i found a stray cat...how can i tell how old it is??
2007-01-21 09:33:08 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Cats
Wow! You may be in for a wonderful relationship!
First of all, you have to find out if the cat is really a stray and not someone's pet. Be sure and check with your local animal shelter. Your shelter may keep a list of lost and found cats, and be able to tell you the legal guidelines for what you need to do so that the owner can reclaim the cat.
But if the cat is truly homeless, it sounds like he or she was lucky to find you! You can tell a kitten's age by it's teeth. Two good reference books are The Well Cat Book by Dr. Terri McGinnis and The Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Manual (I've forgotten the authors - one or both should be in your city's library).
If the owner doesn't claim the cat and you get to keep it, be sure and get it the medical care it needs - a checkup, shots, and spaying or neutering to insure a long and healthy life. Those of us who have rescued cats know that there are way too many out there, and not enough homes, so getting your cat fixed will help a lot with the cat overpopulation problem.
Best wishes!
Skip
2007-01-21 10:12:21 · answer #1 · answered by Skip M 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only way to really tell is to take it to a vet. You need to do that anyway for shots and to make sure it is healthy. The vet has ways of judging how old the cat is and I think they are usually about as close as anyone could get.
2007-01-21 17:48:38 · answer #2 · answered by Fish Lover 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well when you take it to the vet they could find out for you...if you are thinking about keeping the stray. Careful transporting it...since the cat may have some skin infection or other diseases.
2007-01-21 17:47:05 · answer #3 · answered by jess 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need to take it to the vet anyway, ask them. It can be hard to tell with strays, if they have been on theri own a while, the poor diet can cause the teeth to look older than they really are.
2007-01-21 17:37:19 · answer #4 · answered by ML BUSTER 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
the vet can tell by looking at the cats teeth...i found a cat in oct i thought she was a kitten because she was so small (6lbs) and when i took her to the vet he told me she was 15!!! the reason she was so small is she was starving to death...she is better now...
2007-01-21 17:55:22 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
not really.Important!!! if you havent touched it yet then dont because a feral or wild cat can be very agresive because it has never been around humans if he scratches you out of defence u could get many many many diseases that could kill you.
2007-01-21 17:43:26 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
vet
2007-01-21 19:13:29 · answer #7 · answered by catch_me_if_you_can♥ 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