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The litter tray

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

Original poster

So this cat showed up in my garden yesterday…

193 replies

Inarightpickleandpreserve · 29/12/2023 12:05

Yesterday morning this little small kitty showed up meowing really loud at the door. Never seen it before. Went out and came back and it’s still there. Went out again and it’s still there so I gave it some tuna from a can which was wolfed down.

The weather was awful yesterday and I couldn’t bear thinking about leaving it outside so I set up a little bed in the garage with a blanket in a laundry basket which a heat pad. Makeshift litter box with a shoe box and hastily purchased corner shop litter.

My girls and I took it to the vet and today and they said he’s a boy cat about 10 months old, no chip, not been neutered and did we want to take him home?

so £100 in pets home later we have one kitty that’s moved in with us!! He is very purry and seems happy to be inside and warm.

ive got a litter box, carry case, scratch thing, got him chipped and have some sachets of food.

what else do I need to do??? Help!!

So this cat showed up in my garden yesterday…
OP posts:
Houseplanter · 29/12/2023 12:06

Post his pic on your local fb pages and see if he's lost

Wisterical · 29/12/2023 12:06

What else do you need to do? You need to find it's owner.

Lauren83 · 29/12/2023 12:07

I would probably post on social media (if you have it) local FB groups etc and ring round other vets in the area to see if anyone has reported one missing, maybe a sign in local shop windows too

Mammma91 · 29/12/2023 12:08

make sure he’s no fleas or worms :)

Original poster
Inarightpickleandpreserve · 29/12/2023 12:10

Thanks all, the vet checked him over this morning said he was in decent health but under weight. We did have a look locally to see if anyone had put a missing cat poster up but no.

will post on the social media.

thanks

OP posts:
Santaisscouringindeedfornewjob · 29/12/2023 12:11

Admitting to stealing a dcat op? My dd had one in her garden for 3 days. He was a house dcat who had gotten out and the owner wasn't on sm. Get on local FB pages and find his proper owner... And since you are now dcat prepared have a look on a local rescue fb page too.

RubySundayy · 29/12/2023 12:12

Can’t believe you’re all preaching at the OP to find the owner of an underweight, unchipped cat.

Thisweeksname · 29/12/2023 12:13

Thanks for taking him in, what a lovely boy ❤️ I doubt he has a home, there are so many stray cats at the moment. Obviously check social media etc but I think he’s yours now OP, enjoy your new cat

MayThe4th · 29/12/2023 12:14

I wouldn’t post on social media.

A ten month old cat which hasn’t been chipped or neutered isn’t exactly the beloved pet of any responsible owner.

If it belonged to anyone then it was someone who didn’t give a shit about it so I would get it wormed, flea’ed and give it a name. And I would get it chipped and neutered asap.

Original poster
Inarightpickleandpreserve · 29/12/2023 12:15

I’m not stealing a cat! The weather has been absolutely awful and I couldn’t bear the thought of him being outside it’s been horrible rain and wind here. Really stormy.

have put pictures up on socials including facebook and we will look after him until someone comes forward.

what age would someone normally neuter a boy cat? Is it likely to have been done before 10 months?

OP posts:
VernonScrips · 29/12/2023 12:16

Yes, well before 10 months.

if they can’t be arsed to chip or neuter then frankly they are a shit owner and don’t deserve him back.

MayThe4th · 29/12/2023 12:17

Inarightpickleandpreserve · 29/12/2023 12:15

I’m not stealing a cat! The weather has been absolutely awful and I couldn’t bear the thought of him being outside it’s been horrible rain and wind here. Really stormy.

have put pictures up on socials including facebook and we will look after him until someone comes forward.

what age would someone normally neuter a boy cat? Is it likely to have been done before 10 months?

Ignore the people telling you you’ve stolen a cat.

It doesn’t belong to anyone. Get it chipped and then it’s yours. If anyone cared for it it would have been properly looked after and it wasn’t.

