Mergath Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Yesterday, a cat wandered into our yard. She's very thin, had a large, bleeding gash on the back of her head, has ears full of ear mites, and one of her ears is snipped, which they do around here for stray and feral cats that have been spayed and released. Because she was injured and there was a storm an hour away with possible hail and tornadoes, I brought her inside and put her into our cat carrier. Initially dh thought she was our neighbor's cat, so I figured I'd just keep her in during the storm and bring her home when neighbor got home from work. After texting, however, dh found out that she looks a lot like neighbor's cat, but isn't. I walked around to all of our neighbors' houses and asked if she belongs to them, and no one had ever seen her before, even the crazy cat lady who knows everyone's cats and likes to walk around and visit them. :P I called the police to see if they had any missing cat reports, and they don't, but they'll call me if anyone does call looking for her. I'm going to call the humane society tomorrow and ask if they know anything, but they post all their missing pet posts on their FB page, and there's nothing about a missing gray tabby. I can't bring her there and drop her off because they're drowning in stray cats, to the point that they're housing multiple cats to a cage, and they'd probably just ask us to foster her anwyay. I really don't want to let her back outside because we're two blocks from a busy highway that's regularly littered with cat corpses, and as I said, she's already injured. :( I would be pretty sure she's a stray, except that she's so darn friendly. Just a teddy bear. Given her poor condition, however, if she did have an owner, she didn't just run off yesterday. Dd and dh are completely smitten with her, and we have no problem giving her a home, but at the same time I'd feel terrible if we accidentally adopted someone else's cat. So how much more do I have to do before I can say, "Yes, I did what I could and now we'll just keep her"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I'd assume it's a stray, but I'd put up messages on craigslist, etc, leaving out some relevant details, just to assuage your own guilt. But my loving orange cat, totally friendly was a stray. He has a tipped ear too :) Someone was feeing him outside, and then he got injured so she brought him to the clinic I worked at and I fell in love with him. I'd say that once upon a time he was someone's cat, probably an outdoor cat, and for whatever reason became a stray...possibly for years. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I'd post found gray cat without the other details on the FB page. If no response, you have a new kitty love. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 At the SPCA, ask them to scan for a chip. If no chip, you've got a new member of your household. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Sounds like you have done/are planning to do everything you can. Welcome new cat with love. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 At the SPCA, ask them to scan for a chip. If no chip, you've got a new member of your household. Forgot about chips! We have house only kitties that were adopted pre-chips. I should get them chipped in case of emergency. Their fluffy butts would not fare well in the great outdoors. :( 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted August 23, 2015 Author Share Posted August 23, 2015 Forgot about chips! We have house only kitties that were adopted pre-chips. I should get them chipped in case of emergency. Their fluffy butts would not fare well in the great outdoors. :( I did too! I'll bring her by our vet tomorrow and have her scanned. I'm not going to have the humane society here do it, because based on my experience with them they'd probably charge me for the privilege. My elderly cat got out a few years back and ran off, and someone found her and brought her in. They tried to charge me over a hundred bucks just to pick her up. :cursing: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlmiraGulch Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I did too! I'll bring her by our vet tomorrow and have her scanned. I'm not going to have the humane society here do it, because based on my experience with them they'd probably charge me for the privilege. My elderly cat got out a few years back and ran off, and someone found her and brought her in. They tried to charge me over a hundred bucks just to pick her up. :cursing: Wow. That sounds like extortion. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I did too! I'll bring her by our vet tomorrow and have her scanned. I'm not going to have the humane society here do it, because based on my experience with them they'd probably charge me for the privilege. My elderly cat got out a few years back and ran off, and someone found her and brought her in. They tried to charge me over a hundred bucks just to pick her up. :cursing: I had to pay a fine to get my houdini of a weiimaraner out of doggy jail once. When they took me back to the kennel area to get her she'd already undone one of the locks on the cage (out of two). I asked them if I got a refund if she escaped from them too :) 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted August 23, 2015 Author Share Posted August 23, 2015 Wow. That sounds like extortion. Yeah, it was not pleasant. It was back when dh was unemployed and at the time I just didn't have the extra money. I asked them if they were going to keep her if I didn't pay, and they grudgingly let me take her. With much scolding and lecturing and quite a few snarky comments. Honestly, I'm not surprised they're so overwhelmed with pets they can't find homes for. From everything I've heard from other people and experienced, dealing with them is an absolute nightmare, and trying to adopt from them is outrageously expensive and almost impossible. