Some Cat Questions

[Darkiplier]

a) I know it's a horrible idea, but is it possible to keep cats and birds in the same house?

b) If I met a stray cat that lets me pet him, sits on my lap, plays with me...etc (bad idea, I know), is it possible that I adopt him somehow? I'm not talking legally, but rather in terms of behaviour and the like. What about cats abandoned in the street?

 

[Columbine]

It is possible to keep cats and birds in the same house, but it needs thought and care to keep everyone safe and happy.
Raising Cats & Birds In The Same House

Many members here (myself included) have cats that they've taken in from the streets. It absolutely can be done, but it's a big committment in terms of building trust and getting them adjusted to and comfortable with the indoor life. Ideally, the very first step (before they set paw in your home) is to get them straight to the vet for a basic health check, and start treatment for the inevitable fleas and parasites they might be carrying. A crucial step here is to get them scanned for a microchip too, just in case they're lost and have an owner looking for them.
Should You Try And Tame A Feral Cat?
A Feral Cat Or A Stray Cat? How To Tell The Difference
The Five Golden Rules To Bringing An Outdoor Cat Inside

 

[ArtNJ]

If a cat lets you pet him without you really working for it, and looks to be in good shape, then someone is probably taking care of it even if it doesn't have a collar. In fact, even if you have to work for it, if the cat looks to be in good shape, decent chance it is someone's cat. I'm getting one of my two chipped this week because he is naturally skinny and small. The other is a fluffy 12 pounder that no one thinking logically would think was a stray, she doesn't go far in any event, and chipping is just something I've never worried about.

When we adopted stray Rockie, she was very skittish, but was so hungry I lured her to eating out of my hand within an hour or so. She was so hungry she accidentally drew my blood just desperately wolfing the food. So I knew she didn't have an owner.

If the cat is a stray, you have to be careful of flees. Don't just lure into your house without a vet visit -- lure/trap into a carrier if you can and take to the vet first.

 

[Darkiplier]

So that beautiful white cat with a long, soft coat and heterochromia was most likely not a stray?
Anyways, guys, people here don't chip cats and whatnot. These cats, if ever owned before, didn't run away/get lost; they were abandoned. Except for that one longhair that I found under a building but that's an exception. That one probably fell (mine used to do that a lot).

Also, how do I feed a pregnant cat?

Also, why does this cat on my street keep getting pregnant and giving birth each year around the same time (THE BEGINNING OF WINTER.)?

Also, I have this one friend who has four cats and one of them eats baby food and is really fat, according to him. I told him to stop feeding the cat baby food and go to a vet because it might get diabetes or something. Right? Wrong?

 

[Neo_23]

Please also have the cat checked for a microchip if you find it on the street. It is possible that it is a lost house cat that just doesn't wear a collar.

Edit: Why would you say that people don't chip cats where you live? How do you know?

 

[ArtNJ]

It is known fact that a pure white cat is fairly often deaf, especially if the cat has one, or even more so, two blue eyes. With no blue eyes, the % is around 17%, but rises over 80% with two blue eyes, per what I read. You mentioned hetechromia so I assume one blue eye, which means a risk of deafness of around 40 something percent. To state the obvious, deaf cats are not well suited to survive outdoors. You mentioned that she looks to be in great shape, but if she seems deaf it would be hard to argue with taking her in. If there is an owner that gives a hoot, they can put up flyers and you can explain that you were concerned that she was a stray given the absence of a collar and the apparent deafness.

If she can hear and looks to be in great shape, you might leave her be, unless that is the cat you mentioned gets pregnant every year. It would be the height of irresponsibility for an owner to let a blue eyed white cat give birth outside, because some of the kittens may be deaf. I mean, its probably irresponsible to let her have a litter outside every year regardless, but the possibility of deaf kittens outside is an extra issue. In that scenario, I would not worry about the possibility of an owner - adopt, get her spayed, and enjoy the company of a beautiful cat knowing you did the right thing.

 

[Darkiplier]

Eh, no. The preggo one is a faint calico that kinda disappears for most of the year except for...well...winter. Which is when she's pregnant or caring for her young.

Inbreeding, I assume?

Please also have the cat checked for a microchip if you find it on the street. It is possible that it is a lost house cat that just doesn't wear a collar.

Edit: Why would you say that people don't chip cats where you live? How do you know?

I never heard of it before; in fact, the first time I ever heard of chipping was in this thread. But if I do pluck a cat from the street I'd take it to the vet straight away either way; I wouldn't want my house infested with fleas.

EDIT: How do I know if she's deaf though? Do I just catcall it and see if that grabs its attention? I mean, sometimes cats ignore it even if they're not deaf.

 

[Stray Cathouse Madame]

Observe if she reacts to sudden loud noises. If they don't ever even faze her, you can assume she's deaf.

 

[Willowy]

If you meet a friendly cat you'd like to keep and aren't sure if anyone cares for it, put a piece of paper or elastic around the cat's neck with a note and your phone number for the owner to call. If there are a lot of friendly strays in the area and a lot of people who feed strays, it can be hard to tell which are actually owned.

it possible to keep cats and birds in the same house?

Yes, my entire childhood we had birds and cats together, and my mom now has a bird and several cats. But the birds can't have free flight where the cat is loose, so if you have caged finches it's no big deal but if you have a parrot who is accustomed to having free roam of the house it might take some adjustments.

why does this cat on my street keep getting pregnant and giving birth each year around the same time (THE BEGINNING OF WINTER.)?

Unspayed cats usually get pregnant twice a year. Maybe she has the spring litter somewhere else and comes to your neighborhood for the fall litter. If you don't have very severe winters cats may breed at any time.

