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Original poster

He followed me home - can I keep him?

141 replies

OneMillionScovilles · 17/07/2015 08:00

First up: Only kidding on the keeping front!

A beautiful cat followed me home last night after I stroked it - I went into the house and thought no more of it. It made its way into our back garden and when DH opened the door to put the bins out it came inside and had to be shooed out again. It was still hanging around the (closed) back door this morning as if it thinks it lives here, and has come in and had a wander around when I opened the door.

I'm familiar with the cat-stealing neighbour threads, so I haven't fed it, shut the door behind it when it's wandered in, etc. - hoping to appeal to collective MN wisdom on what to do if it keeps hanging around. It has no collar (flea or name) but looks in far too good condition not to belong to someone. Is there a chance it doesn't know how to get back out of our garden having made its way in? How long would you leave it before you took it to the vet to scan for a microchip? I hate the idea of someone else being stressed out about their lost pet...

Apologies if these are common sense questions - we aren't cat people as DH is a little allergic, so don't really know 'normal' behaviour (although I'm tempted to let this particular cat rub all over the soft furnishings to see if he can really tell Wink - did I mention it's gorgeous?)

OP posts:
SylvanianCaliphate · 17/07/2015 09:38

Kiss him on the face!

He just wants kisses Grin

I may be having an affair with our neighbours cat, my own puss isn't impressed and I always return neighbours cat after snuggles

MatildaTheCat · 17/07/2015 09:39

Stick a couple of notices up nearby and any anxious owner will spot them.

StayWithMe · 17/07/2015 09:43

I may be having an affair with our neighbours cat, my own puss isn't impressed and I always return neighbours cat after snuggles

I'd advise your cat to LTB. Grin

spanky2 · 17/07/2015 09:46

We had a very hungry black cat turn up. I fed him as he was eating bread put out for the birds. When he was tame enough I took him to the vets. He had no chip. We kept him. He is still traumatised by being a stray cat.

spanky2 · 17/07/2015 09:47

According to the rspca black cats take longer to rehome as people don't want them.

Original poster
OneMillionScovilles · 17/07/2015 09:53

Really?! spanky that's awful! (Not-)Puss is beeeeautiful - think I might have mentioned once or thrice - plus aren't black cats good luck (unless you're a mouse)?

OP posts:
DejaVuAllOverAgain · 17/07/2015 09:53

OP are you on fb?

If so then do a search for local(ish) missing pet groups. You could post on them complete with pic just in case someone is missing the cat.

Dunkling · 17/07/2015 10:00

Karinmarina, a hug to you as my Bengal went missing for 2 nights and after leafleting and my neighbours all opening their outbuildings, he was found safe and well if a little hungry in someones garage!

I would say if he looks well, and is out in the open, he will go home when he is hungry enough, and for the time being he is just trying you out for a second home. I swear by very large black rescue has half a dozen homes, just from the size of him, how often he wanders, and the fact all my neighbours are in love with him!

GatoradeMeBitch · 17/07/2015 10:13

I'm fostering a black cat. I've had him for six months - no interest. I fostered my first black cat for nine months. Whereas tabbies are barely in the door before they're adopted!

Mimigolightly · 17/07/2015 10:22

He's gorgeous! Black cats are definitely lucky and I have no idea why people don't want to adopt them. I'd have a house full of I could!

MyCarHasBrokenDownAgain · 17/07/2015 10:25

Such a shame about black cats! I've always had black ones, had four at once at one point (not quite a mad cat lady or witch, my mum died so I brought hers - my childhood cats - back home with me and already had two of my own!). I love them! I'm down to one now, as mum's last one died last October, aged 21. Should I get another when she goes, it will have to be black Grin.

RockDownToElectricAvenue · 17/07/2015 11:21

Do you have local "lost pets" FB page? Normally their members are red-hot with knowledge on any missing cats and by now, 12 hours on, they will be at DEF-COM one. My local ones also cover neighbouring areas as we are rural and pets and various animals get dumped around here all the time.

And you need to get id-checked asap, before you and kitty get anymore emotionally attached. Two years ago I had a tiny stray cat turn up in my garden, mainly because when I go out I leave water and dryfood outside for my cats. It was in a complete and utter state and it took three weeks of luxury kitten food, cat milk and pilchards before I managed to catch him. At that first squidge I was in love and after a good cleanup with he was so tired that he slept on my pile of ironing solid for six hours. Little kitty snores and all my other cats were kissing and licking the top of his head.

