My neighbors have previously fed a stray cat, but lately it's so skinny should I feed it?

Question

My neighbors felt sorry for it at first and now I think they stopped feeding it but it still hangs around. It's such a nice cat. It doesn't cause trouble or make noise or anything. All it likes to do is follow you around when you get mail or walk your dog. I don't think it's getting very much food.

By the way I tried to feed it some people food - cooked ground turkey and it would not eat it. I bought some tuna at the dollar store an I think I going to feed it. It was still outside when I got back from my run.

I like it because it's not scared of dogs, no matter how big they are hahaha!

Answer 1

well if i were you i'd feed it. chances are it's not getting as much nutrition as it should if you said it's getting skinny. but then again i'm the person who will give a home to strays i find. the cat i currently have was a stray and he was just so sweet and liked to lay on our laps that we couldn't help but take him in. my aunt also took in another neighborhood stray (same neighborhood as mine) and he's the sweetest thing too.

most of the stray's i've come across make wonderful pets and usually have a good personality. my cat used to hang out with a dog and now he acts like one (he even fetches!) so if you know anyone who wants a cat..take him to the vet and try and find him a good home. he deserves it.

but as beingsmart said, do be careful about touching it and then your pets, especially if you have other cats as feline leukemia is definitley someting to avoid.

Answer 2

Funny you say that because I brought a stray into my home about 2 years ago. I was worried at first but now I love that cat to death. He is funny and runs around like a crazy man.

If you don't mind having the cat around, go ahead and feed it. See what happens. You will know if the little guys has not been fed for a while if you give it a can of the store brand cat food and he eats it like it is Fancy Feast.

Just make sure that any cats you have are not in contact with the kitty outside. There is a disease called feline leukemia that can be transmitted from one cat to another and it can be deadly. Also, wash your hands before touching any of your other animals to keep them from getting fleas or worms.

If you feed this animal, you are cool. Thanks.

Answer 3

For the raccoons, you can actually purchase a humane trap at most hardware stores or freight supply stores for about $20. Just put some cat food in the trap, set it, and keep doing so until the raccoons are trapped. Cover the trap with a trash bag or blanket so it doesnt' LOOK like a trap. Raccoons are very smart in this way and will identify that trap quickly unless you make sure it is covered. As for the cats, there are a few things you can do. If the cats are feral, there are programs to at least get them neutered/spayed and microchipped. Contact your local animal control/animal shelter and see if they have, or know of, such a program. We have one at the shelter I work at in California. This will at least keep the population stable. Also, there may be a need to reduce the numbers even after the population is curbed. You COULD trap the cats, but keep in mind, if they are feral (untame) they would probably be euthanized. It seems so cruel to do this, but in reality, they can never live a normal life. If they are tame, though, then you can see if they could be adopted out to a new home. Unfortunately, because she could have had these cats for over 30 days, they would probably be considered no longer strays, but property of the woman. Trapping them may be your only option. Animal control officers (at least our animal control officers) will not usually respond to a call unless the animal(s) in question are already confined. If they are feral and run away, the officer will tell you to trap them or bring them in. This depends on county and state, though. The biggest thing is to see about getting the cats that ARE there spayed/netuered ASAP so the population increase doesn't go on. You would have to trap them just to do this, unless they will let you catch them. Good luck. =)

Answer 4

We had a sweet little black cat hanging around our neighborhood. It was very shy and skinny as a rail. After getting acquainted and feeding him 2 times a day. He filled out and became the nicest cat we ever had, what a lovie! He never did learn to put up with staying in during the night and always wanted out. We should have stuck to our guns and kept him in as a short time later he was run over and killed. I still get choked up thinking about him. We only had him about a year but I wouldn't trade the experience for anything! Go for it but don't feed him dollar store food of any kind! Tuna is real bad for cats and the Chinese food can be poisonous! Get your food at Petsmart or other large store as they are just as cheap and have a lot of varieties.

Answer 5

It won't hurt for you to feed the cat, too.


But it's possible that the cat is skinny, even though the neighbors are still feeding it, because it may be sick. It could have worms, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, feline leukemia, have an abscess you can't see (cats' skin is quite loose and very large abscesses can develop without making a noticeable bulge) or have bad teeth or sores in its mourth.

The best thing would be to try to catch the cat and take it to a vet (maybe the neighbors would chip in on the cost) or to an animal shelter where it can get medical attention. It obviously isn't doing well on its own and since it follows you around, it sounds like it is lonely and wants to be someone's pet. At an animal shelter they could take care of its medical needs and perhaps get it adopted.

Answer 6

Yes, i think that you should definely feed the cat because i had this same problem and i chose to feed the cat because reguardless of how the cat is it still is a living animal and i sometimes put my self in their shoes and if i was a nice gentle creature and didnt cause any trouble i would expect somebody to feed me!! lol
i think that you can buy cat food for like a dollar a box at the dollarstores, thats what i buy my cat that was formally a stray..
so good luck i hope you make the right decison.

Answer 7

If it is following you around and seems friendly it may not be completely a feral cat. It might have belonged to someone at some time then got dumped or lost, as opposed to being born wild. If you like it why not feed it. It might become a good pet with a bit of patience. But as others said definitely take it to the vet first.

Answer 8

Sure! It certainly won't hurt to help out the poor cat, especially if it's a real nice cat. Tuna is OK on a few occasions but not as a regular food. It lacks taurine which cats need for their eyes. Get a good canned or dry cat food. And be sure to check the pet recall list before you do.

Thank you for helping that poor little sweetie. All he/she wants to do is survive. They don't ask for much; just a little food, water, and love.

Answer 9

Heck yes! Feed it! Even cheap cat food is probobly better then what its been eating! Someone dumped off a kitten at my barn, Icared for it, figuring it would get hit by a car or leave, either way, I felt better that no matter what happened, he would have a full stomach! By the way, I still have that cat, no mice around the barn, he's a good buddy! God will never punish you for caring! Take care!

Answer 10

My neighbors took in a cat like that in college. Well, surprise!! It had flees! They got the chance to wash EVERYTHING from top to bottom. So if that's your plan, take it to the vet somehow first.

Also, I have your same problem at my condo, however, this cat is stupid. It has been known to pee in the hallway when the girls across the hall let it into the common way. Yeah, you would probably be safe to assume that kinda pisses me off, lol!!