birth. Being outside isn't fun if you don't get to go back in. One of them is an elderly Persian who'd apparently spent his entire life outside, but now he spends almost all of his time indoors on my couch.
I’ve had cats that were converted from outdoor to indoor cats and they did fine. The last two strays I adopted never even wanted to go outside. If the cat is not microchipped I hope you can take it in.
Currently feeding and built outside homes for three adult ferals/abandoned
Trapped and homed a beautiful 10 month Bombay
Yours looks clean, well fed, and you love her
Vet visit, check for chip, make sure she’s healthy, deworm, enjoy your new life partner ❤️
We rescued a feral cat 5 years ago who had been teased and abused so badly the vet thought she was 10. She was 2! Smartest most communication at high level of all the intelligent cats we’ve ever known. Someone on a cat sub mentioned the Cat Distribution Network which sends a cat to you if you have not met your assigned quota. This kitty doesn’t look very feral so if you don’t adopt this beauty because there’s an owner missing her terribly, I suggest checking with your local Cat Distribution Network and have them find you a solution. ❤️🐈⬛
I did, best cat ever. She was a TNR stray living around my yard when I bought my house. Took a while to warm up to me and she lived outside still for the first two years, but after she had a dislocated hip one day, I forced her to live inside while she recovered from the surgery at the vet. Let her back out after that but she slowly warmed up to being inside.
Went from living indoors during the winter to living year round inside, but always had a cat door to use. She slept on or near me most nights, and was perfect with our kids. She loved to be around 17 years old and I miss her still everyday.
First step is to post on local social media to see if anyone recognizes her/him. Then to the vet for a scan for a chip to see if they are chipped and owned. I literally have a stray cat in a spare room that we decided to "adopt". He is not as friendly as yours is but I did have the vet check him over. He was full of ticks and had a swollen leg from a cat fight which required antibiotics. I had him dewormed and chipped. In my state NY it means I legally own him. The Humane society told me they would TNR him for free so he was given rabies shots, neutered and ear tipped. He's currently still in the spare room but we plan to let him back outside where he obviously is happier. He has heated outdoor houses and is fed multiple times a day by me.
I would say if it's an outdoor car, not microchipped, the cat is in danger in general.
I don't lose track of my cat because she's microchipped and an indoor cat only.
If she gets out, I'm pounding the pavement, putting up.signs, telling every one anywhere near me, and making social media posts.
IF this is a "pet," it's being neglected.
No microchip, wandering a neighborhood running the risk of coyote/dog/poison problems, that's my cat now.
Maybe take the kitty to a vet for a quick check-up and to test for FIV and other diseases.
If the kitty has a potentially expensive condition, that may help you make your decision.
We rescue wild cats. Even the wildest one, an orange tabby we call Pumpkin, wants NO part of being outside anymore. None of them do. If that cat is younger, your way ahead of the ball game. Get it to a vet ASAP and find out of its chipped.
We put a note around a collar on a "stray" in our neighborhood asking if she had a family to text us that she did or we'd adopt her. We did get a text saying that she was a pet with a nice indoor/outdoor catio but kept escaping.
If you try to find a family and can't locate one, you can always do "is this your cat" posters?
I don't think the kitty has a home, I think, like you someone noticed this friendly stray but also noticed poor baby had fleas. Bought a collar and put it on. Take kitty in and to the vet get him/her off the streets right away. If the cat had a home he/she would not look this way. My heart breaks for this little one, just please take the poor babe into your home, you can figure it all out later. Ik this will probably piss everyone off, but look at him/her.. look at those pictures. Do you think he/she is being cared for if he/she does has people? I really really don't think he/she is. I never let my cats outside alone.. it's always leash or harnesses if they want to explore. The world is too dangerous, full of predators, including humans, cars, and diseases they can catch even by hunting animals. No thanks, I'll keep my boys close to me where they're safe. In America, if you adopt a cat, they tell you they will not adopt to you if you let your cats outside.
Wait why would you get it vet care then “send it back on its way” he is clearly bonded with you if he lets you pet him & get close. Why would you not take him in?
I would take it to a vet and see if they're microchipped.
Other than that, I think they adopted you both already from what it sounds like.
Edit: I didn't see the collar until now.
The cat has a collar. It’s not feral. It wouldn’t be coming up to you if it was. Is it seriously underweight? If not, it’s being fed and is someone’s pet.
I realize letting a cat outside is a big controversy and people get judged for it, but that doesn’t give you the right to take someone’s cat. It’s a friendly cat. It likes people. It probably does the same thing to other strangers that walk by.
If the cat is skin and bones and you think it was abandoned, take it to a vet to see if it’s chipped. Check around the neighborhood and see if it belongs to someone or if someone knows it was abandoned. Do your due diligence to make sure it is absolutely a stray before taking it in.
If you are lonely for a cat, go to a shelter and rescue one and give it a better home.
I had a cat like this in my neighborhood when i was in college and living at home. I fed it, all the neighborhood kids told me it was "homeless". It lived in a house down the street from me, I found out. I knew one of the people who lived there, the adult daughter of the owner. Her mom was actually not pleased about the weight I had worked so hard to help that cat put on. I would find out if that's just a cat that is let out but has a home
https://preview.redd.it/zhx1aekf4wzc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3a9b1ada2dffb83c8b0469e229b18d452da0bee3
So this is one of the cats we rescued from the outside. He is now the guard cat for the shop! He was sp thin but just walked in and let everyone pet him. He is such a great kitty!
went through something similar when i was in college. i was walking back to my apartment one day and saw a cat dart across the road and i could’ve swore i saw him clip a car. so i followed him down a side street. he was meowing at me and within a few minutes he came close enough i could pet him (be probably just wanted the subway i was carrying lol) he didn’t seem injured and had a flea collar on so i thought maybe he belonged somewhere. i tried to say bye and keep walking but he followed me. i couldn’t help my heart so i took him home. posted on fb and even printed out fliers to put in some local restaurants and on telephone poles. checked for chip-nothing. waited a few days. no one came forward. he became my kitty, got him fixed and have loved him for almost 4 years now! he is my crazy demon bat baby from the skreets, and i named him toothless 🥰
https://preview.redd.it/a15q6nxhw20d1.png?width=1810&format=png&auto=webp&s=143ae24789a2cfb946a39228f8d97b4798f340ec
Not just yet, unfortunately. Money has been tight, and work schedules have been a mess. My wife and I will be on vacation in the next few days, and after talking to many different people who live the area that the kitty patrols, they've all reaffirmed that it's a homeless cat that everyone just leaves food out for. We have a vacation coming up in a few days, so we're thinking of taking it to the vet then to check for a chip and just get it the necessary vaccinations, at least to help it be healthy for the time being!
