[MHMQ786]

Hello, just wanted some advice. I am currently living in a student house and a very tame cat began to visit us since september 2011. It is black and white and initially had a black collar. We feed it almost everyday and look after it, but when we asked several neighbours on our road, we found out they are all feeding it and looking after it, but no one knew whose cat it is. Then when we returned in january from our winter break, it was still here but did not have a collar and spends every day with us. We will be leaving this house in june, and I was thinking of taking it back with me to my home in leicester so it has a proper home where someone is permanently looking after it, as we are all going to be leaving.

Is there anything else I can do to find out if it belongs to anyone before I take it home with me? I have emailed the RSPCA with a description and have searched forums online, and emailed several cat owners whose pets have been missing (and were lookalikes) but none have got back to me.

Also, I just wanted some general advice as to the things I will need to buy. For example, I know I will need a carrier for the one hours journey to leicester and I have read that initially the cat should stay indoors to get used to the place, and then slowly venture out, possibly with a lead. Also, would I need to take it to the vet? We think it is infested with fleas too. And it has very sharp claws, can we cut them? And how many times do we bathe the cat? We have tried (unsuccessfully) to get it to stay in the bath.

Thank you in advance

[inadilemma]

Although you have become very attached to the cat, I think before you consider adopting it, you should take it to the local vet. Nowadays, most cats have an electronic tag in their ear so that if they do get lost, if someone finds it, the tag can be scanned and the owners can be alerted.

If however, the vet/rspca says it's ok to keep it, then it would be wonderful to give the cat a new, loving home.

If the cat is staying inside at first, you will need to buy a litter tray. You'd need to take it to the vet in order for them to make sure it is fully vaccinated. You don't really need to bathe a cat unless it's filthy or covered in something that might harm it. Cats will wash themselves but washing it in water won't get rid of fleas - you can buy flea treatment from the vet too and you can arrange for the cat to have its claws trimmed.

Hope this helps

[marky--mark]

(Original post by MHMQ786)
Hello, just wanted some advice. I am currently living in a student house and a very tame cat began to visit us since september 2011. It is black and white and initially had a black collar. We feed it almost everyday and look after it, but when we asked several neighbours on our road, we found out they are all feeding it and looking after it, but no one knew whose cat it is. Then when we returned in january from our winter break, it was still here but did not have a collar and spends every day with us. We will be leaving this house in june, and I was thinking of taking it back with me to my home in leicester so it has a proper home where someone is permanently looking after it, as we are all going to be leaving.

Is there anything else I can do to find out if it belongs to anyone before I take it home with me? I have emailed the RSPCA with a description and have searched forums online, and emailed several cat owners whose pets have been missing (and were lookalikes) but none have got back to me.

Also, I just wanted some general advice as to the things I will need to buy. For example, I know I will need a carrier for the one hours journey to leicester and I have read that initially the cat should stay indoors to get used to the place, and then slowly venture out, possibly with a lead. Also, would I need to take it to the vet? We think it is infested with fleas too. And it has very sharp claws, can we cut them? And how many times do we bathe the cat? We have tried (unsuccessfully) to get it to stay in the bath.

Thank you in advance

Are you at Oxford Brookes at the Clive Booth accomodation block? That looks exactly like the cat that hangs out round there.

[kassiopeia]

(Original post by MHMQ786)
Hello, just wanted some advice. I am currently living in a student house and a very tame cat began to visit us since september 2011. It is black and white and initially had a black collar. We feed it almost everyday and look after it, but when we asked several neighbours on our road, we found out they are all feeding it and looking after it, but no one knew whose cat it is. Then when we returned in january from our winter break, it was still here but did not have a collar and spends every day with us. We will be leaving this house in june, and I was thinking of taking it back with me to my home in leicester so it has a proper home where someone is permanently looking after it, as we are all going to be leaving.

Is there anything else I can do to find out if it belongs to anyone before I take it home with me? I have emailed the RSPCA with a description and have searched forums online, and emailed several cat owners whose pets have been missing (and were lookalikes) but none have got back to me.

Also, I just wanted some general advice as to the things I will need to buy. For example, I know I will need a carrier for the one hours journey to leicester and I have read that initially the cat should stay indoors to get used to the place, and then slowly venture out, possibly with a lead. Also, would I need to take it to the vet? We think it is infested with fleas too. And it has very sharp claws, can we cut them? And how many times do we bathe the cat? We have tried (unsuccessfully) to get it to stay in the bath.

