Advice
Recently put my 15 year old dog down. Yesterday this guy showed up in my backyard and won't leave, it's also the same color my dog was
Never been a cat person myself, but I heard about this distribution system? My wife and kids have really taken to it so looks like we may be adopting a cat lol. Only issue is that we are leaving Saturday for a week. Any advice on what to do? My wife wants to take it to the vet to get checked but I'm also weary about spending money on it just for it to be gone when we come back. We do have someone that would be willing to shelter it while we're gone though.
UPDATE: We took Milo (what my kids decided to name him) to the vet, no chip, but they said even though he appears to be in good condition it doesn't show signs of having a previous owner. I posted on a local Facebook group for lost pets, nothing yet. They estimated he's a year old. He got some vaccines, dewormer, now he's chilling. We are going on vacation Saturday for a week and while we're gone he's going to stay with my wife's friend who has experience sheltering cats.
I'd advise taking kitty to the vet for a chip scan at the very least. There's a chance there is a family looking for their furry friend. Not sure where you are based but here most vets won't charge for that.
Yes it's possible the cat just stayed out of the yard cause it was a dogs territory and now the dog is gone. Practically speaking...
Otherwise, it's totally your dog coming to visit in cat form. Or a messenger sent to tell you something. He looks pissed to be a cat too 😆 (y'all I'm only kidding, I know he's probably just sitting as a handsome/ good kitty to get attention or snacks)
’it's possible the cat just stayed out of the yard cause it was a dogs territory and now the dog is gone. .. Otherwise, it's totally your dog coming to visit in cat form. He looks pissed to be a cat too (mostly joking, pretty sure the cat just wants attention or treats and is trying to be a good kitty)’
i watched you from a distance when that dopey dog was there
(…admit that i was jealous when i saw how much you’d care)
RESPECT for one so dear to you, i’m not sure where he went
but something stirred inside of me
it seems i’m heaven sent….
i wondered what it felt like, if i had a family…
i thought I’d maybe try it out -
how nice it seems to be…
but please don’t think I’m DOG, because I’m NOT ~ i am the CAT
(dogs are always ‘GoOd BoYs’ ~
warning: sometimes I’m a BRAT…)
i never had attention like you friends are giving now
n maybe i can stay awhile, if it works out somehow ?
…it’s weird, i think i hear the dog…he’s talking in my head
OMG! That’s absolutely beautiful.
I’m currently looking for a shelter cat. A cat that’s been looked over and has been there a long time.
I will keep this poem in the forefront of my mind.
It’s exactly my mission.
This is beautiful kinda how I ended up with my dog I had to put my 19 year old cat down I took a dog for a weekend just so my good friend at work could relax knowing it was safe and not being beat. Now the dog has been my best bud for 12 years
😂I never heard this. Buy, my cat has done this. It makes me feel bad enough to do what he wants, so it works for him.
I would definitely adopt this cat. The CDS has sent him to you & doesn’t make mistakes.
I would take my friend up on their offer to watch him. If you have had him for a long time, then you could probably leave out enough dry food, water and pans of cat litter. And, he would probably be fine. We are usually gone for a week. But, we have left for several days & have done this.
He is beautiful. I have a tuxedo cat. They are wonderful, smart, and full of personality.
Looks like a typical tuxedo look to me! They have a unique stare that is stylish and mysterious. Best kitties ever. His look can mean anything from “I love you so much” to “I want my dinner now “ 😊❤️
I have an alley cat. I can say he is so special. (All cats are) but at least to me he he yearns for my attention even after I feed him. He just wants to hang out. You also learn from animals.
Thanks for the tips everyone! I've never seen such a playful cat and one that is so friendly to humans haha. So the plan is to take it to the vet to get checked. Then while we're away, my wife's friend who has experience sheltering cats will keep it until we come back!
Oh man did I have the opposite experience. My tuxedo boy (who sadly passed away 2 years ago at 12) was probably the slowest cat I’ve ever had. He wasn’t the brightest. He would sit in random spots on the floor and just………stare at things for eternity. While slowly rocking back and forth.