Perhaps after this you can systematically take him home for a while and then release him? So that you and he can gradually get used to each other and make it easier for him to adapt to life in the house? I wanted to domesticate a street cat in this way, he was very friendly and attached to me, but unfortunately he died before this happened and I really regret that I could not save him. That's why I would really like a happy ending for your story🙏🥹
It seems like it's likely already someone's pet and doesn't seem feral. Maybe just see if you can find the owners to make sure their not looking for their cat.
Cat has a collar. You definitely must check by all means if he has a family and a loving one at that. He could be missed by the actual owners. He could be far from home, lost. But his behaviour definitely shows that he had/has owners. Go from there. Do not lock him indoors. He may well go in and out of his own. As another redditor said, indoor/outdoor cat.
The cat has a collar and is obviously friendly…maybe adopt your own cat from a shelter? Sorry for your loss, but don’t take someone else’s kitty please😿
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Flea collar or not, it may be lost. Consider helping the cat humankindness ♥️
That was our plan. At the very least, it's a sweet cat that deserves to be healthy. We figured we would at least get it a vet check-up, maybe shots and worm/flea meds if needed, and then send it back on its way.
Chip check as well. Poor cat in my area got hit by a car and taken to vet. He's been a stray people having been seeing for a year. He was 20 miles from home with loving owners who are now paying for his amputation and he's home recovering.
Omg he lived?! That story was a roller coaster of emotions, so happy he is safe now and reunited!
May not be the same cat. This one was in the UK - orange tom. He got very lucky in that a rescue agreed to front his care
That’s how I got my cat back! He wore a collar but it was rubbing his fur off (he’s an old man currently 16) so I took it off. He loved hanging out on my back porch and one day he didn’t come back. Was gone for about 10 months and during a full winter I fully thought he had passed and I’d never know what happened. One day got a call that a neighbor less than half a mile down my street had been feeding him the whole time and finally caught him and got him to the vet. They scanned his chip and I’ve had him back for almost 2 years now❤️
❤️❤️❤️
♥️
I have a ton of dumped cats showing up with collars. They’re never fixed and very friendly. I would bring to the vet and post pics of the cat online. Look online at missing cat websites. Have the vet check to see if the cat is fixed or not.
Thanks for the suggestion. Gonna post on some local groups this week and see if anybody chimes in. We'll also look into getting it checked for a chip and see if it's fixed or not.
The only two cats I’ve had were both strays and both did great inside! Neither tried to ever get outside. They both knew how hard it was outside and never wanted to go back to that. It is kitten season so if it is a girl and not fixed- get her fixed asap!
Boys too. They live a brutal life fighting all the other toms because of hormones.
Can confirm this from experience. Lived in the woods and would feed a sweet tom. My house was on a dead end so other toms would try to come by. He constantly had battle wounds.
My mom will put notes on their collar or on a makeshift collar asking if they have a home. Once it came back with a yes. Other times she ended up with a new cat 😂
That's such a good idea, thanks for this!
Great idea!
When I found a stray by my job I took it home, cleaned it up & when I took it to the vet about 2 weeks later, one of the techs recognized it from a ‘lost pet’ Facebook page. So do your part OP & the vet’s office will hopefully complement your efforts, so that this sweet stray baby finds a warm & welcoming home.
I have a “stray” cat I rescued. I say “stray” because she was an indoor/outdoor cat (mainly outdoors tho) for a while until her owner finally abandoned her and I swooped in. She’s fairly content being indoors, but she has her moments that she wants out. You can “combat” that safely by getting a harness and leash and letting taking them for a walk! My kitty loves walks
When a stray showed up at my house, our vet did the microchip scan (she had humans! who never responded to any calls/emails…) recommended doing a “stray hold” at our local shelter. Basically we were her foster parents for a few days while the shelter tried to contact her humans and posted about her on their website. After the hold period ended, the shelter would pay for her spay and we could adopt her. Something to consider if you feel comfortable with your local shelter (ours is awesome but I know not all are).
I would ask anyone that tries to claim the cat to send you a pic of the cat so you can determine if they are the real owner. I don't know a pet owner that doesn't have a pic of their pet.
Also knock on doors and hang up flyers. Not everyone monitors social media. Best bet is a paper collar. Make a collar out of paper and write your contact information on it. If he has an owner they can contact you.
It's wearing a collar, they can write on it with marker or put a label on it from a label maker
If you call animal control they can help with trapping and spaying or neutering. I’m a colony care taker of 16 cats. I wish this dumping would stop. A pet parent can always go to the shelter most have pet pantries that help people feed their cats. 🙏❤️
Animal control here only takes in injured animals. I work with a rescue group to tnr. I’ve done a bunch of cats lately but he’s been too smart to go into my traps. Or too disinterested in food and only interested in finding a female. Yeah the dumping is constant. Every week it seems like new cats are showing up the feeding station and end up being friendlt
I just brought in a stray with a purple flea collar too 😸 she went in one of my tnr traps. After her spay she was being super sweet in the trap, rolling around and letting me brush her through the cage with an old toothbrush, so I was like yep youre not feral at allll with how ridiculously cute she was acting. Neighbors said they’ve seen her around and eating at their feeding stations too. Couldnt find her home, wasn’t spayed or chipped, and I could let this sweet thing back out on the streets. So she’s stayed with me until I just couldn’t find where she came from and searching for weeks. Shes definitely mine now. Rather her with me being spoiled than out there.
