What to feed a stray?

[da hoomin]

I've made friends with a stray that was dumped in my neighborhood about 6 months ago. I hadn't seen him for a while and hoped he'd found a good home. But he appeared a couple of weeks ago and I finally realized WHY Malý and Hezký spaz out and run from window to window nearly every afternoon. Duh.

After considering all the options, I've decided to help him make it thru the winter. After a week of leaving a bowl of dry food out under the bushes for him - and bringing it back in still full when it gets dark, I went out tonight to get the bowl and realized it was empty! So I think I've been adopted. 

Food question: Is dry food ok for him? I do have cases of wet food that my 2 indoor fur-babies can't eat that I could give him.  

   I'm wondering about when it gets cold enough to freeze . . . 

 

[msaimee]

Yes, dry food is good to leave outside for him during the day because it will stay fresh. You can't leave wet food out because it goes bad pretty quickly, but you can put it out for him when he is around. You can add a little water to it for extra hydration. Perhaps you could get him on a feeding schedule and feed him some wet food in the morning or evening. You may also want to consider providing him with some kind of shelter. Are you able to pet or handle him? Are you sure he does not belong to one of your neighbors?

I hope you will consider getting him neutered if he is not already neutered. There are low cost neuter programs at the Humane Society and Animal Friends. Once he is neutered he will no longer roam as much, and perhaps you would consider taking him into your home to be your pet. He would be much safer and happier and live longer living inside your home, and you will worry a lot less about him, especially in the winter.

 

[da hoomin]

I wanted to take him in the first time I saw him in May! He's a very handsome black cat. A bit on the small side. I'd guess he was about 9mo in May, not quite grown up. I'd dearly love to take him in. But right now, I'm barely staying afloat with Malý and Hezký - with thinking Hezký ate a cord and Malý's newly diagnosed epilepsy . . . Taking him in wouldn't be fair to any of us. It's a very long ways away, but in August when my husband gets home, if he is still around, I AM going to "officially" adopt him! 

No, I'm not 100% that he doesn't already have a home. But the sudden way he appeared, looking very confused and without a collar . . . Plus, I live 20 minutes from a large university. Students dump their pets at the end of the semester all the time. The timing was right for that to have happened.

 

I hadn't seen him for months until a couple of weeks ago. [But I'm not outside that often . . .] I decided last week that if I couldn't take him in, I'd at least try to help him thru the winter. I waited until he could watch me set a bowl under the evergreen bushes so that he'd know it was there. I put a little bowl of food out each day and then bring it in at night so the raccoons wouldn't eat it. [They're already too fat!] Last night was the first time he'd eaten it. YAY!

So he and I aren't quite friends yet - just acquaintances. I've talked to him from across the yard, but the closest I've gotten is about 14 feet from him.

I've been talking at the Tip Thread for building outdoor cat shelters and I think I have a good plan for making a shelter for him.

If/when we get to be friends, I think I will put one my "kids'" old stretchy collars on him, with a note asking if the nice person down the block can keep him. 

 

[StefanZ]

Are you living in "Tjekoslovakia"  ?   sorry for the spelling.    I mean, if so, the usual advices about low cost spaying clinics are probably not  useful here...

I go by the sounding of names of your residents.

 

[StefanZ]

Re your question.  Begin with the dry food, which is OK, later on when he begins to be accustomed you are his friend and he comes near, you can begin to give him wet food instead, when you are sure he will eat it soon.

Neutering is always useful whatever you do - have him as your outside kitty or adopt as inside cat...

Exactly what you do depends of course on what you can and what you afford.

 

[da hoomin]

No, we are in the Midwest here in the US.

The names are to honor my Grandma who was the first in her family to be born in this country. Her family came over shortly before WWI. She tried to teach me the language when I was younger, but I couldn't be bothered and I regret that horribly. She was my Number One Fan and I will always miss her.

I do hope to be able to have him neutered at some point. I REALLY hope to adopt him soon as well!

I hate when money has to be a factor in decisions of the heart. 

Malý means Little One [mah-LEE] 

Hezký  means Handsome [hes-KEE]

and we have decided to call our new friend Stinit which means Shadow [STEE-nyet]

ps. It's supposed to be in the mid - low 40's during the day here this week. Would it be ok to leave a bit of wet food along with the kibble? I don't put it out until about 1pm and then bring the bowl in about 5 when it gets dark.