Should I Do This?

[Darkiplier]

Recently, I've become friends with a couple of cats near my grandmother's home. One of them is a very gentle tortoiseshell that I believe is a stray. The other's a growing white kitten (same area as the tortoiseshell; they get along), and the third's a grey female (used to think she was a guy until I accidentally touched her tits). I'll edit this post and upload some pictures in maybe an hour (I'm uploading them off my phone so I could send/upload them freely through my laptop).

I've been considering taking them home--the tortoiseshell, at least--but I'm afraid they'd miss the open space of the streets. I have no idea if they're friendly ferals or strays; could ferals be friendly, or is that the only difference? How do I know what's the best for them?

As for other pets, I've two red-eared sliders and a zebra finch. Since the finch is in a room on his own, I could close his door. I'm getting a new (and actually properly sized) tank for my turtles hopefully soon, so I'm sure the cat(s) won't be much of a problem. Any thoughts on this?

*EDIT1 - They let me pick them up and they (clawlessly) grab my hands to nibble on them all the time. The tortoiseshell seems to be keen on knowing my phone's pattern.
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Also, as a side note, I'd like to say that the tortoiseshell and the young one apparently enjoy fries and shwarma.

 

[Wenda]

If they let you pick them up and handle them easily then they are most likely not feral cats. I think it's a good idea to bring them home if you have the funds and inclination to do so. It'd definitely extend their lifespan if you did. I'm not sure how old they are, but you said one was a kitten. The kitten should have no problem adjusting to indoor life and the others, if they're so friendly already, would most likely enjoy a warm and safe environment. Good for you for looking after them.

If you have a lid on your tank so the cats can't get in then you should be okay. And I think you're smart to close the door to the room with your finch in order to keep him away from the stresses of cats. Please tell us how it goes and what you decide

 

[rubysmama]

How kind of you to be thinking of bringing these cats home with you. If they let you pick them up, I lean more towards stray than feral, however, they may just be used to seeing you, and trust you.

Not to discourage you at all, but I have read about cats that were friendly outside, and became fearful once trapped and taken inside. But that is temporary and they eventually get over their fear.

I have zero experience with ferals or strays, but have been reading these threads for a while, and have read of many cats that successfully transition from outside feral/strays to inside pets. I personally believe that all cats are safer inside. There are just too many dangers outside from animal predators to cars to cruel humans.

TCS has many articles on cats, including a large section on Ferals & Rescue | TheCatSite

Here's a couple specific links to get you started:
A Feral Cat Or A Stray Cat? How To Tell The Difference
Adopting A Stray Cat
Handling Feral Cats

And a couple for when it's time to meet their "siblings":
Cats And Pet Reptiles
Raising Cats & Birds In The Same House

Let us know what you decide to do. Good luck.

 

[Darkiplier]

Since I can't edit the main thread, here are some videos -

Spoiler: vidyos

How kind of you to be thinking of bringing these cats home with you. If they let you pick them up, I lean more towards stray than feral, however, they may just be used to seeing you, and trust you.

Not to discourage you at all, but I have read about cats that were friendly outside, and became fearful once trapped and taken inside. But that is temporary and they eventually get over their fear.

I have zero experience with ferals or strays, but have been reading these threads for a while, and have read of many cats that successfully transition from outside feral/strays to inside pets. I personally believe that all cats are safer inside. There are just too many dangers outside from animal predators to cars to cruel humans.

I second that.
Although there's the eventual wild-looking cat that looks like s/he's been made for this sort of life. Not because it's scruffy or dirty, but they just feel right at home. Know what I mean?

Wenda
There was also a box nearby of tiny, sock-like kittens that were audibly meowing but no mother seemed to be around. I didn't touch them. I didn't find them (or the box) the next day either. Should I worry? I caught a glimpse of them on video too.

 

[Norachan]

Sweet little things! Yes, if you can give them a home then please do so. Almost all of my cats were feral born, but they soon get used to life as pet cats. It is much better for them. I suggest you bring at least 2 of them home, more if you think you can afford to take care of more. They do much better in new situations if they have a friend.

