I'm not a cat person, but. . .

[gsdx]

I've never really been a cat person, but there has been a grey cat with white 'boots' hanging around the outside for over a month or so now. Well, I've been feeding birds since the summer - wild bird seed and day-old bread. I buy the whole wheat whenever I can find it but have to mix it with rolls and such when there's no whole wheat available.

Anyway, I looked out the window one morning after feeding the birds and there was the grey cat munching on the bread.

I bought a bag of solid cat food and began leaving it outside the back door and the grey cat started coming around to eat it. Two days ago, though, there was a black cat out there as well. I didn't really want to feed that cat, too, so I've been chasing it away.

This evening, I looked out and there was the grey cat on the retaining wall, the black cat in the brush behind the retaining wall, and a tiny, completely grey kitten sitting on the steps beside the retaining wall.

The black and grey/white cat ran away when I went outside, and so did the kitten, but I left it some kibble and he gobbled it up as soon as I disappeared inside.

Like I said, I'm not a cat person, but I'm considering 'adopting' the kitten if I can get close enough to it.

So. . . should I or shouldn't I?

 

[chatolandia]

call an animal help group, the kind that don't euthanize them

they will clean them up and feed them


THEN you can consider adopting

sometimes feral animals have diseases that we can catch...


and the adoption fee is usually rather small

for my cat was $70

and she was spayed and neutered and had all her vaccinations up to date


and if you decide not to adopt, they can get adopted elsewhere

 

[Daximus]

You betcha. Take things slow and if it happens, have him checked out by a vet to see if he has any health problems or possibly an identification chip. Wouldn't wanna steal away someone’s pet.

Good luck!!

 

[gsdx]

sometimes feral animals have diseases that we can catch...

The black and the grey/white cat are ferel. (Or, I should say, the grey/white one is. I've not seen enough of the black one to be certain.)

The kitten was very clean. Just very hungry and thirsty.

Wouldn't wanna steal away someone’s pet.

Good luck!!

Rest assured that I'll be keeping an eye on lamp posts over the next few days.

 

[FPNY]

they may not be feral, maybe they live in the neighborhood and are just hanging around because there is extra food there. I used to have a cat and he roam the entire neighborhood. Cats get around.

 

[Orlandude]

If you feed any animal, they will continue to come around. If you like the kitten, I too would recommend taking her/him to the vet for a total checkup and, if female, get her fixed unless you plan to keep her a total housecat. Even then, she WILL eventually go into heat and attract other cats to the house. As you may know, they get very vocal when they are in heat.

I've owned puddy cats all my life and love them. Prefer females because the males tend to pee on everything but both are good pets. Also try not to feed a cat too much wet food. Wet canned food is not real good for them (maybe occasionally) and the wet food makes for a stinky litter box. Dry food is better and it's better for them. If you go to the vet, be SURE to have the vet check for things like feline diabetes and feline lukemia. The latter is deadly. I once had a cat with feline diabetes and, believe me, you do not want to deal with that. The vets will tell you it is manageable but animals can't talk and if you never had to give a cat a shot of insulin....you really don't want to go there.

Finally, cats are notorious fleabags. If allowed outdoors, especially in grassy areas, they will get infested. The neighborhood cats roaming around are probably loaded with fleas so if you take the kitten, get him/her a flea bath.

 

[Horschallen]

That is very sweet of you to consider adopting the young one. I say go for it! And sweet for even feeding the cats as well... feed them well so they don't try catching your birds.

I once adopted a female Siamese mix cat and two days later I learned that the young healthy looking kitten tested positive for feline leukemia. After some research on the disease, I decided to go ahead and raise the kitten and I had three wonderful years with the cat before she passed on. The nicest and sweetest cat anyone could ever ask for. I still think fondly of her, even 11 years since she died.

Give the cat(s) a chance.

