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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:
JenJenJenJenJenJen · 29/12/2023 14:53

You’re a good person, OP ❤️

DepressedMum38 · 29/12/2023 14:55

Please help, any advice greatly received. Loosing the will with my toddlers constant wingein and tantrums. I'm exhausted of how she dictates my every move and it's really getting me down. I've no support network, get no restbite and her fathers not speaking to me so I'm genuinely loosing the will to continue my daily struggle. Fair to say I'm not enjoying motherhood one bit. Hate myself for feeling this way

Startingagainandagain · 29/12/2023 14:56

Keep the cat and remove the social media posts.

Someone who does not feed a cat well enough and can't be bothered to chip and neuter him and who leaves the poor thing outside in really bad weather does not deserve to be a pet owner.

MayThe4th · 29/12/2023 14:57

Can’t believe the way in which people are falling over themselves to justify and excuse animal neglect.

The cat is in chipped, in neutered, severely underweight. I could care less whether anyone came forward, in fact I would have him chipped and neutered now and as of the time he was chipped he would be my cat.

If someone cared about him they would have had him chipped and neutered, would have been feedin him properly, but they didn’t. So tough shit if he used to belong to anyone. If you can’t be arsed to look after your animals properly then you deserve for them to run away to a better life.

catsoop · 29/12/2023 14:58

It's not a kitten. He's unchipped & not neutered, prowling about in the freezing cold. He may have only been with OP 24 hours but he could have been wandering about for days..

BlastedPimples · 29/12/2023 14:59

You're not stealing a cat.

Lucky cat to have found you.

BlastedPimples · 29/12/2023 14:59

Get him neutered though asap before he starts spraying.

JenJenJenJenJenJen · 29/12/2023 15:00

MayThe4th · 29/12/2023 14:57

Can’t believe the way in which people are falling over themselves to justify and excuse animal neglect.

The cat is in chipped, in neutered, severely underweight. I could care less whether anyone came forward, in fact I would have him chipped and neutered now and as of the time he was chipped he would be my cat.

If someone cared about him they would have had him chipped and neutered, would have been feedin him properly, but they didn’t. So tough shit if he used to belong to anyone. If you can’t be arsed to look after your animals properly then you deserve for them to run away to a better life.

Agree.

If someone came on to post that their 10 month old male, unneutered, unchipped, underweight cat went missing, I can guarantee you that the first post would be “well hopefully he’s gone off to find a family who will look after him, you neglectful beast”.

I really hope the people telling OP she’s done the wrong thing don’t have the pets.

TeacherPlease · 29/12/2023 15:07

JingleSnowmanTree · 29/12/2023 13:49

@TeacherPlease

im worried about your morals, if you are indeed a teacher.

its no more right to steal a cat that isn't chipped than a car that isn't locked.

yes, the cat should be chipped, but this one isn't fir whatever reason. It clearly has a warm comfortable living home.

it is NOT the OP's cat

Show quote history

I’m not a teacher, don’t worry.

twigolsenisabrat · 29/12/2023 15:13

FreshWinterMorning · 29/12/2023 13:55

Exactly. It's disgusting to just take someone else's cat. I can't believe the nerve of some of the posters on here. Many of them really would STEAL someone else's pet. WOW. Just WOW. Confused

Show quote history

She has not stolen it, that would imply intention. Cat could well have been abandoned by an owner. CoL, housing restrictions, new relationships with dog owner, full cat rescue from abandoned pets etc. list is endless.

Cat turned up, uninvited, & luckily op is not heartless and has offered it a shelter & food whilst investigating.

a wanted pet is easy to reunite with owner, IF they want it back.

LindyLou2020 · 29/12/2023 15:16

DepressedMum38 · 29/12/2023 14:55

Please help, any advice greatly received. Loosing the will with my toddlers constant wingein and tantrums. I'm exhausted of how she dictates my every move and it's really getting me down. I've no support network, get no restbite and her fathers not speaking to me so I'm genuinely loosing the will to continue my daily struggle. Fair to say I'm not enjoying motherhood one bit. Hate myself for feeling this way

@DepressedMum38
So sorry to hear this - but you're not on the right thread for your needs. This thread is about a cat.
Please have a look at the "Parenting" topics, and report your post to MNHQ, asking them to move your post to the topic most appropriate for you Flowers

Original poster
Inarightpickleandpreserve · 29/12/2023 15:19

The children are all clear that we need to find out if he has a family and I’ve been very strict saying not to name him, let’s just take our time etc etc, I just want him to be comfortable and safe while we investigate.

