Have I found a stray?

[shaska]

I feel like I should know how to proceed here, but I don't quite, and figured what better place to ask!

For about a week, someone has been crying outside my house at night. It's not all night, or every night, but it's often enough to have been noted, and it's that proper 'I'M SAAAAAD' wail.

A couple of days ago I was coming home late and saw a black shadow dart out from behind a car and under a gate - then the crying started. So I trotted upstairs to fetch the dreamies, and after a while of holding them through the gate and 'puss-puss'-ing managed to tempt it over.

It's an apparently very hungry, very skittish, youngish-but-not-a-kitten black cat. Looks in good nick, but was not going to be tempted out from behind the gate, nor was it interested in a pat, just wanted food.

The gate it's hiding behind leads to a yard where they're doing construction - it's locked at night and is solid and tall, so no way in. I asked the guys who are there during the day, but they haven't seen a cat.

Tonight, again, it was nosing around outside, bolted back under the gate when it saw me but again the wailing. Again I took it down a dinner, which was gobbled up, but it's really not keen on getting close enough to touch.

I'm on the first floor, so no option to lure it into the house with a trail of dreamies for further investigation.

So, help me litter tray folks! Is this a lost cat, or is this a cat who's being left outside at times and is lonely but does have owners? It's odd that it's hanging around if it is lost, but then I did wonder if someone recently moved out and left it behind. But how to proceed? I probably could, if I devoted enough time to it, tempt it out and try to grab it, then take it to check for a chip, but is that called for at this point? Or do I just keep an eye out, feed it when I see it and see what develops?

Oh, PS - I have considered putting up a sign, but can't think of a non-passive aggressive or just crazy-sounding way to write 'DO YOU OWN A BLACK CAT? IT IS CRYING AND I AM WORRIED ABOUT IT. CALL ME OTHERWISE I MAY KIDNAP IT.'

So suggestions on that front are welcome.

Does it turn up in the daytime? If so could you take a photo (maybe when it's eating and distracted!) and then do a poster with the photo, saying: "FOUND: black cat" with your contact details, put a few up in the area?
My cats are microchipped, so if one was lost, I'd prefer someone to catch it and take it to a vet, rather than feed it. But I guess if the cat can't be caught and it's clearly distressed and hungry, probably better to feed it until you can catch it and take it to a vet.

Sounds lost to me. A six dinner Sid would me more of an attention whore & make up to you.

I'd feed it lots of wet food.

You could put a paper (so rippable) collar round its neck with a message on? RSPCA or Cats' Protect have one on their website I think. Then if it does have an owner, they can get in touch and tell you its just a greedy sod.

Could he be feral? Try your local branch of cats protection, the lady who runs our local branch is always very helpful in such situations, and if he needs to be trapped for a chip scan would come and do it for you (I'm assuming it's the same across the country, she may just be exceptionally dedicated).

No sign nor sound of it in the day - but as skittish as it is I'm not surprised really, it's builder central down there in daylight. Or otherwise it's happily indoors at home!

If it's lost, it's presumably lost from nearby, else why would it be hanging around - but I'm about 100m and one floor up from it and hear the crying, so if it belonged to anyone near you'd think they'd hear it too.

But then I agree that I'd expect a food-scrounger to have food-scrounger tactics. They're normally masters of the purr and nudge.

Paper collar would be great, but it dashes off if I move a muscle when it's within touching distance - so that might be a bit of a long range plan!

To be honest I'm leaning towards 'crap owner' over 'lost' - I suspect it might have a house, but is possibly not getting enough to eat and too much time outside. Either that or recently abandoned.

It doesn't seem feral - I don't know that much about ferals but if you chat to it it chats back, and no hissing. Plus I always imagine ferals as being hard-as-nails types who wouldn't dream of crying about being hungry or outside, as they wouldn't expect rescuing. But am I wrong there?

I think you're going to have to feed it to gain its trust then maybe do a paper collar.

It's very cold to be out at night though so perhaps cpl could lend you a trap?.

I once got 'landed' in the nicest possible way with a cat like that.

Hungry, thin and very, very difficult to approach. It took three weeks of feeding when I got close enough to touch her. No collar, no microchip and no answer to posters I put up.

We had many wonderful years though when she eventually deigned to trust us and live with us. Lost her to renal failure last year aged 12 (ish).

Still miss the little furface.

Keep trying. It may have an owner who is worried sick.

Completely agree, it sounds like a sad "cat in need" rather than "I'm doing this for attention".

You are going to have to keep feeding if you're going to gain it's trust.

Could you put a box/shelter with an old blanket in it in a protected corner outside? It's cold, I'm sure it would appreciate the shelter (it might also get it used to your scent)

I think feral cats tend to be completely wary of humans and wouldn't come as close to you as you've described thinking on it. Crap owner or dumped sounds most plausible like you say. Poor catbag

If you don't see it during the day, the chances are its owner puts it out at night.

You say it looks in good nick (I'd say it has an owner then!).

Every cat I know will take dreamies, hungry or not, affectionate or not.

Paper collar is a great suggestion but stop feeding it. If it has a home, you're tempting it away. If it's in good nick, you have no justifiable reason to do so.

FWIW, several of my neighbours cats yowl at my door. They will go on and on and on! If I fed them, they'd take it but I don't. The only reason I actually know they have homes is because I know their owners - otherwise I might make the same assumptions as you.

Box with blanket is a marvellous idea, thank you! I'll go down tomorrow and ask if the building guys mind, no doubt they'll think I'm a crazy cat-lady but that's fine since I am one.

I'm going to keep feeding - will see if I can get a routine going, as if it can turn up at the same time every day then a) that indicates lack of owner and b) hopefully we can build some trust.

Sadly, it can't live here - we're at max cat capacity and I suspect there would be Integration Problems. But if I can make friends with it and the crying/being around continues then at least I can get it scanned for a chip. I know I could call one of the rescues but I'm sure they've got more than enough to be getting on with, so figured I'd give it a shot myself first - then at least if I end up bringing them a cat, at least I'm not expecting them to come and catch it first!

Thanks litter tray! I was mostly worried that everyone would say 'stop trying to kidnap someone's cat', so you've put my mind at rest on that front.

You're not kidnapping Shaska. If my cats were so distressed they got yowly outside someone's door, then I'd be grateful for them to be looked after. If you're giving wet food, mix some water with it for hydration?

Cats become bolder at night, so entirely possible the poor little thing's been abandoned, and why you don't see it around during daylight hours.

Bless you, you lovely cat person you!

Sounds like a stray/semi-feral to me. And if it's female and unneutered that's a major problem. I wouldn't put posters up. Definitely try feed it and try to get it's trust, then maybe get some help with catching/trapping so that it can be scanned and neutered.

I don't suppose you're in London?

If you can post a photo on here I've got a brilliant straydar:)

thecatneuterer- Yep in east London. I did think of calling you guys but the thought of making you come out in the freezing cold instead of me just seemed a wee bit lazy.

I didn't think about it being an un-neutered girl though, and that's a good point.

I'll have a look for it tonight and will let you know how it goes.

i'll pm you.