Thank you in advance

your cat is adorable it was very nice of you to search if it was someone's pet.Here are some tips for you:
-you don't cut the cat's claws.there are special accesories for cats to scratch their claws(unfortunately sometimes they use the furniture too ).
-cats clean themselves and for the most part they love being clean, you can bathe it once (since you got it of the street) and you won't have to do it again
-as for the flees, there are special ampoules that you rub around their neck, check with your vet cause you need to know the dosage

[Wilfred Little]

That's a beautiful cat, so cute.

I have no advice but good luck.

[cat_in_the_hat]

I would definitely take it to the vet first to see if it's been microchipped. Does it sleep in your house? My cat has no collar (he refuses to wear one) and isn't microchipped, and we're sure he goes into other people's houses and gets fed, and obviously I'd be devastated if someone thought he was a stray and decided to adopt him! Why don't you put up a poster around your area asking if it belongs to anyone? It might belong to an elderly person who's having difficulty looking after it.

As for the bath, unless he is filthy, you don't bath a cat! They wash themselves.
If you do end up adopting it, you will have to take it to the vets to make sure it has good general health, has had vaccinations and to buy a flea killer/get it wormed. And you'll just have to deal with cats having sharp claws, you can buy a scratching post for it though.

[Origami Bullets]

Didn't anyone else think of this from this thread?

[Wilfred Little]

(Original post by MHMQ786)
Hello, just wanted some advice. I am currently living in a student house and a very tame cat began to visit us since september 2011. It is black and white and initially had a black collar. We feed it almost everyday and look after it, but when we asked several neighbours on our road, we found out they are all feeding it and looking after it, but no one knew whose cat it is. Then when we returned in january from our winter break, it was still here but did not have a collar and spends every day with us. We will be leaving this house in june, and I was thinking of taking it back with me to my home in leicester so it has a proper home where someone is permanently looking after it, as we are all going to be leaving.

Is there anything else I can do to find out if it belongs to anyone before I take it home with me? I have emailed the RSPCA with a description and have searched forums online, and emailed several cat owners whose pets have been missing (and were lookalikes) but none have got back to me.

Also, I just wanted some general advice as to the things I will need to buy. For example, I know I will need a carrier for the one hours journey to leicester and I have read that initially the cat should stay indoors to get used to the place, and then slowly venture out, possibly with a lead. Also, would I need to take it to the vet? We think it is infested with fleas too. And it has very sharp claws, can we cut them? And how many times do we bathe the cat? We have tried (unsuccessfully) to get it to stay in the bath.

Thank you in advance

Hows things with this?

[randdom]

I know that this is an oldish thread.

One thing that you could do is put a collar on him with a message tube on it (they aren't expensive). You could put your number in it and see if anyone calls you to claim ownership of the cat.

[diggy]

That cat has some funny face lol

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my GT-I9100

[Wilfred Little]

(Original post by diggy)
That cat has some funny face lol

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my GT-I9100

It's a nice cat. Looks like a chubby, fluffy little mini-cow because of it's markings.

[MHMQ786]

(Original post by inadilemma)
Although you have become very attached to the cat, I think before you consider adopting it, you should take it to the local vet. Nowadays, most cats have an electronic tag in their ear so that if they do get lost, if someone finds it, the tag can be scanned and the owners can be alerted.

If however, the vet/rspca says it's ok to keep it, then it would be wonderful to give the cat a new, loving home.

If the cat is staying inside at first, you will need to buy a litter tray. You'd need to take it to the vet in order for them to make sure it is fully vaccinated. You don't really need to bathe a cat unless it's filthy or covered in something that might harm it. Cats will wash themselves but washing it in water won't get rid of fleas - you can buy flea treatment from the vet too and you can arrange for the cat to have its claws trimmed.

Hope this helps

(Original post by marky--mark)
Are you at Oxford Brookes at the Clive Booth accomodation block? That looks exactly like the cat that hangs out round there.

(Original post by kassiopeia)
your cat is adorable it was very nice of you to search if it was someone's pet.Here are some tips for you:
-you don't cut the cat's claws.there are special accesories for cats to scratch their claws(unfortunately sometimes they use the furniture too ).
-cats clean themselves and for the most part they love being clean, you can bathe it once (since you got it of the street) and you won't have to do it again
-as for the flees, there are special ampoules that you rub around their neck, check with your vet cause you need to know the dosage

(Original post by Wilfred Little)
That's a beautiful cat, so cute.

I have no advice but good luck.

(Original post by cat_in_the_hat)
I would definitely take it to the vet first to see if it's been microchipped. Does it sleep in your house? My cat has no collar (he refuses to wear one) and isn't microchipped, and we're sure he goes into other people's houses and gets fed, and obviously I'd be devastated if someone thought he was a stray and decided to adopt him! Why don't you put up a poster around your area asking if it belongs to anyone? It might belong to an elderly person who's having difficulty looking after it.

