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AIBU?

to adopt this cat?

37 replies

myownperson · 29/07/2016 21:20

It has long hair and is both beautiful but manky. We moved in a couple of weeks ago and have a closed up cat flap.

For

She bangs the catlap night after night meowing loudly. It's driving me mad. If I let her in I'd get some sleep.

I'm newly single and would really like a cat for company.

I think she might have fleas. Have spotted a few in the house. Need try to try sort out this weekend. If I adopt her I could de-flea her or whatever you do (have never had a pet).

She's beautiful and rubs against my legs.

My DC would love a cat.

Against

She probably has an owner. I can't verify this. Some of the neighbours a bit scary.

Another mouth to feed.

My ex is allergic so seems a bit insensitive as he comes/goes with kids.

Can you just adopt a cat? Is there a sad owner somewhere ?

OP posts:
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PersianCatLady · 29/07/2016 21:38

It has long hair and is both beautiful but manky
Long hair cats (such as Persians) are often abandoned by people as they don't realise that they need a little more grooming than a normal cat. If the cat is friendly (which is what it sounds like) grooming the cat is not that difficult. You just have to do it little and often to prevent the fur getting matted.

I'm newly single and would really like a cat for company.
A cat is perfect for this task.

If I adopt her I could de-flea her or whatever you do
This is easy. Every month you need to apply a drop-on flea treatment to the cat (see picture). Three pipettes cost around £15 from Tesco, Amazon or wherever. In the first instance this will get rid of any fleas the cat has and then you use it every month as a preventative measure.

She probably has an owner. I can't verify this
You can put posters up in your neighbourhood stating that you have found a cat and see what happens and in the mean time you could take the cat to the vet (if you can borrow a carrier) to see if she has a microchip.

Another mouth to feed.
If you buy dry food for the cat there is less wastage and it is not as expensive as you think.

My ex is allergic so seems a bit insensitive as he comes/goes with kids.
You don't have to worry about him any more (you split up).

I hope this has been helpful as opposed to boring.

Is there any chance you could upload a photo of the cat so I can see if I can work out what it is??

to adopt this cat?
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MidnightVelvettheSixth · 29/07/2016 21:41

Talk to the neighbours and see if the previous people left the cat behind?

Take cat to the vet's to check for microchip maybe?

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bigkidsdidit · 29/07/2016 21:42

I would. I've recently got a cat and shocked myself how much I love her. I had them as children but never as an adult before. She's my little pal Smile (sappy but I do not care)

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NeedACleverNN · 29/07/2016 21:44

Have a word about and see if anyone has lost a cat. Put a picture up on FB too

Take it to the vet if you can catch it to see if it has a microchip.

If you do de-flea it, don't use frontline. Stuff don't work

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OliviaStabler · 29/07/2016 21:44

Frontline no longer works. Get a decent flea treatment from your vet like Advocate

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Wolfiefan · 29/07/2016 21:44

Put a paper collar on the cat asking owner to contact you. Try getting vet to check for chips. Local FB group. Anyone recognise this cat?

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bertsdinner · 29/07/2016 21:47

Maybe the cat used to live in your house and was abandoned/made her way back home? That might explain why she looks a bit manky and seems desperate to get in.
I'd do as Midnight suggests, ask neighbours and see if you can take cat to vet to check if microchipped.

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19lottie82 · 29/07/2016 21:48

YY adopt the cat!!!! You won't regret it Grin

This is my little baby.

to adopt this cat?
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PeppaPigTastesLikeBacon · 29/07/2016 21:50

As another poster has said, put posters up around the neighbourhood and take to the vet. There is a set time that someone has to contact you in before you can adopt it. Cats can't really be owned, if they want to move they will just move.

How long has the cat been banging on your cat flap? Could it have lived in the house before you and been abandoned by previous owners/occupants?

Dry cat food is cheap. You can get big bags for £15ish and will last you a month or so.

If you take out a plan with healthy pet club (not sure if all vets have this) then you get worming and flea treatments included in the price.

