Should we keep the cat?

Question

We have lived in our townhouse for 1 1/2 years, we are moving next weekend. There is a cat in our neighborhood that we have seen outside almost everyday for the entire 1 1/2 yrs. It is the coolest looking cat I have ever seen. I told my husband that I would keep the cat if I saw it the day we moved. Yesterday it showed up at our door on 2 different ocassions and it was waiting at the door this morning when I left for work. It is now inside our house... should we keep it and possibly take someones pet or let it back out to continue to fend for itself in the cold?

We dont live in a neighbor where you can go knocking door to door to see if one the many cats running around is yours. They say yes and next thing you know the cat is back outside. I just wanted to added I dont want to STEAL someone's pet, however if know one is taking care of this cat and I can offer it a good, clean, comfortable, loving home shouldnt I?

Answer 1

If this cat is free-roaming and has no collar or microchip, take it. The average life expectancy of an outdoor cat is 3 years; the average life expectancy of an indoor cat is 15 years. per the Humane Society) Roaming as he is, he is exposed to feline AIDS (not transmissable to humans) and leukemia (viral in origin and 100% fatal), both of which are epidemic in some parts of the country. He is subject to mean people, traffic, predatory animals, poisons, parasites and cold weather.

Trust your instincts. Save him. The only thing you will be stealing him from is the jaws of death.

Do it.

Answer 2

What most of the other answerers have said. It all really boils down to if the cat has an owner already or not. If you haven't been feeding him and he's otherwise well-fed and healthy, this is a sign that he's being taken care off elsewhere.

Why not put a cat collar and a note on him, asking if he belongs to anyone? A friend of mine who was in the same situation did this and found out the cat already had a loving home.

I recently moved to a farm and shortly after found myself the proud owner of 6 outdoor cats. I've had the adult outdoor cats spayed/neutered, vaccinated, dewormed and tattooed (instant proof that the cats have a home) for identification. I have a cat door to the barn where our heater is, so although they are not allowed inside, they have shelter and are given lots of love and quality food every day. The four kittens are too young for surgery and tattooing* and I would be very upset if someone would take them.

*micro chipping is not commonly used for cats here, in fact my two indoor cats were the first micro-chipped cats my new vet had encountered. The good thing about this is that she told me that she'll now check for chips every time they get in a stray cat. :)

Answer 3

I question people who let cats run free outside. It is simply to dangerous.
Is this cat skinny? Maybe several families feed her but she isn't owned by anyone. Lots of people feed wild cats daily.
Put a collar on her and a note asking if she belongs to someone etc. If she comes back with no answer she is free.

Do make her an indoor cat and give her many more years to her life. She will get over crying at the door to go out if you don't give in. The world is mean to pets and the people who hate cats are always in the area. Broken and beaten cats are not living a happy life.
Lots of toys, a good scratching post and lots of love and you can have a best friend.
I would love to know what you do. Will you email me?
check out these urls and you are giving your cat a healthy life.

www.catinfo.org
read this article for all the healthy choices
in food for your cat.

www.geocities.com/jmpeerson/canfood.html
Janet and Binky's Cat food chart

Answer 4

my friend and i had a very similar problem.

one thing you should watch for, does the cat dissapear at night? could it really belong to someone and only be allowed in/want inside at night, or does it have no owner.
seeing as it's getting very cold outside, i would say take the cat if it appears to not have a home. i would try offering it inside your home and see how it reacts. some cats freak out after being an 'outside' animal for so long. it will just sit by the door and meow/howl all day and drive you crazy. i would at least let it spend the night with you once before taking it with you on your move. also, make sure you get something to carry the cat in. i've only had two cats who were chilled out in a car, the rest can wreck you if you're not careful.

Answer 5

Cats Are Very Territorial. That mans a cat feels a stranger has invaded his/her territory. In a case like that, a cat could be aggressive in the direction of one cat -- in lots of situations the main ordinary-going -- yet friendly to a distinctive. The time whilst problems crop up is whilst a clean kitty arrives, a youthful kitten turns right into a grownup cat, or the domicile cat seems out the window to work out an peculiar cat in the backyard -- the domicile cat would chase, ambush, hiss, and/or meow angrily. And it’s no longer in simple terms the boys. female cats would nicely be in simple terms as infuriated by employing strangers.

Answer 6

I would definitely keep it but when you move to your new place, keep the cat inside.

You might put some signs up to see if anyone claims it. Don't describe it, just say something like "Found - cat - female" with maybe the color - so that if someone does claim it, they can describe it and you'll know it's theirs. If no one answers, you've done your job.

If this cat has owners, they don't sound very responsible. It's possible the cat used to live around there and came back to the neighborhood and is just hanging out. So if you take it, keep it inside.

Answer 7

The cat shouldn't be in the cold so you should bring it inside. You need to take it to the vet to make sure it doesn't have any illnesses and is properly vaccinated.
If you do take it with you when you move then you need to make sure it's a safe area for the cat to be an indoor/outdoor cat- Also, the first few times you let it outside, walk around with it so it knows it's way around and everything. He should easily adjust to the move.
Make sure it's not your neighbor's cat though before.

Answer 8

You could take it to the vet to see if it's been microchiped.
That would tell you who the owner was.

But if the cat's in good health and you haven't been feeding it, then it will probably be some one's beloved pet, and taking it would be very wrong.

It's normal for cats to be out and for them to visit the same places each day. If I claimed all the cat's that I see every day I'd have at least 6 but I know where most of them live and they are some ones pet and cared for by their owners.

Answer 9

I would keep the cat. If it comes to your house and is now staying in your house, then you should keep it. As long as you can provide, food, shelter, and veterinary care, they keep it. If it is outside in the cold all the time then he needs a home. Be sure to spay or neuter the cat if its not already. Make sure the cat doesn't have a tag or collar on, if it has a collar then it has a home and you should leave it, as long as its not skinny like its not being fed. I hope you make the right decision. I would keep it if he doesn't have a collar or tag. I hope this info helps. Good luck!

Answer 10

You should not take the cat if it has an owner. If you know the cat is in poor health, looks bedraggled, skinny and is out all the time in the cold and wet then I feel it's another case entirely.

In that case if you are willing to take on the responsibility it would be a good thing to do for the sake of the cat.

Moving the cat if he has a pretty good home and is well-cared for would not be in the cat's best interest. Cats are very bonded to their "territory" and it is difficult for cats to adjust even when they go with owners they have spent their lives with.

So you could be bringing a problem into your life and not really doing what is best for the cat.