Strange cat hanging round - what to do?

[Fishandjam]

A strange cat has turned up in our garden. We know most of the cats hereabouts and this one's new. It's a sweet little thing - tortoiseshell, very skinny, quite friendly, and very loud-miaowed. It was insistently howling at our conservatory door yesterday; I gave it a bit of food and it wolfed it down. It was still there by nighttime, and I was a bit worried about it, so I put some food and a cardboard box with bedding into our greenhouse, to give it a bit of shelter. It's still there now. Poor little scrap, when I picked it up to "show" it the bed, it was light as a feather.

If we didn't already have two huge thuggish tabbies I'd invite it in

What's the best course of action if it's still here tomorrow? Ask around the neighbours, or ring CPL? (Our immediate next door neighbour didn't recognise it either.)

I don't think it's a feral (we have a few round here) as it's so friendly.

Subject to a devoted owner suddenly turning up, I rather think you've got her now. When DHs start muttering plaintively about this sort of thing, it's usually a sign.

cozie may old girl's teeth aren't bad at all, as there is evidence of extensive dental work having already been done. So she must at one time have had a caring owner.

It does make you wonder (and the same with Fish's soon-to-be new cat) whether they were just allowed to 'drift away' when an elderly owner passed or something. Extensive dental work (which isn't cheap) isn't really compatible with being turfed out into the cold for no reason even if they're old girls.

our old girl has very bad teeth she's lost quite a few from them falling out over the years. She really should have had work done over the years, but her previous owners never took her. the vet checks them everytime we take her now. They don't seem to be causing her any problems at the moment, and given her age, 20, the vet isnt keen on giving her GA unless totally necessary.

Excellent that the vet de-fleaed and wormed her fishandjam. I wonder where she's come from.

Seniorboy has only 5 teeth left in his head now and I've more or less agree with the vet that he won't get any more GAs. (She was prepared to overhaul his teeth under GA when he was only 16 but nowadays she goes very 'thoughtful' at the prospect.) If he gets a touch of gingivitis,he gets a jab.

Tell me about dental work not being cheap cozie. When we took our previous stolen cat to the vet for some dental treatment - before she became ours, if you see what I mean - they asked us for a deposit of £200. A DEPOSIT! I nearly infarcted. It's one of the reasons we give ours dry food now. (Though they eat a lot of voles and things as well, which helps keep their gnashers pearly white.)

I'm trying to put up a couple of photos on my profile but the functionality seems to be knackered.

I think there's a thread about photos being knackered on Site Stuff. We'll catch them later.

Yes - teeth can be expensive. I had Seniorboy done during National Smile Month (or whatever it's called) which seems to be an annual event much like National Chip Month. It might be worth keeping an eye open for that - might only mean 10 or 20% off but if the work will need done some day, it all helps.

Is she still with you fishandjam?

She certainly is. The lady from the CPL and I keep missing each other's phone calls so we're not hugely further forward on that front. Little visitor is beginning to look fatter though...

How is she getting on with the tabbies?

The chuntering is getting slightly more heated, though Little Tortie is showing signs of feistiness and is hissing back. Interestingly, now that she is having wet food twice a day, she's ignoring the IAMS I'd put down for her - makes me wonder if she really does have hyperthyroidism (and the vet did say it was only a possibility).

I think this weekend I might just let her into the house, no restrictions, and see what occurs!

So they've upped the ante very slightly (because she wasn't leaving) and she's responded in kind? I think she has their number. (Are they both males? I forget.)

I take it she now is your cat? It sure sounds like it.

Oh - and get lots of treats/Dreamies in. I think you may need them.

Well, little visitor has now been renamed Vizicat. Largely because, with a week of decent grub inside her, she's turning into an invading horde She's been waltzing round inside our house like she's Lady Muck, and when our cats so much as glance at her she starts with the yowling and hissing.

Ours are male and female cozie. They're both so much bigger than Vizicat that I'm loath to put them into close proximity too soon, but she's definitely holding her own.

I'm also reluctant to say that she is our cat now, but if the CPL lady and I keep not being able to synch a phone call, that may end up being the default position!

Well attitude isn't quite as important for cats as for dogs in my experience but it still counts for a heck of a lot.

You're going to have an interesting weekend.

I realise that I never updated this thread! Vizicat ended up staying for 6 months. She got fatter, and sleeker, and more purry, and even stroppier towards our cats The Blue Cross ended up taking her on a "rehome from home" basis, so we carried on looking after her while they found her new digs. A married couple of teachers took her in the end, as they wanted an undemanding affectionate cat as a companion. She was definitely the cat for them in that regard! I never met a cat who liked being held so much - you'd lift her up and she'd just cuddle back against your chest and go all slitty-eyed with bliss.

So a happy ending.

Love a story with a happy ending

Me too - still feel pleased at the outcome.