Help! Lost cat won't leave my garden: my dog will kill it!

[FuturePerfect]

A sweet little long-haired ginger and white cat has turned up in my garden, and it won't leave. I live rurally, and have no idea where it came from. In 11 yrs, I have only ever seen one other cat.

The problem is: my Whippet. She has form for cat-killing, and I am afraid the cat is a sitting target. She is still sitting where I first found her, and shows no inclination to leave at all.

I took the cat to the vets last night to see if it was chipped (it isn't). I went asking around neighbouring properties: no joy. I have put up posters in the area.

A local friend took the cat in over night and fed her (she was starving) - but she can't keep her, as she has new kittens.

She is a lovely little cat: very tame indeed, and cuddly. She sat purring on my lap as I drove to the vets! Someone must be missing her.

What should I do?

If I had no dog, I'd bring her in until someone came looking for her.

[SqueezyCheeseWeasel]

Re homing centre?

[Petallic]

Can you post the cat photo on your local Facebook pages and see if anyone recognises it?

[FuturePerfect]

Local rescue is shut today - will try again tomorrow. I don't Facebook.

I can see this going horribly wrong. One hungry, soppy lost cat who keeps trying to come in and one Whippet- who has spotted her out of the window now.

Ah shit.