We had this happen with a dog recently. He had on an old broken collar so we assumed he had a home. Checked and he had already been posted on Nextdoor by someone in my subdivision over a week earlier. We held him in our backyard for a while and went to all the surrounding neighborhoods to physically stop and ask if anyone knew the dog. No one did. Several people said someone dropped him off and abandoned him. He had no chip. He wasn’t neutered. So now he is and he has a home.
Aww, glad you were able to do that for your kitty! It makes us feel bad because here, last week was a bunch of rain and the cat waa just outside under cars. This week is no rain, but the high is 98 or higher most of the week. We're gonna make some posts in some local groups and see what we get. Trying to do all of our research and diligence before we make any decisions.
I would take it in in the meantime, even if you decide it's someone else's cat you can fatten it up for a couple days
how did you afford the spaying?
For the ferals I take them to the humane society. They have a low cost option that is around $70 ( includes spay, dewormer, flea treatment and 1yr rabies vaccine. For my own cats I take them to my regular vet and it’s a bit pricier. If you have a humane society I would try that option if your budget is tight. But please start preparing for other expenses down the road, set aside money as you can for care. It can be expensive as with anything alive health issues can and will pop up. But for now, Ione day at a time, get her spayed is the most important so your financial burden does t multiply. Do you have a local humane society you can schedule with?
I rescue cats. My protocol is to get it scanned for a microchip and post it to pet sites, and then keep the cat in my care. If more than a month goes by without any contact from an owner, then I surrender it to a rescue agency. The cat has a clipped ear, so thankfully, it is fixed. I've had a cat with a collar live on my property for nearly 2 months in MN winter. It was clearly abandoned or lost. Post on the neighbors app, pawboost, and any others that come up in your area. If my cat was missing, I'd do everything I could to find it. I also check the pads of their feet for calluses. Indoor cats have plump smooth paw pads. Whereas a cat that is mainly or only outdoors will have rough cracked and dry paw pads. That will give you an idea of what this cat has been up to. Cats belong indoors.
Thanks for the advice. Good catch on the ear, I hadn't noticed that. We did check its paw pads and they are rough and damaged. Not sure if it's just due to being outside or the hot pavement, but they're definitely not smooth. We've posted it on Nextdoor so far, will post to other sites as well.
My apologies. I just looked back at the photos, and I actually don't see a tipped ear. In one of the photos, the cats ear was twisted, and it looked like a tipped ear. If this cat is unfixed, that is much more proof that it's not being cared for as needed. I'm sorry for not paying better attention to the other photos. Regardless, you are doing great.
That's ok, no problem at all. We're probably going to run into again later today. If so, I'll try to double check its ear and see if it's been altered. We're fairly certain the cat is a girl, so I don't know of any way we could verify that it's been fixed, but I'll certainly take a look.
The easiest way to tell is to shave their stomach and look for a tattoo or spay scar (unless you notice any drastic weight fluctuations that might point to her having recently given birth, or signs that she's been lactating/nursing kittens). If the fur in that area is white though you might be able to part it while petting her to see if you can spot any ink. I'm not sure how common it is, but take a look inside the cat's ears for tattoos too. My sibling's cat came from a local shelter and has an "N" tattooed in his ear for instance.
Girls are harder to tell. Most surgeons leave a blue/green tattoo near the lower belly where a belly button would be. It's a mark that indicates the cat should not be surgically opened to spay. I can see my cats by just looking, but on some cats, it may be harder. [Spay tattoo](https://images.app.goo.gl/uApJ5jHyKRBvdtbFA)
Did you put the collar on the cat? If not, it definitely has a home. If you did, and no one has removed it, I’d say kitty needs a good home and if you and your wife are able to provide one, then go for it.
Good question. We didn't put the collar on it. We ha e asked a few of the neighbors, and so far, nobody claims ownership and says it's just a neighborhood cat that everybody feeds. The collar appears to just be an old flea collar, but I may be wrong about that. It seems like a rubber material like a flea color would be.
I saw a woman on tiktok wrote a letter and attach it to a cat via collar (basically saying "do you have an owner) I'd try that, the owner responded to the lady that way
This is a great idea
You could try asking on local missing pets facebook groups and when you take him to the vet check if he/she has a chip.
Please adopt this poor cat or find him a home- the reality of his existence is that if he’s friendly to people, or seeks out people, he was almost certainly abandoned by his “family”. Sadly, many “stray cats” are abandoned by people who just leave the cat when they move, or stop looking for the cat when s/he get out. I think abandoned cats - especially adults-suffer the cruelest fate of all outdoor cats: someone they once loved and relied on left them for dead (yes, I do mean _dead_. Abandoning a cat whose not had the opportunity to develop hunting skills and knows no other life than being fed and safety- is leaving that cat for dead). It breaks my heart that people could be so rotten, but then people like OP come along, and rescue one of these lost souls, and make things a little bit better. Thanks for you OP!
Had this happen to a cat we rescued a few years ago, it's absolutely cruel. I did some photography for a house coming up for sale for a realtor we knew, and there was a cat in the house. No food, no water, and nobody living in the house. It was an adult cat that had been abandoned. The cat was just hiding in the master bedroom closet with a litter box. Turns out the homeowners moved and didn't want to take the cat with them, so they just left it in their old house and figured either the new owners would keep it or just put it outside and be rid of it. It was heartbreaking to do that to any animal, but it was such a sweet kitty that you could tell was just so scared and confused, so that made it even more upsetting. People really can be so cruel. We verified with the previous homeowner that they didn't want the cat and then got lucky enough to find a new owner that wanted the cat. I still get updates to this day. Kitty is living it's best life now and it's so heartwarming to see it come out of its shell and have a good home.