Kittens are generally neutered at around twelve weeks so there’s no excuse for this one not to have been by now.

Original poster
Inarightpickleandpreserve · 29/12/2023 12:18

He is extremely skinny, vet weighed him and said just over 2kg and should be around 2.5-2.75kg. I have scheduled an appointment with the vet for 2 January to see about vaccinations and worming and fleas. I don’t know how they would tell if he has been vaccinated?
if he has been vaccinate that does tell me someone has owned him

OP posts:
Stresa22 · 29/12/2023 12:18

Keep him and have him neutered and chipped. He will soon take over the house and you should be a willing slave. Play with him and talk to him.

MayThe4th · 29/12/2023 12:21

There isn’t a way to tell if he’s been vaccinated.

He will be considered to be a stray and they will vaccinate him from the beginning.

mamma65432 · 29/12/2023 12:21

If he's really a stray then check for fleas, but he could have been a house cat and got out, it's not law yet? to chip cats and if his owner never intended him to go out then might not have seen a need - he could well have an owner looking for him.

Original poster
Inarightpickleandpreserve · 29/12/2023 12:21

He is very cute, will try to get more pictures so that people could see his markings properly I guess.

OP posts:
Peasand · 29/12/2023 12:28

He’s yours OP

inigomontoyahwillcox · 29/12/2023 12:34

I'd take the social media post down - as others have said, he's not been looked after well at all if he's not neutered or chipped (charities will do this for free if you're low income, so no excuse). If you can provide it with a good home and be a responsible owner and get it neutered and chipped then go for it.

arewedoneyet · 29/12/2023 12:41

RubySundayy · 29/12/2023 12:12

Can’t believe you’re all preaching at the OP to find the owner of an underweight, unchipped cat.

This completely.

What the OP did was really good and should be praised. The owners of the cat if there are any don't deserve it to leave it in that condition

Original poster
Inarightpickleandpreserve · 29/12/2023 12:42

He has taken a liking to our youngest!

So this cat showed up in my garden yesterday…
OP posts:
arewedoneyet · 29/12/2023 12:43

inigomontoyahwillcox · 29/12/2023 12:34

I'd take the social media post down - as others have said, he's not been looked after well at all if he's not neutered or chipped (charities will do this for free if you're low income, so no excuse). If you can provide it with a good home and be a responsible owner and get it neutered and chipped then go for it.

Yes absolutely this. I would take the social media post down I wouldn't want to give the cat back to anyone who left it in that condition.

arewedoneyet · 29/12/2023 12:44

Inarightpickleandpreserve · 29/12/2023 12:42

He has taken a liking to our youngest!

Beautiful cat and you've done such an amazing thing rescuing him, most likely saved his life

MayThe4th · 29/12/2023 12:44

mamma65432 · 29/12/2023 12:21

If he's really a stray then check for fleas, but he could have been a house cat and got out, it's not law yet? to chip cats and if his owner never intended him to go out then might not have seen a need - he could well have an owner looking for him.

Even an owner who never intended a cat to go out would have it chipped because there’s always a chance it will get out.

Sorry, but if someone fails to chip their cat and it gets out then it’s fair game if it moves in with someone else.

If the person who owned it wasn’t responsible enough to chip or neuter it, or feed it adequately, then presumably they didn’t vaccinate it either.

I agree with PP. take down the social media post. Get him chipped and as of now he’s yours.

AgnesX · 29/12/2023 12:46

Inarightpickleandpreserve · 29/12/2023 12:15

I’m not stealing a cat! The weather has been absolutely awful and I couldn’t bear the thought of him being outside it’s been horrible rain and wind here. Really stormy.

have put pictures up on socials including facebook and we will look after him until someone comes forward.

what age would someone normally neuter a boy cat? Is it likely to have been done before 10 months?

We had ours chipped when we got him (4 months) and neutered at 6 months. I'd expect both to be done well before 10 months.

Personally I think you've done the right thing especially as the little beast was underweight.

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