Homesless Cat bugs me.

[candy722]

There is this homeless cat that came to our house to eat other previous dog's food. At the time we didn't ever seen this cat before until my dog died last year.. I saw this cat right in front of our backyard door waiting food because I guess she knows that we feed our dog and since the dog is not there she's not afraid to approach closer. So then we felt bad and gave her food that was left over so it wasn't a everyday thing. Now that I have Toki and try to potty train him outside Toki wants to play with the cat. The only problem I have with this cat is that she's so dirty and probably infested with lots of fleas. This cat has long hair and i've seen her trying to shed and it was pretty nasty. The sides of her hair came out but now completely and it made her look like she had wings. I don't let the cat and TOki to play because I noticed after they've been in contact, Toki has been scratching himself alot. What should I do? Should I call animal control or should I take the cat somewhere and drop her in another neighborhood?

[Renee750il]

Since Toki likes the cat and wants to play and the poor thing is so friendly and obviously wants to be there, if it were me, I'd take the cat to the vet, get it cleaned up and welcome it to the family.

Certainly don't just drop it off somewhere else!

I suppose the animal control is the other answer unless there's a cat rescue in your area.

[Barb04]

Please don't drop her in another neighborhood. I would hate to think what could happen to her out there on her own. Renee's idea of a cat rescue would be the answer if available.

[Debi]

When I have a stray dog or cat around my house, I always think 'what if it were my pet..and the poor thing just got lost'. So, I absolutely feed it and then try to ask around or post a free ad on the local store bulletin board to try to find it's owners. There just may be someone close by to you that is missing that cat so much. I'd even bet the cat isn't homeless, but have owners that let it out. We have a zillion cats around here. The owner may be a mile down the road or so...but they all do have homes that they wander back to eventually. Not safe for the kitty, but common around here.....so please don't take it elsewhere, which is NEVER the right thing to do.

[tl_ashmore]

I agree with all of you. I'm not a big cat fan, but I still wouldn't just drop it off in some other neighborhood. I would have to keep it and get it cleaned up at least until someone claimed it. I know how it feels to lose your pet. You walk around the neighborhood for days looking for it. Then when you find out that someone had her in their home taking care of them, it makes you feel so much better,

[bogolove]

Yeah I would probably get it cleaned up and take it in even though I don't need another animal. But if one wanders up to you like that, maybe God sent her for a reason...

[Denaluvscorgis]

I agree....I adore cats!!! I also think the cat should be taken to the vet, and cleaned up. My dogs and my cats love eachother and really enjoy playing with together. Maybe the cat was sent to you for a reason.

If you're not able to keep the cat, there any many cat rescues that would be able to take the cat, care for it, and then find a home for it!

Good luck!!

[Renee750il]

When you've got a small dog, a cat is often the ideal playmate. And they're so much easier to housetrain than another puppy!

And they purrrrrrr . . . .

[Saje]

I'd just like to add to all the above good points that if you don't plan on taking it in, which is what it sounds like, then you should try and find a rescue with a no-kill policy that will help the cat.

I know that sounds obvious but the only shelter in my small town is not a no-kill shelter and they don't do any vet care. If it isn't healthy enough to be adopted than it is put to sleep. Sad. I know.

Just something to keep in mind.

Saje

[candy722]

The cat had a name tag and when I called it turned out to be some kind of company so im guessing that they changed number. But the funniest thing is that the address that was on the cat's tag was from like 30 minutes away from my house and how did she end up in my house? Another thing is I tried animal control but they told me that they might put her to sleep so i decided to not have them come. This cat is so filthy that im guessing she might have thing because when i saw her shedding it was totally nasty. I don't mind feeding this cat but i just don't like the cat near my Toki and spreading things to him.