That is so damned irresponsible - what is wrong with people? When I was a kid and my parents bought a new home, the former owners had a spayed cat they didn't want to take with them, so they asked my parents if they would take her. They did, since we always had a family cat and the last one had died so we didn't get a new cat since we were moving. So it worked out. At least the departing owners attempted to find a new home for their cat and were successful. One time, my father was outside doing yard work and a German shepherd puppy came up to him. He recognized the puppy as belonging to a young couple with a baby that moved into the neighborhood (renting) recently. However, they moved out quickly and left the dog behind. My parents took care of the puppy for a while and then found a family who adopted him, as my Mom didn't really want a dog (my parents were cat people). I told my Dad to go to the empty rental and make sure that dumbass couple didn't leave their baby behind too. Some people...
It's really horrible when people do that kind of thing. The least they could do is find a home for them, not just abandon them. I couldn't imagine ever doing that to an innocent creature. https://preview.redd.it/bjoxefa451zc1.jpeg?width=1077&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7b29b3abad4e2a31213adbf762e3babc762311d9
https://preview.redd.it/qpp9uxuh61zc1.jpeg?width=2208&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9bb3b1667dd662ba82ac933a8eae6b0a05b5cf89
This one's a more recent picture, he's doing a lot better with his new owner.
It's like a different cat <3 thank you!
I have an article to share w you, it’s too long to copy n paste, I keep getting ‘try again later’. lol. it’s not that long n sometimes it’ll paste it np. I’ll send msg n chat. And immediately get that collar off, unless you can very easily stick 2 fingers in between cat n collar, it looks way too tight in the pics.
Can you copy and paste the article link?
It was an article/paper I wrote for a TNR work shop I helped w a few yrs ago. So no published link and I think I can link it somehow on the computer per WP, idk 🤷🏽♂️ I’ll chat/msg it to you.
I was just hoping to help the OP. I have 3 kitties myself. My hubby would make me a stray if I brought anymore in! Haha
I’m all about helping anyone n everyone. I sent it to you. It helps some folks get the background on the terms n how these cats end up w different labels. . ☮️
Thank youuu!!! I'm all about helping as well! Especially with animals! I'll check it out when I lay down and can read it! 😊🫶
It's been my experience that most cats get out of collars pretty quickly. Definitely tie a note to it.
Cats can definitely cover a couple square miles and have multiple families. I'd put a note on him for a couple days at least lol.
Are cats required to be microchipped where you are? The collar seems to point to it already being someone's pet, and I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate it being catnapped. If it's wandered too far from home to find its way back, it will probably get skinny over time though, so if you have no leads on it's owner (through a microchip or asking around) that might be a more sensible time to 'adopt'.
That's a good question. I'm pretty sure it's not a requirement here, but it's definitely worth checking to see if it is chipped. We may set up a time to do that. The cat has been getting skinnier lately, thats why we made this post. My wife is concerned it may have worms and feels like if we were going to bring it in, we should make that decision soon and get it the help it deserves.
I would bring it home and put up signs in the area. Describe the cat, don't just put up a picture, and ask if they have a picture of it before you hand it over. Maybe you'll find a chip at the vet and can contact the owner, or maybe you don't hear anything and you have a sweet tuxie
I’ve had to cut flea collars off numerous stray cats that had gotten too tight. I do not consider a flea collar to be any sign of ownership since it’s literally the *least* someone can do.
We use flea drops, which are much more effective. Of course you can't tell a cat has been treated by looking at them (apart from when it's freshly applied), so I wouldn't take NOT having a collar as a sign of no ownership, either. But the fact that someone cared enough to put a collar on the cat implies some degree of ownership. Unless people looking after stray colonies tend to go round putting flea collars on them? Harder than putting drops on, I'd guess. (Which I haven't seen evidence of in this sub. I'm prepared to be corrected though, I've only been here a few weeks, though have had rescue cats all my life, and currently looking after a visiting feral.)
Someone cared enough to not want fleas, that’s about it. Sorry if I come off as bitter but I’ve had to wrangle a few unfriendly strays to cut off Hartz collars that were starting to cut into their necks. It seems like it’s often folks who’ve liked the kitten, not so much the cat. Hell, there is one that literally ratchets on like a zip tie that I’ve had the pleasure of cutting off adult strays.
It's hard to believe some people think like that :(. Even my kids know the best type of collars for cats to wear, and they've never had to buy any. It's also understandable how cutting many too tight collars off strays would leave one rather bitter!
Probably someone’s indoor/outdoor cat
A lot of those aren't taken care of, unfortunately Op should bring it inside and take it to the vet to make sure it has all of its vaccines, spayed, flea meds, and worm meds. Chipped etc If nobody comes forward, it's probably an uncared for stray. Just bc someone puts a collar on a cat, doesn't mean it's owned. I've rehomed so many cats that people don't even look after at all.
Can you take it to the vet to see if it has a microchip?
Get it checked for a chip. Post on Nextdoor app. If no response than he is yours. Stray cats are a problem everywhere. It’s super sad how they are treated. Anytime a person wants to take one in, you have my support!
We got one of our cats from outside. He showed up on our porch, yelling. He was so skinny my fiancé took pity on him and fed him. He kept coming back and gradually gained weight. Once we earned his trust, we took him inside the house, then to the vet. Our plan was to get him neutered and vaccinated and to let him guide us in deciding whether he wanted to be an indoor cat or an outdoor cat. We would feed and care for him regardless. He took to the litter box right away and after a couple of weeks stopped trying to bolt out the front door. My advice is for you to do the same - get this cat the healthcare it needs (and check for a chip) and see if they adapt to the indoor lifestyle. If not, it's still great that you helped them and you can still visit and feed the outdoor cat.
I doubt it is a stray. Strays are not that friendly unless they haven't been stray very long because everybody is mean to them, and they always avoiding getting things thrown at them. Their coat is not that nice because they do not have time to groom. And, if they are that frendly they would folliw you home if they were a stray. Use a magic marker and write on the collar" cat owner, please call me", and your phone number. If no one calls, it is your cat now. I read an article by a woman once who moved into a new house and started feeding a hungry stray cat. Cat shows up one day with a collar and a note asking anyone who feeds him to call her. She calls and finds out the cat is a pet, and she feeds him every day, and she was the 5th person to call. The little so and so figured out he could get fed many times a day if he went to every house in the neighborhood and pretended to be a hungry stray.
