A Cat Adopted Us Without Our Consent

[ameliashuman]

Last Friday, my husband I noticed a orange tabby cat hanging out on our back porch and hasn't left. She (he?) seems to leave around dusk but is back by the time we leave for work. The cat was very friendly (immediately came up to us meowing, purring, heading butting us), but she's skinny, has some fleas, so has clearly been living outside for little while. We tried to get hold of the rescues in our area (Charleston WV) but everyone is at max capacity. We haven't fed the cat, since we didn't really want to take in a third cat. We have two resident cats, one of whom would probably be fine with a third cat, but the other cat would likely go on strike/plot our murders (she is not a fan of our second cat, they don't fight but its clear they are not bff).

So we've reached a cross roads, I'm aching to feed the cat because I worry about its health (the cat has claws, but its so small!), but I know if we feed the cat that means we've essentially adopted her. What do we do? Is there any other way to find this cat a home or have we accidentally adopted a third pet? What do we do if our one resident cat loses her mind if she has to put up with other cat? I feel so anxious for all three!

 

[orange&white]

You can take her to the closest veterinarian's office or shelter and have her scanned to see if she has a microchip. Put "Found Cat" signs up around the neighborhood and post on Craigslist. If she's friendly, she probably got lost and couldn't find her way home.

 

[maggiedemi]

I would feed him if it were me. Can you tell if it's a boy?

 

[Hazelnutlove]

I would feed her/him. I take care of ferals/strays and it all started similarly to your situation, so I understand how it tugs at your heartstrings. I would put food out when the cat's there or when you expect him. Don't leave food out if you don't want to attract more strays and other animals. Because believe me...they tell ALL their friends! Haha.

I agree with another reply about seeing if the cat's chipped and possibly putting up signs or asking around your neighborhood. I wonder if the cat's "owner" moved and left the poor thing behind. He/she obviously belonged to someone and is socialized.

Good luck!

 

[ameliashuman]

I'm not sure the gender, haven't checked behind the tail (won't actually know what to look for either). We plan on taking the cat to the vet soon, our schedules the next few weeks are packed with work travel/meetings exc...making it hard to find a time to get to the vet.

We're going to go around the neighborhood and ask. It would surprise me if a family lost a pet and didn't say something/put signs, but you never know and I would feel heart broken if I lost my cats and no one looked.

My husband thinks I'm overly worried for no reason, that the cat will be fine, but I just can't help it.

 

[maggiedemi]

He's big enough that you could probably tell really easily if it's a boy if he's not neutered, it's really noticeable if you know what I mean.

 

[Sarthur2]

Please feed the cat for now. It's clearly hungry.

It's either lost, abandoned, or dumped.

You don't have to incorporate the cat into your household, but I think you should feed it and rescue it by eventually placing it with a rescue when a space opens up.

If the cat has testicles, it's an unneutered male. Most orange cats are male. Orange cats have notoriously sweet personalities.

If you were to bring it in, it would need to be separated from your resident cats initially.

Please keep us posted.

 

[tabbytom]

Yes, please feed him first and make sure he's eating and help him gain back his weight and health. Being weak will succumb to illness easily. He could have been abandoned and he don't look feral with his behavior.

You don't have to bring him indoors as yet. Once he's eating normally, and after he's used to you, get him to the vet for a medical and neutered or spayed if there's really no one claiming him.

 

[Sarthur2]

I am putting you in touch with a fellow TCS member, ashade1 .

She runs a rescue in Morgantown, West Virginia. Perhaps she can take this cat if you can meet half way. It's about 2 1/2 hours one way.

Feel free to personal message her, and I will encourage her to do the same with you.

 

[orange&white]

I agree with the others about feeding him regardless whether you find him a home or take him into yours. He (she) looks to thin in the photo.

 

[ashade1]

Hello! I have a few rescue contacts in that area that I will reach out to! I also do not have room right this exact moment but maybe you could care for him until I or another rescue has room? Do you have a spare room that you could bring him inside? Can you message me your contact info and then I can pass it on to my rescue contacts?
You mentioned taking him to the vet, if you can have them do an FIV/Felv test it will make placing him a little easier too!

 

[ameliashuman]

We've left food out, he wasn't back this morning but that's not unusual from what I've observed. I hadn't thought about reaching out to rescue orgs outside of my city, I appreciate everyone's offer to help. We'll keep feeding him and will also get him to the vet to ensure he's heathy, neutered, and has any meds/shots done that need done.all the while we'll continue looking for his owners in our area. Once the vet is taken care of we'll make a decision regarding rescue or if we accept his offer to come live with us (he's so sweet, I'm caving a bit)

 

[orange&white]

You could call rescues in your area back and ask about becoming his foster mom. They would need you to fill out an application, but if you can "officially" be his foster home, most groups pay all the medical expenses for testing, vaccinations, and of course spay/neuter. Of course, that means you would be relinquishing him when there is space.

Happy to read that he's working on you to move in there.

Did you ever figure out if "he" is a she or a he?

 

[ameliashuman]

This is showing my ignorance, but I think the cat is either a neutered male or female, but since most orange cats are male, I'm going with neutered. Any tips on how to take the cat to the vet without too much trauma? I've trained my other cats to eat in their kennels with no problems, but they some how know when it's vet time. I swear they must be picking up some cue of ours and it's traumatic for all. So I don't want to traumatize this cat more

 

[orange&white]

If you can feed him in the kennel for a few days before the vet visit like you do with your existing cats, that would be good. ...or do you have an appointment for him really soon? Unfortunately, whether stray or domestic, some cats are just going to hate being put in a kennel...then a car...then a vet's office.

After you get him in a kennel, cover it with a towel. It seems to calm cats a bit more when they can't see out when they're being transported.

 

[DreamerRose]

Glad you are feeding him/her. He/she really needs that.

I took in a cat under similar circumstances. It was so friendly, I knew it had to belong to someone. Among other things, I contacted Animal Control, and it turned out that someone had reported her missing three (!) months earlier. Do you have an Animal Control agency in Morgantown? You could call and ask. My Animal Control also said they would take her, but she was so sweet I would have never given her up. Her owners were ecstatic to have her back. She had escaped through a broken window, and after all that time, they didn't think they would ever find her.

 

[ameliashuman]

No appointment yet, due to scheduling both my husband and are booked until sometime next week so that's our earliest. We're going to call the vet to explain the situation and figure out the best approach, but I was just starting to worry about how we would transport her.

This is an amazing community by the way, the responses are quick and so helpful. Thank you.

 

[ameliashuman]

Update: I put out a kennel last light because I knew we were going to get a lot of rain and when I went out this morning the cat was in the kennel avoiding getting soaked. I was able to get in with the vet who said he was likely a geriatric neutered male with a heart murmur, severe malnutrition, and dehydration. Thankfully no ear mites or feline aids or leukemia.

We've brought him inside and are going to try to nurse him back to health. Other cats are very confused but not distressed so all is okay. Makes me so sad, he's a bit freaked out after the vet and the new place so I'm letting him chill

 

[maggiedemi]

Great job, you got all that done fast! Did the vet treat him for fleas and worms? How old do they think he is? Geriatric is probably over 7 years old at least.

 

[ameliashuman]

The rain helped for getting the cat (now named Neil Armstrong keeping up our aviation themed cats) and I went in as soon as the vet would let me so it worked out well. The vet didn't give an age she just said he was geriatric. That may be better for our female cat (Amelia Earhart) who is not the most friendly, but our other cat (Charlie Yeager) is a little more hyper/overly playful.