 

[seven2go]

Are you in good enough condition to take care of the constant cleaning of a litter box and occasional.......um......."accidents" with hair balls and such?
I'm a cat lover........but some things are just disgusting no matter what.......

BTW.......you only THINK you aren't a cat person.......it'll be sleeping with you in no time flat.......

 

[gsdx]

I've been keeping an eye open all day since early this morning and I have neither seen nor heard the little kitten. Last I saw of him was last night when he went running down the walkway between my apartment building and the house right beside us.

(I've been keeping an eye on the street as well, just in case. . . well, you know.)

 

[DonQuixote]

Hi, Neil,
There's a lot of good advice here.
We have had four cats in our homes.

The first was a stray my wife brought home. We made sure he was taken to the vet, got his shots, neutered. He was an indoor/outdoor cat, and was a doll.

We never had a problem with accidents/spraying due to the neutering.
Fleas are a concern if an outdoor cat.

He got Feluke before they came out with the vaccine - it was heartwrenching.

The next was a female stray - the first vet wasn't sure, but thought she'd been spayed because she was tender in that area -- Yeah, she was tender all right - and pregnant! Because she'd been a stray, only one kitten survive.

Mama didn't appreciate us keeping her baby past a certain age, and let it be known. Baby was a helluva hunter - we had an old farm house w/ walkout stone-walled basement near fields - so yes, we had mice.

They both would catch and eat them - the odd "head" left in kitchen.
Or, the cardinal on the front porch, the day I was cleaning basement and baby
brought a baby bunny in - I got her to release it, then had to chase it to get it out of the basement - just as I was taking the bunny out, here came baby with a garter snake to bring in for us!

When we moved into townhouse, we took them to a farm - they were too used to going outdoors, and we couldn't have outdoor cats in the townhouse.

Currently, we have a neutered male that's part American Curl, part Maine Coon -- long hair to beat the band. Indoor only, 17 lbs, 4 or 5 yrs old - I swear he's part dog - he plays fetch. He's our 17 yo's cat, but he comes up on couch between the wife and I every night.

Can you afford to take care of a cat? Spaying, shots every year -- even if indoor only, you need to get rabies at least.

And, kitty litter, cleaning - I'm thinking about your back -
I know you're on a tight budget, too.

They can be a lot of comfort, but they aren't cheap.

 

[jizzeater]

Has anyone noticed an increase in these stray and wild cats running around? I have in my neighborhood, especially at night. Driving down my street I see half a dozen of them just hanging around. It's a shame so many people abandon their animals like that.

 

[DonQuixote]

Neil,
I was going deep into my subscribed thread archives - this was at the outer limit - bring back memories?
I know there are other posts that came later . . .

 

[gsdx]

Did you adopt the cat?

The original bread-eating grey cat more-or-less adopted me. She's still an outdoor cat, but stays inside during cold or wet weather. It's sunny outside right now, but Boots is asleep in her favourite spot in my bedroom as I type. She's happy here for the most part until we either have to clip her nails or treat her for fleas.

 

[rareboy]

Boots knew a [STRIKE]sucker[/STRIKE] kind cat lover, when she saw one.

 

[Vitamin]

Cats adopt you. Not the other way around.

Keep putting food out, and it'll come around. If it starts begging you to come inside your house, congratulations you've been adopted! If it doesn't you've done you're part to help save animal lives. Consider getting it spayed or neutered.

 

[gsdx]

Keep putting food out, and it'll come around. If it starts begging you to come inside your house, congratulations you've been adopted!

Um... this all happened 3 years before you joined JUB.

 

[Daximus]

^^lol^^

I don't remember this thread at all. Back in my drinking days I guess. I'm glad things worked out Neil. You're a good man.

 

[Vitamin]

Um... this all happened 3 years before you joined JUB.

Yes, I suck at reading dates. I always assume against thread necromancy which has led to this embrassing moment. Not sure how I missed the resulsoltion post though.

 

[gsdx]

^ It happens when long-dead threads are resurrected.