As for the bath, unless he is filthy, you don't bath a cat! They wash themselves.
If you do end up adopting it, you will have to take it to the vets to make sure it has good general health, has had vaccinations and to buy a flea killer/get it wormed. And you'll just have to deal with cats having sharp claws, you can buy a scratching post for it though.

(Original post by Wilfred Little)
Hows things with this?

(Original post by randdom)
I know that this is an oldish thread.

One thing that you could do is put a collar on him with a message tube on it (they aren't expensive). You could put your number in it and see if anyone calls you to claim ownership of the cat.

Thank you to everyone for your replies! Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, but not much has happened yet.. My friend and I went to some of the neighbours houses who have been living there for quite some time, and they feed it but said they don't think it belongs to anyone - in fact, they thought it belonged to us because it's always at ours :P

To the person who thought they had seen the cat.. we live in selly oak, birmingham and no, we're not near those accommodation blocks...

The RSPCA got back to me. They gave me some general advice - but said the next best thing to do is take it to a vet. Since it has no collar, I'm going to check if it's been microchipped. None of the people that I contacted who had posted in forums online about lost cats that were lookalikes have got back to me either.

If it has been microchipped, then I guess I shall have to leave it But if not, I plan on taking it home with me to leicester in about a weeks time

Thank you again for all your wonderful advice - especially re scratching posts, baths etc too!

[Origami Bullets]

(Original post by MHMQ786)
If it has been microchipped, then I guess I shall have to leave it

Make sure that you follow up the information on the microchip - the owners may have moved away, left the cat and updated their details on the microchip register. Or the cat could have gone wandering, got very lost and someone to return him to his owners (or his owners collect him) a fair distance away.

[inadilemma]

(Original post by MHMQ786)
Thank you to everyone for your replies! Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, but not much has happened yet.. My friend and I went to some of the neighbours houses who have been living there for quite some time, and they feed it but said they don't think it belongs to anyone - in fact, they thought it belonged to us because it's always at ours :P

To the person who thought they had seen the cat.. we live in selly oak, birmingham and no, we're not near those accommodation blocks...

The RSPCA got back to me. They gave me some general advice - but said the next best thing to do is take it to a vet. Since it has no collar, I'm going to check if it's been microchipped. None of the people that I contacted who had posted in forums online about lost cats that were lookalikes have got back to me either.

If it has been microchipped, then I guess I shall have to leave it But if not, I plan on taking it home with me to leicester in about a weeks time

Thank you again for all your wonderful advice - especially re scratching posts, baths etc too!

Good luck

[Disenchanted]

Aww that cat is adorable! I hope you get to keep it Even if it has been microchipped, you might not be able to contact the owners in time?

[kassiopeia]

hehe!you must really want it.Hope you get to keep it!

[Pawsies]

I don't think you should take it. It will belong to someone in the area- especially if it's had a collar on before. It also has familiarity in it's surroundings, knows it's territory and would be perfectly fine fending for itself if it was a stray (student houses! ). To take it away from this seems unnecessary.

If you want a cat go to the local rescue shelter in Leicester and get one that needs a home

[Wilfred Little]

(Original post by Pawsies)
I don't think you should take it. It will belong to someone in the area- especially if it's had a collar on before. It also has familiarity in it's surroundings, knows it's territory and would be perfectly fine fending for itself if it was a stray (student houses! ). To take it away from this seems unnecessary.

If you want a cat go to the local rescue shelter in Leicester and get one that needs a home

Doubtful.

we returned in january from our winter break, it was still here but did not have a collar

It may have belonged to someone previously but if it is now roaming about with no collar then the owners clearly don't care for it.

No posters, no collar... I don't think it does belong to anybody.

I say take it. You've clearly done your best to ensure it's original owners find it and you care for this cat.

[Pawsies]

(Original post by Wilfred Little)
Doubtful.



It may have belonged to someone previously but if it is now roaming about with no collar then the owners clearly don't care for it.

No posters, no collar... I don't think it does belong to anybody.

I say take it. You've clearly done your best to ensure it's original owners find it and you care for this cat.

Just because it doesn't have a collar doesn't mean it isn't cared for
What a strange conclusion to jump to. Maybe the owners got it microchipped and decided it didn't need the collar. Maybe the cat got the collar off.
Maybe there have been posters up but op hasn't seen them.

If it has other neighbours feeding it aswell then it seems unnecessary to move it considering it is content in its surroundings. Plus the next students at the house may continue feeding it etc.

[Origami Bullets]

Some people don't use collars because of the danger of it getting caught when tree climbing, and the cat ending up hanging itself. No collar doesn't mean anything.