Homeless cat? What should I do?

Question

There is a black cat the I always see around our neighborhood, she's kind of "the friendly-neighborhood cat" because she's very sweet and social. This cat doesn't have a collar, but we never really thought it was homeless because it has a nice shiny coat, is definately overweight, and has a little spay pooch. I'm just worried now because it's getting obviously very cold outside, and I don't want her to freeze to death. I gave her some food tonight and she seemed very hungry--and everytime she visits and I go back in the house she always want to come in with me. So I don't know; I don't want to take her to an animal shelter and worry her owners if she has any, but I don't want her to die, she's such a sweet cat. What should I do?

Answer 1

Take her in and put up flyers in your neighborhood. Try to be vague with the description though, because you don't want someone who doesn't really own her claiming her. You should also contact the local shelter, just to let them know that you have her, in case the family is missing her and searching for her. Bless your heart...for caring...and I hope this helps.

Answer 2

If the cat is overweight , has been around for a while and is friendly with people I'd say chances are it has a home.

If you want to make sure you could put signs up ,preferably with a picture..

One of my cat, years ago , found himself a second home..
He would just go back and forth...

I don't know where you live so i don't know what the climate is..
If it is 20 below and the cat wants into your house and looks like
it has nowhere else to go you might want to contact an animal shelter.Otherwise let the cat be..

Finally ,for a while I was feeding my old neighbor's dog leftover
from my cat's food. Guess what??The dog wanted into my house and hung out on my doorstep..

Answer 3

I wouldn't just take the cat because I know someone who lost a cat and then four years later found out that one of her neighbors had thought the cat was a stray and took it into her house to be her pet when really it was my friend's cat. I would tell the animal shelters near by that you found a cat and give a description of it. If someone did lose the cat then they will probably be looking for it and asking the animal shelters. Meanwhile you should bring the cat into your house because your right, it is getting too cold for a cat to be outside and usually after four or so months you can legally adopt it. Good luck!

Answer 4

You should hang some signs out in the neighborhood to see if anyone claims her....until then could you maybe bring her in your garage (or home) and or make her a very warm bed if you can't. Maybe a box w/ some extra covers? Sometimes owners move away or they just don't care about their little pets in time of cold. You are very kind to be worried but please do something. If you take her to a shelter make sure its not one who would put it to sleep. Even if you take it to a SAFE shelter, still put up signs because when the owner calls, you can tell them where it is. Or you can keep the sweetie either until someone comes or you fall in love! Good luck and thanks for caring!

Answer 5

If you don't have cats of your own you can let her in for the night. She should have a room for herself (an extra bathroom is fine)and a litterbox. Beware though. Cats are opportunists and she may decide to "adopt" you and worm her way into your heart.

You can also set up some sort of outside shelter for her if you have a porch so she can be out of the wind. Put straw for the base of her "box" as that is a good insulator from the cold ground. Then put some soft toweling or an old blanket there.

Answer 6

Just let her be.
She probably thinks that she owns the whole neighborhood...and she more than likely does. ~smile~
Whatever you do....DO NOT take her out of her neighborhood!
I have lost a few cats by people that thought they were doing good and taking the cat to a shelter...
I'll bet that you are not the only stop that she goes to that gives her yummies. Maybe she acts like she's starving because you give better goodies than most of the other homes she visits.
SO ....just let her do her thing. Cats are that way..

Answer 7

You could put out some food and when she starts to eat it, then make the cat look at you to take a picture. You can use the picture as a lost/found cat poster type of thing.Then go to a vet and ask him what to do or just take her in and love that poor thing.

Answer 8

You can try knocking on some of your neighbor's doors and see if anyone knows who the owners are (if there are any). If she does have an owner then I wouldn't worry about her too much. If she doesn't have a home you may look into finding a no-kill shelter for her. There are a lot of non-profit organizations that take in stray cats and keep them in foster homes until good homes are found for them. Good luck.

Answer 9

My chum who feeds many homeless cats daily makes use of canned foodstuff for the main area as cats do no longer certainly drink from water bowls. The greater dry foodstuff they have the greater water their bodies choose and that they could be ingesting from a contaminated water source. Dry foodstuff isn't a stable foodstuff ordinary for any cat.

Answer 10

If you can take her in your home and can afford to spray, feed and give her the proper medical care, then do it.
Last winter I was going to the swimming pool and a 2 months old kitten was in my apartment building stairway, saw me, came to me, and started sleeping on my left boot.
She was full of fleas, but extremely lovely, so I thought I would take her to the local pet flea (a place where people go to give away and adopt animals) but my tomcat loved her. When she would meow, the tomcat was instantly there inquiring what was wrong.
Now she's purring in my lap.