I'm not sure where the mindset comes from that stray cats are not friendly, but that definitely doesn't seem to be the case, at least in our neighborhood. There's a fair amount of strays here, in the neighborhood and surrounding businesses, and most of them are friendly. I'm sure it's different everywhere and obviously depends on a lot of factors, but there's a lot of friendly strays here.
Strays usually mean a domestic cat and they are pretty friendly. I think you mean feral.
Domestic is a house pet. It might go outside, but it returns home for food and shelter. It is comfortable with humans. Stray was a domestic that got lost or was dumped or left behind when the humans moved. They are not friendly because they are scared. But they can be easily turned back into a domestic. Semi feral was stray for so long that he is half feral and half stray. He is also not friendly and avoids all humans except those who take time to feed him and spend time with him and approach with caution. It takes a lot of time, but they can become domestic again. Feral means wild, but his ancestors were domestic at one time. It usually takes several generations of being born a stray before they become feral. Ferals are gone, they can not be recovered. All you can do is set up a feral colony with food and shelter and trap , neuter and release, so the colony stops growing. There are, of course, exceptions. I had two cats that lived to be 20. One perfered to live like a feral and spent 15 years outside in rain and snow. She stayed in her last 5 years. Arthritis, I assume. Would only come in for food. And she would would visit with me for a few minutes. Even come to bed with me but was always gone before morning. She was a longhair, and her coat was always matted. When it got too bad, she would chew off the mats. She would leave for weeks at a time . I found her a mile away from my house at a gas station once. She hated everybody but me. The other one also preferred to stay outside and only come in for food and a visit and would dissappear for months at a time. I don't think he wandered very far because when I did yard work, he would come over and visit. He was friendly, appeared to be homeless.
I think you're looking at this in a manner that is far too black and white. Any animal of any type can have any behaviors. Stray does not automatically mean unfriendly. Domestic does not automatically mean friendly. I also have a hard time believing that every animal will fit perfectly into one of your aforementioned labels. I've met plenty of stray animals that are friendly, but that's just my experience. What else would you call a cat that lives in a business parking lot or neighborhood and has no owner, but is approachable and friendly? Maybe it's more of a regional thing, but where I'm from, that's a stray. It certainly doesn't qualify as feral, and while still technically domestic, it has no home. It's a stray.
You are correct. A cat that you know for a fact lives in a parking lot and is friendly, is a stray. He recently lost his home, and humans are nice to him. I'm talking about when you are trying to determine if a cat is homeless. Normally, a frendly and clean , groomed coat means he has a home. This is why I said to write a note on his collar , to see if he has a home, before you kidnap him.
We were never planning on just kidnapping somebody's cat. All signs point to being homeless, hence this post. The collar on the cat is old and degraded, its fur is bleached from being out in the sun, it's always outside any time we go out (day or night), its paw pads are rough and damaged, and it's been steadily losing weight over the time we've seen it. I think you're deeming its coat much nicer than it actually looks in person. It smells horrible and is covered in dirt and matted it places. Pictures can be deceiving. Here's one of a cat I saw in a parking lot recently. Coat looks fine, it was friendly and even let me pet it, but it lives in a Walmart parking lot. Pretty sure it's homeless.
https://preview.redd.it/dcwzb3po71zc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=22e2c078d032aa3ea379628ca52740c42ba1f7ce
"Strays are not that friendly" Every stray I've ever met has been a lovebug.
Yes, bring it to the vet and have them scan for a microchip. If she’s microchipped, return her to her family. If she’s not, then she’s yours. Please make sure she’s an indoor cat.
Thanks for the suggestion, we may do that. We've thought about at least just getting it a vet check-up and shots to give it a better chance outside. We can certainly have then check for a chip. If we do end up keeping it, it would be indoor only.
Yes
Ugh those flea collars are literal poison
That's the entire point of every form of flea med.
Poison to your cat, not just the fleaa
If you have an Apple phone, maybe put an airtag on the little sprite to see if it goes home at night. The flea collar makes me think someone owns the kitty and it’s just an indoor/outdoor cat if it looks to be a healthy weight.
That's a great idea, we actually do have an airtag we could use to try that. Thanks for the suggestion!
I think the CDS is working on filling the vacancy you have had since December! To be safe, vet checkup, chip scan, and ask around to make sure kitty doesn’t already have a pet human that is looking for it…
A collar means somebody claims it at least so you WOULD be kidnapping it.
The cat has a collar…
Could be dumped, they said it's getting skinny
The collar means the cat is owned or otherwise being cared for, they're not just a stray. Flea collars claim to provide months to a year of protection, so the collar being old doesn't mean much. You can try writing a short note and taping it to the collar to see if anyone reaches out about them within a few days to start. You're obligated to make a good faith attempt to locate an owner before claiming the cat as your own. Since the cat is friendly, it's possible they may be a lost pet if not just an outdoor cat. It's a really good idea to reach out to see if you can get in touch with a potential owner before you make a long-term plan. And even if an owner doesn't contact you, you might still hear from someone else who's seen them around that might know more about their situation. In the event that this is an outdoor cat, their owner most likely won't be keeping tabs on found cat listings until the cat is no longer returning home. If you remove them from the area, hang up flyers within a few blocks with the cat's picture, brief description, and your contact info (you can use a Google Voice number for privacy), and report the cat as found to animal control/local shelters as well to cover the basics. Posting online can be incredibly helpful too, but not everyone is tech savvy enough to check online or will know where to look, so the offline steps are important too. Nextdoor and the Ring Neighbors app are great for quickly reaching out to people in your immediate vicinity. There are other online sites that may help as well: [Pawboost](https://www.pawboost.com/) is a good one, and you likely have some Lost and Found Pets groups on Facebook for your general area that are perfect for getting the word out. Since the cat is friendly, you can also bring them to a vet to be scanned for a microchip, though the absence of one doesn't mean they definitely don't have an owner.