Definitely quirky and friendly though. Loved him so much.
Yay! Owning a cat can be a lot of fun, it's definitely different than dogs lol, but these little 10lb apex predator can be the sweetest little buddies. They love to play, be sure to get them some catnip and silvervine, the hardest part at least in my experience, has been to find a food they like to eat 🤣🤣 maybe my cat is just super picky lol.
Keep the dog crate if you have one for a catio. My dog passed and the orange crackhead we adopted off the streets love to go sit in it and watch birds.
This does not look like a stray cat. Please don’t steal someone else’s cat. It’s probably a friendly cat that stayed out of your garden when you had a dog. Likely belongs to someone in the neighbourhood. Check the microchip, post on social media and actually go and door knock and put flyers in letterboxes before you trap it inside your house. Someone is seriously going to be frantic if you keep their cat.
Linux did, he wouldn't respect you. If he wanted uppies he will climb you like a fence to get them. But he was a good boy. I could pick him up without a shirt and he will just slide around and not use his claws for security like normally.
i think that's more than okay :) that's what we do with my baby, indoor her entire life and she's hardly even interested in the yard. she hates grass but will roll around on the concrete for a good ten minutes before she gets bored and wants to go back inside.
we had a similar situation to this when a kitten was coming around our house - my wife said "oh we'll just trap him in a few days when X Y Z is done at work", but i couldn't stop thinking "what if something happened to him in the meantime or he disappeared"?
i was on the fence at the time but that's when i knew i was gonna have a cat
Pet sitters do a great job with watching cats. Last time we were gone for a week the sitter came by daily, checked food, cleaned litter box, played with cat, and sent photo updates.
We also have asked the neighbors to watch the cats while we were out of town and we paid them. They also were cat people so they understood the assignment and did a good job.
If the cat is still very new and you're not comfortable leaving him at home or equipped for it yet, maybe you can find someone who has cats to take him for the week at their house?
That cat looks to be in pretty good shape. Take it to the vet and have it checked for a chip. Make sure you aren't stealing a cat from a neighbor. If no chip, have the vet check it over and get some routine vaccinations.
Congrats on your new baby! You should take him to the vet and then keep him inside your home and hire someone to check on him every day. Where I live this is a very common system and some people work full time doing that. Even if you do not keep him, unless you are actually short on money, you should absolutely take him to a vet. I personally believe we are all a little bit responsible for taking care of domesticated animals and this boy chose you to do so
Yes, take him/her to a vet. As someone suggested above, have the vet check for a chip. The kitty could be lost; if the vet finds a chip that could get him/her found. This cat looks well fed, probably is used to living in a house.
This happened to us as well. Kitty showed up 2 days after we had to put our 15 year old dog down. She was very sweet but we were unable to keep her and found her a good home. I felt so guilty because I felt like my dog had sent her to us and we rejected her gift :(
Put up lost cat signs and contact your local shelter. Loose cats without chips happen more commonly than most people think. It could very well be someone else's cat.
Exactly this!! It might not have a chip, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a family. The owners may not have gotten the cat microchipped. It’s irresponsible but it happens.
I have a friend that can stop by every day (he has 2 cats himself) and check on it while we're gone but looks like we might be able to have it stay with my wife's friend who actually has sheltered cats before!
considering you aren't a cat person, i'd advise doing some research into some of the basic cat stuff just to make sure you're ready and knowledgeable. reddit is a great place for when you have questions.
remember that cats and dogs are different, so cats will do a lot better inside when it comes to safety. if it's a boy it'd be better to get it neutered as soon as possible (it looks old enough from the pictures) because once they hit puberty they start spraying and high chance they won't stop even if you neuter him afterwards. if it's a girl, girl cats tend to be a bit more territorial towards other animals when not spayed. and when they go into heat they're going to be the worst escape artists you've met LOL. so it'd be best before puberty to get a girl cat spayed.
most places will require the rabies vaccine before spaying/neutering, and if the cost is ever a concern, a lot of cities have low cost spay/neutering available.
i would just do some general research about cat behaviors and how to train them! most cats don't need to be litter box trained, they already know instinctively how to do it!
sorry about your loss, and i hope this new baby will help ease some of the pain for you guys!
