What can we do about this cat?

[IShouldBeSoLurky]

Spotted a cat in a garden. Quite thin and very dirty, with matted fur around its tail. Some people were passing and said they'd noticed it a while before and been worried.

This was about three weeks ago. Since then we've been feeding the cat twice a day and leaving water for it. I've called Celia Hammond, who sent someone round but said that because the cat is not "that" thin (unsurprising as we and other neighbours have been feeding it), and the person living in the house confirmed that the cat is theirs, there is nothing they can do. I've called the RSPCA as well, who've said they'll investigate, but I suspect the response will be the same.

The problem is, I've heard from others on our local FB group who are also concerned about the cat, that the owner is apparently disabled and is clearly not coping well at all. The stench when you approach the house is absolutely unbelievable. If she is struggling so much I can completely understand why the cat is not a priority, but if we were not feeding it it would be starving. Apparently it was outside even when it was snowing a few months ago.

The woman I spoke to at Celia Hammond said that she would call SS and let them know that the owner appears to be in need of support, but obviously I won't know what if anything comes of that.

I literally don't know what else to do. It is the sweetest, friendliest, most lovely cat but it's not in a good state and it can't live in a front garden with no shelter indefinitely. We can't take it because our own DCat HATES all other cats with a passion and our first duty is to her - even if it were okay to just swipe someone's cat out of their garden which I suspect it's not.

I'd be so grateful for any ideas.

No you can't just Nick it, would you feel happy to speak to the owner and ask if they would like your help with cat or themselves. If you want you can contact rspca who do home visits.

Make sure it can shelter from the sun in your garden. Cats are usually good at finding spots but you never know. Also make sure you put water out.

Sorry didn't see you already spoke to rspca, I thought they were able to go and speak to owners who may be struggling. Have you got an old carrier or sturdy box you can put out for it to sit in.

Thanks. Sorry, my OP was quite long.

We are leaving water out. We've contacted the RSPCA. I don't live close enough to provide shelter for it in my garden.

The owner doesn't answer the door when people knock and TBH I am not in a position to provide the level of support she clearly needs even if she'd accept it.

At the moment the cat is sheltering from the sun under a bush but when the weather changes it will need better shelter. Other neighbours I've spoken to would be happy to chip in for a proper cat shelter but I'm not sure it wouldn't get removed - I left a box of food pouches there and it was gone the next day.

It's in it's own garden poor soul, it's awful that someone took your food, you are probably right about the shelter, someone will take it. Do her direct neighbours talk to her, would one of them take the cat in. I meant would she agree to the rspca contacting the authorities about her needing some help for herself and kitty. I wonder if cat protection help in this situation.

We saw the next door neighbour when we were there earlier and she asked if the cat's owner was our mother. I was just dropping in briefly so couldn't engage really but we just said we'd popped by to feed the cat. Honestly if I lived next door to that house I'd be posting in AIBU on a daily basis - it's so, so grim. I am sure neighbours have contacted SS , I can't imagine that they wouldn't. I don't live close by - if I'm not going via the cat on my way home it's a 30 minute walk to go and check it out. I went that way on my way home tonight and the cat was so happy to see me. It's fucking heartbreaking. I just want a solution and I can't see one.

I agree if its that friendly why cant someone just pick it up and take it to a garden so that you can all look after it? Clearly its only being left in a bush anyway.

I've been in a very similar situation!!!

RSPCA were useless and refused to do anything because the cat was being fed (by me!)

The cat in my situation was stick thin and had cuts and sores on its body. You would hear it crying and crying in the rain and cold to be let in and it never was.

In the end I stole the cat and my sister gave her a home.

People may think that it's a bad decision but your gut will tell you if it's the correct one.

Oh dear. Thanks all. I am so tempted to steal it but what would I do with it? I can't give it a home because of our DCat. And is it right to steal some poor disabled person's cat?

If I call the PDSA might they be willing to check it over do you think?

The cat probably needs worming and flea medicine. You would not be wrong to take the abused cat.
Disability is not an excuse to abuse an animal.

The cat is being neglected and you can’t raise the owner. You aren’t the only one who thinks the cat needs help. You have tried to contact cat welfare agencies but without much response from them.

It’s an ethical dilemma but the cat can’t help itself here, short of rehoming itself (which they often do, to be fair). You could try asking your vet for off the record advice. You could carry on as before. You could try scooping it into a carrier and taking it into the vet as a ‘stray’, see what transpires. Or yes, try PDSA, see what they say. They must have seen similar before.

If the house smells terrible and someone thinks the owner is at risk then they could call social services or environmental health to check up that the person is ok. With kitty the more I hear I would tempt it into a carrier, are you in London, the rspca are incredibly slow and inactive, have you got cat protection or blue cross near you. Even if you do take it it would be better off living in your garage in a comfy box with regular feeding and company for a few days.

Have you got medivet nearby? Ring them as they do free neutering for strays maybe between you all you could buy some flee treatment and pay for the vaccines. If you start feeding it in your garden it will stay around and your cat may tolerate it. Mine just stare at the three strays I feed. As long as they stay outside the door.

I'd not have any ethical dilemmas about taking puss to the vet just to see if s/he is tagged and if not finding her/him a better forever home. I'd also report the neighbour to SS and anyone else for their own sake.

Thanks again everyone. I'll update tomorrow once I've spoken to PDSA.

How did you get on @IShouldBeSoLurky ?

‘Quite thin and very dirty, with matted fur around its tail. Some people were passing and said they'd noticed it a while before and been worried.’

Your first two sentences alone are enough to get the cat out of there

It probably isn’t chipped, just take to a rescue centre and present it as a stray.

Hello. So the situation with the cat is unchanged BUT it seems SS are now involved with the owner, which is really good news. So I'm inclined to wait a few days and see what happens - if she is getting proper support it may be she's able to care properly for the cat and if she is moved into some kind of sheltered accommodation then the cat genuinely will be abandoned and we can deal with it accordingly. The cat's situation isn't getting any worse at least.