Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat Rescue & Rehoming => Rescue & Rehoming General => Topic started by: Dreamfever on December 18, 2008, 17:33:16 PM

Title: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Dreamfever on December 18, 2008, 17:33:16 PM: There are a least 3 different black cats close by that we see on a regular basis, but this one is the most elusive, at least up until now. My other half has already named him Onyx, and if we see him while we're out we often give him a little dried food.

He is still very much an intact tom but quite sociable, if a little cautious. I'm sure he's been socialised to people at some stage of his life. I'm just not sure what his current status is. Obviously I don't want to adopt and get neutered someone else's beloved kitty, if he does indeed have a decent home nearby. We're just not entirely convinced he does.

He is a gorgeous charming "cool" cat, very streetwise, but very laid back. Last night we went out to the late shop around 1pm and he was out there. We called him and he came running, so he got a little dried food. When he finished that we invited him to follow us, and sure enough he did. We left the front door open and he cautiously came down the step and came in to inspect our home. We don't have any cats or dogs currently, nor any hectic kids running about the place. It's pretty laid back here, which is something all cats appreciate, I think.

Anyway, he came in cautiously, had a look around and then seemed quite happy to eat the tinned catfood we gave him(We keep a little handy just in case). Then he settled on top of a cardboard box in the kitchen and cleaned himself for a while. We left him be and went and sat in the bedroom, on the bed. Within a few minutes had had come to investigate there as well, jumping up on the bed purring for a quick hello. Shortly after, we heard a very quiet meow at the front door, so decided it would be best to let him out again.

Although he looks to be in reasonably good shape at the moment, at least on the surface, we are concerned for his future. Our guess is he is somewhere between 4-6 years old. As well as a recent scratch on his face, no doubt cat politics, he seemed bothered by fleas and my OH, when stroking him, noticed that his hips/lower back were very boney indeed. He certainly has an appetite on him, at any rate..

Do you think it would be wrong for us to encourge this some more? He knows and trusts us to some extent now. Would it be wrong if we encouraged this some more and then, perhaps, took him to the vet and got him checked over and perhaps neutered? I am reluctant to interfere with another person's pet, but I suppose if he's been allowed to become this wild, all one can really do is either take him in hand and give him a good home, or else keep one's fingers crossed and hope he has the wits to remain top cat in this area for a good while to come.

He really is a fine looking cat, and has such a good, laid back personality, it would be tragic if anything bad happened to him. Both of us have kept cats in the past and we've been considering getting another. There are some beautiful breeds out there but I think both of us would rather give a home to a cat that was really in need of it and Onyx is seems such a handsome, but deserving boy..

What do you advise we do?
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Angiew on December 18, 2008, 17:55:45 PM: Put a collar on him - one made out of a strip of apaer is fine - an 'is this your cat' message with phone number. Keep replacng it for a week or so.
Contact your local lost and found people (you may have a petsearch number local - see the lost and found section for more advice).

It sounds as though he needs a frontline and probably a worming tablet.
If you don't get in touch with an owner after a week, then if you are going to keep him, I'm sure your local cp will help with a neutering voucher. (or even if you will look after him until you can find a home).

By feeding him, you are going down the slope of claiming ownership anyway - unless you ensure you do contact all your rescus and get him on the waiting lists.

When he gos in for neutering, get them to check for a microchip hust in case there is one.
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Dreamfever on December 18, 2008, 18:53:03 PM: We'll try the paper collar if he lets us. He isn't wearing any kind of collar at the moment though and when we tried to feel the back of his neck for any sign of a chip he wasn't very happy about that so we let it be. I don't want to push him too hard at the moment because we are still building up trust. We will give it a go however.. Certainly we're happy to adopt him ourselves, both of us being really soft when it comes to cats, and he shows signs of liking us and I think is socialised enough to be able to settle in well :)

My feeling is that if he has been left unneutered and uncollared and free to roam, then it's unlikely that anyone cares enough about him to have had him chipped or registered with lost and found...but of course it's always dangerous to make such assumptions, isn't it? We've seen him a few times over the last 12 months or so, certainly, so it's seems likely that this is part of his turf. But this a student/bedsit kind of area, very close to the centre of town, and even though I've lived here for the past 12 years or so, I still don't really know any of the neighbours. Quite a transient population here, on the whole. If he *does* have a stable home in the immediate area, I have no idea where.. And he does seem a little rough around the edges and desperate, and the cold of winter is closing in, so if we act, I think it would be good to do so fairly soon.

