Stray cat - help!

[samoyedydog]

So there's been a cat in my garden for 3 days now, he's there pretty much all day and I made him a little shelter with a cardboard box and a blanket just in case and he must sleep here too because he's come out of it every morning when I've gone outside since. I hadn't fed him until this morning I gave him a little bit of tuna, again just in case he really is lost/homeless. Now I've stuck a collar on him with my number written on the inside and I'm really scared that someone is going to think I've tried to steal their cat! What if the number rubs off and it just looks like I've put a collar on him! I would be happy to feed/provide shelter for this cat of course if it doesn't have an owner but it definitely wasn't ever my plan to have a cat! I've thought about putting 'found' posters up but I've read things about people taking cats under false pretences for things like dog baiting and I'm just really scared of something like that, what shall I do for the best?

Maybe you should take it to a local vet where they can scan to see if its chipped...there might be a family missing their cat.

Take the vet for a scan for a chip.

If no chip, then photo the cat and post it on to your local fb page (hopefully you have one) which has pets lost and found.

Please don't feed it tuna though. A bowl of water and some dry cat food should be adequate for it until you either find it's owner or take it in.

Take the cat to the vet. Not the vet. That would be silly.

If he's a friendly cat & you can catch him & put him in a box or borrow a cat box from someone or vet, you can take him to a vet to see if he has a microchip. Ask around to see if anyone knows him or knows of a missing cat. Put some water out for him & some cat food, if you don't mind doing that. Call your local rescue & see if they can take him. If you really don't want to have a cat, do try your best to find a home for him, before he gets under your skin! Good luck.

Yes definitely get it scanned at the vet if you can.

I did this recently and the cat had been missing for 8 months. The owners were shocked and v happy to be reunited.

Good advice above except the 'put him in a box' comment. Under no circumstances do that! The only way to transport a cat is in a proper cat carrier - any sort of box is just an accident waiting to happen. I'm sure a neighbour with a cat will lend one to you. Or you can buy them for around £10. But don't be tempted by those single use cardboard ones. A cat can claw it's way out and, if it has a piss, the bottom will become soggy and just fall out.

And there's nothing wrong with occasional tuna. It shouldn't be a staple, but once in a while is fine.

He's got the collar off himself anyway, it's one of those quick release ones. I will buy a box tomorrow and take him to the vets to be scanned then. Hopefully he has an owner somewhere.

The cat didn't come back last night and he's not there this morning so hopefully he's gone back to his family

If he does come back then try posting on the Facebook group for missing pets in your area. Our local one is run by a lady with a scanner and she will come out and scan found cats.