Is this a stray?

[TitsCrossed]

Or am I being taken for a mug??

This gorgeous cat has been hanging around for a while. His head is a blur in the pic tucking into some scran. NDN was spooked one night calling it in thinking it was one of hers, but it isn't, just looks similar. Quite a few cats round here so we thought nothing else of it. He has been lurking about our patio doors a lot over the last couple days and has braved the wrath of our 2 resident pusses by coming into our kitchen a few times. Our 2 hiss and growl a little but not loads. I shoo it out.

Tonight while I was sitting on the back step with wine it came closer so I offered it some Dreamies which were of course snaffled rapidly. I gave him some water and the leg-ends of an Iams pack (which our 2 normally turn their noises up at) and he ate voraciously. He seems quite skinny. I thought he was a she at first as quite petite, but he has definite balls. I have put a cat bed, food and water in the shed and propped the door open but he just followed me back to the house (very long thin garden) and he is now serenading me asking to come in.

Should I try to take him to the vets to check for a chip tomorrow? I hope I'm not cat-napping him. My male cat is a bit of a chancer and has been known to saunter into NDN's house and sleep on their settee (they have 2 cats and 2 dogs [idiot cat emoticon]). My instinct says this cat has been abandoned... But he could have a loving owner 2 streets away!

[BBQsAreSooooOverrated]

He could be lost if he's very hungry and skinny, getting him scanned is a good idea. He seems to have taken a shine to you though - it's the dreamies :)

[TitsCrossed]

Yes BBQs he could well be lost. I hope he is chipped.

I have a little sneaking suspicion about a nearby house which borders our garden but is on another street. They are having building work done and I'm fairly sure they have moved out for the duration. They have a cat, I know because the only conversation I have had with the woman who lives there was about cat flaps (she wanted one but her dh wasn't keen). I wonder if he is theirs.

[timtam23]

What a gorgeous little thing, he does look a bit skinny though.

Maybe take him to the vet to be scanned, & if he has no chip but you're still not sure if he's stray I think you can download a paper collar from somewhere (RSPCA website or somewhere like that?) so that if he goes home the owners can let you know he belongs to them

If he hasn't been neutered, he may well be lost or abandoned though

Very kind of you to feed him - are you letting him into the house tonight, or hoping he'll settle down in the shed?

[TitsCrossed]

TimTam I've never heard of the paper collars, brill idea!

I can't let him into the house, the TitCats have only just started to forgive me for having a 2nd child. I think a cat will tip them over the edge.

The 'shed' is block built and quite big so a bit more substantial than a standard wooden one. I hope he'll be ok. I put down a cosy little nest which I showed him and put some treats in it. He isn't at the back door any more. We've got a microchip flap so he can't come in.

What's the betting that he will disappear as soon as I have booked the vets?

(Now I want a Tim Tam explosion)

[TitsCrossed]

He isn't around this morning yet, but I've left the back door open. TitCats will soon let me know if he comes in. It is the afternoons when he usually turns up

[BBQsAreSooooOverrated]

Hopefully he turns up again in time for the vets. He's obviously very clever and knows he's been booked in.

[timtam23]

I hope he came back.

I found a link here for the paper collars

[TitsCrossed]

Yep. He came back. After the vets had shut.

Maybe I should buy him a watch.

Considering locking him in tonight to ensure we can get him there, but slightly worried he will be missed by someone! Think I will try the paper collar first off- cheers for that link.

[Fluffycloudland77]

It sounds like your cats don't mind him much.

He sounds like he's lost or abandoned & if he still has his Pom-Poms it's unlikely he's chipped.

Our cat would eat a bowl of food if offered but he wouldn't scoff it like he was starving.

Could you afford a 3rd cat though?.

[TitsCrossed]

Well, he waltzed into the kitchen again, meowing his head off ordering his dinner. Our 2 looked a bit pissed off but no hissing. I offered him some food again outside, which he ate quickly but didn't finish- probably because Titcats were sniffing around.

His coat does seem in quite good condition bar a bit of flea dirt- shiny- he is skinny and possibly young. It beggars belief that someone would have an un-neutered male, partic in an area with plenty of cats.

By the time I had faffed about with turning on the printer and finding paper for the collar timtam linked to he had buggered off again. With him disappearing for large chunks of the day I assume he is curled up on someones bed somewhere. Will defo do the collar thing though. Would it be terribly wrong of me to take him to the vets and explore the possibility of getting him neutered even if he isn't really a stray???

We could afford him, if I could persuade dh (who is away this week)...