I told him to stop feeding the cat baby food and go to a vet because it might get diabetes or something. Right? Wrong?

Baby food isn't balanced for cats. And of course being obese isn't good for the cat either. He should keep the baby food to a bare minimum, just a tiny spoonful every day if the cat likes it that much, less often if the cat will stand for it. If he's open to suggestions.

 

[ArtNJ]

Sorry for not responding to your question about white cat deafness earlier. You asked whether its inbreeding. This link explains the issue better than I could. Congenital sensorineural deafness in cats - Wikipedia . I don't think it should be too hard to tell if she is deaf. You mentioned she allows petting. So set your phone to chime kind of loud in 2 min, put it off to the side and lure her in for petting. That is just one idea, I'm sure there are a lot of other ways to do it without shouting at her.

Please keep us posted. If she is deaf, she definitely shouldn't be outside -- risk from cars and predators will be much higher than normal. At that point, I just wouldn't care that she might have an owner -- no one could argue you did the wrong thing given the lack of a collar and deafness.

 

[Darkiplier]

Baby food isn't balanced for cats. And of course being obese isn't good for the cat either. He should keep the baby food to a bare minimum, just a tiny spoonful every day if the cat likes it that much, less often if the cat will stand for it. If he's open to suggestions.

The cat died at a vet's.

I'm sure there are a lot of other ways to do it without shouting at her.

Catcalling? The pspsps sound thing? I mean, it does seem to work for every single cat I met so far.

Please keep us posted. If she is deaf, she definitely shouldn't be outside -- risk from cars and predators will be much higher than normal. At that point, I just wouldn't care that she might have an owner -- no one could argue you did the wrong thing given the lack of a collar and deafness.

I never found that cat again.

The closest I ever got to meeting the same cat twice was at the club today; I met that one grey tabby for the second time. I was actually really glad until I found a smaller and darker cat that would approach me but not let me pet it and the grey tabby would jab at it.

I actually recently starting seeing a lot of cats with really fluffy tails everywhere for some reason and I'm confused.

 

[arouetta]

If you meet a friendly cat you'd like to keep and aren't sure if anyone cares for it, put a piece of paper or elastic around the cat's neck with a note and your phone number for the owner to call.

I don't think that's a good idea. What if the cat never comes back? Then the cat has elastic around its neck that it can't get off on its own.

For deafness, get a really heavy book and somehow get out of the cat's eyesight. Then drop the book on the ground. If the cat reacts, the cat can hear.

 

[Darkiplier]

For deafness, get a really heavy book and somehow get out of the cat's eyesight. Then drop the book on the ground. If the cat reacts, the cat can hear.

Or I could just go "pspspspspspsps" because no cat I met doesn't react to that... except for like the few cats that do at first but then realize it was a scam so then they just ignore me.

 

[danteshuman]

I do different meows at my cats. When I really want to find them I do a high pitched short 'lost kitten' meow. When I just want them to come for good things I do a sing songy/meow they know. I also do hand signals with my cats. A plate in my hands = food. Hand down with wiggling fingers = come here and I will pet you. Plus cats figure out your schedule I would put a break away collar on the cat. If some how it comes off, write a note/your number with a permanent marker on a new collar and put it on the cat. Or better yet find the cat & bring it into your home for good. For me cats magically appear if there is a vacancy. I swear it is cat ESP

 

[Darkiplier]

I do different meows at my cats. When I really want to find them I do a high pitched short 'lost kitten' meow. When I just want them to come for good things I do a sing songy/meow they know. I also do hand signals with my cats. A plate in my hands = food. Hand down with wiggling fingers = come here and I will pet you. Plus cats figure out your schedule I would put a break away collar on the cat. If some how it comes off, write a note/your number with a permanent marker on a new collar and put it on the cat. Or better yet find the cat & bring it into your home for good. For me cats magically appear if there is a vacancy. I swear it is cat ESP

"The Catinator"

 

[arouetta]

I do different meows at my cats. When I really want to find them I do a high pitched short 'lost kitten' meow. When I just want them to come for good things I do a sing songy/meow they know. I also do hand signals with my cats. A plate in my hands = food. Hand down with wiggling fingers = come here and I will pet you. Plus cats figure out your schedule I would put a break away collar on the cat. If some how it comes off, write a note/your number with a permanent marker on a new collar and put it on the cat. Or better yet find the cat & bring it into your home for good. For me cats magically appear if there is a vacancy. I swear it is cat ESP

There's some interesting research involving cat/human communication. Apparently cats in the wild don't tend to meow at each other, so that is something aimed at humans, but only their particular human slave. Cats and owners do pretty good at understanding each other, but the vocal and non-vocal methods of communication are actually created between the two instead of standardized communication. When researchers swapped the cats and humans, the humans had absolutely no clue what the cats were trying to say.

 

[Darkiplier]

There's some interesting research involving cat/human communication. Apparently, cats in the wild don't tend to meow at each other, so that is something aimed at humans, but only their particular human slave. Cats and owners do pretty well at understanding each other, but the vocal and non-vocal methods of communication are actually created between the two instead of standardized communication. When researchers swapped the cats and humans, the humans had absolutely no clue what the cats were trying to say.

So, at the end of the day, it's not us training cats, but the cats are the ones training us. Damn.

 

[danteshuman]

Yep pretty much. It is why we love them.

 

[Darkiplier]

We were programmed to love them. I mean...

That's kinda how things really are. On the left is reality, on the right is illusion.

 

[arouetta]

So, at the end of the day, it's not us training cats, but the cats are the ones training us. Damn.

Well, we can train cats...with liberal amounts of their favorite food.