Many thanks for your advice :)
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Wibblechick on December 18, 2008, 19:37:05 PM: As someone more experienced and wiser once said, "Once you've given a stray a name ...... " :) I hope things all work out for the best. Hes a lucky cat to have you looking out for him! :briggin:
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Cheesecat on December 18, 2008, 19:59:13 PM: Awww poor baby boy, he sounds like he needs some TLC and someone to look after him and give him the flea/worm treatment it sounds as if he needs.

I have a feeling you sound like exactly the right person to provide all of those things. The paper collar is an excellent idea but it sounds as if he would appreciate a nice warm spot on the end of your bed this winter :Luv:

I have a huge soft spot for black cats so think you should definitely provide a photo when you get a chance :Luv2:
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Millys Mum on December 18, 2008, 20:00:04 PM: Quote from: Wibblechick on December 18, 2008, 19:37:05 PM
As someone more experienced and wiser once said, "Once you've given a stray a name ...... " :) I hope things all work out for the best. Hes a lucky cat to have you looking out for him! :briggin:

Fatal mistake lol

Quote
My feeling is that if he has been left unneutered and uncollared and free to roam, then it's unlikely that anyone cares enough about him to have had him chipped or registered with lost and found

I agree, a skinny unneutered tom will rarely have a chip, they turn wild having lived on their wits filled with hormones, hes chosen you which is good ;D
I wouldnt go looking for an 'owner' personally :shify:

One of my strays has taken best part of a year to win round properly he was very skinny, nasty coat and entire but is now lovely and silky, loves cuddles and much plumper than before (and minus his balls)

If you get him nuetered then get a chip at the same time
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Cheesecat on December 18, 2008, 20:03:59 PM: Yeah I do tend to think that if someone has let their cat get into that sort of a condition they don't deserve the cat in the first place but at least the paper collar rules out the idea of having to argue with someone re: ownership in the future.

I think he could do with the snip either way though of course :sneaky:
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Dreamfever on December 18, 2008, 21:46:28 PM: Well, I just got back from late night xmas shopping and he came running right up to me as soon as he spotted me so I left a few more biscuits on the wall. He started eating them, but as soon as I walked away he came running right after me. It's almost as if he has taken to waiting for us. It's been two days in a row now and he is much more eager and trusting this time. In fact he's just wolfed down anther meal..

Quote from: Cheesecat on December 18, 2008, 19:59:13 PM
I have a huge soft spot for black cats so think you should definitely provide a photo when you get a chance :Luv2:

We've both been owned by black cat's in the past. My OH used to have a black male who sadly fell victim to joy riders.. :( My Kitty Brown was fine until some property developer came along and built a student house on top of the patch of waste ground next door where she used to go. She became neurotic after that and never came back one day.. :(

There is something very myserious about black cats, i think. I've always loved them. It seems strange to me that they often have difficulty getting rehomed. It's funny because the other night, while falling asleep, S saw a black cat hop onto the bed.. Obviously a half dream kind of thing, but a little uncanny nonetheless. We are both very much cat people, and cats seem to like us.

Quote from: Wibblechick on December 18, 2008, 19:37:05 PM
As someone more experienced and wiser once said, "Once you've given a stray a name ...... " :) I hope things all work out for the best. Hes a lucky cat to have you looking out for him! :briggin:

I think you may very well be right.. He does seem to have adopted us already :)

Aside from being a little on the thin side with a few fleas, he looks to be in pretty good shape, which still makes me wonder.. That said, he is very eager to come visit and has good solid appetite, so I guess his meals can't be *that* regular.

Looks like we may have to see about fitting a cat flap, already.. ;)
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Dreamfever on December 19, 2008, 01:52:21 AM: Well, we just went out again to see if he was about and found him quite busy with a mouse, of all things, chasing it about the road. At one point he caught it, picked it up and then put it down again. The mouse looked unharmed and then tried to scurry away again. He seemed more interested in the mouse than us, so we left him to it..

I'm wondering if he really can be that much of a stray if he's so gently playful? Then again, we fed him well earlier this evening, so perhaps he isn't that interested in the mouse as a meal, but more as a plaything?

