stray cat? bring it or leave it.?

Question

I am taking care of an outdoor stray cat for the last 2.5 yrs. It took me about a year to even pet it. It was inside once when it was fixed. It has not been inside since and is good at being on her own. I feed her and I think another couple feed her once in awhile. I am moving and Im not sure if I should take her because she is so used to her surroundings and that it would be hard for her to adjust. I do not want to put her inside because I think it would be wrong and she wouldnt like it. Should I bring her to my new house or ask the new home owner if I can just drop off food for the cat ( if they are even ok with that)? My indoor/outdoor cat adapts well to change but Im not sure if this one will.

Answer 1

Jules, please take her with you, she will be lost without you...cats are teritorial and you are her territory...hopefully she and your other cat get along, but you can't just leave her, she depends on you now....good luck...people who feed strays are good people...imagine if you were her, what would you want'???

Answer 2

It's up to you at this point. I have taken in strays, one a kitten, the other older, but both loved it. The kitten was feral and got used to life indoors. The other one was older, and never became used to it. Thankfully, my family had 5 acres of land and he loves hanging out in a safe area and being fed on a regular basis.
You may not have that luxury, so here are your options:
1. Take in the cat, and see how it handles things. This may not be good, because cats ARE creatures of habit. They need a familiar environment, and if being outside is familiar, then so be it.
2. Call the nearest no-kill shelter and have it taken in and try to get it adopted.
You are wise enough so far to know that the cat may not like being taken in. Having others care for it is the best you can do, IMO.
However, you could try to take the cat inside and see how it adjusts...if it does at all. If it just hides and minds its own business then it's ok. It will just need time.
If it flips out and runs around, let it out. It's not a cat which can be domesticated :(

Answer 3

Changing its habitat will really inhibit its ability to live on its own. The cat knows the area and probably hunts small rodents to supplement its diet. It knows the lay of the land and is comfortable with it. Most likely what would happen if you were to move and take it with you is it would run away and try to find its way back home. I wouldn't worry about the cat at all. I have an indoor/outdoor cat and I go on vacation for weeks at a time and come back and the cat is perfectly fine.

Answer 4

Stray Cats in the City are exactly that, on there own. Cats will always want to go out in the outdoors," it's there nature. It's part of there hunting instincts. Only do you think the cat would have a better life with you or left there to care for him/herself?
My opinion is if you truly and honestly care what happens to this cat then take it with you and make it your own pet for life. They can really bring lots of Joy and love to your Heart.

Answer 5

I am in a similar situation... there are 3 stray fixed black cats that roam, I feed them and the other neighbors do as well. I am worried that something will happen if I am not here to protect them... I think I am going to leave them when I move since they were doing fine before I moved in. They will never be tame enough to be placed in a home.

Answer 6

Moving her from where she is will be hard for her to adjust however you have to take into account that she has also taken interest in you because you feed her. It is completly up to you. Cats are very independent and I am Sure she will find someone else to feed her if you do decide to leave her.

Answer 7

you could ask the neighbours about feeding the cat. You could also take the cat with you and keep it inside for a week and then let it out to get used to being outside again

Answer 8

I recently adopted a stray black cat that I named Zen. (Actually, I think she adopted me!) If you are fond of that cat, I say take her with you! :) Let me give you some advice though since I know what you are going through.

1. Zen absolutely *had* to come inside my house. She had no choice because she had just given birth and she kept trying to move the kittens underneath my front porch. This wasn't good since I already had a wonderful cat rescue lined up to help place the kittens in great homes and I needed to help socialize them. So, in Zen went. At first, she wasn't too happy. However, she dealt with it. I had an advantage, though, because a mother cat won't leave her kittens so it was easier for me.
2. Expect a lot of meowing. Zen meowed and meowed and meowed for months straight. She wanted back outside, however, she can't go outside because I found out she is FIV+. After time passed and she was sleeping on a comfy bed (my bed.. lol) and had constant access to fresh food and water and lots and lots of love, she stopped. She had a look in her eyes one day that translated to "Hey... thanks for helping me out!". Now she is a content housecat.
3. Your stray kitty, if you choose to adopt him as your own, may have FeLV or FIV. It is NOT necessary to euthanize them, no matter what the vet says. However, if you are strapped for cash a lot, it may be best to place her in a cat rescue that will place her in a FIV/FeLV home as they may need vet care quickly, although my FIV+ cats have remained 100% healthy. FIV is one of the most misunderstood diseases in cats and there is absolutely no reason to euthanize them, unless they are incredibly sick and have little to no chance of recovery. FIV is sometimes compared to human HIV and is sometimes referred to cat AIDS. It is the cat equivalent of HIV. Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. However, it works differently for a cat than it does a human. It is less progressive in a cat (of course, each FIV cat is different) as they have had time to evolve and become more tolerant of the disease. A lot of stray cats have this but as long as they are taken care of, they can lead a very long and healthy life. :)
4. If you absolutely refuse to try to help her ease into the life as a housecat (and I've only seen cats actually appreciate this in the end), then I say leave her. She has cat friends and is a member of her cat colony so unless you decide to make her a real pet, don't take her away from what she knows. However, I've seen many stray cats make great pets and cats can adjust to change. Just be patient. :)

NOTE: FIV/FeLV are not the same virus. FeLV is feline leukemia and is a bit of a trickier situation to deal with, however, I still see no need to euthanize them. FeLV is a lot more aggressive than FIV, though.

Answer 9

the cat will be fine. it has lived this long roaming the neighborhood and will do just as fine after you leave.... if the food stops at your house it will find other houses as it always has.... if you have an emotional attatchment to it.... well then you should have adopted it a long time ago.... to take it now and change it's life is not right.... i know my oppinion is not popular based on responses given, but i do beleive it is best for the cat. whatever you decide, good luck.

Answer 10

I would try bringing it with you and keeping it inside for about a week then trying to let it out a little. You might be surprised, he may like it inside. I rescued a cat the same way and she only goes out to poo once or twice a day then back in the middle of my bed she goes!!

Answer 11

usually cats will go back to their original surroundings even if it is a 1000 miles or more! We had a cat that was gone for over a year-but we never moved but it came back- injured very badley, never did find out what happened and it died but it struggled to come home to us- so I say leave it where you live now.