# Advice needed on stray



## mdeal (Aug 16, 2012)

I've found what I'm pretty sure is a stray, checked round the neighbours and I ran a scanner over it - no chip (picks up my cats chip). It's spent the last week in my garden so don't see what putting a paper collar on it is going to do, besides which who leaves their cat out in 1 degrees all night?

Have contacted the local rescue who have asked me to keep them updated but I'm pretty confident its stray now.

I can't take it in because I have an older grumpy cat that's already aggravated by it.It looks like a young cat, having rescued 3 cats before I know that getting it on a waiting list/vaccinated/neutered is all pretty critical at this stage to give it the best shot at having a home and life.

I do however have a pretty big run for my cat, I was thinking of putting it in there and keeping my cat indoors in the meantime, but I'm a bit worried about stressing it out by keeping it caged, it's skittish and I've only just got its trust. What are your thoughts?


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

Maybe put a waterproofed box in a sheltered part of the garden with some dry blankets and food and water next to it to encourage him out of the worst of the weather/cold?

He might slowly come round to you so you can consider what to do and catch him in future, if necessary?


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## JANICE199 (Feb 1, 2008)

*Last year my neighbour moved house and left 2 of her cats behind. One was a female with kittens and the other a ginger male. The female was found a home and homes for the kittens. However the ginger one is still around. We have put food out for him everyday and now he has a bed in our greenhouse. He spends a lot of his time coming and going every day.  We can't have him in the house because our dog doesn't like cats. Haha just to add, he's like our own now.*


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## mdeal (Aug 16, 2012)

I did already make a shelter with food and water which he's been eating and drinking but he hasn't taken to it yet. I've cordoned off a small area in the garden which I'll put a cat flap on which hopefully he'll take to until I work out what to do. He's warmed up to me and being friendly/letting me stroke him now and came into the house for a little bit today, shame I can't let him stay here. He looks like a young cat and his condition seems ok so hopefully has every chance.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@mdeal - it is very possible he is a young un-neutered male who has wandered too far from home looking for a female to mate with, and has got lost. Unfortunately this happens quite a lot with young un-neutered, males. And if they are un-neutered they are usually not microchipped either.

As you say, there may be little point to a paper collar but definitely worth putting his description on your local social media groups (e.g. Facebook and Nextdoor.co.uk) as well as on Lost and Found pets websites. And also giving his description to all the local vets, in case they get enquiries from the owner.


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## mdeal (Aug 16, 2012)

Retrospectively I would have just put him in the enclosure. I did put him in there just before the storm but he managed to get out. Then he came back and it seemed like there was something wrong with him, so I took him to the vet, He's an older un-neutered, unchipped tom and because of the recent weather he's now sitting in there poorly with flu awaiting the rescue to collect him. I really wanted to get him into the system sooner rather than when he's in this state but it's been so difficult to do this with another cat in the house and everything else going on when the rescue just doesn't respond. Poor thing needs a break in this life.


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