[BullDog]

This has happened a couple of times to me, and I never know what to do. A kitty wanders up to me in my yard, meowing, and needy, looking for affection. To me, it sounds like they're lost. Usually, my big boy Smudge chases them off. But today, a little orange kitty greeted me when I came home. I was able to call Smudge off from straight out chasing her away, but he wasn't sure what to do about this intruder.

She felt thin-ish, I could feel her spine and hip bones, but her ribs weren't sticking out or anything. Her fur looked in good shape and her ears were clean, though her breath stunk. The thing that concerned me was that her right eye was oddly dilated. She had no visible injuries. The door was open a crack and *zoom* she was inside. Caught up with her and picked her up, and she was light as nothing.

I never know what to do about kitties like that. You don't necessarily want to take them in, because they might just live a few houses down the street. But I always feel bad leaving them when it seems like they're coming to you for help.

I just pet her for a little while and I put out a few cat treats, but she wasn't interested. There's also fresh water around the yard to drink. She sat at the screen door for a bit, meowing, then tried to climb the screen door

 

[PatientZero3]

Personally I would take care of it for now, put posters up around the neighborhood to try and locate the owners. I don't think I could ever leave such a small relatively helpless animal on its own, if finding the owners failed, I'd either give them away or keep them.

 

[kaisa]

awwe she's a cutie!! she does look pretty thin though, you can see where her side concaves

I agree about putting signs up and maybe a post on craigslist... you can also call the spca/humane society and see if anyone has reported her missing. She looks good though and probably has a home and just wandered too far or is out looking for extra attention. I'm not sure I would let it in the house at this point...you don't want to risk Smudge getting sick if she has any sort of diseases...It's not like its freezing cold out anyways.

The stray cats around my place are very feral and would never let me get close to them. I feel so bad, they look so sad and mangy. There's a lady who has a rescue who traps them then rehabs them for adoption

 

[AvianAquatics]

She seems too friendly for a stray. She might've just got lost and wandered too far away from home. I agree with Patient and kaisa and just make sure to keep them Smudge and kitty separated, you really don't want to go around and transmitting diseases between cat and dog.

 

[Atom]

I always have trouble in these situations. There are a lot of cats wandering in my neighborhood that don't wear collars so i never really know if they are strays or not. For the most part I know they look well.

In your situation, I wouldn't take it in just because I would be afraid it would be a possible carrier of an illness that may hurt your own pets or upset them emotionally. If this is the first time you have seen this cat I would just observe it and see if it belongs to someone. It may have just wandered away.

For now, I would feed it and put up posters looking for the owner. Her eye does look odd though and I am mostly concerned about that. Hopefully someone comes forward to claim her. If not, you could call the SPCA and see if they could take her in and care for her until they adopt her out...you can always go back and adopt her when she has a clean bill of health.

I love orange kitties and I'm a total sucker for them, but my cat would never allow another cat in the household

If she is a kitten you can always call the the Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Centre.

 

[BullDog]

See, that's the problem though... Without bringing her inside, it's hard to put up posters, since she might wander away again...

 

[Atom]

See, that's the problem though... Without bringing her inside, it's hard to put up posters, since she might wander away again...

Hmm...is she still hanging around your house? Could you ask your neighbors if they know who the owner may be? Someone may know something. For now I would just observe her. Sorry I can't be more help.

 

[BullDog]

She is still hanging around. She's not the least bit interested in food or water. She really wants to get in the house though. Pawing at the door and everything. If I can catch the neighbours, I'll ask around. Maybe put a few posters up in the neighbourhood.

 

[kaisa]

See, that's the problem though... Without bringing her inside, it's hard to put up posters, since she might wander away again...

the problem with that is if she does have a family they would be worried sick about her, and if they never see the signs that would be bad

this may work... put a collar on her with some sort of message to her owners?

 

[onefishtwofish]

do you have a carrier for your dog you could put her in ? then i would call the local pound to see if someone has reported her missing. sometimes when animals r easily identifiable ie young ginger cat in the area of with distinct eyes... local radio stations will make announcements as well. if she is contained the spca should pick her up. she wont be happy in one but she will be safe from wondering and maybe getting hit or eaten by nite preditors

 

[BullDog]

Some good news! I posted an ad on CL and also on castanet, then had a quick bite and went out to put a few posters around. When I came back, there was a message. Someone called and said they saw an ad for a missing kitty, orange, very vocal with strange eyes in one of the newspapers! She said she called the #, and left my #. I found the # and called it too (just the answering machine right now). So I caught the kitty (found her rather precariously perched on top of the gazebo!) and brought her inside. We've got sort of an enclosed front entry. I put the food and water with her, and there's a piece of carpet and a chair she can lie on. The other family just called, and hopefully it's their kitty!

 

[BullDog]

Yay! They came and said, "Yup! That's definitely her!" I guess she was an indoor cat who snuck out. But she's on her way home safe and sound now!

I want to thank you guys too for encouraging me to post an ad up!

 

[kaisa]

awwwe happy ending I bet kitty is happy to be going home. and the owners happy to have their girl back! Did they say how long she was gone and did they live far away?

Good job for taking the time to help her get home!

 

[onefishtwofish]

good news.that is great!

 

[onefishtwofish]

bet she doesnt sneak out for a long time!

 

[BullDog]

She's been missing for about a week. They live on the same street a couple of blocks away, but there's a big park between their block and mine (so the streets don't connect). She said they didn't think she would have got this far, so they didn't look past the park.
They said they took her in as a feral cat when she was just 5 weeks old. She's an indoor cat, but "an opportunist". She probably saw the door open and bolted! Funny, since here she wanted nothing more but to get indoors ^_^

 

[kaisa]

Poor girl was probably scared after being lost for a week

I'm lucky with my indoor cat the few times he's gotten out he's never left the yard. I've always just found him out in the garden. Trying to catch him is hard as hell and takes about an hour or two till he gets tired... he becomes a wild cat and hisses and growls and runs away every time you get close but still never leaves the yard

 

[Aquaman]

AWWW sniff sniff !!!! I love happy endings

 

[Atom]

Wonderful news. Bulldog, you have done more for the kitty than a lot of other people would have. You are a very kind person.

I hope the family was greatful and appreciative of your concern and care. Glad they have their kitty back. I hope they have a collar ready for her.

Yay. Happy news.

 

[kaisa]

ahhhhh! look what just followed us home! right now its tied up in the front yard hoping that its owner will pass by...

it's a well loved little dog.. nice groomed coat and perfect teeth....too bad the humane society is closed...i'll have to keep it in the backyard tonight and call them tomarrow.