If in doubt - feed

[thecatneuterer]

Not exactly a thread about a thread - more a thread about lots of threads.

We so often see the advice from contributors on here that you shouldn't feed a cat you see hanging around, even if it looks hungry, as it might have owners. Well yes, it might have owners, but it might also be stray/abandoned/starving and if no one feeds it then it will end up like this rescue I was called to yesterday:

www.facebook.com/celiahammondanimaltrust/posts/830773006933560

When looking for this cat I went knocking on lots of doors and most people had said that yes, they had seen a very thin, desperate looking cat hanging around for the last couple of months. When I asked if anyone had fed it most just shrugged and said no as 'it was nothing to do with them' (fair enough - you can't make people care), however a couple of nice people said no, they hadn't wanted to as they were worried it might belong to someone. So that cat was slowly dying of starvation as a result.

So, if you're worried about a cat, please do feed it. Then to check if it has an owner use a paper collar, or get it scanned for a chip (for free) at any vet.

[BistoBear]

Can I ask for some advice please?

We have a beautiful big black Persian male cat that lives in our street. He has always been a very friendly cat, would run to me when I got out my car. He would sometimes follow me up our close and come into our flat for a wee sniff around. We would offer him some food which he would always refuse before heading back out again. He was always immaculate, very shiny shiny coat and a very big cat. We know his name is Alfie as a lady in our street told me his name when she seen me patting him by the road.

In the last few months, we've noticed that Alfie is hanging around the street a lot more than he used to. When I got a closer look at him yesterday I noticed that he looked thin underneath his coat. He also has a matted bit of fur on his back leg. His coat is still shiny but it's just a bit unkempt now. He was also scratching at his head quite a bit. He followed us up the close, I didn't let him in my parents' dog was in the flat. I opened a can of tuna and gave him this with a wee dish of water. He gobbled up the whole tin of tuna but didn't touch the water (do cats drink water? Or should I have given milk?).

I noticed today that he is sitting outside an empty flat and there's an empty plate beside him so someone else must be feeding him too.

Alfie must be quite an old cat now, we've seen him on the street for about 12 years now. Do cats get skinny/scruffy as they get older? I've only ever had dogs...

I think I know which close Alfie's owner stays in, do you think I should go over as knock the doors until I find them and double check all is OK? My fiance's concern is that Alfie's owner may have either died or moved out and he's been abandoned.

What do you think ladies?

[thecatneuterer]

Bisto You should definitely do some investigation. Yes cats can become thinner and lose condition as they get older, but if he's hungry and has fleas it sounds as though he's living on the street. To be completely sure you could put a quick release collar on him with a note asking for his owner/feeder to get in touch.

Cats are turfed out by relatives/landlords all the time when owners die. And the street is no place for an elderly persian.

If you decide he is a stray do you have a plan? Whatever it is don't involve the RSPCA. Firstly they don't deal with strays, but if you did manage to persuade them to come out they'd probably put him down.

[OwlCapone]

Do you know where the lady who told you his name lives? Can you ask her? Or the other person who seems to be feeding him?

[crazynanna]

Bisto definitely follow this up.

I had a similar experience some time ago with an abandoned(ish) cat, and I luckily managed to rehome him and he wasn't a young lad either.
Let us know how you get on

[crazynanna]

I know fluffy but I can dream

[BistoBear]

I've come home to find Alfie in the flat my fiancé :)

[thecatneuterer]

I'm confused Bisto. Please do elaborate

[BistoBear]

I think he looks very skinny along the back. He used to be jet black but seems to be almost almost ginger, possibly from being out in the sun for so much?

He has got fleas but doesn't seem to be a major infestation, I could only find the one!

We're going to put some posters tomorrow, hopefully get to the bottom of what's going on :)

[BistoBear]

My fiancé had brought him into the house for some food and milk. He's had some food and I've got the pictures to make the posters.

[thecatneuterer]

How did he get in your flat? Yes he does look as though he's been out in the sun a lot.

He's not a persian though. Just a long-haired moggie.

[thecatneuterer]

X - post. I see

[FreckledLeopard]

Just seen this thread. We ended up feeding a stray this year. The cat (who had been in the neighbourhood periodically) started to hang around our kitchen window more and more and sneak in the back door and eat my cats' food. After a while, we began feeding him morning and night.

I got him a collar, put a note underneath it and asked owners to contact us if it was their cat. The note stayed on for a week and no-one got in touch . I then took cat to vet's to see if he was microchipped. No microchip . Searched all missing cat adverts, asked around the neighbourhood - nothing.

I'd have taken him myself but we have three cats already and he would beat them up. Thankfully, a colleague of mine was looking for a cat (hers had died a few months ago) and so he's now living in Kent!

I'm so glad there are people like you in the world thecatneuterer

Here is a picture of the kitty:

[Fluffycloudland77]

Yep, long haired moggy boy. The sun does fade black to brown so he's been out a lot to get that light. Breeders keep their black cats out of sunlight to prevent it because its better for the competitions.

The fleas will be literally sucking the life out of him.

Can you have him in just overnight? It's getting chilly overnight now & he hasn't got enough fur or flesh on him to stave off hypothermia.

[cozietoesie]

Alfie does look skinny although the length of his coat disguises it a bit. It sounds as if the poor lad has been abandoned - which happens, sadly.

Shall you be keeping him, Bisto, if it turns out that no-one wants him?

[crazynanna]

He's a beauty, Freckled

[thecatneuterer]

As this thread has just been linked to regarding another hungry cat I thought I'd update. Lois turned out to have no illness at all apart from starvation. She became a beautiful, healthy cat and has now found a lovely home with an old lady. Here she is again just before she left my care.

So I would say again, if a cat seems hungry then for god's sake feed it. Sure it's an idea to make enquiries - check for a chip/ paper collar - but do feed. If people are scared of feeding apparently stray cats they will end up dying of starvation. And there are many, many more stray cats around than there are thin cats that have owners.#