stray cat????

[raggedtrouseredphilanthropist]

There is a cat that my neighbour noticed has been pretty much living in his garden for the past month or so. It is skinny, and not neutered. I have been keeping an eye on it too, and it is always out the back of ours, whatever the time of day. I am pretty sure its stray, so I put a paper collar on it with 'Am I stray? If I have an owner please call .....' - this has been over 3 days and each time it lost the collar, and no phone call.
It is obviously hungry - keeps asking for food, and I have given into it once, but am very aware that cats go to other houses and eat! And though timid, it came into my house opne evening, and now it loves me!

So, what do I do? I would like to adopt it, but not sure I have covered all the bases about establishing if it DOES have an owner.
And if I do adopt it, how do I do it? Can I get monetary help with getting it vaccinated and neutered?

If you do adopt it it should be on the basis that you take on any animal - ie that you are responsible for it in every way, including the payment of vacs etc.

WRT neutering, there are offers for people who receive tax credit, you can talk to your vet about them.

However, my gut feeling is, if you are not able or willing to pay for everything it needs then you may not be the best person for this cat, regrdless of how good you intentions are.

I have had cats all my life, and I just recently lost my dog, so I am fully aware of the potential costs involved. I would take out insurance to help deal with anything unexpected.
The reason I ask for help is because I AM a single parent on tax credits, and if I can get financial assistance to neuter and vax it, then I will take it! It doesnt mean I wouldnt take on the rest of the costs of pet ownership.

I am sure you would, I am quite sure your animal owning credentials are fab, the tone of your post gets across your intentions very well and I am sorry if my response upsets you but your last line just jars as being out of kilter with the rest of your post - and just doesn't feel quite right to me....

You asked a question I answered it, no offence meant as such, just saying what I thought!

Look, no worries. I can see the point that if someone necessarily needs help to pay for vax etc then maybe they wouldnt have the financial ability to properly care for an animal its whole life. That is fair enough. But my point is really, if I can get help, the I will take it! It will make life easier. If I can't, then I will find the money somehow, as it is totally necessary if I am to adopt him.

anyway,

I done enough to find out if it has an owner? If I can get financial help for neutering, how do I do that?

First step I would say is take the cat to a vet to be scanned for a microchip. If there isn't one, then I would proceed

You may find a cat charity like cats protection or something local to you would neuter the cat for you cheap, or would be linked to a tax credit/benefit price reduction you could take advantage of, and they may also be able to assist with vaccination

this may help?

Or here

Fair enough - I agree that there is no point in not taking advantage of the things that are in place to help!

As I said there is a tax credit/pdsa scheme where neuturing is done for a basic fee. Your vet should know about that if you ask (if they won't do it I would lokk for a vet who does for this particular procedure.

There are also vets who will micro-chip for just £15 when done at the same time as giving vacs.

I agree with chick, you have done enough, just get him scanned for a chip and bobs your uncle!

SOrry if I am being a bit grumpy, I have met lots of people who thought they would help a dog/cat in bad situation without realising that, just because the situation they are offering is better than the one the animal has currently, it does not follow automatically that what they are offering will be good enough or that they are the right people to be doing it... IYSWIM!

thanks chick!
I have also googled the cost, and it appear that the cost of having a male neutered is much less than that of a female. As I have always had females, and dogs too, I thought it was WAY more than it really is (I thought about £90 just for neutering!)

right then, all systems go!
I was going to get a cat soon anyway, but he came to me at such a significant time I cant ignore him.
Microchipping is a must too, incase he does wander...

How about actually taking him on? What do I do??? Keep him in for a set time? Will he spray if I did that before I got him neutered?

I would buy him a proper collar and attach one of those barrel type ID tags. Put a note in the barrel, along the lines of what you wrote on the paper collar. That way you can be sure if he does have an owner the note will get to them.