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted August 23, 2015 Author Share Posted August 23, 2015 I had to pay a fine to get my houdini of a weiimaraner out of doggy jail once. When they took me back to the kennel area to get her she'd already undone one of the locks on the cage (out of two). I asked them if I got a refund if she escaped from them too :) :lol: I don't understand charging people large sums of money to reunite them with lost pets. I mean, yeah, if it's like the tenth time a person's pet has gotten out and been brought in, okay, I guess I can see that. But otherwise, I'd think they'd be happy to get the pet home safely. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlmiraGulch Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Yeah, it was not pleasant. It was back when dh was unemployed and at the time I just didn't have the extra money. I asked them if they were going to keep her if I didn't pay, and they grudgingly let me take her. With much scolding and lecturing and quite a few snarky comments. Honestly, I'm not surprised they're so overwhelmed with pets they can't find homes for. From everything I've heard from other people and experienced, dealing with them is an absolute nightmare, and trying to adopt from them is outrageously expensive and almost impossible. :( I got a kitten from the Humane Society last year. Honestly, it was a great experience. They had gone cage free a few months previously, the whole place was remarkably clean, and the people couldn't have been nicer. I did pay an adoption fee of like $100 or something, but that's the same as anywhere. For them to want to charge you to get back your own cat, when they already have more than they can handle, seems ridiculous to me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted August 23, 2015 Author Share Posted August 23, 2015 I got a kitten from the Humane Society last year. Honestly, it was a great experience. They had gone cage free a few months previously, the whole place was remarkably clean, and the people couldn't have been nicer. I did pay an adoption fee of like $100 or something, but that's the same as anywhere. For them to want to charge you to get back your own cat, when they already have more than they can handle, seems ridiculous to me. Most of them are really fantastic. I don't know why the one here is so awful. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ailaena Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Yay, new kitty! :D <33 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeAndTheBoys Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 If it's a female gray tabby, keep it. That's the best kind. Mine is in my lap right now, lol- b 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyMountain Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I would post pictures online on Craigslist or Facebook or both then call it good with the other steps you will take. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arctic Bunny Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 After scanning for a chip, I think you've done due diligence. If you found it in perfect inside-cat shape, I'd maybe feel differently, but I'd call it good. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted August 23, 2015 Author Share Posted August 23, 2015 Update! I just talked to a woman who lives a ways down the road, and she said it's a stray that has been living under a shed, and they've been feeding her for some time, so that's why she's friendly. She was going to bring her in to the humane society before winter, so she's happy the kitty found a home. :) 27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Update! I just talked to a woman who lives a ways down the road, and she said it's a stray that has been living under a shed, and they've been feeding her for some time, so that's why she's friendly. She was going to bring her in to the humane society before winter, so she's happy the kitty found a home. :) Congratulations on your new family member! What are you going to name her? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Update! I just talked to a woman who lives a ways down the road, and she said it's a stray that has been living under a shed, and they've been feeding her for some time, so that's why she's friendly. She was going to bring her in to the humane society before winter, so she's happy the kitty found a home. :) So just like my guy! He was living under a shed too, being fed by a nice woman. And he is the best cat I've ever had. Even my husband doesn't hate him, and my husband hates cats. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 so happy for kitty to have a new home! Yay! