Stray Kitten

bich.light on 23/02/2014 - 20:26

Hello, I'd like to hear of some advice from this community regarding a stray kitten around my house.

The kitten is.. not very old and I've never owned a pet before so I don't know how old but it looks like a kitten!

Anyways, I would like to know what to do about it? I'm probably going to go around and ask the neighbouring houses if they own a cat and if not call a VET or RSPCA. But I'm concerned that if the cat is a stray, what will the RSPCA do? Would they put it down? I heard they might if it has diseases but if it doesn't, what would happen to it?

Also, there is no collar and not sure if its been chipped.

Home & Garden

Comments

  • bossmode on 23/02/2014 - 23:57
    +2

    Sounds cute. I'd keep it. Post photos!

    • bich.light on 24/02/2014 - 01:48

      I know right! I really want to but my Uncle is allergic to cats — though he likes them too.
      Next time it comes, I might try begging my grandma and mother as well haha!
      It's disappeared for the night but I'm sure it will come back again eventually.

    • bich.light on 24/02/2014 - 11:23
      +4

      I think it may be sleeping and residing in my backyard.

      Here is a photo of it :3
      https://www.dropbox.com/s/er7mkl67lmiwt7j/photo.JPG

      • elwood on 24/02/2014 - 12:08

        The RSPCA in Victoria don't euthanise strays so if you take it there, it will be in good hands.

        • NosDan on 24/02/2014 - 12:14
          +4

          The RSPCA in Victoria don't euthanise strays so if you take it there, it will be in good hands.

          im not saying your wrong…. but that just dosnt sound right to me knowing the massive over supply and the under demand suffered by these organisations. what do they do with all the extra animals?

        • RecAlpha on 25/02/2014 - 12:29
          +1

          Anyone who tells you that RSPCA doesn't kill their intake doesn't know the first thing about the organisation. Depending on where you are in the country, you could be looking at worse odds than 50%.

          http://www.savingpets.com.au/2012/05/what-is-an-acceptable-l…

          http://www.savingpets.com.au/pound_survey-cats/

          No-kill is not a common practice in Australia, and if you want to go that route there are doubtlessly community programs for foster homes in your area.

        • arcticfox007 on 25/02/2014 - 12:58
          -1

          They get donated and experimented on by universities as an alternative.

      • WT on 25/02/2014 - 00:37
        +5

        I doubt its a stray, they very rarely let you get this close.

        I would say this is someones pet already, its visiting you because it likes to be fed. Or its lost, or its just hungry during the time the owner is off to work

        In addition, strays are usually a bit oily and white bits usually a bit brown from sleeping under cars etc.

        I would suggest a door knock, but probably only a few houses around you. If your a bit lazy, print the pic and post it on the telegraph poles around you street, if someone owns it they will prob call you

        • [Deactivated] on 26/02/2014 - 08:02
          -1

          I doubt its a stray, they very rarely let you get this close.

          Incorrect. Kittens have not yet developed a fear for humans and will happily interact with people. Stray or not.

          In addition, strays are usually a bit oily and white bits usually a bit brown from sleeping under cars etc.

          Incorrect, and now you're just making this up as you go along.

      • danb on 25/02/2014 - 14:07

        Wow look at that tail! Cute cat

  • horsome on 24/02/2014 - 00:02
    +4

    I think the vet puts a tattoo in its ear for when its desexed or chipped, either way it would indicate it would have an owner.

    • bich.light on 24/02/2014 - 01:49
      +1

      Next time it crawls over, I'll have an inspection :)
      Thanks!

      • NosDan on 24/02/2014 - 09:59
        +1

        i forget which ear is which but one ear is for desexing and the other ear is if it has a microchip.

        if it has no collar you could pop down to your local vet with the kitten and they can check if it has a microchip as well. that way you should be able to find out its owners address, sadly not many people chip there outside pets.

        lastly with the amount of bad pet owners not desexing there pets the shelters are over run with cats/kittens/dogs. being that you say this is only a kitten it has a better chance of being rehomed at a shelter but the facts are that if it ends up at a shelter its probably going to be put down even if there is nothing wrong with it.

        • bich.light on 24/02/2014 - 12:20
          +1

          Thanks, I'll take it to the local vet to get it checked for microchip and await for family to see what they want.

  • victorwilson on 24/02/2014 - 00:20
    +1

    Try calling your local council, they usually have mandatory registration of all microchipped pets.

  • [Deactivated] on 24/02/2014 - 01:23

    Do a door knock, can't hurt. Might be able to find out if the kitten belongs to someone's non-desexed cat too, if it isn't a bubba of a stray cat.

    Then I'd call the local pounds if you have one. I'd go with the RSPCA as a last resort, personally.

    If you plan on keeping it, get it vet checked for illnesses first and you're golden :)

    Keep us updated! I'm keen to hear how it goes.

