Advice desperately sought by novice cat owner on caring for stray
Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 7:05 am
Hi there,
I would really appreciate some advice from seasoned Cat owners on what to do about a "sort of" stray cat I've been looking after. I've never owned a cat before, only dogs and other animals, so I'm very new to this and not quite sure what signs to look out for to understand how well (or not) this poor little cat is being cared for.
For the past two months I've been feeding and watering twice a day a cat who, for as long as i remember, has been living outside in the garden next door. Now it's not a typical garden, more a tip of rubble and weeds. I have lived here for four years and just assumed (naively) the cat was being cared for by the person in the house. It was only when he (a very peculiar man who i never see and other neighbours have issues with) went away for a long time (months) and apparently his brother moved in (6 months ago) that i started thinking this cat is not being looked after.
She was very nervous, at first hissed and ran away from me every time i came to feed her, but she is slowly progressing and now she comes into the kitchen to eat and will let me stroke her while eating. She meows at me, gives me little nibbles and waits by the door morning and evening and even kneaded my knee for the first time the other day which I've read is a great sign!
However, she won't let me close the door behind her when in the kitchen to stay in the house, she still scares quite easily and can sometimes still bite/scratch and is nervous of the other people I live with so i cant keep her inside at night or from the cold.
Question 1: how can i make it so she is comfortable staying in our house at night/in cold weather without undoing all the good progress we made?
I put a box with a hole and blanket in it by where she eats hoping she'll stay and we have a cat flap she doesn't know how to use but no luck...
Also..Last night, for the first time ever, i heard a man come into the garden next door. He whistled and asked "where are you?!" And the cat who was next to me outside ran back over the fence and i heard him greet her and shut the door. This morning though at 6am she's back in my garden being very affectionate and very hungry!
Question 2: How do i know if she is being looked after adequately or not?!
It seems she does have a person in that house still.. But i have no idea the level of care they are giving her. she seems to be outside 90%of the time. She has long fur which doesn't look brushed. she's scared of all the neighbour Cats and gets scratches on her sometimes which don't look treated (and won't let me close enough yet to clean them when it happens). I'm nervous of talking to the man about the cat based on the arguments he had with neighbours and the fear he might just lock her inside for good if he knows I'm feeding her.
Any advice on what i should do? I'd like to adopt her properly so she has the level of care she needs... But i don't want to take her away from an owner if they are looking after her and she won't yet stay in my house. I've been converted to a cat person which i never thought would happen and i really love her and want to help her!!
Please can anyone help me and give me some advice?
I would really appreciate some advice from seasoned Cat owners on what to do about a "sort of" stray cat I've been looking after. I've never owned a cat before, only dogs and other animals, so I'm very new to this and not quite sure what signs to look out for to understand how well (or not) this poor little cat is being cared for.
For the past two months I've been feeding and watering twice a day a cat who, for as long as i remember, has been living outside in the garden next door. Now it's not a typical garden, more a tip of rubble and weeds. I have lived here for four years and just assumed (naively) the cat was being cared for by the person in the house. It was only when he (a very peculiar man who i never see and other neighbours have issues with) went away for a long time (months) and apparently his brother moved in (6 months ago) that i started thinking this cat is not being looked after.
She was very nervous, at first hissed and ran away from me every time i came to feed her, but she is slowly progressing and now she comes into the kitchen to eat and will let me stroke her while eating. She meows at me, gives me little nibbles and waits by the door morning and evening and even kneaded my knee for the first time the other day which I've read is a great sign!
However, she won't let me close the door behind her when in the kitchen to stay in the house, she still scares quite easily and can sometimes still bite/scratch and is nervous of the other people I live with so i cant keep her inside at night or from the cold.
Question 1: how can i make it so she is comfortable staying in our house at night/in cold weather without undoing all the good progress we made?
I put a box with a hole and blanket in it by where she eats hoping she'll stay and we have a cat flap she doesn't know how to use but no luck...
Also..Last night, for the first time ever, i heard a man come into the garden next door. He whistled and asked "where are you?!" And the cat who was next to me outside ran back over the fence and i heard him greet her and shut the door. This morning though at 6am she's back in my garden being very affectionate and very hungry!
Question 2: How do i know if she is being looked after adequately or not?!
It seems she does have a person in that house still.. But i have no idea the level of care they are giving her. she seems to be outside 90%of the time. She has long fur which doesn't look brushed. she's scared of all the neighbour Cats and gets scratches on her sometimes which don't look treated (and won't let me close enough yet to clean them when it happens). I'm nervous of talking to the man about the cat based on the arguments he had with neighbours and the fear he might just lock her inside for good if he knows I'm feeding her.
Any advice on what i should do? I'd like to adopt her properly so she has the level of care she needs... But i don't want to take her away from an owner if they are looking after her and she won't yet stay in my house. I've been converted to a cat person which i never thought would happen and i really love her and want to help her!!
Please can anyone help me and give me some advice?