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHASRADA Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I hope she'll be a great new addition to your family. Just a word of caution: We cared for a stray last summer. He kept meowing at our door for about a week in June, wouldn't go away, so we started feeding him. We posted photos on Craigslist and scoured photos on a pet find website, but couldn't find any ads for missing cats and while I got a few replies to my ad, none were the owner. He was very sweet, gentle and loveable. He lived on our deck for 5 months, roaming but always returning for meals and to sleep. In October, as cold weather approached, we finally decided we would need to take him in and adopt him. I took him to the vet for his shots and flea treatment, and he started sleeping in our living room. Less than a week later, he ran into our front yard chasing a squirrel, and was seen by his owner. His owner who lived 4 doors down. Apparently they had posted on Facebook, which I don't have. They also looked at photos on the pet find site, but didn't bother to post their own. I probably should have knocked on doors, but this is a huge neighborhood and had no idea where to start. I wasn't even thinking he could have come from their direction. Since he came around "move out" time, I figured he got left behind when someone moved out. Fortunately we had put a collar on him so they knew to come tell us they were taking him back. They had photos of him throughout his life span to prove he was theirs. They said they would reimburse me for the $260 vet bill, but I still haven't seen any $$ 10 months later. My kids and I still miss our kitty terribly as we grew very attached. We feel good that we cared for him so well and helped him survive until his owners found him, but it still hurts. Hope your story has a happy ending :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Update! I just talked to a woman who lives a ways down the road, and she said it's a stray that has been living under a shed, and they've been feeding her for some time, so that's why she's friendly. She was going to bring her in to the humane society before winter, so she's happy the kitty found a home. :) Yay for kitty and yay for you! :thumbup1: I love stories like this. Thank you for taking her in. You know we're going to need pictures at some point, right? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted August 23, 2015 Author Share Posted August 23, 2015 I hope she'll be a great new addition to your family. Just a word of caution: We cared for a stray last summer. He kept meowing at our door for about a week in June, wouldn't go away, so we started feeding him. We posted photos on Craigslist and scoured photos on a pet find website, but couldn't find any ads for missing cats and while I got a few replies to my ad, none were the owner. He was very sweet, gentle and loveable. He lived on our deck for 5 months, roaming but always returning for meals and to sleep. In October, as cold weather approached, we finally decided we would need to take him in and adopt him. I took him to the vet for his shots and flea treatment, and he started sleeping in our living room. Less than a week later, he ran into our front yard chasing a squirrel, and was seen by his owner. His owner who lived 4 doors down. Apparently they had posted on Facebook, which I don't have. They also looked at photos on the pet find site, but didn't bother to post their own. I probably should have knocked on doors, but this is a huge neighborhood and had no idea where to start. I wasn't even thinking he could have come from their direction. Since he came around "move out" time, I figured he got left behind when someone moved out. Fortunately we had put a collar on him so they knew to come tell us they were taking him back. They had photos of him throughout his life span to prove he was theirs. They said they would reimburse me for the $260 vet bill, but I still haven't seen any $$ 10 months later. My kids and I still miss our kitty terribly as we grew very attached. We feel good that we cared for him so well and helped him survive until his owners found him, but it still hurts. Hope your story has a happy ending :) Oh, man. I'm sorry. :( If somebody shows up a few months down the road claiming this cat is theirs, I'm probably going to tell them, "Well then you probably should have fed her above emaciation level, treated her ear mites, brought her in when she had a head injury, and put a collar on her before you let her roam around the neighborhood." I don't think anyone will come looking, though. This town only has 1700 people, and I've looked everywhere someone could have possibly advertised a missing cat. FB, CL, the humane society, the police... So either she's a stray, or she's been horribly neglected by someone who doesn't care to look for her. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted August 23, 2015 Author Share Posted August 23, 2015 Congratulations on your new family member! What are you going to name her? Dh and dd outvoted me and decided on Zoe. :) 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 :001_wub: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted August 23, 2015 Author Share Posted August 23, 2015 Yay for kitty and yay for you! :thumbup1: I love stories like this. Thank you for taking her in. You know we're going to need pictures at some point, right? I would be delighted to spam you with links to my cat pictures. :) As you can see, she's settling in nicely. https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=87AB104615A3FC8C!1553&authkey=!AEElsA3WTcEUDmw&v=3&ithint=photo%2cjpg In this one you can see the one ear that's been clipped. If you look closely, there's also another cat photobombing from behind the bean bag. :P https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=87AB104615A3FC8C!1532&authkey=!ANU7c88EnKgqLV8&v=3&ithint=photo%2cjpg It's a horrible picture because she wouldn't hold still at the right angle and you can't see it very well, but here's part of her owie. She has cuts and scabs all over her body under her fur, too, and a little tear at the base of one ear. :( https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=87AB104615A3FC8C!1537&authkey=!AGz5F3ywEGYojkg&v=3&ithint=photo%2cjpg 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caclcoca Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 She's cute!