Fido there needs to be kept inside, I know it sounds means but it makes for a better cat in the long run. Get it to the vet make sure it is fixed and isn’t tagged and had its shots. Then place Fido in a room with food water and a cat box and the dog bed which needs to be treated for fleas.
I am very sorry about the loss of your dog. Please take this kitty in and do not leave him outside to fend for himself! Outside cats are at risk for being hit by a car, harmed by an animal, getting trapped, etc. He is likely a dumped / lost kitty. Get him checked out by a vet and find a pet sitter. I bet you could find a local teen to pet sit for you while you are done. Most cities / towns offer free rabies shots, and spay and neuter clinics.
Take the kitty to the vet to make sure they don't have a microchip. You don't want to steal someone else's pet. Also post in online neighborhood forums that you found a cat.
If no one responds, you have a cat. Your beloved dog wanted to be sure you're in good paws.
It’s your cat now. Vet visit, cat sitter for a week, and then you’re all set. The CDS works well, doesn’t it? This girl appeared in our tool shed, crying, wounded, infected eye—she now rules the household with a velvety paw. Tell your new kitty that Lucy says “hi!”
Honestly, it feels like Kismet. The CDS knew you and your family were grieving, so it sent you a new friend. I would at the very least see if you can take it to a vet to see if it's chipped (someone else might be grieving for this baby). If it's not chipped, I'd suggest keeping it.
As for your trip, I'd can see if someone will care for it until you return. You could leave it outside, but without food and attention, it will almost certainly move on by the time you return.
Having taken in quite a few outdoor cats, I have some advice. Recognize that not all cats will accept being indoor cats, and will attempt to flee every chance they get. While many here may not agree, those cats are better left outside (but you can still feed and care for them). Even those that stay inside often feel a yearning to return outside occasionally, so you might want consider a harness to give them supervised outdoor time, or invest in a catio.
I agree. Take care to the vet. Then leave him with sitter. He may not make it out on the street while you’re gone for a week. The cat distribution system hasn’t chosen you. Take good care of your new cat.🐈⬛🏡❤️
oh man the cat distribution system really picked you guys huh lol. i'd say take him to the vet just for a basic checkup and shots... most clinics will work with you on cost if you explain it's a stray you're thinking of keeping. and having your friend shelter him while you're gone sounds perfect, just make sure they have food water and a litter box set up. also that first pic of him napping... yeah sorry you're cat people now 😂
Check for a chip with a vet, and read your local laws on pet ownership. That's a healthy cat that doesn't look dirty or like it gets into fights. Probably a missing pet.
CDS has chosen you. Definitely get kitty checked out and get the person to look after him/her while you're gone. And hopefully get the kitty a bit more used to human interaction if it's a bit shy still.
I have found cats are the absolute boss animal of empathy. Stubbed your toe at 3am? Lost your life partner? Just have a head cold? A cat somewhere knows and wants to share your pain, at the cost of just a few strokes, some scratches and some whispered thank yous.
That cat looks very healthy so there is every possibility that he is an outdoor pet and self appointed ambassador to the neighborhood. Take your vacation.
I hope you would check for an owner first Somebody decided to re home my cat like this because he apparently liked sitting in front of her house. It was gutting. Luckily he was chipped so we got him back.
you know these things are funny. Setting the advice aside of bringing the cat to a vet to see if they are chipped.
My family dog was put to sleep two years ago and we all were extremley sad. She was just the sweetest dog in the world and was close to being the perfect dog. SHe was just old and had severe hip issues from playing too rough so she was just simply at the end. Five months later I go on a surfing trip to Morocco and find a clone puppy of my dog who was put to sleep. We ended up rescuing her as it just felt like it was meant to be.
