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We Welcomed a Stray Cat Into Our Home
Several years ago I was standing on our second floor screened porch when I heard some loud meowing.
I looked down to the ground and there sat a big tabby cat looking right back at me and calling to me.
I went downstairs and let the cat in the garage. Over the next few days we fed the kitty, set up a box on a table in the garage for him to shelter in, and made sure he had access to leave the garage if he should decide he had a home to go back to.
We put out “found cat” fliers and asked neighbors if they knew of a missing cat. We eventually took the cat to our vet for an exam and to check for a computer microchip. None of our efforts led us to a conclusion the cat had a home or an owner who was looking for him.
We already had seven cats in the house, but we decided we would be happy with eight. We opened the door, the cat walked in, and we became close friends.
If you have a similar experience, here are some things you might consider.
What To Do When a Cat Asks You for Help
1. Check Out the Cat
- Does the cat look unkept, or well-groomed?
- Is the cat skinny, or well-fed?
- Does the cat appear frightened, or confident?
These observations will give you insight as to whether this is a feral cat that has limited or no experience with people, or a former pet that has been lost or abandoned and is comfortable with human contact.
2. Observe the Weather
Weather conditions will certainly impact how you react to this animals needs.
Is it cold or is it very hot? Is it raining or snowing?
3. Reflect on Your Own Circumstances
- Do you have pets?
- Do you have children?
- Are there folks in your household who either love or do not love cats?
- Do you have the time and financial resources to care for this animal?
Obviously your own life circumstances will affect what you can do for this kitty.
4. Decide If You Can Help This Cat
Who can say no to a kitty that comes to your door and looks at you like this:
If you have decided to provide food and perhaps shelter to this cat, then go to the next steps.
5. Feed the Cat
If you do not have other pets, you most likely have no pet food.
If you have dog food, it is okay to feed that to a cat as a temporary measure, but this should not become their permanent diet because dog food is formulated for dogs and cat food is formulated for cats.
Cats are carnivores that require meat. If you have no pet food, some human food will suffice until you are able to get some cat food:
- cooked beef, poultry, or pork
- cooked or canned fish with no bones
- scrambled eggs as a last resort
For help choosing cat food, see my blog post: Why Are Cats Picky Eaters?
If the cat backs off when you step outside, just put the food down and retreat back into your house.
If the cat displays a welcoming attitude towards you, you may have the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
6. Provide Shelter for the Cat
Your action here will depend on whether the cat is on a covered porch, an uncovered stoop, or on a walkway or open patio.
It will also depend on the weather.
The circumstances may call for an open box, a covered box with blankets, or letting the cat in your house.
This last alternative can be a difficult decision since you may or may not have other pets, the cat may have fleas or a disease, and you may not have a litter box for an animal that will eventually need to use one.
If you let the kitty in your house, the cat should be isolated in a separate room until you can visit a veterinarian and have the cat given a check-up.
There is also the possibility you may want the cat to come into your house, but the cat may be afraid to come in. In this situation, you may need to lure the kitty into the house and then into a room using food as an incentive. Food is a great way to influence animals.
I would advise caution about trying to pick up a cat that you are not familiar with. Assess the cat’s attitude. Try petting the kitty, If you think the cat will allow it you might try to pick the cat up. Just be very careful.
Also consider whether it is safe to bring a strange cat into your home if you have children or other pets.
All the while keep in mind that trying to help a feral cat will be more challenging than trying to help a cat that has been lost or abandoned. I know for a fact it is not impossible, but it may take more effort.
7. Set Up a Litter Box
If you have decided to let the cat into your house, a litter box will be a good idea since the kitty may not be inclined to ask to go out.
I have never met a cat that did not recognize a litter box for what it’s intended use was.
However, cats will urinate or poop outside a litter box if they are sick or frightened. A cat suddenly being put in a strange place may mark the territory with urine spray. I have never seen that with a newly rescued cat, but it could happen. I can only suggest that you provide the box and hope for the best.
