It's 10 pm. I have a stray cat at my front porch, meowing. I gave him some food, he didn't eat, I guess he wants to get inside for some warmth (its cold outside here). He's clearly a house cat as I handled him and he was very nice, clean, and completely declawed. There are no tattoos that I could spot, and no collar. I don't know if he has a chip. All animal control, local vet hospitals, and pet stores are closed for the night. I can't let him in the house, I have 2 small kittens and I don't know how they'll react nor want to try to find out. What should I do?
2007-10-29 15:54:44 · 8 answers · asked by fsd s 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
P.S. There are no local animal shelters around here to take him to.
2007-10-29 15:57:19 · update #1
DO you have a kitty carrier? If so, you could put him in there and bring him in. Preferably;y, you could put him in a bathroom with the door closed - far away from the kittens.
I do believe the best thing is to hold onto him until you can have him checked for a chip and report him found.
2007-10-29 16:55:59 · answer #1 · answered by susanmaried 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you are smart not to bring him inside. Not to mention how your kittens will react, there are also incurable deadly viruses that the cat could pass on to your kittens with contact. And just because it appears to be a well kept cat doesn't mean it's owners are neccesarily responsible with vaccinations(trust me, I work in a veterinarians office). I suggest keeping it in either your garage or shed...something of that nature until morning. Even a cat/dog carrier that can be thoroughly disinfected would be ok. May sound cruel, but it's just overnite and it's better then letting a defenseless (declawed) cat roam around all night and possibly get hit by a car.
2007-10-29 23:05:12 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Hello.
If you can let him in, and put him in a bathroom with a door that you can close, a soft blanket and give him a litter box, food and water, he will be OK for the night and you can check on him in the morning.
If you absolutely cannot bring him in, you may want to get a cardboard box, or other suitable enclosure that you can cut a hole in , put a blanket in it and wrap it with another blanket for insulation, kind of like an outdoor "cat house", then put it somewhere off the ground, like your covered porch so he has some shelter.
It doesn't sound like he is feral (wild) as you indicated, so he has some domestication. If you are open to adopting him, you can assimmilate him into your home with kittens by keeping them in separate rooms for a week, but putting food/water/toys for on each side of the closed door (which separates them) so they get used to each other's smells. Not sure if it's a male or female cat (you call it he, but didn't confirm) but if he or she is fixed, there will not be as much of a territorial issue with spraying as if otherwise.
Sounds like kitty needs a warm friend. I hope it works out for you all.
2007-10-29 23:04:43 · answer #3 · answered by Miss T 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you have a room in your house you are willing to put him into for the night and shut the door that would work. Give him some water and if you have an extra litter pan or can make a make shift litter pan for the night. Spare bathrooms work well. Or maybe if you have a big box or something you could lay on it's side where he can crawl into it for shelter. You could put old bedding or towels in it for him to keep warm and position it to block out any really drafty breezes?
Those are the only thoughts I have.
2007-10-29 23:03:04 · answer #4 · answered by Jennie B 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I would provide him with a dish of water. I would also give him some kind of warmth- perhaps warm up a blanket in the dryer and put it on the porch, a hot water bottle, or a heating blanket plugged in to an outside outlet. Then, if he is still there in the morning, contact shelters and animal control.
2007-10-29 22:59:31 · answer #5 · answered by Critter Queen 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Do you have a garage, laundry room or some place you could isolate him and keep him from harm for the night?
It would not be a good idea to expose him to your kittens, as you do not know what viruses he could have been exposed to, but it is unfair to him just to hope he makes it threw the night on his own.
2007-10-29 23:03:38 · answer #6 · answered by Jerrier 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Can you bring him in and put him with food/water and litter box in the bathroom?
2007-10-30 20:43:28 · answer #7 · answered by Elaine M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
please dont send him back to the outside.
poor little thing.
let him in your house 4 a few weeks.
your kittens and him can get use to each other.
please dpnt let him go
2007-10-29 23:35:20 · answer #8 · answered by Laura 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