Should I Take This Stray With Me?

[Gattara101]

Hello guys!

I am currently living up in the Italian Alps by myself and about 1,5 months ago a cat showed up in front of my door.

I fed her and next thing I know, she basically lives with me.

She sleeps on my bed, comes running if I call her, lays down next to me when I work (I work online from home), kneads on me, purrs as soon as she sees me and generally loves hanging out with me. I think she just took our relationship to the next level since she brought me an alive mouse yesterday ugh.

She currently spends most of the day in my apartment and occasionally roams around the area.

When she first arrived here she seemed well fed and used to being around humans (unless she just fell in love with me), and when I set up a litter she immediately went to take a pee — which leads me to think she must be or must have been someone’s cat?

Now, I’m leaving this apartment mid April and have a dilemma:

IF she doesn’t have an owner (which I’ll be investigating over the course of the month), should I take her away with me?

I’m not sure that displacing her and removing her from her natural environment would be a good thing, even if she seems to have grown so affectionate to me.

(So far I had planned to stay at my BF’s apartment, which has a big terrace with lots of seagulls, so the cat would still be able to move a bit, but I’m thinking I’d rather look for a remote villa with lots of nature so she would be free to roam around as she pleases).

I’d love an expert’s opinion as I would love to do what’s right for the cat.

Many thanks for your reply and time!

 

[shadowsrescue]

You most definitely should take her with you. If you leave her behind she will have to find her own food source and shelter. When you do move, she will have to remain inside for 3-4 weeks as her natural instinct will be to find her way back to her former territory.

Also it would be best to get her vet checked. I assume she is spayed?

 

[tabbytom]

Gattara101, welcome to TCS!

Firstly, thank you for taking in this kitty and for giving her a warm and fur-ever loving home. Secondly, yes, please take her with you. Since she has bonded with you and you with her, best is she goes with you rather than leaving her behind to fend for herself and who knows, she might not be so fortunate again as to find someone like you or maybe never to find anyone.

Going with you is best because it’s safer for her to be indoors and taken care for. So please, take her with you and that’s provided she does not belong to anyone. She sounds like an abandoned kitty and that’s why she’s not afraid of humans and maybe there are people around that have been feeding her. And since it’s already 1.5 months she has been with you, chances are she’s an abandoned cat. Did you get news about a lost cat? If not, she’s an abandoned cat and she’s all yours.

 

[Gattara101]

Hi Shadowrescue,

Thanks for your reply!

I forgot to mention I am moving regions when I leave this apartment, so I’ll be moving from the Alps to the seaside (just 2 hours away from here). Which is why I mentioned “displacing her from her natural environment”.

I basically spend every winter (if I’m in Italy) in this ultra super mega remote village with literally 10 people over 100 years old and myself, so I assume the cat is either an old man’s cat, was abandoned (?) or is just an ultra human/me-friendly stray.

Also, is it OK to move the cat mainly indoor when she’s used to being outdoors?

Of course, I will take her to the vet tomorrow and check whether she has any microchip (although I highly doubt it), if she’s 100% healthy, etc. I don’t even know how old she is but would guess about 5-6.

What is “spayed” supposed to mean?

 

[Gattara101]

PS. She is used to being outdoors as we are completely immersed in nature, there are no cars, nothing, just grass fields and mountains around here, so she’s 10000% safe here

 

[tabbytom]

What are Spaying and Neutering
Spaying and neutering cats are probably the most common procedures in any cat clinic. Both are done while the cat is under general anesthesia.

Neutering a male cat involves making small incisions in the scrotum and removing the testes. No sutures are made and the scrotal sacs are usually covered with antibiotics and left to heal.

Spaying a female cat is an abdominal surgery, which entails the removal of the cat's uterus and ovaries.

The Benefits of Spaying a Female
Spaying your female cat will prevent unwanted litters. That is the fundamental issue, because if your cat gives birth, you are the one faced with the task of finding new homes for the kittens.

Here are some added benefits to spaying your female cat:

Prevent tumors and infections of the ovaries and uterus.

Greatly decrease the risk for mammary cancer.

Spaying a cat before she goes into her first heat is best, but even spaying at a later age will dramatically decrease the risk of mammary cancer.

Avoid the hassle of a female cat in heat.

Cats in heat can be very vocal and will attract a great many male cats. If you think you can wait out the heat cycle, you're in for a surprise. If the cat does not mate, she will keep going into heat every few weeks.

Taken from this Article :- Why You Should Spay And Neuter Your Cats

 

[Gattara101]

Ah! OK, thank you, I didn’t know you have different words for ‘neutering’ female and male cats in English

Thank you for clarifying! I have been wondering whether she has been spayed because she hasn’t showed signed of going into heat. However, I must admit I’ve had male, neutered, indoor cats throughout my life and I’m not sure when the cat is supposed to start doing into heat :/ (although something tells me this should be the time of the year)

 

[Gattara101]

going into heat* Will take her to the vet tomorrow in any case!

 

[trudy1]

Italian alps? Wow, send pics and I would love to come over a stay with her after you leave but a long way from southern Missouri.

Sounds like her owner may have even passed away.

Take her with you. I believe it’s no accident she found you as a friend, caregiver and “mom”.

 

[Gattara101]

Ahahah! It’s a lovely place This is basically where I live now – check it out on Street Live: Allesaz
It gets pretty magical in the evening and when it snows!

