# Stray cat etiquette



## vickster (26 Jul 2014)

Bit of an odd one. I have a sweet ginger mog who has been hanging around for a month whom I've been feeding. He is quite grubby looking, his fur is greasy and full of bits of dirt, and has clearly lost some weight (although my cat is looking lanky too so could be the weather), He has not been neutered and I very much doubt he's been chipped as not chopped (I had a feel around his neck for a chip to no avail) . He is very vocal and hungry when he shows up, now a daily occurrence

None of the neighbours I have spoken to know of his owners. 

What should I do? I thought I could take him to my vet just to make sure he's not chipped and have him checked over. I put a paper collar on him with my phone number, no response but I suspect it didn't stay on long. If honest, I can't really be fussed sticking posters up around the place etc. I could call around local vets to see if anyone has reported him missing.

I am not in a position to adopt him as my cat is already miffed I am feeding him but a friend of a colleague would be keen to do so (is desperate for a ginger cat)

Any other thoughts?


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## hopless500 (26 Jul 2014)

Definitely worth the vet checking to see if he's chipped as a first port of call.


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## Mo1959 (26 Jul 2014)

Have you had a look on either of these websites in the off chance that he may be listed?
http://www.nationalpetregister.org/
http://www.animalsearchuk.co.uk/
If no joy there, then it does sound like it would be doing the poor chap a favour to get him snipped and into a new home.


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## vickster (26 Jul 2014)

Here's the little man, imaginatively named Gingey. Sunning himself on the lawn


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## Shut Up Legs (26 Jul 2014)

vickster said:


> Here's the little man, imaginatively named Gingey. Sunning himself on the lawn


Gorgeous!  I really love cats.


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## vickster (26 Jul 2014)

Mo1959 said:


> Have you had a look on either of these websites in the off chance that he may be listed?
> http://www.nationalpetregister.org/
> http://www.animalsearchuk.co.uk/
> If no joy there, then it does sound like it would be doing the poor chap a favour to get him snipped and into a new home.


Thanks Mo, just had a look, no sign of him locally


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## MrWill (26 Jul 2014)

Someone 4 doors down to me thought my now 12 yr old black cat was a stray. Started feeding it, and taking it in at night treating it as their own. Really really annoyed me. I kept thinking she was missing and going looking for her.

I got another kitten 2 yrs ago, shabby looking cat but playful. At around 6 months old it vanished. Put posters up and all sorts. Then after initially overhearing part of a conversation in my corner shop, it turned out someone on the other side of the estate took that in, kept it in their garage for a few weeks ''Waiting for the owner to come looking for it''. They got fed up of it, and took it to the RSPCA. So I went looking for it... they put it down after no one wanted it. It was meant to of been chipped by them, which I paid for...

Angry was not the word!

So really should put a proper collar on it with a message, to find out.


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## vickster (26 Jul 2014)

I'll get him checked for a chip. I just spoke to the vet's. But I would be very surprised if someone who is not responsible enough to get a cat neutered would get it chipped. I am sure there are breeding cats out there intact and chipped, otherwise there's no excuse IMO

This cat is evidently very hungry when he comes round and is very grubby (my cat was a rescue and in a similar state when I got him from Battersea)

How do I attach a message to a proper collar? I am not taking this cat into the house, there would be war!

Who was meant to _have_ chipped your kitten? You should _have_ received paperwork from Petlog (IIRC you have to complete something and return)


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## Shut Up Legs (26 Jul 2014)

Way back when I was still living at my Mum's place, a stray cat just walked into the yard, and right up to the house, one day. I'm amazed she had the guts to do it, because it was always a very shy cat. We already had a cat, and she didn't think much of the intruder. The stray ended up staying with us for about another 10 years. Both cats fought with each other for that 10 years, like siblings who love each other but can't help disagreeing all the time, but when the stray finally died, our original cat actually missed her .


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## Apollonius (26 Jul 2014)

Cats choose their staff with care. It looks as if you have been selected. Not much you can do about it.


