Autistic girl has no plans to put cat out in the cold. Stop asking. Update post 32, 83 - Page 3

[MissSJ]

Originally Posted by lalaland42

Vets will check for an RFID/sub-dermal implant tag for free BTW.

I was just going to post this. I didn't read the first page of the thread other than the OP and the update. I'm glad you are being so kind to the cat and not just kicking him/her out. I know if my cat were lost I would hope someone else would take him in on a cold night!

SJ

[onlyzombiecat]

I think you are doing the right thing by caring for the cat while you try to find the owner. I hope you are able to reunite them soon.

[MilkTrance]

I hope you find the owner soon, or if not, a suitable home -- if that means your own, so be it. I would never let an animal out in an ice storm. Unless I lived in the arctic and we were talking about an artic fox. Otherwise, I don't see how an animal -- a domestic animal -- could survive such a thing, even a wise, outdoor-cat. Ice storms aren't normal/common.

[hanno]

You are doing the right thing 100%. I would want you to keep my kitties warm

eta- my critters have chips, hopefully this one does too

[MilkTrance]

How does one go about getting a chip? My dog is nearly ten.

[hanno]

Originally Posted by MilkTrance

How does one go about getting a chip? My dog is nearly ten.

-your vet can do it for $50ish and $17 registration
-you can do it yourself for $20+17
-you can get the animal at the humane society/animal control and only pay the $17

lots of people either think it's useless or wrong or paranoid, it makes me feel better

[hillymum]

I think your doing the right thing under the circumstances. I do not understand how a pet owner can put a collar on their animal but no name tag. Such an easy way to reunite pets yet so under used.
My indoor cat is chipped as I know if she was locked out the house she would panic. She has a collar and name tag on as well. My indoor/outdoor cat just has his collar but I know he needs a chip just in case someone takes him in thinking he's lost. My biggest fear is that he will enter someone's home and they will fall in love with him and try to keep him. He's so friendly and fantastic with children. One of my neighbours was telling me how he enters her home, has a little exploration and then leaves. He's such a nosy thing!

As to what gender the cat is, if s/he likes his/belly rubbed you will fel little nipples if it's an adult female. HTH.

[*Melissa*]

My best advice is not to give the cat any milk, as it could result in diarrhea. :

I second having the cat checked for the chip.

My cat was outside for less than an hour the one time he got out and he brought home ringworm and gave it to us all, so be vigilant on checking yourselves.

[3boobykins]

2.) I am not putting Sage out in twenty-degree weather to go all Incredible Journey around my neighborhood. No. Not gonna. Stop telling me to do it, because it won't happen. I'd have to pry him off my floor cushions to do it, anyway. All he wants to do is sit here and purr. He doesn't want near the door. FOr that matter, neither do I. Can I just say: :c old:

[NJ*Doula]

Originally Posted by hillymum

As to what gender the cat is, if s/he likes his/belly rubbed you will fel little nipples if it's an adult female. HTH.

That depends. I can feel nipples on my male cat and one of my females, but not the other female.

[crl]

Ok, I love this thread and I'm not quite sure why. Maybe because this is exactly how I'd react.

Anyway, I agree, keep the cat warm, get a vet to check for a microchip, confinement to the adequately equipped bathroom is appropriate. I'd be soooo greatful to you if it were my cat who had accidently escaped.

[boricuaqueen327]

Good for you for taking him in from the cold and protecting him from hypothermia, loose dogs, and cars. I work at a vet clinic and I have seen plenty of cats that come in with mulitiple fractures and internal bleeding from being hit by a car because their owners didn't want to be "cruel" and keep them inside. I have also seen cats come in with horrible dog bite injuries.

I think you guys are doing the best thing, you guys rock!

[Jennifer Z]

You are absolutely doing the right thing.

A few easy "toys": paper bag...don't know what it is about paper grocery bags, but our cats always loved them. A wad of aluminum foil or paper scrunched up in a ball, a baby sock folded over to make a ball, box, yarn, scrunchies and covered elastic hair do-dads, a straw or pen that can be spun on a hard surface, and unless you want toilet paper everywhere, you might want to take it off the roll because once they discover that you are going to have a mess.

[moondiapers]

Originally Posted by hillymum

I think your doing the right thing under the circumstances. I do not understand how a pet owner can put a collar on their animal but no name tag. Such an easy way to reunite pets yet so under used.
My indoor cat is chipped as I know if she was locked out the house she would panic. She has a collar and name tag on as well. My indoor/outdoor cat just has his collar but I know he needs a chip just in case someone takes him in thinking he's lost. My biggest fear is that he will enter someone's home and they will fall in love with him and try to keep him. He's so friendly and fantastic with children. One of my neighbours was telling me how he enters her home, has a little exploration and then leaves. He's such a nosy thing!