I thought that he owners might have died, too (since everyone is super old here)

 

[trudy1]

Please keep us posted on how things go at the vet. Yes, even at my age that’s mega old. I looked at your town....just like a picture postcard!

Wishing you only the best with your new buddy.

 

[kittychick]

I think you've definitely been "chosen"! She sounds like she's absolutely in love with you (and it sounds as though that's mutual!

And add me to the list of people coming to visit you - - I think you could run your place as a bed and breakfast, you'd be full year-round with cat site folk alone!! Or you could be one of those places where animal-lovers swap houses for vacation and each take care of the other owner's pet while you're there. (Wouldn't you just love to have a week in Toledo, Ohio with 4 indoor kitties and 4 TNR ferals who are actually getting to be sweet -- - I'm sure Toledo would be just as lovely as Italy - - - ) Kidding...mostly

I'm jealous beyond belief - - just too gorgeous and peaceful! Definitely post pics!

You've already gotten great advice from some wonderfully info-full members, like tabbytom and shadowsrescue and more. tabbytom listed out quite a bit of great info. Not sure I have a whole lotta new info to add to the above. But I definitely will add ABSOLUTELY take her with you!!!! I think she'd miss you like absolute crazy. Yes, do your due diligence - since you have some time - to make sure she's not someone else's kitty (although if she is, she sure doesn't seem to spend any time with them! she obviously prefers you to anyone else). It's absolutely possible her owner passed away - - or was on vacation somewhere near and left her (we have that happen alot here in the us - - particularly near places like ski resorts, where people vacation somewhere for a lengthier period of time - - then when they're done with their vacation, they just leave their cat - just awful!!!).

I'm glad you're getting her into a vet asap - - -you don't have any other kitties currently, correct? I'd still have the vet do all of the testing and vaccinations possible. And like everyone else - I'll say please please spay her asap. We're definitely headed into what in the US we call "kitten season" ----where the mating begins like crazy and shelters get beyond overwhelmed with kittens. The world just doesn't need more unwanted litters. And some cats you really can't even tell when they go into heat (particularly since she's already "lovey" - - that's one of the big, early signs of heat). In other words - just spay her asap. She'll recover quickly (it's a good time to adapt her to being inside only - - since she'll need to be watched over post-spay to make sure her incision is healing, etc.). Spaying her will also decrease her desire to roam and mate, and will also greatly reduce her chance of many kinds of cancer.

And bringing her in as an "indoor only" cat is actually SO much better for her. It will VERY likely increase her lifespan (more time to spend loving you up!) - - cats kept totally indoors can (and often do) live to 15 and even 20 years, vs outdoor cats live an average of only 2-5 years.
Outdoor (and even indoor/outdoor) cats avoid such painful things as getting hit by a car, hurt by wild animals and eating toxins ) kitties LOVE antifreeze - although it's deadly to them, finding food, surviving the elements, and being exposed to various parasites and diseases may all be daily challenges for an outdoor or indoor/outdoor cat. The more time a cat spends outside, the greater the risk is of an injury or illness from that environment. Make sure you have lots for her to do inside - - and play with her at least a few times a day (as in REALLY play - - -I don't know if they're available in Italy -- but our cats get alot of exercise by playing with a toy called "Da Bird" - - it's a bunch of feathers on a wand, but it moves in such a way that it mimics real bird movement . Most cats go nutty over it - - watching them jump 3 or 4 feet in the air for it is a riot!

I think you've got a best buddy for life now - -like it or not! (and I think you both really like it.) Please please please keep us posted - - and with pics when you can!

Congrats on your new best friend.

 

[trudy1]

So all is well?

 

[kittychick]

Any updates? Like where we can all sleep when we come visit?

 

[Gattara101]

Hi everyone, oh dammit I didn't get any notifications of this thread!

Basically last year I found out that Milù (so was her name) had been abandoned on top of a mountain (close to me). A German lady on holiday found her, malnourished and not doing well, and gave her to a guy living in my village for winter.

The guy agreed to let her recover. He had just lost his wife and couldn't bear living in their house, so he had just moved there temporarily. After winter, he would have releaser her somewhere again

But Milù found me first! So it turns out she was already spayed, and the German lady had vaccinated her.

She never left me and exactly one month later another cat showed up, Simba.

To make a long story short, I took both with me to the new home (I did rent a small apartment surrounded by nature in the middle of nowhere down by the seaside... and broke up with bf ), then back to mountains in winter.

Neither of them has been kept indoors because they aere just used to being outside and I prefer to take extra measures to give them a safe space, e.g. small apartment for myself but loads and loads of nature around (no cars and buildings or neighbours).

A while ago we got on a year-long trip around Europe on a tiny house/van... for which I opened an IG account: www.instagram.com/thenomadcats

and a blog: www.thenomadcats.com

but unfortunately Milù disappeared 2 weeks ago and seems to have vanished into this air We are in Spain in a rural area and IU have no idea what might have happened to her. She vanished during day time, which is really odd. Her radio frequency locator broke and is currently of no use.

I am absolutely heart broken right now, I am doing everything I can ti find her but no luck so far

If she is out in the woods I'm sure she's OK (in spite of the heatwave...), the only other alternative is that someone came around and took her away for whatever reason. She has taken to van life and travel absolutely fine and Simba and herself have been best buddies since, I need to find her ASAP

 

[asherdash]

I really hope you find her.