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## vickster (26 Jul 2014)

This is my cat, could get confusing lol


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## Saluki (26 Jul 2014)

Gingey looks very content there.
I would say first port of call is the vet to scan for a chip and put a proper collar on him with a written message on it. If no chip and no message after a week or so, I'd think about homing him with your friend. You've made an effort.
We kept finding a cat and when we managed to get hold of him there was a tag that said something like "I'm not lost, I'm just out for a wander". After a week of him being in the garden, we rang the number on the back of the message and it turned out that he'd been out for a wander 12 miles from where he lived. The owners came PDQ to fetch him


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## vickster (26 Jul 2014)

Yes  without mirrors and slight of hand!


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## Apollonius (26 Jul 2014)

Definitely a bit of a bromance there. They must be mates! Just double up the catfood order and accept it.


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## vickster (26 Jul 2014)

Hmmm, I don't know! Harry has been seen to swipe Gingey....Harry also attacked my feet with much hissing when I first fed Gingey...and Harry is extremely sweet natured normally (in 4 years he has barely ever scratched me)!


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## Apollonius (26 Jul 2014)

Oddly, there seems to be much less aggression between males than between females and anything else at all. Females seem to be very territorial. We have a brother (ginger) and sister (stripey tabbyish sort of thing) who get on OK apart from the odd bit of paw-swiping. The ginger one sometimes invites his stupid male mate from across the way round for sunbathing and a bit of rough mousing or rabbitting. She doesn't approve. 
The ginger one is no wussy pussy. He sees off the little vixen that comes for scraps. (of food - not fights!)


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## raleighnut (26 Jul 2014)

Like Saluki says he could come from miles away, I'd just keep feeding him unless what happened to a white Tom happens to him. We had an "odd eyed white" that used to come in our cat-flap and scoff the bickies, quite friendly with us but one day he turned up very battered so we took him to the vets and got him stitched up and asked the vet while she was at that to remove the "family Jewels". He continued to live with us, our 5 cats and 6 stone of German Shepherd for the rest of his natural BUT we had an open cat-flap so he could do whatever he wanted.
As for the RSPCA bunch of callous sanctimonious pr*cks when it comes to their "Re-Homing" policy but they are useful in neglect/cruelty cases (I think its the uniform makes them like that) Independent sanctuaries ( like Red Gate Farm where I worked for a while) do a far better job and care much more.


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## Apollonius (26 Jul 2014)

Agree. RSPCA are OK in their way, but let's remember we are talking about animals. They don't always want things the human way, and that seems to be what the RSPCA insists on. 
We live on the edge of a wood and it can be pretty wild here. The cats love it!


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## vickster (26 Jul 2014)

Lazy orange boys!


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## cyberknight (26 Jul 2014)

Im sure the local sweet and sout shop is in need of fresh meat 









Only joking i love cats 

















but i couldnt eat a whole one !


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## raleighnut (26 Jul 2014)

cyberknight said:


> Im sure the local sweet and sout shop is in need of fresh meat
> View attachment 51573
> 
> 
> ...


Its not them you need to worry about its old British country folks that you need to watch as apparently "its indistinguishable from rabbit in flavour" and the only way to tell is by the ribs which are flatter in one species THIS IS NOT A JOKE COMMENT, and I don't want any likes for it.
I grew up in a rural location and some of the old uns must have had their vestigial tails removed at birth.


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## raleighnut (26 Jul 2014)

User said:


> That is Evelyn Waugh in the Sword of Honour trilogy somewhere, and it is the number of ribs, I think.


NO shape definitely


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## sittingbull (26 Jul 2014)

raleighnut said:


> ........ apparently "its indistinguishable from rabbit in flavour" ........


Not like chicken then?


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## glasgowcyclist (26 Jul 2014)

vickster said:


> Bit of an odd one. I have a sweet ginger mog who has been hanging around for a month whom
> 
> Any other thoughts?