A few things to think about;

You'll need to get them to a vet ASAP. They should be spayed and neutered quickly. Outdoor female cats are almost always pregnant or have had kittens. Even 5 month old kittens can get pregnant. They'll also need treating for fleas and worms and they'll need to be vaccinated. Find a good vet, ask how much it will cost to do all of this and make appointments for them. If you can pick them up, put them in a carrier, take them to the vet and then bring them home you'll save yourself a lot of trouble. Easier for the cats that way too.

Ideally cats should be indoor only, but if you are thinking of letting them outside at all you must make sure you wait at least a month before letting them out again. That's how long it takes for them to forget about their old home and accept the new one. Cats sometimes take off and try and get back to the place they used to live, no matter how good the new home is.

Not sure what you mean by "used to think she was a guy until I accidentally touched her tits" Male cats have nipples too, you know. Only way to tell for sure is look under the tail. If you mean she has large, protruding nipples it could be a sign that she is nursing kittens. In that case you shouldn't move her until you can take her kittens too.

Do you mind if I ask what country you live in? Are there animal shelters where you live?

 

[Wenda]

Sorry, I have shoddy reception at work so can't see the videos until I get home. Hopefully someone took the kittens in if you're not seeing the box (if they were dumped), or hopefully mama cat moved them to a safer location. If you can't find them then there's nothing you can really do (except look around and ask to see if someone took them in).

Do any of the cats you're interacting with look like they might've had kittens? We had one little girl, Alice, at my old work place that was feral and she'd move her kittens around frequently (this is before we were able to bring her in).

 

[Darkiplier]

Do you mind if I ask what country you live in? Are there animal shelters where you live?

Welp, I was surprised that didn't come sooner.
Egypt. No animal shelters. Most people working with animals don't know shit (I've seen some terrible things), although cats and dogs are popular so they shouldn't be a problem.

You could briefly see one of her nipples in the video btw. I did check again after feeling the nips and saw the vagina; thought I saw testicles earlier for some reason.

Lil update - Couldn't find the tortoiseshell today, but I did find the white one again. There was also a bronze tabby (?) male slightly older than the white one. He was a lot more clingy. Almost as much as the tortoiseshell.

The kittens were black and white, and I haven't seen many white or black and white cats in that area. At least not any friendly ones. Most cats I see are foraging through patches of trash thrown on the street. Also, is it just me or does the grey one look a little like an abyssinian?

Sorry, I have shoddy reception at work so can't see the videos until I get home. Hopefully someone took the kittens in if you're not seeing the box (if they were dumped), or hopefully mama cat moved them to a safer location. If you can't find them then there's nothing you can really do (except look around and ask to see if someone took them in).

Do any of the cats you're interacting with look like they might've had kittens? We had one little girl, Alice, at my old work place that was feral and she'd move her kittens around frequently (this is before we were able to bring her in).

Nope. At least none that look like the kittens.

I should really start doing shorter replies.

 

[maggiedemi]

That Tortie is really pretty.

 

[Norachan]

That's too bad about there not being any shelters. It's the same situation in Japan, there are a lot of feral cats here and very few people who care about them.

I guess you have good vets in Egypt though? Is it very expensive to get cats spayed and neutered?

It sounds like you are in a situation where it's impossible to save them all, but even if you could just get a few cats fixed or give them a home you'd be making a huge difference to their lives.

 

[Darkiplier]

I guess you have good vets in Egypt though? Is it very expensive to get cats spayed and neutered?

I'm not sure about that either. According to just about everyone online, Friskies is bad for cats because it mainly contains corn flour or something along those lines, and the only vet I've ever been to sells huge bags of Friskies. She also told me to feed my turtles fish food, so...

There's always my other grandmother's ex-neighbour though. She's literally the only person other than my old science teacher and his mother (I met the two of them 'in the street' a few months ago) who actually thinks veterinary medicine is a good field to work in.

Also, can I just say that the cats in the signature fit too perfectly with their names~?

That Tortie is really pretty.

I concur.
There was also another one I met before (but never again) who was pregnant and very affectionate. Would've loved to take care of her and the kids--won't get enough cuddles though!

Also the grey cat I met again today, and damn, those are the biggest, pinkest nipples I've ever seen in my entire life. That isn't saying much. The only real nipples I saw were cow nipples.

And I've ruined myself. Nothing I can say will save me now. I'm considering moving to a new galaxy.