Abandoned Kitty

grayfluffy

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Jan 3, 2006
Messages
119
Purraise
19
It seems that someone dropped off a kitty in my area. He started living under my shed about a month ago. It's a little hard for him to get in and out of, but it does provide some shelter.

My concern with it starting to snow with winter beginning that the snow will get too high around the shed and he will either suffocate or get trapped. I am also concerned that it is a little hard for him to get in and out because if the snow isn't a problem there could be a problem just with that. It's a pretty large shed, I think it's about 6 ft. x 12 ft. it was custom made that size and has a skid foundation. Anyone have any experience with a cat living under a shed or have ideas if this will be an issue? If it will keep him warm enough through the winter?

I want to get a heated cat house, but the problem is I don't know if I can convince this kitty to use it since he has decided to live under my shed. He is a little scared of being outside, but not sure if it's because it's a new area or if he just hasn't been outside much.

I'm looking for advice and suggestions, please.
 

Jcatbird

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Messages
10,301
Purraise
58,378
Location
United States
I have had a kitty get trapped under my shed by rising water. I got her out but it was a terrible close call and a scare. I strongly suggest you trap the kitty if it is a stray and bring it in. A hard winter can do a cat in. A heated house placed at the entrance to the underside of the shed might work but if you don’t get it spayed or neutered, chances are, it will mate or be traveling to unsafe places. The heated houses help but the ones I provided for the ferals here did not seem to be enough during a snowfall. I finally put down tarps and covered those with tented tarps and put a raised cat bed and a heater indide. Predators are a serious threat too. Stray kitties are not prepared for harsh outdoor survival. Even true ferals can succumb to snow or low temperatures. Any chance you can keep it? Getting it inside the shed might be an option too. A cat door might work. Anything you can do to help the kitty live is a wonderful thing. Every life counts. Please do help it. It may be fearful now but there are ways to work with kitties to overcome the things that have made them afraid. Many of us here have worked to rescue stray and feral kitties and will be very happy to help you as you go through any process you decide to pursue to help this cat. Thank you so much for caring! :rock:We need more people like you!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

grayfluffy

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Jan 3, 2006
Messages
119
Purraise
19
Thank you for the support in caring for a stray kitty and those suggestions for a way to keep him warm. I will definitely try to figure out what I can do to help him. He really is a sweet cat. I would love to take him in but I already have three that I've have for a long time and they wouldn't get along because he is a Siamese and Siamese have a different temperament. I'm pretty sure he's neutered. I also think he was malnourished or starving because he was missing most of his whiskers and was pretty skinny. His fur is looking better now after a couple weeks of food. I'm trying to get him as much food as possible to help him make it through the winter.

Do you have any suggestions as to how to keep him out from under the shed, once I give him some shelter? I can't give him access to inside the shed since my hubby is NOT happy about me taking care of this cat. He could care less if he gets stuck under the shed.

Also, anyone have name suggestions? I'd like to name him something other than 'kitty'.
 

Jcatbird

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Messages
10,301
Purraise
58,378
Location
United States
Once you establish a shelter he accepts he should be willing to stay there unless threatened by a predator. Give him a place to escape harm first. Once you know he is safe then you could block of the underside of the shed. Simple blocks, plywood or sheets of Fiberglas should work.
He was missing his whiskers? :( Poor kitty.He may have experienced worse than just starvation. Abuse does happen. I don't know where you live but there are lots of rescue groups who may be able to find him a home. Siamese are wonderful kitties! I habe had many. You can do a google search for feral or stray rescues and addthe name of your town, city, county to find help. I know you said you have others but I work specifically with integrating new cats here. Over two years I have blended and moved around over 100 kitties. There is a process to go through but all of mine coexist. I got the majority socialized and adopted out. I have some that are part Bengal and I understand that some breeds take more effort to integrate. They have cattitude!:lol: If youwish to get him socialized for adoption or even take him into your family, this is the place to get help. TCS is filled with people who have done or are doing that. A home is the only real well to insure his safety. There are national groups that help too. Best friends.org is a good place to look for information. Petfinders listanimals in shelters and you can find local shelters by looking there. Many shelters are overwhelmed though. Cats are often euthanized. Even no kill shelters have limits. You can call your local Humane society for help and suggestions too. I’m going to tag you on my thread and post a link to your thread to ask if anyone can help. I guarantee you will get lots of name suggestions too. We love thinking of kitty names. If you have a way to post a photo, we also love pictures.:)
We can’t resist a kitty.
You think it’s a boy? We need male names? This could help hubby bond just a little. Name him after him? Or maybe not if he doesn’t like that. Lol
I’ve named cats mostly by watching their personality or something that just struck me about how they turned up or look. Maybe he is Magic since he just appeared? You could give him his whiskers back by calling him Whiskers. Bright as a Star? Let’s get you some suggestions and you can see what you like and what seems to fit. Thank you so much for saving his life. If you have any questions or need any help, please post back. You can also send me a private message if you need to or just type @and then jcatbird to get my attention. :heartshape:
 