Have you tried searching cat forums?

Assuming your location with your avatar is accurate, you could try here.

GC


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## threebikesmcginty (26 Jul 2014)

I can only think of the finest 7" single ever made when stray cats are mentioned. And when I say finest that is a FACT. An actual FACT.


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## Rezillo (26 Jul 2014)

Our cat was once feral - a thin scrap with most of its coat in a shocking state. We couldn't track down an owner and while we don't know for sure, we think it was left abandoned as a kitten when an elderly lady down the road, known for feeding the occasional stray in a barn, died and her house stayed empty for some months.

He was about six months old when we started to leave food for him in our garden. It took three months to tempt him into the house and even then the slightest noise caused him to run away. It was six months before he let us pick him up and then we found what we thought was a she was in fact a he. Over a year later, he's now a normal if slightly quirky house cat.

Our local vets give a big discount for treating and neutering feral cats, btw.


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## raleighnut (26 Jul 2014)

He looks a lad, love longhaired moggies.


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## derrick (26 Jul 2014)

This ones better.

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiMMGC706SU


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## accountantpete (26 Jul 2014)

Cats choose their homes - he's made a choice so now you are stuck with him.


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## accountantpete (26 Jul 2014)

The lyrics on this one are a bit easy to get


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## Rezillo (26 Jul 2014)

raleighnut said:


> He looks a lad, love longhaired moggies.



For the first few months of feeding him indoors, if I took too long putting his food down, he'd circle round and round, hissing and growling, then clout me with an outstretched paw as I put his bowl on the floor.

He's stopped doing that, fortunately. What he does now, when he is hungry, is to follow me round the house and, at the first opportunity, grab my leg with both paws and bite the back of my ankle. No extended claws when he grabs me and the 'bite' is the gentlest of chews. Just cracks me up when he does it.


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## Globalti (26 Jul 2014)

There are seven million cats in Britain and ten million families who think they own a cat.


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## Saluki (26 Jul 2014)

Apollonius said:


> Agree. RSPCA are OK in their way, but let's remember we are talking about animals. They don't always want things the human way, and that seems to be what the RSPCA insists on.
> We live on the edge of a wood and it can be pretty wild here. The cats love it!


Years ago, we got turned down by the RSPCA when we wanted to adopt a cat. We lived right next to a lovely wood, it was huge. There was no main road for miles and I worked from home. Apparently, it was too dangerous for the cat to be rehomed at ours because it could get killed by foxes.


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## raleighnut (26 Jul 2014)

Rezillo said:


> For the first few months of feeding him indoors, if I took too long putting his food down, he'd circle round and round, hissing and growling, then clout me with an outstretched paw as I put his bowl on the floor.
> 
> He's stopped doing that, fortunately. What he does now, when he is hungry, is to follow me round the house and, at the first opportunity, grab my leg with both paws and bite the back of my ankle. No extended claws when he grabs me and the 'bite' is the gentlest of chews. Just cracks me up when he does it.


My kizzy is an ankle grab 'n' nibbler not for food just when she feels like it, she also retrieves scrunched up till receipts and drops them in front of you. The other 2 are quite normal and look at her aghast when she does this.


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## raleighnut (26 Jul 2014)

Saluki said:


> Years ago, we got turned down by the RSPCA when we wanted to adopt a cat. We lived right next to a lovely wood, it was huge. There was no main road for miles and I worked from home. Apparently, it was too dangerous for the cat to be rehomed at ours because it could get killed by foxes.


Sounds like them


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## ayceejay (26 Jul 2014)

When a stray turned up at my place he was really wild and the other cats hated him. at any time night or day there would be that scream that could be a Hitchcock sound track. I called the vet and she said that the right thing to do was to have him 'done', she loved her euphemisms, and then let him go in the woods some place. 
Did you know that you can get special cat catching gauntlets? Neither did I but after several forearm tearing attempts to get him into the regular cat cage I had to re-strategise. I used the gauntlets and a sack and got him to the vets, she sedated him through the sack (I said he was wild). I got him back and drove up over the hill and dropped him, still groggy out in the woods some 10 miles out. 
I don't know how he did it but it took him two weeks to get back and now I was scared thinking about revenge and all but he looked at me. not like he wanted to kill me but "thank god I found you". 
How do cats do it hey? one look and the lacerations on my arm healed instantly.
He was run over in the street a week later.