Having not seen anything in the local press, shop windows or FB (live in v small village). I booked to have his bits, jabs and check ups done two days later (first appointment available). And not until collection and payment the vet nurse checked for a chip and found one! Not ashamed to say that I balled my eyes out on the shoulder of the, very young, fit and handsome intern vet. He had been lost for four months, his owner came and got him and walked out of the vets without even a thank you. Refused to give me my money back as well...

Reading that back, with hindsight I now feel like I was the victim of an elaborate Kitty and Totally Shit Owner Kitty Fraud....

Cleorapter · 17/07/2015 11:26

You're not in Leighton Buzzard are you? Puss, looks a awful lot like a cat I know.

Cleorapter · 17/07/2015 11:27

I'm not sure how the random , popped in there. Apologies!

VanitasVanitatum · 17/07/2015 11:35

Ooh watching with interest, keep us updated OP!

GummyBunting · 17/07/2015 11:40

Oooh I always worry about this with my own puss. She won't wear a collar (can take them off in minutes) and is very very vocal. I always worry about someone finding her, collarless and meowing her head off, and thinking she wants a home.

Luckily she's a fatty so noone will ever assume she's not being fed regularly.

ChaircatMiaow · 17/07/2015 11:58

OP, my DH also has a cat allergy and kept sneezing for the first few months after we got our cat (he knew when he married me that a cat was non negotiable). Taking anti histamines helped and six months later, it seemed his body adapted and there were no more issues.

Just saying Grin

ItsMeMario · 17/07/2015 12:26

I am with Chaircat. I am allergic to cats and have two of my own but you build up an immunity to them. The first few weeks were hell, but since then, i have been absolutely fine and in fact, a lot of my other allergies have reduced substantially too. The only time i ever suffer with them is if they go to the cattery for a couple of weeks while we go on holiday. When i get them back, the next fews days are rather sniffely.

Stratter5 · 17/07/2015 12:57

Same here, first two weeks I was sneezing and snuffly, then it went. I was the same with each animal introduced, it doesn't seem to be a generic 'cat/dog' thing, but specific to each individual animal.

I have a beautiful stray in foster here, he's adorable, and ridiculously cuddly, but when he went back to the vets he went ballistic. He came to me from there, and I'm convinced he panicked and thought he was going back. He was fine until the actual vet who treated him came in the room, then he flipped. He'd been fine with that veg before, and we were all stunned at his behaviour. It's the only thing I can think of to explain his attitude. He also panics and hides if an outside door is left open, and he doesn't like cars. As there's been no sign of anyone looking for him, and his chip hasn't been updated to current info, I can only conclude he was dumped :(

He has a home for life here, we all adore him.

pinktransit · 17/07/2015 13:04

Where are you? And does it answer to being called Toto? And is it definitely a boy?
Looks a little like my cat who I haven't seen in a couple of days, but she's a wanderer that I think has a second home somewhere..

Lweji · 17/07/2015 13:25

I am allergic to cats and have two of my own but you build up an immunity to them. The first few weeks were hell, but since then, i have been absolutely fine and in fact, a lot of my other allergies have reduced substantially too.

There is this theory that exposure to animals (and their germs) reduces allergies.

Hoppinggreen · 17/07/2015 13:50

Yabu not to keep him ( unless owner found)
My dd is allergic to cats but not ours - just saying

givemushypeasachance · 17/07/2015 14:01

He looks gorgeous - and like he's made himself very much at home! Grin

I have two all-black boys but mine are timid around strangers (and indeed friends/relatives) so I don't have to worry about them being pally with passers by and inviting themselves into the neighbours, but it is a risk with very friendly sociable cats. I love it when strange cats I walk past let me stroke them, but not everyone is a nice person and that sociability makes cats easy targets for gits who want to do horrible things to animals. So I guess standoffishness helps sometimes!

I hope if someone is missing him they get reunited, or you enjoy the next many years of happy being-a-cat-slave... Wink

Talismania · 17/07/2015 15:45

If it were me I'd call all of the vets in the area and within say a 20 mile radius and all of the rspcas and other animal shelters with a description and picture and ask them if they've had a report of a missing cat and if not to put up pics also def have him scanned for microchip

Also put up 'found cat' pics in your area.

Then keep him until owner is found, if owner is not found then call again every couple of weeks

If one of my cats got out and went missing I would call all the vets and shelters and have them look out for people calling in. They're al microchipped so easier to find me. But if they weren't and I couldn't be found one, I would MUCH prefer them being kept by a person who would love them than have them thrown out on the streets or ending up in a shelter.

favouritewasteoftime · 17/07/2015 15:52

I'm sure you would have done this anyway but just mentioning as you said you're not a cat person - you need to put him in a closed box when you transport him otherwise he'll wriggle away and you could lose him en route.

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