rubysmama

Forum Helper
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Nov 25, 2013
Messages
25,277
Purraise
62,756
Location
Canada
grayfluffy grayfluffy : Thanks for reaching out to us for help caring for this little guy. Is he scared of you, or will he come to you if you call to him? I'm assuming if he's Siamese that he's not a feral. And if he's a stray, he likely isn't used to living outside and winter will be very difficult for him.

He certainly may have been abandoned/dropped off, but he still might have gotten lost. If you can get him to come to you, I'd suggest taking him to a vet and seeing if he has a chip. You could also put posters around your neighbourhood, and on social media sites. His family may be worried about him. But, of course, ensure anyone who responds can give you some info to assure you that they are his family. You wouldn't want just anyone taking him.
 

Meowmee

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 2, 2018
Messages
2,874
Purraise
3,605
Some of my outdoor cats hide under our shed for shelter in not so cold weather and maybe in very cold weather. I have a quite large, insulated shelter I built but I am not sure if they use it. I have only ever seen one cat looking in. I put straw in every year and a special heat absorbing blanket underneath. I also have a kitty tube which has a heating pad and straw. I just saw one of my older kits using that one in freezing temps, he ran out of it a few times when I came near. I think the others may huddle up in the sump nearby in very cold weather.

This kitty is not a feral and needs to be scanned for a chip and advertised as found in case he is lost. Winter before last I rescued someone’s siamese mix cat who was lost for a month in the freezing cold snow etc. He was frightened at first and ran away, but eventually approached me. He had a collar and a tag it turned out so all I had to do was call his family who came to get him.

In terms of getting help, if you take this kitty on and he has any issues such as biting or health issues you will be most likely be the one who has to step up to the plate ultimately to keep him or in finding him a home. The only help I got was a list of shelters, which I was already familiar with and none of which helped at all with a recent cat. Good luck!
 

Jcatbird

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Messages
10,301
Purraise
58,378
Location
United States
Meowmee Meowmee Does mention a good point. Getting the kitty checked for a microchip could lead to his owner. Hopefully they are responsible pet parents and may even have been searching for him. Although it can be hard to find an owner, posting signs can help. The local post office is a good spot. Just make very, very sure you only return him to the correct person if someone turns up. I would not give a description more than “lost cat” if there is no chip. Let the person searching give you the proper description in order to insure the kitty does belong with them. I returned one home but did ask description and how/what happened to make the kitty get lost. I got confirmation from
their vet and had called our local animal control first to make sure all procedures were followed. It’s certainly worth trying. The kitty deserves the best life possible.

Meowmee Meowmee No help? That’s sad. We both know a list of shelters only goes so far even if we hope it provides some help. It’s awesome that you are reaching out to help others! I hope things have improved there.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #9

grayfluffy

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Jan 3, 2006
Messages
119
Purraise
19
Wanted to give an update on the kitty. He is doing much better. He is very affectionate, and sweet. He was definitely without food for some time, due to his fur being thin and he was pretty skinny. He has put on some weight and his fur is now getting thicker, which he needs for winter.

How does the vet scan for a chip? Is it a portable device, that maybe the vet could come here and check? I don't know if he trusts me enough yet to put him in a carrier. I don't want to scare him since he seems a little scared of even some of the usual outside noises. I was watching him through a window and when the breeze blew some leaves he wasn't sure about what was happening. He seems like he is new to being outside.