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## glasgowcyclist (26 Jul 2014)

ayceejay said:


> When a stray turned up at my place he was really wild and the other cats hated him. at any time night or day there would be that scream that could be a Hitchcock sound track. I called the vet and she said that the right thing to do was to have him 'done', she loved her euphemisms, and then let him go in the woods some place.
> Did you know that you can get special cat catching gauntlets? Neither did I but after several forearm tearing attempts to get him into the regular cat cage I had to re-strategise. I used the gauntlets and a sack and got him to the vets, she sedated him through the sack (I said he was wild). I got him back and drove up over the hill and dropped him, still groggy out in the woods some 10 miles out.
> I don't know how he did it but it took him two weeks to get back and now I was scared thinking about revenge and all but he looked at me. not like he wanted to kill me but "thank god I found you".
> How do cats do it hey? one look and the lacerations on my arm healed instantly.
> He was run over in the street a week later.



You barsteward! My finger was just reaching for the like button when I read the last sentence.

GC


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## ufkacbln (26 Jul 2014)

Can get hairy!!!!

Not cats, but dogs...

My mother used to work in a shelter.

They had a dog brought in, and went through all the normal searches to find the owner, but no luck

So they rehomed the dog

About 6 months later they were approached by the Police.

Apparently the original owner had spotted the dog being walked in the Park and were accusing the new owners of theft.

It all got very messy before it was decided thathe dog was settled and that there was no case to answer


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## vickster (26 Jul 2014)

If he appears tomorrow, I'll stick a collar and note on him. Will go to vet at some point. They did say on the phone that if he isn't healthy, they'll keep him in


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## ayceejay (26 Jul 2014)

glasgowcyclist said:


> You barsteward! My finger was just reaching for the like button when I read the last sentence.
> 
> GC


Steady on - I didn't run him over


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## glasgowcyclist (26 Jul 2014)

ayceejay said:


> Steady on - I didn't run him over



I know but it was such a nice tale until the end.

GC


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## F70100 (26 Jul 2014)

These gingers get about a bit don't they:


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## Risex4 (26 Jul 2014)

Just a word of caution.

Cats can be extremely territorial and (quite obviously when you think about it) don't have a concept of human 'ownership'. They are instinctively 'pack' or 'litter' orientated. As such, if you show a stray cat too much acceptance, it can have an extremely detrimental effect on your resident moggie. Completely outside of your control is the scope of feline assertion; its doesn't matter if your own cat (who I assume you are more emotionally attached to) is bigger, smaller, older or younger, if the stray has the 'personality' to assert dominance, it will, especially if the outsider has found a ready source of food and relative safety. Strays, in my experience, seem rather adept at asserting dominance.

Yonks ago we had two cats, and as a tag team they were pretty formidable in the neighbourhood. But as a family of cat lovers, when a grey cat (who we named Smokey) appeared on the scene, looking pretty pathetic, thin and scrawly, we took pity and started feeding it. Initially it was very timid and passive, we took further pity on it and given its appearance, we simply couldn't let it go hungry. However, within a few months, it had grown fat, comfortable, and the garden became a practical 'no-go' area for our own cats as Smokey waited around idly for the next feeding, and then rather nonchalantly bullied our own cats in their own kitchen for first eats at food time. 

This was rather distressing to us, and eventually we solved it with threat displays towards Smokey (strictly non-violent, we love cats, but had to send a 'pack' message), but it took us a while. It was sad. We had almost come to love Smokey, but the dynamics wouldn't allow a happy litter, and after we scared it off we never saw it again. We didn't know its fate, but ultimately, it wasn't our cat, and we already had our own 'litter' to look out for.