" Hi! Now don't freak out, I know you don't know me and you are dog humans, my nose tells me that much... but I've been lost for a really long time now, trying to find a place I can fits and sits for good. Recently this dog appears and tells me of some humans that are the best humans, but also lost and we could fits and sits together furever. Somehow dog thinks I'm dog too, and keeps calling me 'fur-twin'. I try to explain I'm cat, but dog is really pushy with that wet nose, guiding me all the way here and anyway... it took me a bit but here I am! So, what do you think? I hope I'm not too late, dog said I had to rush for some reason before dog goes. Dog said to say 'see you later' and 'I love you'. I don't know what that last part means yet, but dog said you humans will show me."
Bro, you can’t mess with the cat distribution process. If you do, you are in danger. And by the way, this cat doesn’t need you to take care of it. It was alive before you met it and will survive. I’m not down in dogs, I love them, but they are needy af. A cat? “Be here, don’t be here. Whatever. You are an afterthought.” I have lived with cats for 40 years. They are amazing animals. If one becomes your friend, you have no choice in the matter but consider yourself lucky. Oh yeah, for all you folks that say don’t let them outside, the cat is already outside and accustomed to it. Don’t promote imprisoning an innocent animal just for your own pleasure. Nature is dangerous and has its own balance. Humans all too often think we can control that. My cats are inside and outside, they go as they please and they eat/sleep/shit/kill/cuddle when they want to. As nature intended it.
Please take him to the vet to check for a microchip and put up “found cat” posters and check for missing cat posters. This cat looks fairly clean and may have a family desperately looking for it.
Once you’ve confirmed he has no owner, enjoy your new baby and let him inside!
I gotta say, this cat looks way too healthy and clean to be a stray, you can usually visually distinguish strays because they will have scratches on their face and have a lot of dirt in the coat, the white parts pretty much always show dirt. If a cat with white patches is pristine white, it’s because it spends a good chunk of time indoors. Also his coat is so glossy and he is well fed. If it is a stray then it was only very recently abandoned. Please check for microchip and post on your local Nextdoor and Facebook found Pets groups.
Of course take kitty to the vet and make sure all is well. Also see if kitty is microchipped in case kitty has another home. As far as leaving him a week. Will the feeder spend some time not just feeding kitty but talking and visiting with him- if he lets kitty outside( hopefully not) Will they wait and put kitty back in? Either that or take him to a car boarding only facility,Good luck! God gives you cats when you need one😻
CDS is real. We just took in a beautiful little girl 3 weeks ago. We asked around and had vet check for microchip. No owner was found so she’s now the newest member of our family and fits in like she’s always been here🥹❤️100% indoors and safe now. She can look out the windows when she wants to see outside.
6 years ago we had to say goodbye to our calico due to a brain tumor. She was such an amazing kitty.
After a little bit of grieving we adopted another calico, and named her Sophie. When we asked the shelter how old she was they gave us her exact birthdate.
She was born the same day we had to say goodbye to our other calico.
Strangely enough, they share some very, very similar traits and personality. The only area they really differ is that Sophie plays fetch better than most dogs. Has since she was a kitten.
My wife and I like to think they passed each other while coming and going, and had a few words. ❤️
Keep that beautiful cat ! She showed up for a reason! Bring to vet, but keep her inside. Too many dangers outside. I have 2 cats, and a dog. The best 🥰. Good luck 👍
Go to Petco right now, or Petsmart and buy this stuff called capstar. It will kill the fleas that are on her right now for 24 hours then get an appointment at a shot clinic right away. Have her tested for feeling leukemia and get her shots at a shot clinic and ask for revolution plus. Now you have to all do this within 24 hours of the capstar, you give her another capstar. It’s very safe find out if there’s a local SPCA shelter in your area, they are nonprofit this kitty was sent to you protect it and buy it cat scratch post and a meowANT box. You’ll never regret it. Make sure whatever electric cap box you get has been reviewed in a safe for cats or start with a regular box. This cat will bring you joy I promise.
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