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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Any experience with taking in a stray cat?

39 replies

Aspiringmatriarch · 05/05/2021 13:44

We already have two cats, a year old. Another male cat has been around the neighbourhood a lot and has got into our house a few times until we changed to a microchip catflap. Anyway, having asked around it seems he doesn't belong to anyone. He's unneutered and has sprayed in our house before. Lately DP and I have been worried because he's lost weight and is limping so we managed to tempt him into our cat carrier and get him to the vet near us who are treating the foot, and can get him vaccinated and neutered too. He needs a home though and DP wants to take him... I'm just worried about whether he'd get on okay with our cats, whether he'd adapt to being a family cat, whether he'd actually stop spraying even after being neutered. I question whether he'd be better off going to a home without other cats, but I'm also worried about him not being rehomed.
Has anyone been in this situation and had good or bad experiences? Any advice?

OP posts:
Beamur · 05/05/2021 13:47

Presumably not chipped?
I think spraying does change with neutering.
It sounds like he's keen to take up residence with you!
How are your cats with him? It's possible to introduce new cats to an existing home, may require patience Grin

Original poster
Aspiringmatriarch · 05/05/2021 13:56

They're wary but they've seen him around quite a bit. They sort of stare at him looking less than relaxed but they don't run off with bushy tails or anything. I know it's possible in theory to introduce a new animal but don't want to commit if it's going to be too much.

OP posts:
Original poster
Aspiringmatriarch · 05/05/2021 14:06

Not chipped and doesn't seem to have had much care, although he knows his way round a cat flap so may have had an owner at some point? DP was absentmindedly tickling his head thinking he was one of ours the other day and he was receptive to that. I know he's been roaming around the area as there were some posts on Facebook asking about him. Should we put up posters maybe?

I want to say yes to having him but just don't have experience with rehoming a semi feral cat Blush let alone with two in situ!

(Picture of the cutie in question.)

OP posts:
Original poster
Aspiringmatriarch · 05/05/2021 14:07

Sorry, here's the picture!

Any experience with taking in a stray cat?
OP posts:
Gottalovesummer · 05/05/2021 14:14

It sounds like he's yours already and the signs from your other cats are promising.

Hope he stays on with you, I'm sure he'd be very happy to join your family and find out what love is.

AnnaMagnani · 05/05/2021 14:15

My neighbour has adopted 3 strays!

One lives in her house, one in the porch and one only as far as being fed in the garden. To say they get on would be an overstatement but they all rub along reasonably.

The only male was a massive bully when he turned up but underwent a complete personality change when he lost his balls and is now bossed about by one of the girls.

Mumsnut · 05/05/2021 14:35

We acquired our young Tom under almost identical circs: he was a stray, with a leg wound.

We caught him, took him to the vet and brought him home (minus bollocks ) with trepidation

He walked out of the borrowed carrier, onto a lap, and pretty much stayed there for nearly 20 years

We didn’t have a second cat but he was very pally with the ginger boy downstairs

Original poster
Aspiringmatriarch · 05/05/2021 14:38

I think we're going to take him. The cat's protection people have said they have to advertise for a week in case his previous owner claims him and they can't neuter him until after that, but have asked if we can have him in the meantime rather than him going into a pen. I think they're a bit short of space. Not at all sure about the unneutered aspect but I suppose we can clean up after him until he gets the snip.

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Original poster
Aspiringmatriarch · 05/05/2021 15:14

Hmm just spoke to a vet nurse (a school mum I'd forgotten about) to ask her advice and she advised against it as one of ours is a boy. She thought it would be difficult to get him to accept another male. I did say our boy is neutered and totally soppy and I'm awaiting a response.

So, any experience with introducing a male cat to a household with another male?

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TheLongRider · 05/05/2021 16:32

We've introduced boy cats into the house with other boy cats. Not a problem, we currently have four boys and one girl. Once the new boy respects the authority of the current cat it should be fine. They eventually work out their own hierarchy.

