How to deal with a STRAY cat??

[fwlady]

I don't normally post in this forum, but I have this issue right now.

This stray cat is really getting on my nerves. The little children, against my wishes and advice, fed this mangy stray cat that kept getting under the trailer (the flatbed kind that gets towed). I buy an expensive food, because our chosen cat (who is 8yo now) has stomach issues. I begged them NOT to feed it because then it would never go away. This didn't help my case any. I told them that our food is expensive and I can't afford to feed two cats. That finally got them to stop, but now the cat meows at our door day and night. The kids like to pick up the mangy thing, and as much as like mousers around town, they usually stick to themselves. And, if we open our front door, the thing wants to come in our house!!

I don't know if the dog catcher will catch a cat. I do believe the reason my children took pity on this one is because it may have been being fed by the elderly man up the street that has passed away before Xmas last year. His wife has severe RA, and never leaves her house. I am sure she knew about the thing, but doesn't have her grandson or anyone feed it. So, he is left begging at our house.

How do I get this thing to leave me alone? If I take it to the animal shelter, they will charge ME for having it boarded until adoption or put down. I can't afford that. I know that it isn't the cat's fault that it has been left on the lurch, but we have adopted strays before, and it never turns out well. They either die, or leave (well, eventually), and they don't tolerate washing very well.

Any ideas? Kymberli

[Minky]

I'd start by asking the lady who might own the cat if she still wants him/her. If not, perhaps the two of you could cooperate to get the cat into a no-kill shelter.

If she does want her cat, would your children volunteer to feed him/her on the neighbor's doorstep, provided that the neighbor buys the food? If it gets fed on the neighbor's porch and never yours, it is likely to stop coming around. You could also see if the neighbor needs assistance driving the cat to get spayed or neutered, and get its shots--at the neighbor's expense, of course.

If you can't cooperate with the neighbor, perhaps you could contact a local animal shelter about the condition of this cat, who has been abandoned. The reason I'd use this as a last resort is because your kids have bonded with this animal, whether you like it or not.

[sonicfrost]

Shelters don't charge the people who bring the animal in board for the animal. I agree with the previous post, ask the elderly lady if the cat is hers and if she still wants it. You could also ask other neighbors if they would take the cat. Definitely try finding a no-kill shelter, like an SPCA or similar shelter. County shelters are not no-kill. The "dog catchers" you referred to are probably from your county shelter, and while they will come to get a stray cat if you report it, the chances of it being adopted out are slim to none.

I hope you find a good, safe place for the cat, good luck.

[fwlady]

Thank you so much for the ideas.

It isn't the neighbor lady's cat. I figured that, my son confirmed it. He is ALWAYS at the lady's house, helping. And, he used to help her deceased husband who had the other grey cat. So, she already has one, just not sure if she feeds it or not. It may have found a different "home". So, sadly, not the same cat.

And, yes, shelters do charge here. I am not in the only town in MO that this happens. There is another town that if you drop the animal off in their fence, they will track you down by your license plate.

Here, the dog catcher won't take cats. We already found that out. And, I had called the vet (which they take the animals too), and asked about taking this other cat that wasn't ours. And, they said that we get charged $30 a day until the cat is adopted. I would have to pay for all shots, neuter, etc. I tried to protest that this other cat was also a stray, and they said it didn't matter. You bring the cat, you pay for it.

Now, I have called the shelters in other towns/cities (one was the only no kill shelter), and you have to first prove residency within that county to take the cat there without charge. Not only that, but they won't take animals that aren't neutered. So, yes, our county stinks. And, it always seems to be our town that ppl drop off kittens, puppies, and unwanted animals. It is so sad.

Our cat has always kept the strays away though. Foxes, possums, and such also. Well, I guess he is getting to old for that now. The other stray I was trying to help a neighbor with this same situation. This is the first time (well, besides the kitties that didn't make it) it has happened to us. Although our cat doesn't like him, nor the cat like our cat, it doesn't deter the thing too much.

Since we always have this happening in our town, I doubt any neighbor would take it. We may just have to buy it cheaper food. Or take it over to a friend in the county that has the no kill shelter. I think she could get it in. I hadn't thought of that until now. Kymberli

[angie7]

First of all, it's a cat, you know a living, breathing creature that deserves love and respect not an "it" or a "mangy thing"....

If you aren't willing to foot the bill for the shelter to come get him and you don't want feed him (you can always buy a super cheap food and feed him), then I guess you will have to deal with him at your door. He sounds like a sweet cat that just needs love. I have a stray that wandered up 3 years ago that we care for. She gets everything that she needs and more.

[PlayaMama]

have you looked into low cost spay and neuter programs? my mom works at a program that will spay and neuter a stray for free with a voucher. they also have people that work with strays.

i'd vote for getting it neutered and feeding it cheap food.

[fwlady]

Well, I have some sad news. I let the kids cont feeding it until I could go into town to get some cheap kind.

I was just aggravated and that was the reasons for my poor wording, because everyone is always dumping animals here, or if they were being cared for, the cat wouldn't be at my door. So, my aggravation is more about the previous owner, than the cat itself.

We were going to town, and down the road, was "Ashes" killed on the road. I wanted a solution, but this wasn't quite what I had in mind. My oldest DD saw it, and I was horrified, so I know my expression didn't help. She didn't tell the other children, as far as I know, and they didn't see him. I just apologized profusely to her. But, it could have been our cat as well. We know, since he is an outside/inside cat, that could happen to him. But, we have always tried to keep him in, and he just runs right hout.

So, we came back a different way on the way home. I didn't have the heart (or stomach) to go get him and bury him. I know that they have someone that does that around here too. I will have my DH check and see if he can bury it tonight when they go to bed. Feeling very guilty, that it seems like when I dislike an animal, something bad like this happens. Like when my Dh's conure that hated women died after a long time of me complaining about his noise and biting when I tried to feed him. Dh still has said that I wished death on him, and I certainly DID NOT. We tried to retrain him, to no avail, and he was beautiful. I love large birds, but he hated me and any other female that got close.

So, I guess the solution was chosen by the Powers that be. I don't know that the Lord himself would decide by doing this within my children's eyesight. Had I let the girls walk to get the mail before I went to town, they would have walked by him. Kymberli

[tree_hugger]

What a sad story.

[Rach]

I'm sorry.

[fwlady]

Thank you. I so appreciate your condolences. My children seem to be over him "missing" already. Although, I do need to ask my oldest how she is feeling lately about his untimely demise. I guess we have been so busy. I am more sorry that the choice seemed to be taken from us. It didn't occur to me that this may happen. OTOH, the other strays that didn't "stick around" may have met the same untimely type death, and we just didn't know.

THIS is the reason we tried to keep our male cat inside. We were told that if we kept him inside until the day he was neutered, he would never want out. Well, the DAY BEFORE his surgery, he got out the door. So, now we have an inside/outside cat. Fortunately, he is bigger and ppl can see him well enough. Probably twice the size of a normal cat, height and length. And, he is only 8yo, but still, that is a pretty good age. In the winter, he stays in more now that he is older.

Thanks again, Kymberli

[phatchristy]

Yeah, there are people here who have turned outdoor cats into indoor only, so I'd say it's definitely still possible. So if you want info on how to do that, you can ask them.

One of my friends did that too after her cat got injured and wound up hospitalized (some sort of abcess from a cat fight). And, he's adjusted.