As to what gender the cat is, if s/he likes his/belly rubbed you will fel little nipples if it's an adult female. HTH.

My male AND female cats both have nipples....just like my male and female children do. However, my female cat's have never had testicles.

If it's a male and has been neutered it will have empty scrotum. They are shrunken up close to the body, but they are there. So give a belly rub and look closely. If it's a male and hasn't been neutered it will be much more obvious.

[CallMeMommy]

Originally Posted by Individuation

I welcome suggestions for healthy cat treats, knowledge about cats, etc.

Put some catnip on a newspaper on the floor and he'll love you forever (which may or may not be a good thing).

And I'd like to agree with the people who say if he's not scratching at the door trying to get out, don't put him out.

[mouso]

I think you're being an awesome foster mama.
If this cat is such an outside cat you would think he would want to go outside for at least a minute or two. And if his owners are looking for him they are bound to look in at least ONE of the places you have posted that he was found. Putting him out in an ice storm is not what I would do either.

Like the other PPs I would hope someone like you finds my cat if ever he is lost. Yeah, he llkes to go out sometimes, but I would be searching high and low for him and hoping that he was safe and warm in such terrible weather.

He could have been abandoned, too, even if he's a great cat(which it sounds like he is!). The sweetest cat we ever had was an abandoned kitty. I can't figure out why or how someone would have ditched him. I'm just glad we got to spend 11 years with him!

[amydidit]

I fully support you in not putting the cat outside. All my cats have been indoor only cats and will continue to be so. When I was 19 I moved in with my Aunt and brought my cats. She started letting them out. Within a month they were both killed.

Spoiler Tagged in case you don't want to know how.

Warning :: Spoiler Ahead! Highlight to read message!

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One was run over and the other was torn up from being so cold. He crawled under the engine of a car and was mutilated when the car was turned on. He managed to crawl back home before dying on our porch.

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I never forgave my aunt for that. Just like I could never forgive someone if they found one of my cats out and just let him stay outside hoping that maybe he could find his way home. Good for you for trusting your instincts and keeping Sage inside.

[MeepyCat]

I wouldn't put a cat out in the cold either. And when my indoor kitty went temporarily missing (very temporarily - he was hiding under the bed for six hours), the only thing that saved my sanity was the hope that some kind person would take him in and keep him and call around to vets and shelters and possibly see one of my Lost Cat signs.

[Romana]

Originally Posted by Individuation

2.) I am not putting Sage out in twenty-degree weather to go all Incredible Journey around my neighborhood. No. Not gonna. Stop telling me to do it, because it won't happen. I'd have to pry him off my floor cushions to do it, anyway. All he wants to do is sit here and purr. He doesn't want near the door. FOr that matter, neither do I. Can I just say: :

I would be so thankful and glad if it were one of my indoor kitties you were keeping happy, warm, fed, and safe. We've had one cat pass away; he managed to slip out the front door and was hit by a car. Dh has lost two childhood cats to getting run over by a car. Especially in the city, I can only imagine the cat would be in real danger on the streets (not to mention the cold).

Originally Posted by lalaland42

Vets will check for an RFID/sub-dermal implant tag for free BTW.

: I would do this ASAP. I figure the cat is probably chipped since he has a flea collar. Most pet owners do chip their animals, or he would be chipped if he'd ever gone through a rescue organization.

Originally Posted by hanno

lots of people either think it's useless or wrong or paranoid, it makes me feel better

Just recently I got a call about a dog I adopted out through the rescue organization I used to volunteer for. She had been picked up by a local kill shelter. The adoptive owners had never switched the registration over, so they called me, but it was great that there was *someone* to call. We were able to get the situation taken care of quickly, whereas an unchipped dog would have had a short stay and then been killed if not adopted.

OP, I think you're doing a great job with the cat. I agree that your little bird is not safe unless supervised, and even then you should keep an eye. I had a cat and a cockatiel for a long time, and they had an interesting relationship. Mostly in that the cockatiel scared the heck out of the cat, and would "tattle" on her when she went to do something we didn't allow (like mess with the printer cabinet under the computer). You can have both, especially if it's just a temporary situation. You just have to be careful about it. We kept them supervised or separated.

Good luck finding the owners! I hope they are searching for "Sage" and are happily reunited soon.

[lunar forest]

good for you. The life expectancy for an indoor-outdoor cat is 9 months. 9 months!!!! :

The sweetest cat in the world became ours because of something like this. Eventually we found out that she was abandoned when her humans moved, but kicked out months before that.