I would personally say, if you love/respect your own cat, keep they stray at arms length. If you leave it any compassion food, leave it minimal amounts at the furthest distance from your property. Phone the RSPCA or Blue Cross to see if they can take it away and home it. If you let it get greedy and close, it can really upset your own cat and it can be quite a difficult situation to resolve sensibly.

And you cant sit cats down to explain the situation to them,


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## RWright (27 Jul 2014)

I have had my cat about 13 years or so. He came from a neighbors house. The neighbor had far too many cats and the cats they had were giving my cat a hard time. At first he would just come to my house to hang out with me, he was coming around so often that I started giving him some food. I talked to the neighbors about him and they told me someone had brought him to them to keep (like they really needed any more cats). They told me I could have him if I wanted so I took him to the vet and had him "fixed" and got him his shots. He has been a great cat, I only had to take him to the vet once for some sort of infected wound.

Sometimes I wish I had gotten another cat to keep him company but he made his rounds of the neighborhood so he always seemed to have plenty of company when I was at work. The neighbors that I got him from now have no cats.  This is a good thing I think. Their cats never really seemed to be well taken care of. I would help some of them when I noticed they needed some medicine or something I might have had around the house.

I wouldn't get another cat at this stage however because he seems pretty content and says closer to home now. He still goes out in the woods around my house and the foxes never hurt him or seemed to bother him. Luckily I haven't noticed hardly any foxes for quite a few months. If stray cats come around now I shoo them off if my cat hasn't already done so but now it is mostly well taken care of neighborhood cats that I see wandering around my house now. I don't think my cat would like having another cat around at this stage of his life, plus....it cost about 10 dollars a month now for flea drops for one cat !  I would think it may depend on how old your cat is as to how they would adapt to a newcomer.


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## kurt909 (27 Jul 2014)

We have just recently adopted a cat that wouldn't leave our conservatory door. 

Lovely little thing.. 

Except when it brings dead birds in to 'please us'!

I nearly crapped myself


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## RWright (27 Jul 2014)

kurt909 said:


> We have just recently adopted a cat that wouldn't leave our conservatory door.
> 
> Lovely little thing..
> 
> ...


 
I leave a window opened for my cat to come in and out of during warm months. He has brought in dead birds, squirrels and mice. He has also brought in live birds and baby rabbits. Some of which didn't make it but a couple I was able to get to before they were too seriously injured. I am lucky that when he brings me these gifts or whatever they are, he makes a very long loud howling noise. I go straight for my gloves or a towel whenever I hear it and immediately go see what my prize is this time.


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## AndyWilliams (27 Jul 2014)

I have 2 cats but look after 5. Two were found in a bag in a ditch by the side of the M4, so I kept them as indoor cats, they wont go out funny enough, got all the chips and injections etc though, great little mates to me, we get on really well. 
Three are stray: 1 is now so tame she has become a real friend whenever I go outside (4yrs now), such a playful cat, we have some right laughs, sadly she doesn't get on with the other 2 indoors so lives in the garden, doesn't try and get in either.
The other two are a bit scruffy, wont come that close but enough to ask for food. They sit around howling and sharing the bowl with the 2 Hedgehogs that come and see me about 10pm haha 
I love animals, absolutely adore them


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## Pat "5mph" (27 Jul 2014)

@vickster I had one cat from kittenhood. One day, several years ago, he brought a friend into the garden, a sorry looking tomcat.
Within a few days, he slept in my bed with the other one!
I called him BigCat, because he really was a massive tom.
Tried to find his owners to no avail, took him to the vet, got him "done" - he was going out fighting with anything that moves, coming home bleeding but so proud of himself.
My other cat was not so happy, he was getting bullied a wee bit, still, they shared the same bed ... mine!
After his op, BigCat started to over groom, ripping out his fur, cost me a fortune in vet investigations.
Couple of years later, my other cat decides to leave home for good.
BigCat is still with me, does not walk like the Godfather anymore since he lost his bits, eats only the most jelly rich cat food (lots of it), prawns and prime continental cold meats, still over grooms, overeats, gets sick everywhere, wakes me up at 5am to have the bed for himself.
He's a great mouse catcher


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## Shut Up Legs (27 Jul 2014)

This thread needs more cat photos .