Any plastic or metal box will do in an emergency.
I would caution against using a cardboard box for your temporary litter box as urine could seep down through whatever material you are using as litter and soak through the cardboard onto your floor.
If you have no litter, fill the box with some dirt. Take care not to use gardening soil that has chemicals in it, nor should you use outside dirt that has been treated with some chemical such as fertilizer or herbicide. Just plain uncontaminated dirt will do, and the sandier the better.
Again, this is a temporary solution until a litter box and litter can be had.
I have a blog post on litter boxes: 7 Tips to Choose a Litter Box
8. Check for a Clipped Ear
Look to see if the cat has a little bit clipped off the tip of one of the ears. In the cat care community, this is referred to as a tipped ear.
If you find a tipped ear, this cat is most probably a cat that has been trapped, neutered , and released back to the area where it was trapped. The tipped ear identifies the cat as such so that if trapped again, the cat will not undergo the medical procedures a second time.
This Trap-Neuter-Release program, commonly referred to as TNR, is practiced in several countries. In some communities, vaccination is added to the procedure, in which case it is referred to as TNVR.
These programs are an effort to control the population of feral cats in a community.
The procedure to tip the ear is typically done during the spaying or neutering surgery while the cat is under anesthesia. There is very little bleeding and there are no indications that it is painful.
The presence of a tipped ear means the cat is likely a feral cat rather than a pet, but this is not 100% guaranteed as the feral cat may have been adopted by someone in your community.
Other than taking steps outlined here to attempt to determine if the kitty is someone’s pet, you are not obligated to notify the authorities that you have found a tipped-ear cat. In fact, if you decide you want to adopt the cat, you are certainly free to do so.
Alley Cat Allies is an organization that offers information and resources about the TNR program.
9. Check for a Chip
If this kitty formerly had a home, the cat may have an implanted microchip.
A veterinarian or animal shelter can perform a scan to see if a microchip is there, and if so get the contact information for the cat’s owner from the microchip registry.
10. Distribute “Found Cat” Flyers
Make up some flyers to post in your neighborhood.
Just print “Found Cat” and add the general area where the cat was found and your phone number.
Do not include a photo or description of the cat. If someone calls, ask them to describe the cat. This will help you verify that the caller is being honest with you.
11. Adopt or Find a Home for the Cat
If you feel you have done all you could to make sure this kitty either does not have a home or the home cannot be found, you need to decide if you want to welcome the cat into your life as a companion.
If you decide to find a home for the kitty, I hope you will keep in mind that some animal shelters have adopted a “no kill” policy, and some have not.
A “no kill” policy means that animals in that shelter will not be euthanized.
If you reside in the USA, guidance about how to find a home for the kitty may be found on the website of an organization known as the Best Friends Animal Society. You will be able to enter your zip code into a search field on that website to find local resources.
If you are not in the USA, the website of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals International would be a good place to find information.
12. Take Kitty to a Vet
If you have indeed decided to welcome the cat into your home, you will want to know if the kitty has any health or physical concerns that need to be taken care of.
A veterinarian check-up may include examination for disease, fleas, and overall health. The vet can check for a microchip. The vet may also recommend vaccinations.
A pet carrier will make transporting the cat easier for you and the kitty. How to Choose a Cat Carrier is my blog post that will help you with that.
13. Create a Happy Home for You and Your Cat
I can tell you from experience that making a happy home for an animal really feels great.
Here are links to my blog posts that will help you find for your new kitty healthy and tasty food to enjoy, some great toys to play with, a cat tree to climb and scratch on, and a comfortable bed to sleep in.
14. Get to Know All About Cats
The more you know about cats in general the better you will be able to understand your kitty’s behavior, and to therefore better care for your new friend.
So much of a cat’s life is affected by their instincts. They really are incredible, and they will do things that surprise you and might catch you unawares.
Discover what to expect from your new feline friend by visiting my blog post Living With Your Cat.