I love my kitties

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PeppaPigTastesLikeBacon · 29/07/2016 21:51

I want to see a picture of kitty Grin

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Whatsername17 · 29/07/2016 21:51

If she is trying to get in, chances are she used to live there!

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bumsexatthebingo · 29/07/2016 21:53

These threads pee me off. At least take it to the vet to check if its chipped. It might be missing which would explain its condition. My dc would be heartbroken if someone just stole adopted their beloved pet.

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waitinglistquery · 29/07/2016 21:54

Does she look skinny?

I agree with the paper collar idea - not fair to just "adopt" someone else's cat.

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WorraLiberty · 29/07/2016 21:55

I agree with bumsex

It's not fair to take someone elses cat without checking too see if it's chipped.

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TroysMammy · 29/07/2016 21:55

My friend's ex was allergic to cats. As soon as they split up she got two kitties.

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FoxesOnSocks · 29/07/2016 21:59

Paper collar, ask around and posters, check for microchip at vets.

Then adopt!! Yes you can adopt a cat like that - pretty much cats choose their owner. Though I'd be inclined to say if she has fleas and is manky there's no sad owner (unless she got in a delivery van of course)

Microchip and register her if she's not, get your worm/flea from the vet too.

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DietCockBreak · 29/07/2016 21:59

Adopt the cat. Get some advocate for the fleas (just a dropper on the back of the neck), give him/her a good brush, frequently, it'll be fab. Congrats!

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bumsexatthebingo · 29/07/2016 22:00

Cats will go wherever someone entices them with food. That doesn't mean you should do it if it is someone else's pet!

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FoxesOnSocks · 29/07/2016 22:08

Yes cats will be enticed by food. But it's not the same as being the owner. My cat tarts himself out to many a house around here, but this is his place.

I too, considering the cat flap, wouldn't be surprised if she did live there previously.

The vet and an microchip would answer that.

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Bogburglar75 · 29/07/2016 22:15

Paper collar and/or posters up. A charming little black and white cat persisted in coming into our house and demanding food a couple of years ago. I got to the point of putting posters up, whereupon his equally charming owner from six doors down called in Smile

We stopped feeding him but he still drops in.

If it does have an owner nothing to stop your finding yourself a cat of course! Litter tray is a good source of advice about breeds which are less allergenic.

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bunnyfuller · 29/07/2016 22:22

Our Bengal got himself 'adopted'. Comes home occasionally looking very well fed. He's chipped and had a collar and is an obvious pedigree. Kids were heartbroken.

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PersianCatLady · 29/07/2016 22:23

Frontline no longer works.

That is not strictly true after using FL for several months, fleas in your environment can develop an immunity to the active ingredients in it. There is scientific evidence to suggest that some fleas can develop a resistance to the medications in FL, making it less effective than it should be, after a period of continued use. So the advice is to change to a different brand.

This problem is not unique to FL, it can happen with any flea treatment.

Personally (on my cat) I have used Frontline, Stronghold, Advantage and a couple of others. I tend to use the same product for around a year and then change.

The Persian is a member of the "healthy pet scheme" at the local vets where for a monthly fee they do her annual jabs, flea treatments and worming tablets.

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PersianCatLady · 29/07/2016 22:26

These threads pee me off.
The OP is asking for advice on what to do and she may not know as much about cats as you do. That is why she has asked for advice and people have advised her about getting the microchip checked.

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eightbluebirds · 29/07/2016 22:49

Don't do this without looking for an owner first. Try googling and looking on local FB groups for lost cats.

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bumsexatthebingo · 29/07/2016 23:10

It's more the replies that say 'yeah just keep it, it's fine' that annoy me. If you want a cat buy a cat FFS - don't steal someone else's. If it's not chipped and you've looked for owners/it's being neglected and you're genuinely rehoming it then that's different obviously. But really - don't just keep it. It could be a well loved pet that's missing and a family could be distraught.

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