Should we call the RSPCA or rescue this cat ourselves?

[ShinyMoonInAPurpleSky]

Ok, this is my second problem of the day. My first is [http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childrens_health/1201657-How-do-you-keep-a-baby-hydrated-when-they-refuse-to-drink here] and any help would be greatly appreciated!

There is a cat that lives near to my MIL that is skin and bones. She is always outside and is literally the loveliest thing you have ever met, although I do wonder if that is because she is so starved of attention.

One of MIL's children, my BIL (11 years old) has been asked to feed the cat while this family are on holiday. BIL asked me how much a cat should eat because they have never had a cat, I have had lots, and he was concerned at how often he had been told to feed this cat.

I told him that 3 pouches or 1 tin a day is usually enough for our cat but some eat more or less and he said that he was told to only give this cat 1 pouch and a bowl of dry biscuits every morning. I said that that definately doesn't sound like enough and it would explain why the cat is so skinny.

So now I'm worried about the cat. I feel I need to do something but what is the question. If I call the RSPCA will they do anything to help? (I once called them about a sick bat I found and they told me to just leave it do die ). Do the RSPCA put animals down if they can't rehome them? If they do I'd rather take her home myself!

DH said we should just take the cat and keep her as our own, as her current family don't care for her. Aside from the legal and moral implications of this, I'm worried whether our own cat would take to her...which leads me back to the RSPCA again.

most domestic cats are overweight imo. This cat might be just fine! Our cat eats about one pouch and a bowl of biscuits daily, and she's out all day because I think it's healthy for her.
She's in tip top nick on that diet and lifestyle.
It's possible you have just got used to seeing overweight cats and are judging it wrongly?

We have two brothers (same litter) one is known as 'fatboy' - you can guess why - the other 'size zero'... cats, like humans come in all shapes and sizes, I certainly wouldn't jump to the conclusion that's it's being neglected - if they've bothered to arrange for your BIL to feed it, they are obviously aware of its needs...

Pouch & biscuits sounds about right...

The food situation sounds fine but maybe you should mention to the owners how thin you think the cat is and ask does it have health problems? Calling the RSPCA is a bit drastic for a thin cat that is being fed and taking it without asking is terrible. Is there anything else apart from the food that makes you think it is being mistreated? Not all owners keep on top of their animals' welfare and just because they are getting someone to look after it doesn't mean it hasn't got some underlying health problem like worms, or diabetes or thyroid that they are just ignoring.

The RSPCA will and frequently do kill. When in any doubt whatsoever - ie if the animal is ill, old, a Staffie, a Rottie, a GSD, a Mastiff, a cross that looks like a Pit, etc etc AVOID the RSPCA at all costs.

As to who else to approach, it depends on where you are. Some independent organisations are better than others. There is no other organisation which will visit and check on the animal BUT by the same token the RSPCA have no more power in law than you or I despite their uniforms, Gestapo attitude and titles of Inspector and Superintendent. None. Nada. Zero. Zilch. :)

However if you want someone reputable in independent rescue to take the cat in if it is being abused and underfed, pm me.

What I would suggest is that you take the cat to the vet for a consultation and ask them to give him the once-over. It will cost about £25 but at least you'll know whether finding him a new home is the right thing to do or if you're over-worrying. Without seeing the cat ourselves and/or having the ability which a vet has to check him over it's impossible to judge. I have cats and 2 rescued ones too which are seeking homes and they would starve on the amount that fella has but there may be more to it than I know.

I Phoned the RSPCA for a similar situation with an old neighbour and TBH they weren't interested.
Even though they had intervened before and taken some of the cats away. They had also provided her with vouchers for neutering/spaying. Which was never done
But in this situation there was lots more going on over a long period of time

2 of the cats eventually moved in with one neighbour and another lovely neighbour rightly or wrongly took 2 with her when she moved, as she'd been looking after them for months.

I tried to keep friendly with this woman even though she was aggressive and confrontational because i was concerned for the cats (lots of the neighbours were) This was the only way i knew what was going on, but it was very frustrating not to see any improvement even though help was offered.

I think you need to try and find out a bit more about the situation first as others have said it may be something other than under feeding that the cat looks so scrawny. That amount of food would not be enough for mine but each cat is very different with regards to the amount of food it needs.

Ask your BIL to watch her when she is eating, if she is wolfing it down then it could well be she is very hungry but could also indicate worms. If not then she is getting enough food.

If you can befriend her you may find she is willing to rehome the cat and also get a better idea of what is going on.

Take it to the vet.

That is exactly what I feed my cat. A 3kg cat only needs 40g of dry cat food (to compare, a correct portion of cereal is only 30g and would fill a bigger bowl as it weighs much less) I use a 40g scoop and then give him a pouch as well so he gets a bit extra while he's growing.

I assure you it's plenty! He's actually a bit on the tubby side...

It could be that another animal is nicking the food if he's being the given the right amount but looks too skinny.

I actually can't believe you are making such a fuss about a cat being fed the CORRECT amount!

I'd steal it and take care of it. Tell them it disappeared.

food is the same as i give my cat on recommendation of vet.

as to the rspca, i called them last year after rescuing a very ill cat from the middle of our road... they were incredibly helpful, and had, at the time, a scheme whereby i took the cat to a local vet and the rspca paid for the consultation/treatment... they just gave me a reference number on the phone which i had to give to the vet.

so worth phoning them to ask if they still do that, then you can take cat to vet, not pay for it yourself, and take it from there?

we got worried about a cat a couple of days ago that looked painfully thin, to the point where we knocked on the door of the house it was outside and asked about it, turns out the cat is just very very old and not too well but is clearly well loved... so it may not be as bad as you fear.

