Considering Taking in Stray cat...never Had a Cat

I think it's a great idea that you want to take in a stray cat. But from my experience it's not a good idea. We got an outside cat from a friend who couldn't keep him anymore. Granted he wasn't a stray but he got VERY nasty when you tried to keep him inside and well one day he got ran over.

If you really want a cat, I say get one that's completely inside. You don't want to get attached to a cat that could possibly get hit in the road or one that could be carrying diseases.

M. of 3 doesn't sound like a cat lover. I think it is a great thing that you want to do. We have taken in 2 strays over the years. You will need to take it to the vet BEFORE you let it live with you, I don't see any harm in letting the cat come in once and awhile, you might get fleas in your house though. Get her on Frontline before you let her come in. Cats are pretty good about using the litter box, you would just need to work with the cat for a few days and be sure it knows where the box is and that this is the only place to go. Dogs and cats can get along, it will just take time. It is no different than having a cat and adopting a new one, it would take time for them to get along too. I say go for it!

What concerns me is that you want to take in a wild outdoor cat. This cat probably has diseases, and you don't want to bring diseases into your home. If you decide to take in the cat, you must take the cat to the vet to get tested for everything, which will cost you a lot of money. If all of the tests come back negative, you should make this cat an indoor cat from now on, to make sure the cat won't bring in any diseases. Then there is the claw factor. Would you get the cat declawed? If not, are you prepared for the cat to scratch all of your furniture, and possibly your daughter? If all of this isn't enough, you have the issue of your dog not liking cats. Most cats and dogs do not and cannot get along. This sounds like a disaster to me. Are you sure you want to take all of this on? The vet bills alone will be crazy. What a project. You can call the humane society and tell them there is a stray, and hopefully they would come get it. Forget the cat!

Hi Kay.
I'll give the best advice I can that I have gathered after being a vet tech for over 11 years, 5 of which was in a feline practice.
Most outdoor stray cats are very happy with spending their time indoors curled up safe and snug. Not all cats adjust well it depends on just how wild they are, yours sounds not too wild but well fed and purry.
You are right to think that it's most likely that something bad well end this cats life by being outside. Most un neutered male cat die under the age of one year old if left that way. Is it not possibly for you to have the cat neutered and let the cat come and go as it pleases. I think that neutering it, worming it and making sure it's current on vaccines would be a great place to start. Having a cat house outdoors would be fine. Just having it neutered alone would help to keep it safe and healthier.
Having a dog that chases cats can be a very difficult and dangerous situation for the cat.
A dog would have to go through a desensitizing period to correct this habit and that would require lots of time and work. It would be most likely that this chase would turn into something more in time either maiming or killing the cat if not handled right. The dog and cat should never be left to work out their differences alone. You would need to slowly introduce the cat having both animals crated where they could see each other, smell each other but at a good distance apart. Then slowly move the crates slowly closer until no one notices the other. This could take months or never happen. Depends just how ingrained this habit is for the dog.
Best Regards,
C.

taming the cat is entirely possible, get him spayed,collar with itentity tag, shots, flea treatment, give it a try. if it doesnt work and you cant find it a home keep him as an outdoor cat, one who used to live that way anyway, but now he will be free of disease. There need to be more people who will do that for a grown animal.

How cool that you are interested in taking in this cat! And how awful that some people can be SO NEGATIVE on here! It astounds me actually.

It isn't a big deal to take in a stray. Stray cats are some of the best pets! My ex is a vet and his clinic works with several rescue groups that place stray cats and dogs in new homes. I've never had anything but a stray cat. So I can say with experience that it is possible, it can be a great thing and I really wouldn't worry so much about diseases and cost. Think positive!

You should take the cat to a vet and have it all checked out though. And get its shots and spayed or neutered like you had planned.

Yes it's possible for your dog and a cat to get along. Let your cat live in a separate room if possible for awhile, and introduce your dog slowly. I'll bet your dog it just curious and wants to play. The cat might not like that. My dog always wants to play with and jump on a new cat. They eventually get used to each other. Sometimes they still chase and get in little fights. But overall it's no big deal.