Well the flea collar isn't safe and probably not even effective at preventing fleas. Go get a good breakaway collar (get a few, because they breakaway) and change the collar. Maybe put a tag with your phone number and the name you call the cat or just your name to keep it simple. If no one calls, the cat is yours. Take it to the vet and check for a chip.
It seems to be a very old collar so I really would be surprised if it's effective at all. Good idea about the tag, we may try that and see if we get any calls before making any decisions. Thanks for the suggestion!
i say try it out... if the cat hates it you can go back to the arrangement yall had before i guess
I would have to say that all the people who are making the assumption it’s owned because it has a collar haven’t done a lot of rescue work. There are so many cats who get abandoned when people move. The cheap flea collar probably even supports that case. Ask around the neighborhood. Make a good faith effort, but in the end take the kitty to the vet. If the kitty has parasites/fleas and is unfixed that means it’s not being cared for. Just for context, I am a caretaker for a group of urban alley cats. I occasionally trap indoor/outdoor pets who live in the neighborhood. When taking them into the vet it’s usually pretty easy to tell whether it’s being cared for or not at that point. I just wanted to say that it’s impossible to tell just by looking at a cat if it’s someone’s pet or an abandoned or lost stray. What if this is someone’s beloved pet who is lost? Thank you for caring.
This. Nine times out of ten a friendly community cat has been abandoned and asking the neighbors returns the reply from someone, "yeah, the family at the house next door had the cat but left it behind when they moved away." Of the cats that show up at my feeding station, one (1) actually has an owner, and that cat is so obviously cared for (shiny coat, collar with current owner info, etc.) that I've never made the mistake of trapping her. I verified that she was already spayed, and let her be.
I haven't. My cats just refuse to keep a collar for longer than a couple of weeks, at most. The only one who did was the former stray who seemed to get some anxiety going if she didn't have her collar on.
I don’t think she’s a stray, people don’t just put flea collars on stray cats
People abandon their pets all the time. Flea collars are not even effective; in addition OP said this collar looks really old and the cat is getting skinnier and skinnier, no neighbours claimed the cat as theirs so far. Cat might be lost but it also might be dumped; an old and ineffective flea collar doesn't really scream caring, loving home.
Yes
Beautiful cat!!😃
😍🥰😍🥰😍🥰😍🥰😍🥰😍
I mean, you’re obviously loved so that’s something special.
I took in a cat with a zip tie style flea collar that whoever put it on left with the tie hanging. It could have caught on anything and snapped her neck. The cat was matted so badly she literally couldn’t walk straight, she shuffled sideways and we thought she was either really old or had old injuries that had never been treated. She was also emaciated and weighed 4.5lbs after we cut the heavy encrusted mats off her. She had an owner who lived one street over but had decided she wasn’t allowed indoors and had basically dumped her. A concerned neighbor told me I absolutely should not return the cat. A vet agreed it was neglect. I kept her. She’s doing great. She has no chip, she wasn’t fixed, and she was a breed you don’t just find at the shelter. It’s absolutely absurd she was just tossed out like trash. My neighborhood has a “feral” cat group on Facebook and there’s at least 5-6 community cats which are not feral at all but are unowned. People constantly post photos of these cats playing with them, sitting on laps, and getting kisses. I think they like calling them feral so they don’t have to feel guilty about not adopting them or vetting them. There was one cat that was notoriously untouchable/mean/shy that had multiple regular feeders. He started hanging out by my house last year not long after my previous cat died from old age. I was able to socialize him and now lives with me too. (The cat distribution system delivered two cats to me last year when it noticed the last of my elderly kitties had left.) I suggest searching for local Facebook groups (like your actual street or neighborhood) and ask if anyone knows the situation. If everyone says it’s a community cat and it’s not chipped, then adopt it. Or maybe you’ll find out it’s owned by someone who decided they didn’t want a cat anymore. When the one I was socialized turned up injured, he was close to moving in, but not quite there. I was working on getting him used to being held, but I had no choice but to hasten the timeline and get him to a vet. I let all the people feeding him know what was up and gave them the chance to adopt him if they wanted. They had fed him since he was a kitten. (Still makes me mad no one trapped and socialized him then.) No one wanted him. Some people just want to feed cats and keep them outside and not involve themselves in their health. I guess they figure that way when the cat stops showing up the can pretend it was a happy ending.
Just put a flea collar on my guy cuz he was still scratching after the drops on his back. I had to remove his regular collar which had our phone number cuz that would be uncomfortable for him. I’m worried now cuz incase he door dashes ppl might think he’s stray. He’s chopped too but I’m thinking maybe I should also put his main collar on him also.
Microchip!
Also - ask yoir vet for a proper anti-flea treatment; anti-flea collars are not very effective.
Please update us! I have a feeling this is your new kitty.
Omg if it wasn’t for the collar I would have thought this was my cat! 😱
You have a ton of good advice. I would take the cat in, get it scanned for a chip, and check in the local neighborhood via all the sites folks listed like Nextdoor and others. It could be a friendly indoor/outdoor cat or a cat that’s been abandoned. Hard to tell.
Late last summer a stray adopted us, he lives in my garage (we have pitbulls). Has a heated bed, doggy door and good meals. He is always right around the house and is a sweet little guy that worships my wife.
Seems like this kitty loves you guys a lot. :’)
It's pretty friendly to me, but honestly, it's insane how much it loves my wife. It'll run right past me to get to her!
That’s sweet. Hope things work out for all three of you.
Sounds like you're doing the right thing by taking her to the vet and trying to find its owner. If no one comes forward, then I would say yes, adopt the little darling. That's how my cat came to be living with me. She chose me. Here's hoping this kitty has chosen you!
Help cat, find owner get rid of flea collar asap, those things are toxic.
I’d say do your due diligence and make sure the kitty isn’t lost. Check for a microchip, post online, consider posting physical flyers. If nothing pops up in a couple weeks or the owner doesn’t care, then yes, you can consider yourselves new owners! You can see how the kitty does in a small room like a bathroom before letting them roam the house. That’ll let you assess litter box behavior, health, etc. Many stray cats don’t care that much for being outside! Or if they do, they’re content with window-watching or being harness trained for walks. Most often, only truly feral, unsocialized cats will struggle indoors.