    • bich.light on 24/02/2014 - 12:25
      +3

      Well the cats smart… it found my bedroom window and kept meowing…
      I closed the blind and the window. I feel so sad for it now D:

      • [Deactivated] on 24/02/2014 - 21:07
        +7

        That's how they get you ;)

        Next thing we know, we'll be watching your kitten riding a roomba on youtube :)

      • daveted on 26/02/2014 - 10:44
        +2

        It's meowing "be my slave. be my slave."

  • [Deactivated] on 24/02/2014 - 01:34
    +7

    Does the cat look in any way grumpy?
    If so, exploit for Youtube fame.

    www.youtube.com/watch?v=INscMGmhmX4

    • bich.light on 24/02/2014 - 01:50

      No, this one appeared very frightened and scared. It was always on its toes when I pet it :(
      It was cute since it was near-kitten stage haha

  • Mimbula on 24/02/2014 - 10:07
    +1

    Just call the Local Laws Department of your Council and arrange to visit them and they'll have a machine which can check whether an animal is micro chipped. You can surrender the animal to the Council who will try to rehouse it. Alot of Melbourne Councils will send animals that aren't successfully rehoused to a no-kill shelter.

  • elwood on 24/02/2014 - 12:09
    +1

    The RSPCA in Victoria don't euthanise strays so if you take it there, it will be in good hands.

    • bich.light on 24/02/2014 - 12:20

      I'm in Sydney, sadly I can't take it there :(

  • bich.light on 24/02/2014 - 15:42

    OR… the alternative discussion which has not been mentioned has been executed.
    Grandmother scares the kitten away :'(

    • NosDan on 24/02/2014 - 15:47
      +2

      Grandmother scares the kitten away

      if you have fed, watered and/or given it attention that wont last for long :)

      cats are very good at training people. my old cat used to have one side neighbour trained to give him milk and the other side trained to buy cat food for him (even tho it always had food at home).

      he would also wait at the top of the "food" peoples driveway at the end of school and wait for the kids to walk home and as soon as he saw them he would run up the street to greet them.

      he (almost) always came home to sleep at nite tho :)

  • [Deactivated] on 25/02/2014 - 02:28
    +1

    RSCPA is whatever humane society you go to is not going to automatically euthanise it if you take it there for a microchip check and (potentially) a basic checkup providing that there is someone (you) already willing to adopt it if it has no owner.

    The only exception might be if it is already seriously ill with a poor quality of life and there is nothing they can do (or nobody willing to pay, such as yourself) to fix it, in which case it would be the humane thing to do to let them euthanise it anyway rather than shielding the cat and letting it suffer.

    They don't just euthanise every animal that comes through the door for no reason.

  • Lucky13 on 25/02/2014 - 04:23
    +2

    As a lot of other people have said its probably one of your neighbours cats. Cats have a habit of jumping fences and exploring. I wouldnt go taking it to the pound though sounds a bit extreme when its probably most definitely a neighbours cat

  • slow on 25/02/2014 - 08:57
    +5

    I agree that is probably someone else's. It looks pretty healthy. Cats do roam a lot and if its owners are out a lot it will go wherever it gets attention (and food). I sometimes see my cat quite a distance from my house and she often disappears for the whole day. Also the fact that it doesn't have a collar doesn't necessarily mean that it has no owner. Whatever collar I have tried to put on my cat she always manages to get it off and lose, so I gave up. If you want peace of mind I would ask the neighbors (although it could come from quite far away)

  • elwood on 25/02/2014 - 12:11
    +3

    The Cat Protection Society (which is a strictly 'no kill' rescue group) say if you've found a cat, there are several things you should do before taking them to a pound or shelter – there is a chance the cat is not a stray but simply lost:
    * Doorknock your immediate neighbourhood with a picture of the cat. Make sure to check with anyone who's new to the area – their cat may have escaped in the move and be disoriented
    * Ring your local vet to check whether they have any reports of lost cats. You can also check whether they have a microchip scanner which would be able to identify the cat's microchip details (if any)
    *Make flyers and letterbox your neighbourhood – you can enlist the support of neighbours in doing this

    They say if you can't find an owner for the cat, you can phone their office to make an appointment to surrender the cat. When they receive an unowned cat, they first try to establish whether or not they are in fact owned and just lost (they reunite dozens of lost cats with their people each year) before putting them up for adoption.
    Please phone their office on 9519 7201 between 9am-4pm, Monday to Friday to discuss the circumstances and make an appointment.

    http://www.catprotection.org.au/surrendering-a-cat/if-the-ca…

    • NosDan on 25/02/2014 - 12:29
      +1

      The Cat Protection Society (which is a strictly 'no kill' rescue group)

      this is what i hate about "no kill" shelters. they are little more than a con praying on stupid people. from there site…

      As a no-kill shelter, we are limited admission meaning people need to book a cat in with us as we don't always have space available immediately.

      so they only take in a few animals at a time. what is meant to happen with all the rest of the abandoned animals?

      by going to these "no kill" shelters you are actually making the real problem worse and in fact if you care about animals not getting killed you wouldnt get an animal from these shelters anyway (caus there not going to get put down anyway) and in stead go to the RSPCA and adopt an animal that is probably going to get put down…. there by saving that animal from its "green dream" (which is what vets call the euthanasia drug caus its lime green)

      if your taking an animal from a place where its not going to get killed anyway arent you simply causing another animal at RSPCA etc to be put down instead?