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Update! I just talked to a woman who lives a ways down the road, and she said it's a stray that has been living under a shed, and they've been feeding her for some time, so that's why she's friendly. She was going to bring her in to the humane society before winter, so she's happy the kitty found a home. :) Awe, happy ending! Enjoy your new cat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 If it's a female gray tabby, keep it. That's the best kind. Mine is in my lap right now, lol- b Mine's a dude, but absolutely the best personality ever and so loving. Congratulations, Mergath, dd, and dh. Welcome home, Zoe. :) :) :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I would be delighted to spam you with links to my cat pictures. :) We are delighted to be spammed. :) The poor sweet baby! She is beautiful and looks so soft. Love the other photobombing cat, too! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 She looks SO sweet!! And the photo bombing is hysterical :) (I'm actually kind of jealous. I'm at the point where I'm not actively searching out pet #11...but if one were to find us, I sure as heck wouldn't say no :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Congrats Mergath! Sounds like your new kitty will be a great addition to your family. AHASRADA--Wow, that's so heartbreaking! Our last cat was a presumed stray--about 6 months old--who kept coming back insisting we were his people. We couldn't figure out who he belonged to so we took him in, got his shots, etc. A year later our "back yard" neighbor came by to say goodbye; he'd heard we were moving. (I say back yard in quotes because we lived out in the country and the far end of our acreage was about 100 yards or so from the end of his acreage, but you'd have to drive over a mile by road between the houses). Anyway, he saw our cat and recognized it as one of his that got lost the year prior. Dh offered the cat back but it had been a whole year so he declined. Whew! I can't imagine how hard it would have been to lose a beloved pet that way. :grouphug: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeAndTheBoys Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 pretty kitty!! love love love-- 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Our sweet, affectionate, Mabel was a stray that was at the Human Society for 9 months before we got her. The cats there have an entire house, donated in her will by a previous "cat lady", to roam (and they 99% guarantee no kill) . Just because she's friendly doesn't mean she's not a stray just that it's unlikely she's feral. I'd see if she has a chip, check back with the Human Society and check Craigslist for missing cats, but honestly in the shape she's in? Either she's been on her own for awhile or her people didn't take care of her and she's better off with you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 We are delighted to be spammed. :) The poor sweet baby! She is beautiful and looks so soft. Love the other photobombing cat, too! Oh my gosh, that photobombing is so darn funny. I was chuckling out loud at that. What a sweet little kitty (both of them by the looks of it) you have there. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 If somebody shows up a few months down the road claiming this cat is theirs, Congratulations on your new cat! What a cutie. We had a very neglected dog show up one time, years ago. She was so covered in fleas that she was missing half her fur. She was skinny and had an ear all crumpled from an untreated infection. We had ZERO interest in returning her to her owner. We nursed her back to health, which took months and plenty of vet bills. Once she was healthy, gained weight, and re-grew her fur, she was a beautiful german shepard and the sweetest most loyal dog I've ever owned. One day, as we were out walking her, a car pulled over and an eldery woman stepped out and asked to see our dog. She petted her and called her by name, and asked how long we had her. She then turned to us and said, "She looks so good. I'm not going to tell my son what happened to his dog." 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Awww, she is so beautiful! :001_wub: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 After scanning for a chip, I think you've done due diligence. If you found it in perfect inside-cat shape, I'd maybe feel differently, but I'd call it good. I agree. When Luna came to us, we took her to the vet to scan for a chip, we posted on the local FB swaps, post office and convenience store, and contacted a local rescue. This is a small town (under 1000). If someone wanted to find her, there was no way it could be missed that I posted about her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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