Aibu to catnap a cat

[fuzzywuzzy]

I don’t know who’s he is or whether he’s a stray, he’s a long haired cat and very skinny and flea ridden, his fur is very matted, & today when he raced over to greet me I brushed the bigger knots out of his fur, that’s how I know he has fleas.

Would I be unreasonable to take him to the nearest vets to check if he is chipped and just lost. And if he has no chip keep him?

I hate seeing him wondering around the neighbourhood racing to us wanting to be fussed, I’m worried he is alone.

He could of course have a family and just be playing the neighbourhood for fuss. But I am worried about him as he was wandering around at 11pm and more so because he has fleas.

I wasn’t going to feed him as I don’t want him to become besotted by us because we feed him.

But I gave him a little dry cat food (we’ve got three cats so feeding him is no problem), he practically swallowed the lot down without even inhaling. I’m definitely taking him to the vets tomorrow, it really upset me to see him eating so fast like he was very very hungry. I’ve never seen ours eat food like that.

I’m more than happy to keep him if it turns out he’s a stray, one more won’t make any difference to us. He’s very sweet and playful, he comes racing over as soon as we leave the house.

Also I promise I haven’t been feeding him previously he just looks so skinny. I think he’s quite a young cat. I wouldn’t dream of taking him away from a loving family, we have cats and they’re a huge part of our lives. I’ve not let him into the house as I don’t want our cats infected by fleas. DP wants to flea him, but I think we should just take him to the vets and let them decide.

YES, do that! If he has got an owner, they're not looking after him.

I've always had cats (36 years), butI've only got 1 at present - he was a stray, and his fur was awful, he had fleas, and scars/scratches all on his face, from fighting. Over time, I gained his trust, got him to a vet, had his injuries, fleas, etc., treated, got him chipped and neutered. He's been the loveliest, most grateful, affectionate cat ever! I've had him 7 years and adore him.

I also "stole" a cat from my son's neighbour - the bloke had gone on holiday for a week, left the cat OUT to fend for itself - I took it home, kept it for 5 months (my lovely boy didn't like this cat) and then rehomed it!

I can't believe you haven't been feeding him. He is obviously not getting food anywhere else and is starving to death. You've put water out with the dried food I imagine?

It's great that you care enough to help, but the thing he obviously needs most is food. There is no reason you shouldn't flea him yourself, as long as you use a 'proper' treatment and not some off the shelf stuff.

Don't flea him yourself, he may have broken skin if he's a stray. Let the vet decide. And thank you for looking out for him.

Yes dry food and water since I got advice here.
Haven’t seen him today however, but I have been at work today.

DP wanted to use the flea drops perscribed by the vets for our brood but I didn’t want him to medicate him.

I’ll bring him in if I see him tonight and to the vets first thing in the morning.

I know I’ve been stupid I should have fed him straight away, but I kept thinking he must belong to a neighbour and how mad they’d get if they thought I was trying to entice their cat away.

Well it's great that you're feeding him now. And that you're taking him to the vet. Best of luck to you both.

He might be lost and thin because of that. His owners might be worried sick. Yes best to check chip. Most vets also keep a book of missing pets in the area when people ring to see if they have come across any. There's also plenty of websites with lost pets on. Someone catnapped mine once and I had to keep going back for it was so angry about that! Know you're not doing that fuzzy just wanted to rant!

There's just so many people feeding others cats thinking they are helping but cats are fickle as you know and will go wherever there's food. Sometimes they are on special diets though and people don't realise. Gets down off soapbox.....

Yes, but equally there are so many lost cats starving to death because everyone is scared to feed. You really shouldn't ignore a hungry cat. Certainly scan for a chip and try a paper collar but, in the meantime, feed the thing.

Just a couple of weeks ago I picked up a cat in the street that was on the verge of death from starvation. If one of my cats were to get lost I would be very grateful to anyone who fed it. Of course I would also like them to get the chip scanned, but the worst thing you can do is to ignore because 'it might belong to someone'.

Glad you are now feeding him! Please don’t feed him big amounts though, I would have thought small and often would be better for his hungry tum

I use my three in one treatment from the vet on my visiting stray i get 6 months at a time for mine so the odd one for him doesnt bother me.

Hoping you see him tonight so you -we- get to find out if he can live happily ever after with yoy!

*You!

Any news?

What happened with the vet?