_"This is really hard work"_











_"Bow down, for I am the lord of all I survey"_


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## Pale Rider (27 Jul 2014)

glasgowcyclist said:


> I know but it was such a nice tale until the end.
> 
> GC



I listened to magistrates' court case of common assault - two neighbours who had fallen out over the behaviour of a cat.

One man whacked the other.

His solicitor gave the usual mitigation about sorry, learned his lesson, etc, and finished with:

"I can assure your worships there won't be any further arguments over the cat.

"As the police officer who made the arrest left in his panda car, he reversed over it."


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## Sara_H (27 Jul 2014)

victor said:


> Way back when I was still living at my Mum's place, a stray cat just walked into the yard, and right up to the house, one day. I'm amazed she had the guts to do it, because it was always a very shy cat. We already had a cat, and she didn't think much of the intruder. The stray ended up staying with us for about another 10 years. Both cats fought with each other for that 10 years, like siblings who love each other but can't help disagreeing all the time, but when the stray finally died, our original cat actually missed her .


This is how I got one of my cats, he just walked in one day and made himself at home. We knew he'd come from a house in the next street who were well known for neglecting animals, so we didn't try to hard to trace his owners, though of course, he was always welcome to go back there if he wished to.
He had a very happy, healthy life with us for 12 years until he lost a fight with my neighbours car. 
RIP Brian.


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## vickster (27 Jul 2014)

I have no intention of adopting this cat but I can't just ignore him either. Will put a collar on, take him to the vet but if no joy, there is someone who'll adopt him. I'm only giving him whiskas dried food when Harry gets spoiled with Sheba and iams!


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## glasgowcyclist (27 Jul 2014)

Pale Rider said:


> I listened to magistrates' court case of common assault - two neighbours who had fallen out over the behaviour of a cat.
> 
> One man whacked the other.
> 
> ...









GC


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## vickster (27 Jul 2014)

Gingey is back and sunning himself. Now wearing a collar and note, so we shall see. I'll probably take him to the vet on Tuesday if he's around


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## Pat "5mph" (27 Jul 2014)

vickster said:


> I have no intention of adopting this cat but I can't just ignore him either. Will put a collar on, take him to the vet but if no joy, there is someone who'll adopt him. I'm only giving him whiskas dried food when Harry gets spoiled with Sheba and iams!


Ha! You'll soon feed him Sheba too, guilty feelings gonna get you


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## AndyWilliams (27 Jul 2014)

You can keep him as a stray, they need somewhere to sleep and food twice a day. That's easy.


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## vickster (29 Jul 2014)

Pat "5mph" said:


> Ha! You'll soon feed him Sheba too, guilty feelings gonna get you


Ah indeed, the little man had a Whiskas pouch today as he saw me feeding Harry!

Gingey was hungry though as I wasn't around yesterday to feed him, he is still wearing the collar and note from Sunday so it seems he's not living with someone locally. Will need to get him to the vet for a check


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## MisterStan (29 Jul 2014)

Rezillo said:


> Our cat was once feral - a thin scrap with most of its coat in a shocking state. We couldn't track down an owner and while we don't know for sure, we think it was left abandoned as a kitten when an elderly lady down the road, known for feeding the occasional stray in a barn, died and her house stayed empty for some months.
> 
> He was about six months old when we started to leave food for him in our garden. It took three months to tempt him into the house and even then the slightest noise caused him to run away. It was six months before he let us pick him up and then we found what we thought was a she was in fact a he. Over a year later, he's now a normal if slightly quirky house cat.
> 
> ...


