What do we do about a stray cat that is hanging round outside? It keeps rubbing it's face on the ground?

Question

... and it is wheezing a bit. It keeps trying to get in our house, and meowing an awful lot.

I've never seen this cat before today, we don't feed the cats in the area or anything. I don't know who it would belong to, I don't know my neighbours.

Is this the kind of thing I should call the RSPCA about? Would they deal with this? Or is it likely to go away tonight? I don't want it to be an ill cat that needed assistance.

Answer 1

If the cat looks like it needs medical assistance contact your local veterinary surgery.
Try the RSPCA number and be greeted with a useless pre-recorded message which will tell you exactly what a stray or feral is. You could save the money for something more useful like petrol to a vets practice. Local shelter msy help but generally are so overrun that they can't help.
My veterinary practice has got a direct line to a vet service, (depends on your vets though) we can telephone that with the details of where the cat was found, who by, details of illness or injury. The Rspca would auth the practice £50.00 for medical treatment, which wouldn't go very far but better than nowt. You could also take a picture of the cat and make some notices in case it belongs to somebody.
I am extremely lucky with my boss and he wouldn't see an animal suffering that could easily be cured. i can't guarantee that you local vets will be as generous.

Good luck,

Answer 2

If it has only been there today maybe it isn't a stray.Keep an eye on it and if it doesn't go away and you don't want to keep it contact the cats protection league or a rescue centre.It needs medical attention for the wheezing.Maybe someone is searching for it and you could ask around vets etc.Don't be cruel give the poor thing some food and shelter.

Answer 3

Hi Sarah,
If the cat is female, she may be in heat. If it's male, he may be looking. Either way, the wheezing is not a normal part of that behaviour. Rubbing is a normal way of marking territory, but not rubbing the ground. It sounds to me like the cat may have something stuck in the mouth or throat. I would definitely suggest calling the RSPCA and doing it fast. I really think the cat is in distress. If it wants in, it has to have been an inside cat. It knows it is in a dangerous position, if something is in it's mouth or throat, and is instinctively trying to find a safe place. Please let us know how this ends?

Answer 4

I know what you are saying. If this stray is a female, shes definatly in heat. When my cat was in heat, she always used to meow like the dickens and rub her face off of anything she could find. Also, if you have a cat, or other cats have been around, she smells the other cats and probably wants too see them, unfortunatly this always happened with my cat and other cats, and she ended up getting pregnant in the end :)

Answer 5

I would call the RSPCA they will give you good advice and possible collect the cat for you.
You can't just leave it like that just in case it is ill.
Call them tonight.
Good luck.

Answer 6

If I were you, I'd put advertisments in areas where people would see them, and then if no-one calls to get him, call the RSPCA.

Answer 7

Call the RSPCA you don't want a diseased, feral kitty romping around your house. RSPCA wil treat them the most humanely.

Answer 8

call the rspca or take it to a rescue centre

Answer 9

cats rub to mark their "territory" (we have 4)

maybe hes lost... or enamoured with someone in your area... just put a bowl of water out...

like most men, when he gets what hes after, hell be off again...

Answer 10

Just don't do what my husband always jokes about doing--putting catnip in the road--then while the cat is rolling in it, it sees a car and smiles sleepily to itself, "I can get out of the way. . ."