Stray cat sleeping under DC's trampoline

[bookbird]

We've seen a cat about an awful lot over the last week. Whenever I'm out in the garden I hear it miaowing.

We have fed it a couple of times and tonight it ran in the back door and up the stairs. We put it back out (DH is allergic) but it's now settling in under the trampoline.

DH has just gone out with a washing up bowl and a woolly jumper in case it gets cold. I feel really sorry for the wee thing, but it looks quite healthy (well fed) so I've been reluctant to call the SSPCA in case it does have a home.

I can't take it in and it's been around for over a week, so I'm going to call the cat home tomorrow. Is that the best thing to do?

I'd call the local vet too, for advice. If its miaowing and running into your home it's obviously had a home recently do could be a missing cat - someone could be looking for it. It may be microchipped and the vet could check that. Please do keep offering it food and something warm and dry to sleep on in the meantime. You are very kind

Take it to a vet to scan for a microchip, it might well have an owner but wants to move house, some cats like to move.

thanks, I'll call a vet today.

Just gone downstairs to find DH also put a hot water bottle out because it was cold and he was worried about it. I love cats, but he's allergic and I'm strangely finding I'm the one who's saying it can't stay with us.

My dh is allergic but he got used to our cat fairly quickly. I suppose it was that or move out really.

You can ask the cats protection league for a paper collar you can write your details on so if he does have an owner they can ring you and let you know the animal is looked after.

Maybe he is a stray who's wandered off and cant find his way back (someone told us the rain washes their scent trail away and they cant get home) perhaps the miaowing is his way of saying "I'm lost, do something about human servant".

Our cat has a hot water bottle in the winter too, under his furry blanket and 13.5 tog duvet.

Any progress?

phoned a local vet who advised putting a picture up in a local shop. The cat disappeared today, it's just turned up again so I'm going to take a photo and do that tomorrow.

It seems to disappear during the day and appear back at night. Could it be going home during the day and just come to us at night?

It does look well cared for.

It's possible, if it is being put out at night by its owners.
Did the vet not suggest bringing the cat to them to see if it is chipped?

They didn't offer. Suggested the sign in the shop and then phoning the cat and dog home which is only a couple of miles away.

I don't have a cat box. Might line one up with a friend in case the picture gets us nowhere.

Cat is currently sitting on a chair in my lounge. DH let it in It is very cute.

Has he started to refer to himself as "daddy" yet?

Homebargains do very reasonably priced antihistamines....

not quite, but he's warming the woolly jumper by the fire and talking about filling the hot water bottle for its bed.

I reckon trampoline-cat has DAY OWNERS who think he's out having a lark at night but he isn't too chuffed as he is really a comfort-living cat and is campaigning to make you his NIGHT OWNERS, focusing on DH, bringer of hot water bottles and the weak link!

my bastard neighbours have a cat that they never ever let in the house. during the day it sits in the street playing with the children and at night it disappears. i saw the poor thing asleep in the corner of the garden the other night when it was pissing it down.

i'd love to let it in my house, but i have an old, sick cat that can't come in contact with other cats. other people feed it and try and look after it.

i know cats are fickle fellows, but please give this cat a warm place to sleep if he's pitching up all the time (pending allergic husband approval! .) the cat might have a home, but it might not be a great one, if he's off out looking for somewhere else to sleep.

It's settling down for the night in the basin under the trampoline with the jumper and hot water bottle.

It went out there and gave us a look to say "where's my bed then?"

Has DH started calling him by a name yet? That's the critical juncture. Once that happens (or you hear the words' my boy' flung into a sentence somewhere) - you've got yourselves a cat, I'm afraid.