If you put the cat in one room at first with the litter box (try to do this where you always will be keeping the box) then it will get used to going in the box. Cats are fairly easy to litter train. Also, my cats never go outside. They don't need to. We have too many raccoons and coyotes and foxes. They'd be killed within the year if I let them out.

I say go for it! You're doing a great thing for the cat and for yourselves! Sounds like fun!

P.S. I have three cats (all were strays) and they all sleep at night with us. And they sleep during the day too! I think cats sleep about 20 hours a day on average. Not positive about that but I think so.

And please don't pay attention to negative nellies.

I took in a stray... she turned out to be one of the best cats I ever had. My dog got used to her, and they just stayed out of each others way... She lives with my grandpa now (when I moved out of my parent's house, I couldn't take her with me... as my grandpa's cat had recently died it was a great arrangement) and she will only go outside, sit on the porch for a few minutes, and then want back in. The vet will know what shots and other medical things the cat needs. Cats instinctively bury their waste, so litter training is fairly easy. If you have issues, there are training aids out there. The good thing about cats is that they don't make a lot of ruckus, so even if your DD was in bed around 9, the cat would probably not bother her... but it's not horrible to leave the cat outside... especially considering that it has been an outdoor cat all it's life. Just makes sure it has somewhere out of the elements to go. you would probably want to get it a break-away collar if you are going to let it out, so that it won't be 'eliminated' by the community. Make sure it's break-away, so that if it does happen to catch on something the cat doesn't get strangled. I think it's a good idea to take the cat in. Good luck!

most strays if adopted will become strays again its in their blood they cant stand being couped up after freedom. make her an outside cat and feed her and let her in if she wishes. I had a dog who always stalked my cat but my cat would put her in line.

I have 2 cats that came from a hoarder's house that I adopted when they were 5 years old. As it was impossible for them to use a litter box in the home they were in, I was worried that there would be accidents. There have been NONE in the last 4 years that I have had them. I did start out by using "Cat Attract" litter, then slowly switched over by mixing with another litter. They are totally inside cats and the most loving thankful kitties you have ever seen. Once one of them got out and she sat right on the porch and never went anywhere - she knows she has a good gig now! I have a dog as well - they all adjusted after a bit. I would encourage you to give it a go - rescued pets are devoted pets!

If you take it in... immediately get is a Leukemia and Feline HIV test, along with a Complete Metabolic Panel (to ensure liver, kidneys, etc are working well) and test it for parasites. Once all the comes back in the clear, the vet says the health looks good - get it fixed. Cats are wonderful pets!

The dog and cat issue... you may have to be vigilante about keeping them apart for a few months while inside. Many animals die in the cold from exposure, so if you want to take that chance with an animal you just spent money on to be a pet - that is your call. I personally have ALL my cats indoor with me all the time.

The cat if almost 2, is close to ending it's 'kitten' stage and is less likely to cause a ruckus in the evenings. It will probably stalk the house and find cozy paces to sleep.

When I first got a cat I had an elderly dog who loved to chase cats. And once when he was younger I even tried to bring a cat in the house (I did it the wrong way) and he tried to attack it! Well, this time, the cat was around 5 years old and my dog was about 11 years old. I did it VERY slowly. I kept the cat in a bedroom with the door shut for a few days. The dog was constantly sniffing under the door. Then I would have my dog on a leash and hold the cat and let him sniff her. After a week or so I let the cat out. He would chase her and I would tell him to stop (and he would). I NEVER left the cat out with the dog when I wasn't home. That took a few months. It was a slow process but eventually they were 100% fine. Unfortunately my old dog passed a little over a year ago :-( I have an almost 4 yr old dog that I got when she was a puppy and it took her about a year to stop chasing the cat too. And this past summer I got a new puppy :-) he is about 9 months now and still occasionally chases the cat. 3 yr old dog is not in a crate during the day (for the past 2 years) and is fine with the cat (they sleep next to each other) - new puppy is still crated when I'm not home so I don't have to worrry about that for now. Even when I'm home there are alot of times new puppy doesn't chase the cat, only when he's playful. Plus kitty is used to dogs now (I've had her for about 4.5 years now) even though she is declawed I still see her bite the puppy if he gets out of hand (I always step in and make the dog stop though!) He's way bigger than her, he could hurt her when he's just trying to play.