We have one alpha male and one wannabe alpha and they tolerate each other quite well, middle boy cat is definitely the beta make and gets some hassle from the other two but stands his ground if it gets serious. Fourth boy is still under a year and very diplomatic with the other boys and the girl cat. I've never had a cat that is so good at adjusting his personality to the other cats, he respects the top cat, plays with next in line, washes the third and chirrups at aloof girl cat.

I'd say try it and it will probably work out if your current cats aren't too bothered by him.

Beamur · 05/05/2021 17:20

I don't think I would place undue weight on the new cat being a boy. See how it goes

Toilenstripes · 05/05/2021 17:24

As pp have said m if he respects his elders he should be fine. I’ve seen it work well with two males but not with females.

Stickytreacle · 05/05/2021 17:28

I have 8 cats, all taken in as feral/stray. Put new boy in his own room for a few weeks until the hormones have died down, that will make introductions easier.

Do scent swapping and gradual introductions, feeding and playtimes are a good opportunity. I'm sure they'll be fine, the ex ferals I have have been wonderful cats.

Bargebill19 · 05/05/2021 17:30

It worked for us. It does sound like he had already chosen you as his slave. You can only give it a go and be patient.
We had one boy and four girls. We took in fat Sam (feral stray) and he stayed with zero trouble until he died. Outside, fat Sam was an absolute bruiser and king of all he surveyed.

Stickytreacle · 05/05/2021 17:32

Oh and I have five boys. ☺

Original poster
Aspiringmatriarch · 05/05/2021 18:58

Thank you for all the lovely replies. I'm feeling quite excited about having another cat now and getting a warm glow about giving him a home and love Smile. Apologies for the soppiness!
The boy we have is very laid back so hopefully that will work out ok. We're definitely planning on giving him a room to himself while he settles in and I think I'll get a plug-in Feliway to help him chill.
Fingers crossed this will all go as smoothly as it can. I think he'll probably be delighted to have a reliable source of food anyway, so that's in our favour. Looking forward to getting to know him!

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Mia184 · 05/05/2021 19:54

We need a picture from him outside the carrier Smile

GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman · 05/05/2021 20:00

We took in a stray many years ago; he got on fine with the resident cat (who he massively outlived) and the dog we had then, and always seemed incredibly contented to just have a home.

He was a lovely cat, very focused on his people. Hope your new one works out well.

Original poster
Aspiringmatriarch · 05/05/2021 20:08

@Mia184

We need a picture from him outside the carrier Smile
Will definitely update with a photo as soon as I can!
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MargaretFraggle · 05/05/2021 20:13

We introduced a stray cat to our easy-going male cat. All fine. It helped that they had obviously already come across each other in the garden and I fed them in separate places for ages. Stray cat lives in the utility area by choice so non-stray gets the house. It works, and neutering Stray really helped him be friendlier and receptive and not spray (though he is still a massive scaredy cat).

Arbadacarba · 05/05/2021 20:21

I definitely recommend the Feliway - there's a type 'Feliway Friends' that is supposed particularly to promote harmony between cats.

Kittytheteapot · 05/05/2021 20:21

I hope it goes well. I'm a bit late to this thread but I successfully introduced an unneutered male stray to my 2 boys (brothers) a few years ago. The brothers were 11 and I thought far too old to accept a new cat, but the stray was still a kitten, about 4 months old, and actually the brothers took to him better than they took to each other! Perhaps it helped that the stray was so young, though? He obviously annoyed them a bit with his kittenish behaviour but there was never any serious aggression. I kept the new cat apart from them at night until some time after he had been neutered and had settled in, and he had a separate place to eat for a few weeks, and a litter tray (the brothers didn't have one as they had free access outdoors) but the actual period of time when I kept the new cat in a separate room during the day only lasted a day or so. Good luck! How exciting.

Original poster
Aspiringmatriarch · 07/05/2021 21:48

He's been claimed by someone Sad. Quite upset, he's such a sweetie. He was snuggling up next to DP earlier looking so happy.

Any experience with taking in a stray cat?
OP posts:
TheLongRider · 07/05/2021 21:56

Ah no, I'm sorry. You really did your best for him.

Fluffycloudland77 · 07/05/2021 22:01

Oh well. He has an owner who’s missed him though, hopefully they will get him done so he doesn’t wander again.