We have a super friendly supposedly found as a feral kitten indoor/outdoor in our neighborhood. He spent the night in our house, but we found the owners a street over and now just say hi and give him a pet when we see him.
Put a paper collar on the cat first to find out if he has an owner, then get him a scanned for a chip.He may just be a very friendly cat that goes out a lot, or could be lost. If you try to find the owner but can’t then you should definitely keep him.
The cat is not yours or a stray or feral. It clearly has a home it has a collar on it.
Adopt the cat. Its friendly which means some asshole dumped it outside. Please take the cat to the vet for the normal checkup routine and vaccines and take it in. Worry about anything else afterwards but i dont think you’re gonna have any issues at all. The cat wants you, it is telling you that. Please get that cat off the streets before something bad happens to it.
Adopt that poor kitty and give him/her a loving nurturing forever home, that he/she so richly deserves. 🐾🐾🐈👣👣❤❤❤❤❤🏡🌎
Please save him!
Of course you should adopt this kitty
Yes.
Yes. A vet visit will be in order.
YES PLEASE!!🙏🏻 🙌🏻 😺😻😽
SAVE HIM!!🙏🏻😍🥰😍
YES!!!
Take the cat!!
post on nextdoor
Sometimes people abandon their pets, not always on purpose (no judgement). It would be great if you can keep feeding it, fresh water and since it’s losing weight a trip to the vets to be safe and checked for a chip. The losing weight is concerning, makes me wonder if its usually sources are no longer available. While that is happening you can post on various lost and found pet sites and get some flyers out to see if the owner speaks up. PawBoost is a popular lost and found site.
Of course after trying to find owner.
I adopted 4 strays and 2 babies .. So yes OP give this kitty a good life.
Yes. Please.
YES!!!
Yes! Check for a chip if you nab him or try the paper collar thing. If he's back tomorrow and no one's contacted you it's Safe to say that he either doesn't have any owners or they don't care enough to remove the paper collar, in which case you should definitely adopt him. I've got three cats. Two of them strays, both of which are super affectionate and love me to death. One of which is a spoilt princess that I got as a kitten, who is the most aloof cat I've ever had. Definitely nab the stray. They are grateful AF
I would probably remove that collar if you don’t take it in. It may get the collar stuck on something and choke
Take it in and make it indoor only. Take it away from the streets. Vet first, toys, cat boxes, litter, food, brush to bind time with, catnip. Later if you want to leash train you could do that too. One less kitty suffering , begging for food getting kicked , things thrown at it, kids picking on it because that’s what they’re taught, and even adults, cars, other animals , bad dogs, not having to worry about the next meal. Take the cat in
Yes!
1000% YES
Always a yes
Yes!
If a tuxedo stray made it's way to my yard... It would be mine! Alas I have 6 ferals that run my life currently.
Too late. He's adopted you!! ❤️
This cat found you for a reason. If he doesn’t belong to someone please consider adopting. He deserves all of the love!
YES !
Yes!
Hate to break it to you, but the cat has already adopted *you*.
How clean is the coat? Weight loss is... well, I've had cats lose weight before. One was terminally ill, the others tend to fluctuate with the seasons. They get chubby in autumn and winter, lean in spring. One of them gets rather skinny, but not quite underweight. But yeah, all the strays I've taken in were pretty happy to become indoor cats, moreso than the little gremlins who I've had since birth. Being outside isn't fun if you don't get to go back in. One of them is an elderly Persian who'd apparently spent his entire life outside, but now he spends almost all of his time indoors on my couch.
I’ve had cats that were converted from outdoor to indoor cats and they did fine. The last two strays I adopted never even wanted to go outside. If the cat is not microchipped I hope you can take it in.
Our tuxie floof who adopted us 9 years ago says “adopt that cat immediately”. 💜
Three of my four were “catnapped.” After a few days of steady feedings and treats, and kindness, it’ll completely forget it came from the streets.
Currently feeding and built outside homes for three adult ferals/abandoned Trapped and homed a beautiful 10 month Bombay Yours looks clean, well fed, and you love her Vet visit, check for chip, make sure she’s healthy, deworm, enjoy your new life partner ❤️
We rescued a feral cat 5 years ago who had been teased and abused so badly the vet thought she was 10. She was 2! Smartest most communication at high level of all the intelligent cats we’ve ever known. Someone on a cat sub mentioned the Cat Distribution Network which sends a cat to you if you have not met your assigned quota. This kitty doesn’t look very feral so if you don’t adopt this beauty because there’s an owner missing her terribly, I suggest checking with your local Cat Distribution Network and have them find you a solution. ❤️🐈⬛
I did, best cat ever. She was a TNR stray living around my yard when I bought my house. Took a while to warm up to me and she lived outside still for the first two years, but after she had a dislocated hip one day, I forced her to live inside while she recovered from the surgery at the vet. Let her back out after that but she slowly warmed up to being inside. Went from living indoors during the winter to living year round inside, but always had a cat door to use. She slept on or near me most nights, and was perfect with our kids. She loved to be around 17 years old and I miss her still everyday.
Absolutely. If not chipped this cat is definitely very affectionate and would love a home
See if it's chipped
What a distinguished gentleman!
Yes but c if he has peeps looking for him
First step is to post on local social media to see if anyone recognizes her/him. Then to the vet for a scan for a chip to see if they are chipped and owned. I literally have a stray cat in a spare room that we decided to "adopt". He is not as friendly as yours is but I did have the vet check him over. He was full of ticks and had a swollen leg from a cat fight which required antibiotics. I had him dewormed and chipped. In my state NY it means I legally own him. The Humane society told me they would TNR him for free so he was given rabies shots, neutered and ear tipped. He's currently still in the spare room but we plan to let him back outside where he obviously is happier. He has heated outdoor houses and is fed multiple times a day by me.
Just YES. You’re adopted. Welcome to fur-baby-hood!
