Stray cat

[ThinkForAMinute]

We noticed a stray cat (un-neutered male) hanging around our garden yesterday evening - there was something about it that made us think it was lost rather than a neighbourhood cat have a nosy around.

My son and our neighbour ended to taking it to the local 24 hour vets to check for a micro-chip. It is chipped and the vet contacted the registered owner (who lives some distance away - but near enough that the cat could have made it’s way to our garden) who wasn’t in the slightest bit interested and didn’t want it back - it was a lock-down kitty and they’ve lost interest.

The problem is that we already have 3 female cats - including one that isn’t yet neutered (due to be in in the summer holidays) and that really is enough. We can’t accommodate another - especially when it’s a large, un-neutered male.

The vet basically told our son and neighbour last night that nobody wants this type of cat, the shelters are full and we are the cats only chance. If we don’t take it then it will be put to sleep. It’s currently with our neighbour over-night but they have several rescues and like us can’t take another. My son is very upset and refusing to go on our planned short break today because he wants to show the cat some love and attention.

I really don’t know what to do - is it’s future really that bleak if we don’t take it?

Oh the poor thing. Could you take him and then try to re-home him yourself?

Not with our youngest cat not being neutered yet - we are due to go away for a few days in 2 hours and I’m not sure how long our neighbours are willing to keep him.

Could you make a wee shelter for him and ask neighbour to feed him? book him in for neuter asap if you can, contact your local CP branch or a small local rescue, there is help out there, very few rescues pts.

Where are you? I don't think many rescues would PTS a healthy 2 year old cat. I would have thought he could find a good home after neutering. Could your neighbour keep him long enough to get neutered?

Thanks for the responses - I think he’s rather a handsome cat - pure white with a stripy tail, different colour eyes and friendly. Healthy and flea-free according to the vet last night - not sure about vaccination status.

I think our neighbour is going to keep him until we are back home on Tuesday and then we need to plan.

I’ve had a look at our our local shelter (Greater Manchester) and they have a no destruction policy - but they aren’t open on a Sunday. There seems to be a couple of smaller rescues too.

We’ve got a few places in the garden that our cats use as a shelter (greenhouse etc) and we can put food and water there if we need to.

Depending whereabouts in Greater Manchester you are, you could try and see if Bleakholt would take him - they're Edenfield/Ramsbottom way.

If its chipped you can't just take it the chip has to be transferred?

You could get him neutered first though?

We don’t want to take the cat on - but not a lot we can do when the registered owner doesn’t want it.

I’ve had rescues from there a long time ago when we lived over that way - it’s definitely one to think about if our local rescue can’t help. Thank you.

I agree that the cat needs to be neutered - I think it’s awful that he’s not been yet. But it’s not my cat, so I not sure that’s something I should do, or that I want to spend around £70 on.

I'm surprised a vet would be willing to PTS. That's not something my vet would do. Are there any rescues who would give you a voucher to pay for him to be neutered? That's fairly normal where I live.

m.facebook.com/Mansfieldcat/photos/a.100570365093143/525016552648520/?type=3&source=57&refid=52&ft=mf_story_key.525016575981851%3Atop_level_post_id.525016575981851%3Atl_objid.525016575981851%3Acontent_owner_id_new.100565185093661%3Athrowback_story_fbid.525016575981851%3Apage_id.100565185093661%3Astory_location.4%3Astory_attachment_style.photo%3Aott.AX8miMR5_apujtC1%3Aent_attachement_type.MediaAttachment%3Aapp_id.350685531728%3Apage_insights.%7B%22100565185093661%22%3A%7B%22page_id%22%3A100565185093661%2C%22page_id_type%22%3A%22page%22%2C%22actor_id%22%3A100565185093661%2C%22dm%22%3A%7B%22isShare%22%3A0%2C%22originalPostOwnerID%22%3A0%7D%2C%22psn%22%3A%22EntStatusCreationStory%22%2C%22post_context%22%3A%7B%22object_fbtype%22%3A266%2C%22publish_time%22%3A1653767955%2C%22story_name%22%3A%22EntStatusCreationStory%22%2C%22story_fbid%22%3A%5B525016575981851%5D%7D%2C%22role%22%3A1%2C%22sl%22%3A4%2C%22targets%22%3A%5B%7B%22actor_id%22%3A100565185093661%2C%22page_id%22%3A100565185093661%2C%22post_id%22%3A525016575981851%2C%22role%22%3A1%2C%22share_id%22%3A0%7D%5D%7D%2C%221490503647849989%22%3A%7B%22page_id%22%3A1490503647849989%2C%22page_id_type%22%3A%22page%22%2C%22actor_id%22%3A100565185093661%2C%22dm%22%3A%7B%22isShare%22%3A0%2C%22originalPostOwnerID%22%3A0%7D%2C%22psn%22%3A%22EntStatusCreationStory%22%2C%22role%22%3A16%2C%22sl%22%3A4%7D%7D%3Aprofile_id.100565185093661%3Aactrs.100565185093661%3Atds_flgs.3%3Aftmd_400706.111111l&tn=EH-R

Sorry, huge link, but interesting read from Mansfield Cat Rescue, who recently took Len in.

Maybe contact them for some advice. They took in Toddlers lovely stray cat, Len.

Best of luck.

m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=524248119392030&id=100565185093661&m_entstream_source=timeline&tn=%2As%2As-R

CP do low cost neuter schemes

My first thought when I saw this thread was of Len. Try a smaller independent rescue. I found the big ones useless!