I would really like to bring him in, but my hubby would never allow it. I'm trying to figure out how make the kitty a nice place outside for the winter without him getting mad about that. Although, he did actually feed him for me while I was gone for a couple of days. 😁

Still looking for a name. He comes to kitty right now, but I've never known a cat that didn't come to 'kitty'. Here's a pic.
Siamese.png
 
Last edited:

Jcatbird

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Messages
10,301
Purraise
58,378
Location
United States
The vet scans for a chip with a hand held device. I don’t know if it can be done there. My vet puts the chip near the shoulder. Call and ask.
Gorgeous blue eyes. Sky? That would work for a girl or a boy name.
I’m so glad you are feeding him. Hubby helped? That’s progress! I have found that telling people how much a cat seems to be enjoying “their” company over mine tends to make them a bit more open to getting attached to the kitty. Shhhhh! Don’t tell my secret but it has worked many times. ( for instance: That kitty seems to be looking for you. How come that kitty prefers you? I do all the work but the kitty wants you! What did you do to win that kitty over? That kitty sure does seem to love you!;)) worth trying! Some people resist falling for them for various reasons. Maybe they fear getting attached, don’t see it as macho or think of cats as “not their kind of pet.” Could be anything but once a cat has their heart, it’s a done deal. Keep working on it.If he gives the cat a chance, I’m betting he really will fall in love with it. I certainly couldn’t resist! I would encourage hubby to find a name! You can just tell him that you need to be able to call it out from the shed so it has to have a name.
I would put anything I could out there for kitty to get into for shelter. A large Rubbermaid container that has a couple of entrances cut into it and is lined with a slightly smaller styrafoam cooler that also has entrances. Put straw in between to help insulate. Our feral shelter her uses large plastic trash cans done in a similar manner. A tarp that is tented over an outside table that has space on the table top for the cat can be put near a protected wall. I have put small heaters into tented tarps for the cats here. Getting the shelter protected from wind and water makes a big difference. Rig up anything you can and see if the kitty will go inside. Cats seek warm and safe places. It may take a little time for him to feel it’s safe but he will seek shelter. Getting him out of the elements is crucial. This does not seem like a cat that will do well without help. Some people think cats will survive outside okay. Not necessarily true. The lifespan of an outside cat does not equal that of a cat that is indoors. Their fur is not enough to keep them warm in a cold environment. Keep feeding him and work on getting his total trust. He really needs your help. Gosh he’s beautiful! Bravo for making progress! :clap2: The better his fur gets and the more weight he gains, the better he’ll do trying to survive.
Pulling for hubby too! He must be a good guy to be willing to feed him!
 

Tik cat's mum

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 20, 2019
Messages
2,729
Purraise
8,268
Location
UK
I would definitely talk to the vet about checking for a chip before you get attached he's probably a stray. He needs your help right now but there might be a family missing him.
 

Maria Bayote

Mama of 4 Cats, 4 Dogs , 2 Budgies & 2 Humans
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 15, 2018
Messages
4,171
Purraise
12,686
I would really like to bring him in, but my hubby would never allow it. I'm trying to figure out how make the kitty a nice place outside for the winter without him getting mad about that. Although, he did actually feed him for me while I was gone for a couple of days. 😁
I am sure your hubby would "allow" it, considering that he was even the one feeding that cat while you were away. Try another tactic. ;) My husband used to not being really into cats, but when he knew how much I love helping these cats and making me happy, he also began sharing my passion.

That cat needs a shelter, and as you say he seems to be a bit scared being outside. He could panic and run and worse could be hit by a car. As others said, he may be somebody's cat. A vet check must be done as soon as possible to determine if there is a microchip in there. Otherwise, I do hope you would keep that cat or try to look for a loving home for him.
 

vyger

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Jun 24, 2017
Messages
810
Purraise
1,434
Location
Northeast Montana
I have had several "dump" cats show up. That is what I call them because that is what has happened to them, someone just dumped them thinking that maybe they might survive and be alright. One of them I had for over 7 years. I called her orbit because she wanted so bad to be around me but was afraid when she first showed up so she would walk around me in circles like a satellite going around the earth. Gradually her circles got smaller and smaller and finally she "landed" and stayed for years. I really miss her, she was a very different cat. When she would catch mice she would bring them for me to see and after I praised her she picked them up and took off with them.
Anyway I have a shed or outbuilding that sits on concrete blocks and one of the blocks is broken so cats can come and go under it. Also other things. In fact I had a skunk hibernate under it one winter. The reason I know it was there was it sprayed under it once and the inside of the shed smelled like skunk for a long time. In the spring it had kits (babies) and we all got surprised when they popped out of the hole in the block and then made a traffic jam trying to get back under when they saw me staring at them. The mom would take them out every evening and they spent their time digging up bugs in the tall grass. They all grew up and left and there was never any kind of issue with the cats so I was fine with it all.
Orbit had a litter of kittens under that building and I was never able to get them out because there was no way to reach them. They were pretty wild when they finally started coming out and it took me a lot longer to tame them because of that. Little stinkers were a handful.
In spite of having major blizzards with 5 foot high snow drifts the hole under the shed is almost always open. The snow swirls around and the drifts form a foot or so away from the foundation. So snow may not be a problem but the cold very likely will be. Feral cats and some barn cats around here have frostbitten ears from the extreme cold and if they don't grow really heavy coats they could die from the cold.
Here is an Instructable on how to make cat shelters out of foam boxes that were used for packing meat. This lady is in New York so they do have some pretty bad winters there and she helps out a bunch of the cats there.
I would try and find an owner for the one you have as it is possible that it is just lost and not dumped. Advertise it and maybe even put up flyers. It may be someones sweetheart gone missing.

