Post by tacosforlife on Nov 24, 2014 10:34:38 GMT -5
UPDATE: Scroll down for PIP.
This kitty comes around A LOT. Sometimes I find it sitting on our backyard table. This morning, the kitty came right up to our back sliding glass door. Fatty was distraught and pawing frantically at the door. Stray kitty just sat there. Every time I have gone outside, kitty runs away (it comes and goes under our fence). H went outside this morning to fix the netting on our back steps to make sure kitty doesn't get under the house (and did look under there to ascertain whether any kittens were under the house).
I have a picture of the kitty, but it has no collar. We can never get near it without it running away. (I totally want to bring it inside and have a third kitty, but H is opposed. But obviously that is moot since it runs away when we open the door.)
There are a lot of people in the neighborhood who let their kitties just roam, but this one keeps coming to our backyard. What, if anything, should I do?
Post by meshaliuknits on Nov 24, 2014 10:38:35 GMT -5
Clearly, he's expecting you to set out dinner for him on the table. You should probably invite him over for Thanksgiving.
Seriously, though, I'm not really sure. The last time we had a cat come hang out regularly causing my cats to loose their shit, I got on the neighborhood message board and asked around for the owner. The owner came and picked him up and must have either stopped letting him out or fixed his escape route since I haven't seen him in a while.
Catch it and take it to the vet. If it's all taken care of, it's probably a neighborhood kitty. If not, then you can figure out what to do from there.
How do you catch a kitty that runs away every time you open the door? I managed to have a staring contest with it in the alley, but that's the closest I've come to it.
Clearly, he's expecting you to set out dinner for him on the table. You should probably invite him over for Thanksgiving.
Seriously, though, I'm not really sure. The last time we had a cat come hang out regularly causing my cats to loose their shit, I got on the neighborhood message board and asked around for the owner. The owner came and picked him up and must have either stopped letting him out or fixed his escape route since I haven't seen him in a while.
Yeah, H is going to post on the neighborhood listserv to see if it's anybody's kitty. If it's not, I don't know what to do. H says not to feed it because he doesn't want a third kitty. I want to feed it to win it over so I can keep it. Anybody who lets a kitty roam doesn't deserve the kitty!
Clearly, he's expecting you to set out dinner for him on the table. You should probably invite him over for Thanksgiving.
Seriously, though, I'm not really sure. The last time we had a cat come hang out regularly causing my cats to loose their shit, I got on the neighborhood message board and asked around for the owner. The owner came and picked him up and must have either stopped letting him out or fixed his escape route since I haven't seen him in a while.
Yeah, H is going to post on the neighborhood listserv to see if it's anybody's kitty. If it's not, I don't know what to do. H says not to feed it because he doesn't want a third kitty. I want to feed it to win it over so I can keep it. Anybody who lets a kitty roam doesn't deserve the kitty!
One time my mom had an outdoor cat and it came home one night with a note attached to the collar that said "Does this cat have an owner? It comes to my house every day and begs for food. Are you feeding it?"
IMO if it looks well fed and isn't directly asking for food from you, to leave it be. It may be just interested in taunting your cat.
If you wanna catch it, you can put some canned food at the closed end of a cat carrier and sit out on the deck nearby and wait til the cat comes in to eat it.
If you do catch it and take it to the vet, get it tested for FIV and FeLV. If its positive for either the whole neighborhood needs to know as everyone's outdoor cats could be at risk.
Post by ChillyMcFreeze on Nov 24, 2014 10:45:34 GMT -5
I want to adopt all the kitties. Like the mangy one I saw eating french fries in the Sonic parking lot last night. If only my cat wasn't hell-bent on being an only child...
Can you lure it with food and then catch it? Does it look well-fed? I'm afraid if you take it to a shelter that it will be put down, but then I wouldn't want it freezing, either. Clearly the solution is to add him to your family and hope your H doesn't notice.
Any visible balls? Because absolute least I would do if nothing pops up on the listserv would be to do a trap/neuter/release. Pretty sure there are a couple of groups that do TNR programs in DC.
Any visible balls? Because absolute least I would do if nothing pops up on the listserv would be to do a trap/neuter/release. Pretty sure there are a couple of groups that do TNR programs in DC.
Post by tacosforlife on Nov 24, 2014 11:00:42 GMT -5
Thanks, ladies! I just talked to H.
He is going to send the picture I took this morning to our neighborhood listserv.
If nobody claims the kitty, when we get back from Thanksgiving, I'll contact the humane society about the trap, neuter, release program, and we will build kitty a shelter in our backyard.
I don't know if it's a boy or girl, but I will take name suggestions for both in case it becomes "our" community cat!
Any visible balls? Because absolute least I would do if nothing pops up on the listserv would be to do a trap/neuter/release. Pretty sure there are a couple of groups that do TNR programs in DC.
LOL. It hasn't given me that angle of viewing, but no, I have no idea whether it's a boy or girl, let alone whether it's been fixed.
LOL, furry marbles are usually pretty obvious when they turn to run. Or maybe our stray toms that would show up and set up shop at our house just had giant catballs.
We named the one mancat Brutus for a reason. And then we got him neutered and changed his name to Brutum.
Post by meshaliuknits on Nov 24, 2014 11:10:24 GMT -5
Aw, he looks like my friend's old cat Sir Lancelot the Brat (better known as "Damn Cat") who went on walkabout in DC years ago. I know it's not him because his tail does not resemble a periscope, but his markings are spot on.
I thought of you on Sunday. I made waffles and bacon and a homemade berry syrup for the waffles. And I thought, "I bet Fuckstick would like to eat breakfast with me today." And then I thought how weird this might make me.
I thought of you on Sunday. I made waffles and bacon and a homemade berry syrup for the waffles. And I thought, "I bet Fuckstick would like to eat breakfast with me today." And then I thought how weird this might make me.
Dude. I had waffles for breakfast Saturday. I would eat the hell out of some bacon and waffles with homemade berry syrup with you. I'm kind of a waffle whore.
If no one claims him on the listserv I would sneak him/her food and then when H asks why the cat is around even more and seems more friendly, I would claim it was fate and we should keep him.
I think your plan to TnR and build a shelter is awesome.
My secret plan is for it to hang around so that H can't resist and we make it our kitty! Although Velocirpator will probably have a shitfit, and Fatty will hide under a bed for a year.