AIBU?
Is this cat a stray?
user1471604011 · 12/12/2019 21:03
Not really an Aibu but more of a wwyd. I’ve noticed over the past week my cat has been playing with another cat in our street (unusual for him, normally hates other cats).
However in the past few days I’m becoming concerned that this cat is a stray. My cat gets let out early in the morning (approx 6am) and everyday this cat has been sat outside our door waiting for him to come out. We let our cat in and out throughout the day and most of the time he is with this cat, until he gets let back in at 10 at night where he leaves the other cat sitting outside our door. There’ll be times during the day where my cat is inside and I’ll see this cat sat waiting for him aswell. There was also a night where I heard the cat meowing outside around midnight.
Is there any way for me to tell if this cat is a stray? There’s no collar but my cat doesn’t wear a collar either as he kept losing all his breakaway collars. The cat doesn’t seem skinny but it always looks quite dirty, though it is white. If the cat was a stray I would definitely consider taking it in, but equally don’t want to take it in if they have a home. Just getting worried as the weathers been so bad recently and I hate the thought of it being left outside overnight.
SabineUndine · 12/12/2019 21:08
Have you asked around, to see if anyone knows whose cat it is? Normally people who have cats know all the local cats by sight, I find. When one of mine got stuck up a tree, it turned out that several of my neighbours, whom I'd never met, knew he was mine.
If you can't find an owner, I'd bag it and take it to the vet to see if it has a microchip.
BenevolentEzza · 12/12/2019 21:42
Please take some time to knock on as many doors in your street as possible to find out if this cat has an owner and paper collar it if you can, with a note asking if he/she had an owner and your details.
Please don't feed it and please don't just pick it up and take it for a chip check! My cat has severe car anxiety and some idiot took him (from outside my house...) on a 20 minute car journey to a vet as they "thought he looked lost" 🤬
user1471604011 · 12/12/2019 22:26
I’ve just made a Facebook post and posted on a lost pet group in my area, will start asking round the neighbours too. Just let my cat in there and it was still with him 
sorry for being dim but can anyone explain how to make a paper collar? Is it literally just a ring of paper around the neck? Cause it’s been so wet here I feel like it would fall off in two seconds!
Branster · 12/12/2019 23:12
Aww that would be sooo sweet user1471604011.
I did wonder what a paper collar was, assumed it was some technical term.
Lifelong dog owner here so only the bravest or silliest of cats ever ventures in our garden despite the fact my dog would probably have a heart attack should he see one face to face. But... a while back I saw this cute young cat outside the garden door just looking inside our house, just sat there staring in. I couldn’t resist so took the dog and put him upstairs in DC room, closed all doors and banned everyone from coming downstairs and opened the door. Kitty came straight in as if he owned the place, had a good look around everywhere, let me pat it then walked back out and climbed on top of the garage. In the morning he was sitting on a high branch of a tree at the back of the garden and looked rather pleased with himself! I tried everything to coax him down, put a high ladder up, put posters all around the area assuming it was a new cat and owners would be local and worried. I bought cat food and put it high up on the tree, called all rescue places I could think of (on a Sunday so not much success), the lot short of calling the fire brigade. Well, 10 hours later, he climbed down on his own as if nothing happened and never saw him since. A real character!
user1471604011 · 12/12/2019 23:17
@Branster typical cat! 
they do love to cause the maximum amount of fuss possible! A lady who runs the fb group has given me a template from the sspca for a paper collar so will give it a try though I’m not holding out much hope with this weather, plus the cat is still being very wary. Think she’s a part of a charity though cause she mentioned she would arrange for a scan
OpportunityKnocks · 12/12/2019 23:22
Google 'cats protection paper collar'
Honestly, cats try their luck! If it looks healthy, don't feed it. It could have dietary needs, be on medication etc etc.
Where is your general location? Is there a local volunteer organisation that might come and scan.
Branster · 12/12/2019 23:36
That’s very helpful of that lady.
Would it be unsafe to make the collar out of fabric instead of paper for rain purposes? I guess if she gets caught in something the paper rips whereas fabric might be dangerous.
Do you have any kind of square looking basket or box that would be secure on its side so the cat can sit under shelter if she wants?
Poor thing. It’s raining loads here too. It must be real love! Does your own cat not look at the visitor through the window?
user1471604011 · 12/12/2019 23:40
He does! As soon as he sees she’s waiting he’s at the door ready to go out lol. Don’t see any sign of the cat now, there’s quite a lot of bushes in our garden though and there’s a tiny patch of forest next to us too so if it is outside should hopefully have some shelter. There’s a few local charities that I’ll try ringing tomorrow, though from the sounds of it there’s a few ladies in this fb group who come out to do scans so that could be an option too
Branster · 12/12/2019 23:45
Actually bushes can offer quite a bit of shelter from the rain so she should be OK. I’m convinced cats are very clever and have great survival skills. She may well be back in her very own warm and dry home by now.
Please update us with news - this is the nicest thread this month!
Seeingadistance · 13/12/2019 03:19
Please don’t worry about the cat being outside. They’ll find somewhere cosy and dry to shelter. My cars get put out at night, and even on cold, wet mornings, they’re not always in a hurry to come back in the house.
It’s lovely to think of the two cats being friends! In my old house one of my cats had a friend, and they used to walk about side by side with their tails curled together!
Dontlikeoranges · 13/12/2019 04:02
I have four different cats that try to get in my house at different times who I have to shop off (probably to eat my cats food!) ALL of them have homes round here and are just chancers.
Please don't assume it's a stray! Check all the houses round by you.
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