So, my advice is before you bring the cat in to be a "pet" I would take it to the vet first....Like some others said you want to be sure the kitty is disease free and up to date on vaccines & stuff. After that, as long as you introduce cat and dog slowly I'm sure it would be fine. Good luck! I was NEVER a cat person but she has grown on me now....She sleeps with either me or my daughter every night. Sometimes she has to fight the dogs for a spot on the bed! lol

With some time and effort the dog and cat could learn to get along. Feeding them on opposites of a close door can help. Of course keep them separate unless you are watching until you are sure they can get along. Start out switching items- pet beds, toys, etc from one to the other so they get used to the smell. You can put the cat in a carrier and let them sniff each other, also put the dog on a leash so you can separate easily if needed. When the cat is loose at first, leash the dog and reward any and all behavior that ignores or is friendly towards the cat. If the dog does anything that is not, remove it from the room for a few seconds until it calms down and then try again. When the dog sees you interacting with the cat that can help let the dog know the cat is okay and family too.

Most will litter train fairly easily. Some make mark or have accidents, make sure to use a pet enzyme cleaner to clean them up. I would try to keep the cat in at night, or a garage if possible, they can be active at night which is also a lot of times when cat fights etc happen. Since the cat is used to being outdoors, if you need to let it out then it will probably be fine, it has been out there for at least a year now.

Also make sure to mention to your vet the cat is at least semi-feral and has never been vaccinated when you call and when you take it in. I used to work in a vet's office and the warning was always appreciated. Many of the cats that were semi feral were fine with their owner, but in a new place with new people were scared and would lash out and that way everyone was prepared for a cat that could go either way when you opened the carrier. Of course there were a few that we knew never open the carrier while kitty is awake, so we would sedate through the carrier and then work with the cat, which doesn't sound great but it was less stress for everyone, especially the cat.

I hope the cat moves in easily and is accepted quickly by your dog.

All of our animals are rescues - either from the Humane Society or literally just picked up off the streets. The first thing I do, before I bring a new animal into the house, is take it to the veterinarian's office for a complete checkup. I want to ensure that it does not have anything contagious to my other pets or to my son and me.

After that, I just bring it home. I watch all the animals interactions closely for the first few days. But, I have found that they quickly develop their own pecking order and adjust easily to new "family".

All of my pets are in door pets - it is safer and healthier for them. They are all neutered. My cats sleep in my bedroom at night and to cut down on their nocturnal wanderings I sleep with my bedroom closed. They all settle in the bed and snooze all night now.

Cats instinctively cover their waste - so adjusting to a litter box should be no problem. Make sure that you show the cat where its food, water, and box are, and don't move them around the house. Make sure to scoop the box daily. You shouldn't have any problem on that score.

Good luck. I think pets are great for kids - unconditional love and teaching responsibility. Plus cats are all squishy and huggable.
:)

Dear Kay-

One of the best cats I ever had was a feral cat that 'adopted' us.

We were coming back from a beach vacation...the doors were open as we were bringing stuff in...and IN he came. He had been living outdoors in our neighborhood for at least a year or two.

Anyway...he had a bad cut on his head...and no tail. We named him "Mr Stubbs" right away (thinking the poor guy had gotten tail caught in a sliding door or something!)

I took him to our vet...turns out he was an approximately 7 YO fixed male manx...all 23 pounds of him. He adapted to our family VERY well...which at the time included 1 dog and 1 other stray cat (both females)...oh...and a bunch of 'little people'.

He was with us for 10 years. He was the MOST loveable, tolerant and considerate member of our family.

Just over a year ago...I had to move. Stubbs was getting older...and also, I think he 'sensed' we were leaving 'his' turf. Anyway...for the 2 weeks before the final move...he wanted to be with me...ON my lap...in MY chair...followed me etc. Then he disappeared. Could NOT find him. Had neighbors looking before and after we moved.

We have many wonderful memories of stubbs...as do the kids...we also have pictures...

Now I am feeling weepy!~! lol

I say give it a go!!!

And TY for the memories of 'Mr stubbs'
Michele/cat