I can't kick a stray out in this weather can I?

[HeadFairy]

A little ginger cat turned up on our doorstep this evening, utterly bedraggled and sounding really distressed (loud mewling, sounding quite unhappy). Feeling sorry for it in this horrible weather we gave him some food. He absolutely wolfed it down in seconds and was miaowing for more. He ate three bowls of dried food like he hadn't eaten in days. He looks quite healthy otherwise, and quite young. He's now purring loudly and sitting in front of the fire.

We have another cat (also a ginger youngster) who's oblivious and fast asleep on our bed. I'm not sure how he'd react to another cat in the house. The weather is horrible out, pouring with rain and a howling wind. I can't bear the thought of chucking this poor cat out in it. He hasn't got a collar, but as I said, he looks quite healthy. I haven't seen him before. Not sure what to do.

[SummerRain]

Have you knocked on doors to see if he belongs to any of your neighbours?

It doesn't sound like he'd be very willing to go even if you wanted to kick him out

[chemenger]

I would assume he is lost and keep him for the night. Maybe worth ringing round the neighbours to see if they know where he's come from. Otherwise tomorrow morning is fine for making a concerted effort to find out where he has come from. If he was one of my ginger boys I'd be very grateful if you gave him a warm bed for the night, I think.

[Wolfiefan]

Many cats don't have collars due to the risk of collar injury. The cat was mewling and bedraggled? What do you mean by bedraggled? Half starved or had been caught out in the rain?
FWIW I wouldn't be happy if someone fed my cat. She's on a special diet.

[HeadFairy]

Woodie, I hadn't thought of that. He does look quite young, so hopefully I haven't harmed him. He was so hungry. I've never seen a cat eat like that.... Like a greedy Labrador! He looks kind if skinny but otherwise quite healthy. When I said bedraggled, I mean as in he was soaking wet.

I know most of the cats around here, I haven't seen this one before, maybe his owners have just moved here and he got lost in all the wind and rain.

[TheNunsOfGavarone]

He might be micro-chipped, the vet should be able to check that for you free of charge.

I hope he's just lost his way and has a loving home to return to.

[thecatneuterer]

OP you did exactly the right thing. He was obviously very, very hungry and, by the sounds of it, desperate. It's far better to risk feeding someone else's cat for a day or so than it is to ignore a lost/abandoned/hungry cat just because it could have an owner nearby.

Yes do put up lost cats notices and get it checked for a chip, but in the meantime look after it.

[Housesellerihope]

Yes agreeing you did the right thing and begging you not to chuck out! Keep this cat in a separate room from your cat overnight if you can, even in a bathroom would do. Fashion a temporary litter tray from a trimmed down cardboard box with a bin bag lining it, then fill with litter. Then get him checked for a microchip tomorrow.

[Wolfiefan]

My cat is ancient and has a thyroid and gut issue. (#vet bills!)
May be new to the area. (Either new pet or new neighbour.)
Any thunder? That can make cats take off in the wrong direction!
Perhaps phone vet in the morning?

[HeadFairy]

We haven't had any thunder, but the wind has been crazy. Could that have thrown his sense of direction out?

We did feed a very hungry cat last year for a few days but it would never come in, it just kept turning up desperate for food. Turned out it lived in the next road, it's owners were on holiday and their dd was supposed to be cat sitting, but she brought her dog to the house and the cat fled for two weeks (to ours). We did take her to the vet but she wasn't chipped. Only found out where she belonged when the owners came knocking on doors when they were back from their holiday.

He's very sweet and affectionate. We'll give him a bed for the night in the kitchen and let him out in the morning to see if he can find his own way home. Or should I just take him to a vet and not let him out? We have a vet a five min walk from the house, so it'll be no problem to get him checked for a chip.

[TheNunsOfGavarone]

Best to take him to the vet first thing. That way if he's lost & has a chip he can be returned home asap.

Good luck and please post an update

[HeadFairy]

Thanks for the advice. Will do!

[Sparklingbrook]

This never happens to me.

Wouldn't it be great if it was microchipped and returned to it's worried owner tomorrow?

[Sparklingbrook]

Um it is a 'he' isn't it and not a pregnant 'she'?

[MissMarplesBloomers]

Awww poor little mite.

Thank god you found him, the weather is foul & they are so vulnerable when they are young. (or is he just small?)

Hopefully he has just wandered off.

[MissMarplesBloomers]

oops xpost!!

Is there a kitty Klaxon in your house Sparkling??

[Sparklingbrook]

I think there must be Miss. One day it will happen, one day.....

[CanucksoontobeinLondon]

Poor kitty. Good for you taking it in out of the rain and wind. Here's hoping it's just lost and has a good home to go back to.

It may be microchipped, or it may have a number tattooed on the inside of its ear. Possibly tattooing is just a North American thing, though.

[GemmaTeller]

My male boxer found a tiny scrap of a kitten in a ditch on the bypass, freezing cold and soaking wet. We took him home, dried him off, fed him, and kept him overnight.
Took him to the vets the next morning, no microchip, about seven weeks old.
We put flyers up, contacted the local rescue centres, DH went door knocking near where we found him.

Two years later he's still with us

[Sparklingbrook]

Aha! I have to go and get a dog to find me a kitten Gemma.

[Fluffycloudland77]

If there was a kitten klaxon in the sparkling household sparkling cat would cut have taken the batteries out.

I hope he has an owner who finds him. If not you have a free kitten minus neutering and vaccination costs.

[TheNunsOfGavarone]

Me too Sparklingbrook :)

Both my darling elderly cats have died within the last few months and I miss them so much. I feel I'm ready to open my heart and give some needy kitties a home, but I don't have a job right now and things are so uncertain it wouldn't be responsible. When I read threads like this and posts like GemmaTeller's though, I can't help hoping a needy/bossy/helpless stray would just walk in and engage me as its new servant.....

[HeadFairy]

Definitely young rather than small, he has a lovely sparkling set of gnashers!

I'm only saying he as the majority of gingers are toms.

He's sleeping the night in a box with a blanket by the radiator in the kitchen. I'll take him to the vet down the road tomorrow and try and get him back home.

[HeadFairy]

We,ve opened the door three times to see if he wants to go out for a wee, or he was feeling more up to trying to find his hone. Sensible cat sniffed the howling gale and returned to the box by the radiator

[Sparklingbrook]

You are not wrong Fluffy.

Nuns Sparkling Cat would hate to have another cat about the place so could never get one but if one just turned up.......

Fingers crossed for a happy ending Head. If no chip what's the plan?

[HeadFairy]

Hmmm not sure if he's not chipped. Ds has suggested we put pictures of him on lamp posts around the area saying we're looking after him, but much of it depends on how our cat reacts to him. If he's fine then lost cat can stay for a bit. If it turns in to a cartoon like whirl of screeching cats and flying fur then we'll have to think of something else. Cats Protection League perhaps?