OP posts:
AlwaysGinPlease · 29/12/2023 15:19

MayThe4th · 29/12/2023 14:57

Can’t believe the way in which people are falling over themselves to justify and excuse animal neglect.

The cat is in chipped, in neutered, severely underweight. I could care less whether anyone came forward, in fact I would have him chipped and neutered now and as of the time he was chipped he would be my cat.

If someone cared about him they would have had him chipped and neutered, would have been feedin him properly, but they didn’t. So tough shit if he used to belong to anyone. If you can’t be arsed to look after your animals properly then you deserve for them to run away to a better life.

This. These are likely the sort of people who don't chip or feed their animals properly and see them as property

EndOfMyTether11 · 29/12/2023 15:20

Congratulations on your new cat.

Keep him in for a few weeks so he doesn't get lost.

Escapetunnelalmostcomplete · 29/12/2023 15:46

I'm glad to see you are making an effort to see if he has a home. I can't help hoping he does end up staying with you though. He looks very settled already. We got adopted by a feral cat a few years ago, (tried and failed to trace an owner) and he is very much a part of the family now.

Cakeorchocolate · 29/12/2023 16:00

Initially my first thoughts were around finding the owners, but as others have said, if the cat was owned, he wasn't being well cared for. There's also no way to know whose cat it is since it wasn't chipped. Anyone could claim it was theirs.

I picked up a dog that had gotten loose many years ago, though I am not a dog person, it was running loose around a busy road. I took it home for the night (much to the disgust of our cats) and put posts on sm. Lots of people msgd me claiming the dog was theirs. As I had no way of telling who, if anyone, was telling the truth I called the dog warden to collect it. It was returned home (and a few weeks later it was out again!)

StBrides · 29/12/2023 21:01

He's lucky to have found you @Inarightpickleandpreserve :)

Original poster
Inarightpickleandpreserve · 29/12/2023 23:02

Ok so the vet said to give small meals because he’s young and is likely to over eat, so I’ve been feeding half a sachet more often and he’s missed the litter box twice, but was kind of close, I guess.
Ive given a small’supper’ tonight before bed, he’s in the kitchen where he’s been all day, and I’m just hoping for the best!

have put him into the litter box many times, anyone have any suggestions on how to litter train a cat of this age?

OP posts:
OnTheBoardwalk · 29/12/2023 23:18

Have you tried a large litter tray with a separate raised rim around it?

One of mine still doesn’t cover it up but as least does it within the tray with the raised rim

StBrides · 29/12/2023 23:19

Traditional approach is to watch for signs of needing to go (scratching the floor etc) and then pick up them and plonk them in the litter tray.

If he's used to going outside then using soil instead of litter is really helpful, you gradually mix it litter until you're no longer using any soil.

Santapaws3 · 29/12/2023 23:46

I thought cats would usually instinctively go in litter anyway? Ours always have. If he was someone’s pet he will have learnt. Cats don’t use a tray as much as dogs, our cat poops once per day and pees a couple of times. Make sure his tray is away from his food and in a quiet place. Also make sure he has water away from his food! My cat only drinks from a bowl on the windowsill.

Santapaws3 · 29/12/2023 23:49

Sorry just read he has missed the tray. Our cat does that on purpose when he doesn’t like the litter! You might need to try a few different brands if he’s not used to it.

StBrides · 29/12/2023 23:50

Oh yes cats don't like water bowls near their food bowls that's a good point!

Wisterical · 29/12/2023 23:52

He probably prefers the litter his owners (who he lived with until yesterday) use.

Dillane · 29/12/2023 23:56

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?

I would take the pictures down, any genuine owner will be able to describe him. You don’t want anyone falsely claiming him.