*wonders*

I think we'll play this one slowly for now, and see what happens..
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Wibblechick on December 19, 2008, 07:50:41 AM: Oh, I think you need a Christmas Kitty :briggin:y ..... I think he has chosen you as his new family ......
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Liz on December 19, 2008, 14:09:16 PM: Once you name them you are on the slippery slope to becoming parents again! ;D

Lovely name we had a foster kitten called Onyx with his brother Orion - both black boys and cute to still get a Christmas card from their new owners - they are now 5!

I would be tempted to catch him and get rid of the gear and keep him in for Christmas
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Topsy Turvey on December 19, 2008, 17:58:01 PM: Quote from: Liz on December 19, 2008, 14:09:16 PM
I would be tempted to catch him and get rid of the gear and keep him in for Christmas

Me to. Oh go on - you know you want to! :rofl:
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Dreamfever on December 20, 2008, 03:26:21 AM: Quote from: Topsy Turvey on December 19, 2008, 17:58:01 PM
Quote from: Liz on December 19, 2008, 14:09:16 PM
I would be tempted to catch him and get rid of the gear and keep him in for Christmas

Me to. Oh go on - you know you want to! :rofl:

well, he seems nicely settled in for the night now.. i have a feeling he's decided we're suitable staff. he's sat on the bed with both of us as i type this. he made noises about going out earlier, but he got halfway up the steps and changed his mind. it's cold and damp out there. who can blame him, really?

i don't have a camera but i managed to get this picture of him on S' lap with my phone..

(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k139/feyhra/DSC00134.jpg)

you can see what a lovely cat he is just from this photo. i'll try to get some better ones to post eventually
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Dreamfever on December 20, 2008, 05:50:45 AM: we've just ordered an engraved name tag from ebay. will probably get him chipped shortly after xmas. i think we're definitely his now. he's been curled up contented and asleep on the end of the bed for several hours now. i doubt whether we could shift him, even if we wanted to ;D

thank you all for being so supportive of doing this. it definitely feels like we've done the right thing :)

:thankyou:
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Topsy Turvey on December 20, 2008, 05:55:19 AM: Aw that's great. Sure Onyx will be very happy in his new home.
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Wibblechick on December 20, 2008, 11:33:06 AM: HOORAY, A CHRISTMAS KITTY!!!

I dont think you will regret it!
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Christine (Blip) on December 20, 2008, 11:59:22 AM: Can you get Onyx along to the vet before the holiday closure for a check-up etc?

He does indeed look very handsome in the photo :)
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Liz on December 20, 2008, 13:25:52 PM: So glad that you have decided to become his parents - now get of to PAH for all the things that Santa says he needs! :hug:
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: blackcat on December 20, 2008, 13:43:34 PM: Quote from: Liz on December 20, 2008, 13:25:52 PM
So glad that you have decided to become his parents - now get of to PAH for all the things that Santa says he needs! :hug:

Might be best to get him checked for a microchip before you splurge ... :shify:
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: ginge66 on December 20, 2008, 18:07:00 PM: Hi I agree with Blackcat best to get him checked just incase, before you get too attached. Our old cat who had thyroid problems we found was being fed by some local children who thought he was a stray because he was so thin.

He does look a lovely cat and if he is a stray then hes certainly landed on his paws :Luv2:
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Millys Mum on December 20, 2008, 19:13:13 PM: Odds of entire moggy being chipped, must be 1000's to 1 ;D
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: blackcat on December 20, 2008, 19:35:54 PM: true, but nevertheless always worth checking before giving your heart away...
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Dreamfever on December 21, 2008, 19:54:06 PM: i think we'll try to get him booked in monday or tuesday, circumstances permitting.. i've had a good feel between his shoulder blades now, as he's gotten more trusting of us, and i can't feel anything there that might be a chip. just his poor bony shoulders :(

we've been feeding up and have started worming him. good news is he is house trained and knows what a litter tray is for. he hasn't sprayed anywhere yet, so i guess he will be even less likely to, once he is fixed

he is such a charming cat, true to his name, very saturnine because, of course, onyx is the saturn stone.. he certainly knows how to do pathos :)

i get on well with him, but he seems to REALLY like S. such big claws as well. it's a damn good job he is so sweet natured ;)

