My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

The litter tray

I don't know what to do!

10 replies

Giraffe31 · 25/03/2017 21:45

So we moved into our new house in December. In the first week I saw a little cat in our drive which then tried to get in our house since we were moving stuff from the garage so the doors were open.
I picked him up and went next door to ask if they knew who it belonged to. The son answered and it was their cat, I just asked if he minded keeping it in for an hour or so while we moved stuff about. I didn't see it very often so I hoped and presumed it was mainly a house cat.

Fast forward to last month and it was trying to get in our house again one day, I took it back again and spoke to the mum who said it was meant to be a house cat but kept getting out. It's now nearly always out and I'm worried about it. It's small, I wouldn't say skinny but not big and it also has worms. We came home tonight and it was sat on our drive, it didn't try to get in the house but next doors car isn't there so I think they're out all night, they stay out sometimes so it's will be out all night and it's meant to be below freezing tonight.
If I lived here alone I'd worm it and feed it and have it in the house in a heartbeat but my boyfriend doesn't like cats and he's right when he says it's not our cat.
I don't even know what I'm asking I just don't know what to do Sad

OP posts:
Wishiwasmoiradingle2017 · 25/03/2017 21:47

Me personally would sneak the cat in and shove the bf out!!
Sorry no help!!

rainbowsockstoday · 25/03/2017 21:48

Can you take it in for tonight even if it's just a few old blankets on the garage floor and a bit of food? Then tomorrow explain you're concerned. Why does your bf not like cats? I had a bf once who hated them and said he would leave me but I adopted a two week old abandoned kitten and it was love eventually!

Giraffe31 · 25/03/2017 22:00

I think the garage would be even colder than outside, it's not connected to the house at all.
I don't know really, he's just always said that his aunts cats put him off because they used to be on work surfaces and there was always cat hair in all the food.
I've explained that it's not like that but he doesn't get it. Has has said he'll build a wooden hut to go down the side of the garage for it so I guess that's something.
I'm a bit scared to approach the mum as I've heard a few late night arguments and fights and don't want to get on the wrong side of her, I can't see how they wouldn't know it had worms

OP posts:
thecatneuterer · 25/03/2017 22:01

Well there is nothing to stop you worming and feeding, regardless of who it officially belongs to. Is it male or female? Can you find out if it's neutered?

As for the boyfriend - I wouldn't trust anyone who doesn't like cats.

Giraffe31 · 25/03/2017 22:05

If I feed it it's going to try and get in and that's going to open a whole new can of worms (no pun intended) there's no question of that but I'm not going to end a five year relationship when everything else is great just because he's not keen on cats. There's other animals that I'm not keen on it's just a personal preference

OP posts:
rainbowsockstoday · 25/03/2017 22:08

Well tonight let the kitty stay and then get oh to crack on with the kitty home. Then gradually move it into the house. My two never jumped up and there was minimal hair as they only stayed in the front room and dining room really. They pretty much lived for the fireplace and their food!

He'll break and you get a kitty! Give the kitty some love if they won't. Worming is quite quick. If you're keeping it though a flea treatment might be an idea too as she/he doesn't sound too loved xx

RubbishMantra · 26/03/2017 00:25

I found a 3 month old kitten abandoned by his owners. When they returned to collect the rest of their possessions several days later, I told them I had their kitten, and thought they'd be relieved he was OK. They said they didn't want him, and that they'd named him "Retard". Angry Twats. I kept him.

I live in an area where many people discard their pets - somebody left their little Cavalier Spaniel behind - I re-homed him. Some people just seem to see pets as something to be thrown away when not convenient.

If in doubt feed, and put a paper collar on cat, to enquire as to whether they have an owner.

Fluffycloudland77 · 26/03/2017 07:44

Your OH is a cat person, he just doesn't realise it yet. The cat sounds very neglected though.

lovelycats · 26/03/2017 08:52

There definitely isn't somewhere in their garden it can go, a shed or something? It is unreasonable to not have somewhere sheltered for it to stay on cold nights, and it's also unreasonable that is visibly has worms, but other than that I'm not sure you should do anything. I've had indoor/outdoor cats and also farm cats that live out all year, although they had plenty of places they could go to curl up and stay warm. I would bite the bullet and casually mention that the cat has worms in a non-accusing way. Perhaps they just haven't noticed. If you feed this cat once, you will never stop and it will expect you to feed it, even if it's being well-fed next door. If the worm infestation continues I would definitely ask CatsProtection for advice/for someone to have a word. Again, if you worm it you'll never stop, because the owners will assume it doesn't need done and you'll be stuck taking responsibility for a cat you don't want.

previously1474etc · 27/03/2017 04:47

A plastic box with a hole cut in and some blankets would do the job and keep the poor little cat warm.
Like this lifehacker.com/build-this-easy-diy-outdoor-cat-shelter-for-your-cat-or-1792272826

I would be worried about something happening, so many cats have been killed since the M25 cat killer has been in the news, and not only in the M25 area.

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.