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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:
SideOrderofChips · 17/07/2015 16:16

I have a black cat, pure black. He was going to the local animal shelter if i didnt have him as no one wanted him :( I love my black cat, hes the most loving ive ever had!

ShebaShimmyShake · 17/07/2015 17:14

Take it to the vet to see if it's microchipped.

Icimoi · 17/07/2015 17:54

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

Really? Black cats are my favourite, after we were adopted by one when I as a teenager - and yes, we did absolutely everything we could to find the owner. He was lovely, and I'd have another black cat like a shot. In fact, if OP can't keep this one I would happily take him off her hands?

kippersmum · 17/07/2015 18:38

My gorgeous 16yo boy is a black cat. He is wonderful. I can't understand why everyone wouldn't want a black cat!

Lweji · 17/07/2015 18:41

My black cat is also lovely and very friendly. But then I also love black panthers. :)

SmillasSenseOfSnow · 17/07/2015 19:02

I think maybe people have been influenced by American TV - I think black cats are bad luck over there.

SmillasSenseOfSnow · 17/07/2015 19:03

Gorgeous, young-looking cat there btw OP - there must be someone missing him/her. I'd notify vets ASAP.

hampsterdam · 17/07/2015 19:07

Ywbu to keep him after such a short time. My little girl tabby went missing last year 2 days we were beside ourselfs she is our baby. We were up and down the street looking in bins and at the side of the road. I'm sure he's just wondered off and got lost is there a shop you could put up a pic

lostinegypt · 17/07/2015 19:17

I have had cat Karma. My first ever cat was one I found crying outside my block of flats when I was at uni. It was pouring down so I let him in for the night.He was very friendly and absolutely gorgeous. he didn't have a collar on but looked in good condition. I let him out the next morning and he kept appearing every so often and I fed him when he returned. After a while he had basically moved it. He wasn't microchipped and nobody had reported him missing although I didn't try to find his owners. We moved 4 times and just took him with us. I am well aware I prob stole him. We got a ligit kitten about a year after stealing first cat. He also moved with us. He was always a stay at home cat and rarely ventured far. Then suddenly he started going out more for longer and longer periods until I hadn't seen him for a while. I did the usual thing of looking for him with no luck. Then one day I got a phone call from my vet saying a family had brought my cat in. I said great I will come now but the vet had allowed the cat to go home with them! I asked for their details and was told they couldn't give them to me!!! He was microchipped too. I never got him back! I know I stole my other cat but I never knew who his owners were unlike the bastard who took my cat!

ahbollocks · 17/07/2015 19:25

Has puss returned/been claimed today?
my next door neighbours have a cat who is in love with me and my old ginge, tries to move in every day, sleeps on my patio and occasionally breaks in through open windows.
I would have him in a heart beat but its owner loves it. Only reason for his harumphing to our house is because they had the utter gall to get a puppy

Original poster
OneMillionScovilles · 19/07/2015 01:01

Hi guys! Update: Puss still hanging around 48 hours on. Notified the local vet on Fri, and within two hours had a call from a guy whose black cat was missing... but when he came over, sadly not the same cat.

Have been intermittently feeding him now on vet's advice (thought DH was going to explode at me encouraging him when I told him, but the vet has fortunately been my Get Out of Jail Free card) Wink

He's demolishing any food we give him (faster than I could!) so I don't think he's got a six-dinners racket going on. DH still v allergic, but I'll tell him what you guys said upthread about developed immunity - despite the allergies he's already pretty fond of the cat, so...

We haven't taken him for chip reading yet due to lack of cat box, but we're going to try to borrow one from neighbours and we'll see where we go from there. Thanks for all the advice! - will post when we have a resolution.

OP posts:
Original poster
OneMillionScovilles · 19/07/2015 23:30

Hmm - neighbours don't have a cat box and I'm reluctant to get one specially. Any life hack suggestions?

I fucking love this cat. I'm not planning to leave DH for allergy reasons, but... it's marginal Wink

OP posts:
Original poster
OneMillionScovilles · 19/07/2015 23:36

Also, belatedly, favourite - I am actually clueless enough that I was planning on putting puss in the footwell of the car and driving the 5 mins to the vet. Mum and DH set me straight with varying (but high!) levels of WTF Grin

Hey, never pretended to be clued up in the slightest...

OP posts:
TheSpottedZebra · 19/07/2015 23:39

If transport isn't a problem,maybe the vet have a box that you could borrow, go home, take the cat there and back, then return? Double the driving though.

Or, just use a strong cardboard box, with holes, taped up REALLY well along the bottom, and then the top and with extra tape to tape back up for journey home? Thing is, if he wees, he could break the box.

A laundry basket with a lid on top. A tray? Tied on?

TheHumourlessHarpy · 19/07/2015 23:44

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Mabelface · 19/07/2015 23:47

Does your town have a Facebook ? I was followed home last week by a lovely cat. I posted his picture on our local page and it turned out that he'd been missing for 15 days. was a lovely moment seeing him reunited with his owner.

MrsTedMosby · 19/07/2015 23:53

He looks just like my beautiful black cats - one of them is a wanderer who regularly visits other houses. Both are currently snuggled in the house for once, so I know he's not mine.

I'm laughing at the idea of putting the cat in the footwell of the car. Grin Have you got any big boxes? Or borrow one from the vet.

Or just keep him forever, and buy a carrier for him.

Crinkle77 · 20/07/2015 11:58

What a beautiful cat. I would want to keep him too.

BerylStreep · 20/07/2015 12:22

OP I'm really glad that you are taking steps to find the owner. Have you tried FB?

I'm getting really fucking annoyed with my neighbours who keep taking our Burmese. I have spoken to them. The cat had £700 surgery last month, and I wrote to them asking them not to feed her or let her into the house, but last night I they had her in their house. I beeped her with her locate - pin-pointed her to their house, and was just getting changed to go round and ask for her back when they let her out. They must have heard her collar beeping. Angry

Sorry for hi-jack Grin

I hope you find the owner soon.

Original poster
OneMillionScovilles · 20/07/2015 17:23

Thanks all. We've found a local friend with a box we can borrow, so should be able to check the chip Weds when I'm working from home Smile

OP posts:
AliceAlice1979 · 20/07/2015 18:19

He looks like mine!! I'm off to search the house and garden to see if I can find my boys...

NoisyOyster · 20/07/2015 18:22

Is it wrong I'm willing for you to keep Puss? Grin

Tryingthisonefornow · 20/07/2015 18:52

You're doing the right thing trying to find his owner! My black cat disappeared over 6 years ago and I still miss him! He vanished at a time when I was suffering with fertility issues so it really was awful!

He was so friendly and the never knowing has made it even harder! So please, to any would be cat keepers, spare a thought for the owners who love these animals!

Shockers · 20/07/2015 18:55

Are you in Morecambe OP? A beautiful black kitten climbed onto my knee, curled up and went to sleep last year. I had just got into my car after looking around a special school, but hadn't shut the door (very hot day). I stayed for about half an hour before reluctantly turfing the kitten back out.

EllieFAntspoo · 20/07/2015 19:29

Keep it.
Move house.
No-one need know about it. Grin