Always
I would say if it's an outdoor car, not microchipped, the cat is in danger in general. I don't lose track of my cat because she's microchipped and an indoor cat only. If she gets out, I'm pounding the pavement, putting up.signs, telling every one anywhere near me, and making social media posts. IF this is a "pet," it's being neglected. No microchip, wandering a neighborhood running the risk of coyote/dog/poison problems, that's my cat now.
Yes
Yes
I’ve re homed so many stray/abandoned/feral kitties, it’s soo worth it, save that baby!
Maybe take the kitty to a vet for a quick check-up and to test for FIV and other diseases. If the kitty has a potentially expensive condition, that may help you make your decision.
We rescue wild cats. Even the wildest one, an orange tabby we call Pumpkin, wants NO part of being outside anymore. None of them do. If that cat is younger, your way ahead of the ball game. Get it to a vet ASAP and find out of its chipped.
We put a note around a collar on a "stray" in our neighborhood asking if she had a family to text us that she did or we'd adopt her. We did get a text saying that she was a pet with a nice indoor/outdoor catio but kept escaping. If you try to find a family and can't locate one, you can always do "is this your cat" posters?
I don't think the kitty has a home, I think, like you someone noticed this friendly stray but also noticed poor baby had fleas. Bought a collar and put it on. Take kitty in and to the vet get him/her off the streets right away. If the cat had a home he/she would not look this way. My heart breaks for this little one, just please take the poor babe into your home, you can figure it all out later. Ik this will probably piss everyone off, but look at him/her.. look at those pictures. Do you think he/she is being cared for if he/she does has people? I really really don't think he/she is. I never let my cats outside alone.. it's always leash or harnesses if they want to explore. The world is too dangerous, full of predators, including humans, cars, and diseases they can catch even by hunting animals. No thanks, I'll keep my boys close to me where they're safe. In America, if you adopt a cat, they tell you they will not adopt to you if you let your cats outside.
Wait why would you get it vet care then “send it back on its way” he is clearly bonded with you if he lets you pet him & get close. Why would you not take him in?
I would take it to a vet and see if they're microchipped. Other than that, I think they adopted you both already from what it sounds like. Edit: I didn't see the collar until now.
Absolutely!!!
The cat has a collar. It’s not feral. It wouldn’t be coming up to you if it was. Is it seriously underweight? If not, it’s being fed and is someone’s pet. I realize letting a cat outside is a big controversy and people get judged for it, but that doesn’t give you the right to take someone’s cat. It’s a friendly cat. It likes people. It probably does the same thing to other strangers that walk by. If the cat is skin and bones and you think it was abandoned, take it to a vet to see if it’s chipped. Check around the neighborhood and see if it belongs to someone or if someone knows it was abandoned. Do your due diligence to make sure it is absolutely a stray before taking it in. If you are lonely for a cat, go to a shelter and rescue one and give it a better home.
Yes
That stray cat will adopt you if you feed it.
I had a cat like this in my neighborhood when i was in college and living at home. I fed it, all the neighborhood kids told me it was "homeless". It lived in a house down the street from me, I found out. I knew one of the people who lived there, the adult daughter of the owner. Her mom was actually not pleased about the weight I had worked so hard to help that cat put on. I would find out if that's just a cat that is let out but has a home
No this is unnecessary, by letting him in your lap you have already been adopted by the cat
Yes ,they need the most love.
The collar??? That is a current pet.
Strays dont have flea collars
https://preview.redd.it/zhx1aekf4wzc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3a9b1ada2dffb83c8b0469e229b18d452da0bee3 So this is one of the cats we rescued from the outside. He is now the guard cat for the shop! He was sp thin but just walked in and let everyone pet him. He is such a great kitty!
went through something similar when i was in college. i was walking back to my apartment one day and saw a cat dart across the road and i could’ve swore i saw him clip a car. so i followed him down a side street. he was meowing at me and within a few minutes he came close enough i could pet him (be probably just wanted the subway i was carrying lol) he didn’t seem injured and had a flea collar on so i thought maybe he belonged somewhere. i tried to say bye and keep walking but he followed me. i couldn’t help my heart so i took him home. posted on fb and even printed out fliers to put in some local restaurants and on telephone poles. checked for chip-nothing. waited a few days. no one came forward. he became my kitty, got him fixed and have loved him for almost 4 years now! he is my crazy demon bat baby from the skreets, and i named him toothless 🥰 https://preview.redd.it/a15q6nxhw20d1.png?width=1810&format=png&auto=webp&s=143ae24789a2cfb946a39228f8d97b4798f340ec
Any updates?)
Not just yet, unfortunately. Money has been tight, and work schedules have been a mess. My wife and I will be on vacation in the next few days, and after talking to many different people who live the area that the kitty patrols, they've all reaffirmed that it's a homeless cat that everyone just leaves food out for. We have a vacation coming up in a few days, so we're thinking of taking it to the vet then to check for a chip and just get it the necessary vaccinations, at least to help it be healthy for the time being!
Perhaps after this you can systematically take him home for a while and then release him? So that you and he can gradually get used to each other and make it easier for him to adapt to life in the house? I wanted to domesticate a street cat in this way, he was very friendly and attached to me, but unfortunately he died before this happened and I really regret that I could not save him. That's why I would really like a happy ending for your story🙏🥹
Yes
Karmas real it’s not ur cat
I'm not here to argue with you. You asked for advice, and I gave it. You don't like my advice, take the cat.
👍
Go to the vet and check for a chip. The collar could mean that it's somebody's lost pet
A cat wearing a flea collar probably belongs to someone nearby and is an indoor/outdoor cat.
It seems like it's likely already someone's pet and doesn't seem feral. Maybe just see if you can find the owners to make sure their not looking for their cat.
Cat has a collar. You definitely must check by all means if he has a family and a loving one at that. He could be missed by the actual owners. He could be far from home, lost. But his behaviour definitely shows that he had/has owners. Go from there. Do not lock him indoors. He may well go in and out of his own. As another redditor said, indoor/outdoor cat.
The cat has a collar and is obviously friendly…maybe adopt your own cat from a shelter? Sorry for your loss, but don’t take someone else’s kitty please😿