(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k139/feyhra/DSC00138_crop.jpg)
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Christine (Blip) on December 21, 2008, 20:21:19 PM: Onyx is beautiful, just beautiful. Yep, vet visit and lots of nourishing food, I reckon :hug:
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: blackcat on December 21, 2008, 20:24:03 PM: chips are the size of a grain of rice. It would be most unlikely you could feel it even if you knew where it was (assuming there is one, which there may not be). They also tend to travel around once inserted. Shadow's was inserted between his shoulder blades but is now part way down one leg ...
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Dreamfever on December 21, 2008, 22:20:22 PM: what do you advise, food wise? we've been feeding him pouches of felix at the moment, and he seems to love that. he is keen on dried food as well. we got some go cat as a temporary measure, which he likes, but i can't imagine it does him much long term good, so he only gets little bits of that..

i am thinking perhaps royal canin or hill's, supplemented with the occasional pouch of felix and of course, plenty of fresh water? he is quite large, i'd say above average, fully mature but still quite young and rather active. should we feed him something different until he gets up to a healthy weight, or just get him a standard active adult cat formula and stick to that? i don't have *that* much experience keeping cats and will admit i am still rather clueless about the finer points of it. naturally we want him to be happy and healthy, so we're willing to invest the necessary money in this. also, veterinary insurance? any advice/recommendations regarding that would be more than welcome..
:fish:
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Dreamfever on December 21, 2008, 23:01:22 PM: also it's possible that there might be another cat joining us at some time. a friend of ours has been looking after a couple of *teenage* females, charlie and daisy, after her owner left them with her because she isn't in a position to give them a home(drug addicted, homeless, delinquent, pregnant 16y/o..long story)

we were holding off taking them on for a while, in part to avoid any trouble regarding ownership issues and give her a decent chance to get herself sorted and in a position to home them, and in that time dear sweet onyx came along...

our friend has since told us that there is conflict between these girls, charlie and daisy. charlie is an adorable looking fluffy, very friendly tabby(i suspect she will look like a small version of a maine coon when she is grown up) but has been bullying her companion, daisy, rather mericlessly, who is rather smaller and more highly strung, and much less confident

our friend's place is rather more hectic, with various neighbour cats coming and going, as well as her border collie(who gets on really well with them), and she spends a lot of time away from the house as well

it's her feeling that we might do well to adopt just daisy as our place is altogether quieter, and we spend far less time out of the house. also charlie is very much the favourite of her supposed owner, so by leaving her with our friend there would less likely to be trouble with her original owner trying to reclaim her. i suspect she would give up her claim to daisy much more easily than charlie, espeically as daisy is having a hard time where she is..

but yes, the thing i am concerned about is how onyx will react to another newcomer cat so soon after he has made our place home?

my feeling is that he will be ok, because he is naturally easy going and confident and mature and is unlikely to see a small fluffy highly strung little scrap of a kitty, like daisy, as much of a threat to him. but of course, cats being cats, you can never be entirely sure how they will react..

of course if we do this, it makes the issue of getting either or both of them fixed all the more urgent. quite apart from us lacking the space for a huge extended family of cats(which is appealing, i admit, although rather impractical) , we're not sure daisy is strong enough to cope to well with the demands of being a mother

my instincts tell me it will probably work out ok, but i was wondering if you have any tips that might help it go a little more smoothly?
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Dawn F on December 22, 2008, 15:21:23 PM: I personally favour the keeping them apart method for a while but I know others go for it straight away - I tend to keep the new cat in a room on its own with all its stuff until it gets used to me, then with the other cat out in the garden or something let the new cat explore and leave scent - I normally don't let them see each other for about 3 weeks
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Millys Mum on December 22, 2008, 19:34:14 PM: If your friend can get the 2 girls done before they go anywhere (including back to the owner) it would be the best course of action, or they are just going to end up getting pregnant very soon :(
Onyx is likely to be territorial so the sooner he is done and can settle his hormones the better idea you will get as to whether he tolerates other cats!

As to food, i think a mainly wet diet is better for cats especially males, so felix with some premium biscuits would be ok or you can look into some meatier wet food, let his tummy guide you as to whats suitable ;)
Title: Re: Gorgeous black tom, not sure if he's a stray, any ideas/advice welcome?
Post by: Sue P (Paddysmum) on December 23, 2008, 07:35:25 AM: Onyx looks like a small panther! :)

Heartwarming story this, and am so glad he trusts you and has chosen to grace you with his presence. Not sure whether I'd introduce another cat into the situation straight away, especially when Onyx is still unneutered.

Hoping you have a wonderful Christmas together. :Luv: (And still very admiring of those sword-like claws he unsheathed inthat photo!)