Finally, here is a picture of Scottie a feral who spent a number of winters out on his own before he decided to stay with me. His ears were damaged from frostbite even though he had a massive winter coat so that is one of the downsides to spending the winter with no shelter.
1574335098052.jpeg
 
Last edited:

rubysmama

Forum Helper
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Nov 25, 2013
Messages
25,277
Purraise
62,756
Location
Canada
Oh, he's gorgeous! If you don't find his family, I'm sure he'd make a wonder pet for you and your husband. Any particular reason your husband doesn't want to let him inside?
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #16

grayfluffy

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Jan 3, 2006
Messages
119
Purraise
19
Oh, he's gorgeous! If you don't find his family, I'm sure he'd make a wonder pet for you and your husband. Any particular reason your husband doesn't want to let him inside?
I'm pretty sure he was a 'dump' cat. For whatever reason he decided to come live in our backyard. I think there is a reason he came running to me when I first saw him. He hardly leaves and when he does he doesn't go very far and comes right back. He comes when I call him and I'm working with him to come to me more instead of me just going to him. My hubby is taking a liking to him. I mentioned getting some bails of straw or some type of shelter in addition to under the shed. He had been actually thinking about getting something too. There are a bunch of leaves under the shed. I think he's made a bed under there with the leaves.

The reason I think he has been dumped is because we don't have a no kill animal shelter and they are always full of cats with no room for more. As soon as they put some down they take in more and the cycle repeats. Most everyone here knows that, but some people would rather take them to the shelter even if it means they may not get to live.

A few days after he showed up he disappeared for longer than usual. I called the to see if he had been picked up and turned in. I mentioned to the vet that he was a stray and showed up. They didn't say anything about anyone that might be missing a Siamese cat. So at this point I'm planning to keep him as an outside cat and provide shelter and food for him.
 
Last edited:

Meowmee

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 2, 2018
Messages
2,874
Purraise
3,605
I'm pretty sure he was a 'dump' cat. For whatever reason he decided to come live in our backyard. I think there is a reason he came running to me when I first saw him. He hardly leaves and when he does he doesn't go very far and comes right back. He comes when I call him and I'm working with him to come to me more instead of me just going to him. My hubby is taking a liking to him. I mentioned getting some bails of straw or some type of shelter in addition to under the shed. He had been actually thinking about getting something too. There are a bunch of leaves under the shed. I think he's made a bed under there with the leaves.

The reason I think he has been dumped is because we don't have a no kill animal shelter and they are always full of cats with no room for more. As soon as they put some down they take in more and the cycle repeats. Most everyone here knows that, but some people would rather take them to the shelter even if it means they may not get to live.

A few days after he showed up he disappeared for longer than usual. I called the to see if he had been picked up and turned in. I mentioned to the vet that he was a stray and showed up. They didn't say anything about anyone that might be missing a Siamese cat. So at this point I'm planning to keep him as an outside cat and provide shelter and food for him.
He is a beautiful seal point siamese boy, like my Quinn. He looks purebred. You need to advertise him, call all shelters etc if you haven’t yet, post flyers in case he is lost and not dumped and have him scanned for a chip. He could easily be lost and his family is missing him etc. If you can trap him or get him in to a carrier it won’t be hard to do since he is already friendly, it suggests he is lost. The siamese mix cat I rescued was not friendly outside and ran away mostly, then he meowed at me and seemed to want help, I had seen he had a collar but then saw there was a tag, so I trapped him. As soon as I got him inside he was totally friendly and touchable. No need for a scan because he was not chipped but his tel # was on his collar and his family was only a 1/2 mile or so away.
 
Top