Our cat was very well looked after, and given enough food, but she was never a healthy cat, and the last 2 years of her life was skin and bone and looked scruffy/unwell.She was also very over-affectionate, but she got plenty on affection at home! Myself and the dc would have been devestated if someone had just taken her!

They must care about the cat, or they wouldn't have arranged someone to take care of it! One pouch and a bowl of dried food (they don't need as much dried) sounds fine!

If you talk to them, be subtle!

Don't steal it fgs, there is no evidence AT ALL that this cat isn't being cared for properly.

If you are really that worried about it being thin, take it the vet and have it checked over

Don't steal it,
Don't accuse them of not feeding it properly - they are feeding it plenty
Don't accuse them of not looking after it properly - there's no evidence of that either. My cat is really, really friendly it's just his personality!

Given the gross exagerations on the not fed and looked after front I don't feel like I can take your word that the cat is even that thin.

What LaWeasel said.
My ex cat was always very thin as she had a metabolism problem. We had to keep her slim to keep her healthy. Our neighbours decided the cat was neglected and took her in. We called the police, blue cross, CPL to try to get her back, but there was nothing they could do.
The cat is now huge. It won't see this year out (actually, we didn't think it would see 2011 at all, but she is still there, like a beach ball on legs :( )
Don't take the cat, you know absolutely nothing about it, apart from the fact that the owners have arranged for someone to look after it while they are away, and feed it the right amount of food.

meant to say, the problem was one that was discovered after nearly a year of vets trips after numerous problems as a kitten/young cat.
A quick check up would not have shown up her problems at all.

I'm sorry to hear about your cat faveroyalles :( I'm not a thief and I don't want to have to take the cat, I just want what is best for her. I appreciate everyone's comments and I will try to talk to the owners when they get back. I'll try and get the cat to the vets too.

However with regard to those saying that this is the right amount of food - my own cat eats 3 pouches a day and will even then wolf down a bowl of biscuits if you give her the opportunity and she is not overweight at all. So I was of course basing my opinion on what I know my own cat and previous cats I have owned will eat. Considering that this particular cat will eat anything you offer her (and numerous neighbours have also commented on this), I don't think what she is being given is enough.

Your BIL has been asked to feed the cat. Just ask if the cat is poorly. It might have a liver problem, or thyroid trouble, they may be aware and treating it. My neighbour's cat has to have a barrel on her collar with a note explaining that she has a medical problem because people kept "rescuing" her.
Speak to this cat's owners. Don't hand her over to RSPCA as a stray. They are very quick to put animals to sleep when they decide they will be hard to home or too expensive to treat.

Some medical conditions give them a constant appetite as well.

Some animals will eat until they vomit too, it doesn't mean they need the extra food.

You habe no reason at all to think that there is anything wrong with this cats care. It is being fed the correct amount. It sounds like you are feeding your own cat a lot. Some cats are thin, especially if it is older.
I cant believe the hysteria on this thread about calling the RSPCA or stealing the cat.

Many years ago we had a rescue cat. It was elderly when it came to us and very thin. The vet told us it had clearly had some major illness (I forget what) when it was younger that hadn't been treated, which had left it skinny and tatty. Some interfering bat decided we weren't looking after it properly, took to sneaking into our garden to feed it and reported us to the RSPCA.

Fortunately it was under very regular (and expensive) vet care at the time, and they confirmed to the RSPCA that we were actually looking after it properly. We were under suspicion for a while and it was horrible to know someone was watching us and we couldn't be told who they were or where they lived. (While all our neighbours were well aware of the RSPCAs visits)

We asked the RSPCA to take it because we were sick of being accused, and to this day I believe that if people report you and their allegations are false you should be told who reported you. We looked over our shoulders for years after.

If you think this cat is being ill-treated at least have the courage of your convictions and speak to the owner. I hate this sneaky hiding behind anonymous reporting

incidentally we have a cat now who eats and eats until he is sick and is permanently miaowing that he's hungry. Some cats are like that.

My little cat had liver disease, for the last year of her life she was a tiny skinny little thing. She was happy though and on the right medication until it was time to say goodbye. She was my constant companion, my shadow. I'd have been devastated if she'd suddenly vanished, so think twice anyone before you just take a cat to "rescue" it.
Plus, the RSPCA will almost certainly put a poorly or old cat to sleep. They will only give medical treatment if they consider that it isn't going to cost too much. I would never call the RSPCA to any animal in need, there are other charities that are much more responsive and caring.

Glad to see that this can't be our cat. Could there be any Siamese or Burmese in the ancestry, which tends to produce a leggy, slinky animal (and a very vocal, people-friendly one too)?

Our skinny cat is skinny because:
she always has been
she's part Burmese
she's out much of the day roaming for miles
she's 16 and getting knobbly.

She's also very tatty-looking, because she has a skin condition that means she periodically plucks at her own fur. Vet has said she can't have too many steroid treatments for it because it could cause kidney damage. So she's a tatty, skinny, loud cat who flings herself purring fraudulently into strangers' arms, but does have a loving home, honest.

Oh, and to the kindly neighbour who keeps offering her 'nicer food than that dry stuff': the vet suggested this dry mix to reduce her stomach upsets, thank you SO much...