Abandoned Cat ("Neigborhood Pet") Ethics on Adoption?

[Thewright]

Has she had kittens in the 9 years she's been in the neighborhood? I figured she was already spayed since you didn't mention hundreds of kittens. Hopefully the vet can tell because I'd hate for them to put her through being cut open unnecessarily at her age. Maybe they could do a dental though. At her age I'm sure she needs it.

Honestly don't know if it's a female or a neutered male! Someone on here mentioned that she was most likely male... and it depends on which neighbor's story about her is true. If she was a house cat she's likely been neutered by her previous owners and could be male or female. If she's always been a stray she's likely an un-neutered female. She is a well-known cat, isn't too smart for traps (I've caught her several times), and there is a TNR initiative in our neighborhood... but she doesn't have an ear tip?
I told the vet office as much when I made the appointment. They have her scheduled as a female spay. If she's male there will be no surgery required, she hasn't let me see her belly to look for a tattoo.

 

[Willowy]

Maybe the neighbor that took in her sister had her spayed (or him neutered)? It's not unusual in some neighborhoods for people to spay/neuter the strays they feed without eartipping them.

If you can get the kitty to stick their tail up long enough to snap a pic, post it here and we'll make guesses, lol.

 

[Thewright]

Maybe the neighbor that took in her sister had her spayed (or him neutered)? It's not unusual in some neighborhoods for people to spay/neuter the strays they feed without eartipping them.

If you can get the kitty to stick their tail up long enough to snap a pic, post it here and we'll make guesses, lol.

The neighbor who took in her sister doesn't feed the cats. The one who feeds the cats does TNR idk
Ha I'll try to get a pic
Feeling kind of weird about this. She came in and hung out with us for a while and even sat in my lap on the couch. But at one point my dog LUNGED at her and I had to let her out before she hurt him. He wasn't trying to eat her or anything, and he'snever done anything like that to my old cat, other than whining at her and trying to get her to play with him. Our cat running away affected him pretty strongly and now hes like "YAY CAT"
But my cat always just snuck around him and I feel like if I take Ginger in it's going to be hard for her to adjust to that..

 

[Joan M]

My golden retriever, who has missed having a cat pal, is VERY interested in Mia, the one I took in. She has come up a couple of times today for under a minute, and I kept him away, even though I know he is desperate to make friends with her (goldens are like that). I either blocked him or held onto his collar. He just has to wait. She doesn't trust him at all, which is one of the things which kept her alive outside. It has to be very slow and on her terms, or those claws will come out and she'll stay downstairs again. I totally get it and keep my boy back, just letting him watch her. Any time I'm not going to be right there, I close the basement door (she hasn't figured out the cat door in it yet) and keep them apart. Dogs that like cats are wonderful, but cats that have been outside don't trust dogs, for good reasons. Eventually both my two and your two will figure each other out, but it does have to be slow.

 

[jefferd18]

If your kitty was seen within minutes of Ginger arriving, makes me wonder on just how really scared she is o

Has she had kittens in the 9 years she's been in the neighborhood? I figured she was already spayed since you didn't mention hundreds of kittens. Hopefully the vet can tell because I'd hate for them to put her through being cut open unnecessarily at her age. Maybe they could do a dental though. At her age I'm sure she needs it.

The vet can tell by shaving her tummy and seeing if she has a hysterectomy scar.

 

[Willowy]

The vet can tell by shaving her tummy and seeing if she has a hysterectomy scar.

I've been through this a few times---they'll try. But not every cat scars visibly, especially if they were done young.

 

[Joan M]

Mia's left ear tip had been removed - you barely could tell - but the vet said they'd take that as evidence of a feral being spayed. Most TNR rescues will do that.

 

[jefferd18]

I've been through this a few times---they'll try. But not every cat scars visibly, especially if they were done young.

I understand, hopefully this one still carries a faint scar if she was fixed.