That could be my oldest cat's twin! We have just (Sunday) taken delivery of a new kitten, 10 weeks old and from a stray who took over our friend's shed to have a litter of three. Only a couple of days in and Oscar (the old one) seems quite taken with her. He has been getting extra treats as we want to keep him happy.


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## raleighnut (29 Jul 2014)

I do like the name, the odd eyed white that adopted us remained "Whitey" as he was always filthy before his little "snip" and as they said on the advert "you can get tablets for that"


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## Globalti (29 Jul 2014)

More photos needed? 

Okay...

This young one also retrieves scrunched-up till receipts, usually dropping them into a slipper:






This older cat is fat and lazy:


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## raleighnut (29 Jul 2014)

Globalti said:


> More photos needed?
> 
> Okay...
> 
> ...


Lovely tri-colour  but the tabby 'n' white looks suspicious of her


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## vickster (29 Jul 2014)

raleighnut said:


> I do like the name, the odd eyed white that adopted us remained "Whitey" as he was always filthy before his little "snip" and as they said on the advert "you can get tablets for that"


Gingey's a chatty little thing, was just lying near the patio...Harry had a little swipe as he walked past giving him the evils!


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## Globalti (29 Jul 2014)

Tri-colour? Is that the term? She's a little devil, she attacks the tabby 'n white and sometimes attacks people for fun.


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## vickster (29 Jul 2014)

Well Gingey has a chip. Vet practice locating owner


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## vickster (29 Jul 2014)

Called Simba apparently and doesn't actually live far away at all. And he has fleas and pongs...lovely!!


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## raleighnut (29 Jul 2014)

Globalti said:


> Tri-colour? Is that the term? She's a little devil, she attacks the tabby 'n white and sometimes attacks people for fun.


Some people call them Torti and white but I prefer tri-colour and they are most often girls and if she's owt like mine was very playful pouncy aggression but sweet with it.
Very similar in looks to the Turkish Van and the black mark over one eye is often referred to as "the thumbprint of Allah" by Muslims.


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## Paulus (29 Jul 2014)

vickster said:


> Well Gingey has a chip. Vet practice locating owner




Maybe good news then vickster, or maybe not. As the cat is still entire and allowed to wander as a tom cat does, it may well come back as you have showed kindness to it.


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## vickster (29 Jul 2014)

I will suggest to the owners that he is 'dealt with' They'll need to get proper de-flea stuff from their vet too


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## vickster (29 Jul 2014)

Actually, he may not be so keen to come back as while I was opening the back door, the cat box, complete with Simba fell off the bin where it was resting  He seemed to be keen to get out after that!! He did however inhale the pouch of catfood I game him as a profuse apology


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## raleighnut (29 Jul 2014)

vickster said:


> I will suggest to the owners that he is 'dealt with' They'll need to get proper de-flea stuff from their vet too


Gently does it Vickster some people can get Very narky Very quickly at suggestions.


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## vickster (29 Jul 2014)

Indeed, but it is irresponsible cat ownership IMO. I will suggest that if they have been upset by his absence that neutering him may stop him going a-wandering again  PDSA will do it for free if they are in a low income bracket


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## Paulus (29 Jul 2014)

vickster said:


> Indeed, but it is irresponsible cat ownership IMO. I will suggest that if they have been upset by his absence that neutering him may stop him going a-wandering again  PDSA will do it for free if they are in a low income bracket




Also, if you have a local branch of the Cats Protection League down your way, they may be able to help as well.

Edit---Yes you do---http://www.sutton.cats.org.uk/sutton/news/neuter-your-cat-for-free


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## mr_cellophane (29 Jul 2014)

Our cat food started being finished one day, instead of the "bit left for later" then we caught a tabby in the kitchen eating away. He was fairly tame and I got him in a basket and took him to the vet. They scanned him and got the details of his chip. They kept him there while they contacted the chip company and sorted out some cuts. They called me the next day and said that they phoned the home and his owner had gone into a home and he had been left. Seemed a bit odd as if the house had been sold, the phone would have been disconnected and it would have taken months and I doubt he had been out more than 4 weeks. Still we got the option to keep him which we did. Other other 2 hiss at him and he is bottom of the pecking order, but I think he is happy enough and he doesn't take your face off now if you pick him up, so we are getting there


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## uphillstruggler (29 Jul 2014)

right, you made me do it.

his name is Sonny (ginger), and his sister is Maisie. and that sofa is long gone.


