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Sad little cat has turned up in my garden

28 replies

AgentCandid · 21/04/2017 15:58

Last night a little black and white cat turned up in my front garden and I thought it had just come to wind up my cat through the window, but it was still there this morning and looking a bit sad and scruffy. I've fed it some dry cat food, which it bolted, and it's drunk most of a bowl of water so I think it's lost or abandoned. It seems able to move easily but it's longhaired and is pretty matted underneath.

There's a local Facebook group I can post on to see if anyone claims it, but is there a clever way to do this that will weed out any chancers who try to claim it under false pretences?

If no one comes forward I'd love to keep it as it seems a sweet little thing, but my cat is very intolerant and would not have it. Also I've got a toddler and another baby on the way so it's not the time Sad I've spent all morning trying to convince myself otherwise Sad

Photos attached of little sad cat and of my cat looking extremely unimpressed.

Sad little cat has turned up in my garden
Sad little cat has turned up in my garden
OP posts:
OldBooks · 21/04/2017 15:59

Oh what a beauty! Poor thing hope you can sort something out for it

Wolfiefan · 21/04/2017 16:01

Put a paper collar on it.
Or take it to vet and get it scanned.
Don't feed it. It could be on a special diet.

AgentCandid · 21/04/2017 16:39

I know, it's gorgeous isn't it, OldBooks?

I can't get in touch with our vet until Monday but I'll keep an eye on it over the weekend. I wouldn't rush to feed a strange cat but it had been on the same spot on our window sill for well over 12 hours by the time I came down this morning.

What's the best thing to do about the Facebook group? Post with no photo and get them to describe the cat before I hand it over?

OP posts:
pumpkinpie5 · 21/04/2017 16:43

Oh bless her. I second getting her checked for a chip on Monday. Post on fb with no picture and if someone claims she is theirs we always ask to describe and also to prove ownership through a photo they have of her, or an account at a vets etc which will have her details. If you have no luck, try a rescue to take her in for rehoming. I work for one and rescues are unusually quiet in most areas at the moment.

maltwisney · 21/04/2017 16:50

I had to do a double take at that photo because it looks like my twatcat.
Twatcat pulls that exact scruffy, stray look to a little old lady on the corner, who feeds him all manner of crap.
Told her repeatedly that he's not a stray, but a manipulative greedy shit!

Don't fall for it 😂

Sad little cat has turned up in my garden
Fluffycloudland77 · 21/04/2017 17:14

If it's drunk a load of water it's not coping, cats have a low thirst drive & get moisture from food so it probably hasn't eaten either.

I would get it in a cat box and take it to the vet for scanning. Hopefully it's chipped with up to date details.

Your cat doesn't look that cross, mine would be throwing himself at the glass and howling.

I've long ruled out a second cat.

caoraich · 21/04/2017 17:16

If there's a vets 4 pets near you, you could take the cat there. They're a franchise so it varies but they tend to be open saturday and sunday, and sometimes right into the evenings.

I second posting on FB with no pics, or any local neighbourhood site like nextdoor.com

Fluffycloudland77 · 21/04/2017 17:16

I would continue to feed it too, it's obviously not managing on its own.

Definitely no photo on fb, we've all got more pet photos on our phones than anything else.

AgentCandid · 21/04/2017 17:17

Asking for photos, that's what my brain was scrabbling for! Thanks pumpkinpie5, I'm not feeling very sharp today. So you think she looks like a she too? I did but was trying to stay detached and use 'it'.

Ha ha it did occur to me, malt, but it's a really good impression of a sad little stray and I'm completely taken in Blush

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AgentCandid · 21/04/2017 17:21

Oops, slow typing. Thanks to others too.

I missed the stage where FatBetty was throwing herself against the glass, Fluffy. She'd settled for silent glowering by the time I got my phone out. There's been a lot of silent glowering coming my way since she saw me putting food out for the interloper.

OP posts:
maltwisney · 21/04/2017 17:53

He's an absolute bugger for it and was like a walking barrel xmas day Hmm
I missed the bit in your post about drinking loads, that is a bit concerning.
Might be worth popping him to the vet or put his picture on some local FBI sites.

maltwisney · 21/04/2017 17:54

Fb.
Not sure the FBI would be much help!

AgentCandid · 21/04/2017 17:57

I've put more water out and she hasn't had any, but she's eaten some more food. Hopefully she's feeling a bit better.

In fact, I've just had a look out the front and I can't see her. I'll keep a look out this evening but maybe she's taken what she needed and moved on.

OP posts:
AgentCandid · 21/04/2017 17:57

Grin I did think it might be a step too far!

OP posts:
Trustyourself2 · 21/04/2017 21:05

Do you have somewhere dry and warm she can sleep until you sort something out for her. She's a beauty.

Smeaton · 21/04/2017 21:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MsMims · 21/04/2017 22:03

Please get it to a vet for a chip scan. As PP have said, pets at home vets will be open tomorrow. If you put it on facebook then don't add a photo, and expect anyone who claims it as theirs to provide you with a photo to prove ownership. But remember lots of people don't use Facebook so just posting it on there isn't sufficient.

I once found a scrawny cat in a car park. Took him home for the evening and off to vets in the morning but no sign of a chip. Then handed him into local CPL. A few days later he was claimed by his owners, he had wandered very far from home and did actually have a chip but for some reason it didn't scan. If I'd just kept him he never would have been reunited with his loving family.

AgentCandid · 22/04/2017 07:19

Vet will have to wait until Monday when DP can help me I'm afraid, but I will look out for her until then. She's sheltering in a very dense currant bush when not staring through my window beseechingly but I'll see if there's anywhere sheltered that I can put our cat box to give her another option.

Definitely can't keep her so I'll do my best to find her owners before looking for a rescue.

OP posts:
stumblymonkeyreturns · 22/04/2017 07:27

If she's out all night she'll be very cold at night Sad

Can you put her in a spare room until Monday?

stumblymonkeyreturns · 22/04/2017 07:27

Or if you contact Cat's Protection they usually have a portable microchip scanner and can come out...

Fluffycloudland77 · 23/04/2017 10:18

Is sad little cat still there?.

Toddlerteaplease · 25/04/2017 10:05

Any update?

AgentCandid · 02/05/2017 13:26

Sorry, I've only just seen the latest comments. Unfortunately sad little cat has disappeared. She was around on the Saturday night when I last posted, looking a lot perkier. Then by morning there was no sign of her. I really hope she found her way back home. I've kept an eye out ever since just in case I catch sight of her.

OP posts:
AgentCandid · 27/06/2017 22:03

Just got my first sighting of sad cat since I last posted. She's now looking sleek and healthy, but still tried to get in my house when I arrived home in the drizzle. Now I'm thinking she's definitely a chancer and has a home nearby but didn't want to turn down the chance of extra food. Great to know she's doing well and probably extorting treats from other houses on the street.

OP posts:
Mimipoo · 28/06/2017 06:15

Please get it to vets and scanned. I currently have a missing cat and the idea of someone just keeping her rather than getting her to a vets or rescue center where she can be found is really upsetting to me.