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Original poster

Lost cat or is it just trying it's luck?

31 replies

Hemskis · 26/08/2019 07:58

Yesterday evening a rather lovely, huge fluffy cat appeared in our garden. Dh and DD were reading together in the garden and gave it some fuss before going in. It was a very vocal cat.
This morning when I went outside I could hear it miaowing on the roof of the neighbour's shed. When I came closer it hissed at me but then hopped down to come over. It was more shy and nervous than the night before.
Now, I would normally never feed a cat not my own, but I was worried that it hadn't had any food so gave it some dry food and water. It are like it never had had food before.
Feeling it, it's not starved though but not very well groomed.
Now it's sitting in our garden staring at the door! I'm thinking I perhaps made a mistake giving it food but I think it's spent the night here.
So, do I just ignore it now or try to find somewhere to check for a microchip? Its not really feasible to go knocking on doors.

OP posts:
Horsemad · 26/08/2019 08:19

You got yourself a cat! My last two cats arrived like this. Disclaimer: we did check with vet/cat shelters before adopting them. I don't steal cats!

Maybe try and see if it's chipped and ask around/put notices up?

Can you post a pic?

WTCT · 26/08/2019 08:23

As the owner of a lot of cats, one of whom was recently scanned by someone who was worried she was a stray, I say try and get it scanned.

There always a chance it is lost. scanning it doesn’t hurt.

If you search in Facebook, there’s bound to be groups called ‘lost/found cats in ‘yourtown’. People on this groups often come out to visit and scan, just in case (that’s what happened with ours, who wasn’t lost, just likes wandering and had found someone willing to give her a fuss and food regularly)

No harm done by getting it scanned, OP.

origamiunicorn · 26/08/2019 08:25

It's trying it's luck. We had this happen (the cat would cry and paw at the door and once jumped through our window to get in) we kept feeding it as I thought it was stray (no collar) turned out it was the new neighbour's cat, cheeky bigger was just greedy! 😆

They're intelligent animals and know how to play with your heart strings that's for sure.

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Cats
womaninthedark · 26/08/2019 08:25

It's a CF cat.

origamiunicorn · 26/08/2019 08:25

The no collar was because he was microchipped ☺️

ScreamingValenta · 26/08/2019 08:26

It sounds more like a missing cat than a lost cat - if it's fluffy and not matted up, someone must be looking after its coat. Put notices up, see if it is chipped (go to vet), look on local social media. Keep it fed and watered, but try to find its owner.

SmellMySmellbow · 26/08/2019 08:28

Stick a paper collar on it with an enquiry and your details.

bluebluezoo · 26/08/2019 08:36

Cats are always “starving” Hmm

Drives me mad the endless pictures on fb of “found” cats who have turned up in peoples gardens and won’t leave- the picture always has the cat with it’s face deep in a bowl of food...

You can try a paper collar- write a message asking the owner to give you a call.

You can take it to a vet for scanning, or there’s usually a small army on facebook lost pets sites who have their own scanners and will come to you.

Unless it’s clearly ill it’s been in your garden less than 24 hours and won’t starve any time soon. There is also a chance he may be elderly or need special prescription food.

I’d put out water anyway in this heat though.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 26/08/2019 09:04

You could contact your local CPL for advice , they may well have someone with a scanner who can call round to confirm and give advice ( it would be nice to give a donation for their time Smile )

Otherwise - how do you get a strange cat into a carrier ?
And there was a post in Littertray that someone had taken a cat somewhere but they didn't read the chip so declared it was a stray (it wasn't) .

Paper collar if you can get near enough .

BonnesVacances · 26/08/2019 09:08

Is it b&w and fat? If so, it's my cat and he's a CF. Please don't feed him, he's on a vet prescribed diet and likes to pretend to the neighbours that we're starving him. Hmm

Original poster
Hemskis · 26/08/2019 09:35

I don't seem able to post a picture.
I won't give it more food but I've left a bowl of water outside as it is very hot indeed today. It's not leaving our garden at all.
We have our own very fluffy cat so I don't want to encourage it to stay, I'd rather it got home with it's owners. Especially as we have just managed to sort out a flea infestation in the house.
I've asked to join as many local lost and found groups as possible so hopefully someone will spot it.

OP posts:
sashh · 26/08/2019 09:46

I live on a small grove with only 7 houses, mine has conned the tenants of three houses she is a starving kitten.