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## vickster (29 Jul 2014)

No follow up from the vet yet, obviously the owners hadn't picked up their messages


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## Pat "5mph" (30 Jul 2014)

@vickster you mean poor Simba is still at the vets? Go get him back, you know you love him now


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## vickster (30 Jul 2014)

No, the vet left messages with the owner, but there had been no response back to me. I think the vet closed at 8. Simba is back outside somewhere. I guess I'll see him again if he's hungry


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## RWright (30 Jul 2014)

vickster said:


> Called Simba apparently and doesn't actually live far away at all. And he has fleas and pongs...lovely!!


 What are pongs?


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## coffeejo (30 Jul 2014)

RWright said:


> What are pongs?


It means he smells. And not of roses / freshly baked bread.


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## RWright (30 Jul 2014)

coffeejo said:


> It means he smells. And not of roses / freshly baked bread.


Thanks, not a term I am familiar with. I thought there may be some cat disease I should be on the lookout for.


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## raleighnut (30 Jul 2014)

RWright said:


> Thanks, not a term I am familiar with. I thought there may be some cat disease I should be on the lookout for.


It is its called Intact Tomcat Aroma but is quite simple to cure,


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## vickster (30 Jul 2014)

Still no direct response, apparently the owner is in China currently, a friend did contact the vet but he's not bothered to return my call yet. Looks like no one bothered to sort cat feeding before going away 

Simba has breakfasted chez moi again and used my lawn for sunbathing


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## vickster (30 Jul 2014)

I was thinking Pete


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## raleighnut (30 Jul 2014)

vickster said:


> Still no direct response, apparently the owner is in China currently, a friend did contact the vet but he's not bothered to return my call yet. Looks like no one bothered to sort cat feeding before going away
> 
> Simba has breakfasted chez moi again and used my lawn for sunbathing


You can think you've sorted it but things can go awry. I'm lucky as my neighbour has 3 cats as do we and we each have keys to the others houses so its a reciprocal thing. First time I've had a neighbour as a mate in 35 years though.


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## potsy (30 Jul 2014)

Congratulations on adopting him Vickster


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## vickster (30 Jul 2014)

The cat has been hanging around for a month, getting progressively thinner and tattier, so doesn't look like a 3 day business trip. Apparently there's been a relationship break up so looks like mog may have got caught in the middle


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## phil_hg_uk (30 Jul 2014)

Congratulations @vickster it looks like after an exhaustive interview you have got the job


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## vickster (30 Jul 2014)

I don't want him as I am more than happy with one ginger mog. I would like to know that he will be properly looked after, has a home where he is loved as my colleague's friend would be more than happy to offer one


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## vickster (1 Aug 2014)

Finally spoke to friend of cat owner. Sounds like she went on holiday, left the dog with a neighbour but made no provision for anyone to feed the cat. Apparently, very upset when heard the cat had been taken to a vet, thought it was hurt...crocodile tears perhaps  Back tomorrow night from China apparently


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## coffeejo (1 Aug 2014)

vickster said:


> Finally spoke to friend of cat owner. Sounds like she went on holiday, left the dog with a neighbour but made no provision for anyone to feed the cat. Apparently, very upset when heard the cat had been taken to a vet, thought it was hurt...crocodile tears perhaps  Back tomorrow night from China apparently


 Hope the cat's sick all over her bed and uses the bath as a litter tray.


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## vickster (1 Aug 2014)

I am hoping he's left dismembered rat corpses all over the house...especially with the hot weather!


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