      [/rant]

      apart from that, i gave you a +1 for the good info about reuniting pets with there owners without involving any sort of shelter

      • Speckled Jim on 25/02/2014 - 13:05
        +1

        Perfectly reasonable. Nobody has unlimited space. You don't, I don't and the CPS doesn't.
        Better they take some cats than none at all.

        But I don't think it will come to that, it's most likely chipped. If not, there's a bunch of websites dedicated to pet reunions. There's always Facebook too.

      • daveted on 26/02/2014 - 12:44

        This is not true, otherwise, these shelters would be filled with animals that no-one wants, or animals that are unsuitable as pets, as all the slots would be gradually filled with undesirable animals.

        What happens is they get transferred around to other no kill shelters, or eventually shipped off to a centre that will euthanise them. So please do visit the no kill shelters as well. They're merely a time delay.

        Visit as many shelters as you can, and find the pet that is perfect for you. Take your time and shop around. Too many people rush in, and then regret it later. It's not like marriage. You should never give up on a pet once you've made the choice.

        [/rant]

  • pcb7 on 25/02/2014 - 13:12

    We got a Cat (kitten) from RSPCA. The kitten was a stray. RSPCA took care of vaccinations and other health checks.

  • wukachuka on 25/02/2014 - 13:16

    It's one of your neighbours cat for sure.
    Chase it away a few times or keep a water pistol handy and squirt it a few times and it will likely avoid you.

    • bich.light on 25/02/2014 - 14:06

      I'm curious to know why it was residing in my house, sleeping over, begging for milk and food…?
      I thought if it had an owner it would surely stay away from us and return :C

      • Speckled Jim on 25/02/2014 - 14:32
        +2

        Any number of reasons. Most likely they have another pet and this one wasn't accepted by them.
        It was possibly a Chrissy pressie and the novelty has worn off — not a nice thought.

        • WT on 25/02/2014 - 14:56
          +1

          Its at about that age…

        • [Deactivated] on 25/02/2014 - 14:58
          +3

          Also, I've noticed many outdoor cats just like the extra love. I've had a neighbor's (super-cute) cat come begging to stay in my house before.

          It's about the age of a chrisse-present kitten, too. Urgh. Trying not to think of that possibility.

      • neil on 25/02/2014 - 16:44
        +4

        FYI, don't give cats milk (from a cow). It's not good for them.

  • Cluster on 26/02/2014 - 01:01

    When a young cat started hanging around my house it was rather shy as it hid in the bushes. I would playfully meow to it and it meowed back. After a while the cat came indoors, was fed, and I knew kitty was mine. To dispel any doubt that I was 'stealing' someone else's cat (it was desexed) I door knocked the street and even left leaflets with the cat's photo on neighbouring streets asking if it was anyone's. No one replied.

    I kept the cat and it was the sweetest, nicest animal I have ever owned. The animal chose to live with me and really appreciated being taken in. Unfortunately the kitty was hit by a car last year. Damn I miss that cat.

    • Speckled Jim on 26/02/2014 - 01:27
      +3

      Our two adopted us in a similar way. Neither was chipped, but both were already desexed.

      Over summer, I spent hundreds on materials and several hours making a custom cat-run. Almost finished.
      Some of the ingredients:
      3m alu channel
      Corner braces cos no welder :'(
      19mm netting

      Plus rope, clips, tent pegs, hooks, zip ties and fixings…oh and an RFID reading flap!

    • iSamurai on 26/02/2014 - 07:05

      Dat feels…

  • mintysaurus on 26/02/2014 - 16:13
    +2

    Try putting an ad up on Gumtree too with a pic of the cat. Mine went missing and that was how the person found my number :D

    Try to find an owner. Don't be the kind of person who just goes "oh it's cute and friendly, I want it". I've lost a bird to someone like that :(

    If it has a family already, they'll be devastated. If you want your own pet, go adopt one. If this one legitimately has no microchip and no one contacts you, then sure, look at adopting it.

  • WT on 05/03/2014 - 20:50

    What did you end up doing? Are you looking to adopt your own?

    Free to good home 3 tabby kittens to choose from, 2 black and grey, 1 is black, grey with a bit of gold, if your local feel free to come around and have a look.

    They are approx. 5 weeks, still fit in the palm of your hand! A bit skittish
    but once you pick them up they are super affectionate

    Free to good home, will need vacc's which is about $70 or you can just skip it like we did with mums cat.

    • Speckled Jim on 06/03/2014 - 10:11

      I think you cooked a bearing.

      I really want to but my Uncle is allergic to cats

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