Currently she is out all night, my bedroom window is open so she can come and go as she pleases but she appears at about 7.00 for breakfast and then disappears off.

I do see her pottering about doing her kitty business.

littleblackno · 26/08/2019 09:55

Probably one of mine. I have 2 older cats who like to convince the neighbours they are starving. I also have a new kitten who isn’t going out yet but once she does I am sure will follow suit!!

littleblackno · 26/08/2019 09:57

I used to have an old lady cat who was so fat 2 of my neighbours thought she was pregnant and used to feed her. She rarely ate at home as I refused to give her tuna!

Newname12 · 26/08/2019 09:58

Is it b&w and fat? If so, it's my cat and he's a CF. Please don't feed him, he's on a vet prescribed diet and likes to pretend to the neighbours that we're starving him. hmm

If it’s tabby and thin, it’s my old man who is on a renal diet he does not approve of (he is also thin as he is an oriental breed cross).

He likes to complain very loudly about mistreatment of the elderly and the disgusting muck they feed him in the care home. He usually manages to convince people that a few packets of whiskas won’t do him any harm and he’s starving, you know.

These people don’t see the vomiting and hangover Confused

Someone even called the RSPCA to pick him up once. Luckily they scanned him and as we were only at the end of the street they dropped him off on their way past.

BarbaraofSeville · 26/08/2019 11:12

If he's all black with orange eyes he's mine and he's not on a special diet he's just a greedy fucker who likes to chance his arm wherever he can.

But seriously, if you can take him to a vets, or call a local rescue, either will do a microchip check for free, to see if he's got lost somehow. Cats wander and also get in cars, or people do abandon them far from home, so it's hard to say whether he's been dumped or just lost - it was in our local news a few months ago that a cat was found in our city bus station in reasonable health but obviously lost and when they did a chip check, it turned out he'd been missing for 5 months from a city 200 miles away!

Original poster
Hemskis · 26/08/2019 15:07

Oskar the cat has been reunited with his very happy owner after having been missing for a year. They used to live nearby but then moved away.

OP posts:
WTCT · 26/08/2019 15:13

he's on a vet prescribed diet

Cats will eat all manner of things regardless of whether people feed them. If a cat's diet is that strict, it should be kept indoors.

WTCT · 26/08/2019 15:14

Oskar the cat has been reunited with his very happy owner after having been missing for a year. They used to live nearby but then moved away.

Brilliant news. Definitely worth scanning rather than simply assuming the cat was a CF.

Nettleweed · 26/08/2019 15:16

Wow, what great news - well done OP!

delilabell · 26/08/2019 15:23

Thats the loveliest news!!! Well done op! Flowers

Horsemad · 26/08/2019 15:45

Oh wow! What a lovely end to the story, I bet his owners are thrilled to get him back, well done OP. 😻

bluebluezoo · 26/08/2019 15:49

Cats will eat all manner of things regardless of whether people feed them. If a cat's diet is that strict, it should be kept indoors

My cat’s diet is strict to maintain his quality of life. He’s elderly and it’s one of his few remaining pleasures to go outside, do cat stuff, and bother the neighbours. He gets extremely distressed locked inside.

He never goes out for more than an hour at a time. If people would hold off feeding him for 12-24 hours, put a paper collar on him or something it’s fairly easy to work out he has an owner. Or phone the local vets who all know him on sight.

No cat will starve in 24 hours while you make enquiries. Look how quickly this one’s owner was found.

WTCT · 26/08/2019 15:55

He gets extremely distressed locked inside

So cat proof the garden. If you don't feel the need to, his diet isn't that strict.

.
But don't say people shouldn't feed cats they are concerned are stray and hungry when... as you say... it only takes 24hrs to make enquiries. No cat ever moved out of their house because they receive a meal or two from well meaning strangers.

bluebluezoo · 26/08/2019 16:02

But don't say people shouldn't feed cats they are concerned are stray and hungry when... as you say... it only takes 24hrs to make enquiries. No cat ever moved out of their house because they receive a meal or two from well meaning strangers

It’s not a meal or two though is it? Once people start feeding a “stray” they tend to keep doing it. This how many people do actually acquire cats.

I can’t cat proof the garden btw. If was that easy I’d have done it years ago.

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