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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / January 2005Found a kitten/adolescent cat
Well, a cat walked into my life today. I'm not good on kitten ages, but she looks to me to be between 3-6 months. It looks like some of her pre-molars and molars are still erupting. Anyone know how old that makes her? What should I look for? She's clearly socialized, very friendly, loves to be picked up. Also seems well fed and her coat is very glossy and her tail looks brushed. She's got kind of a round tummy, which might mean she's well fed, or I suppose might mean parasites (although no diarrhea) or even that she's preggers (I once had a cat who dropped a litter at 6 months). And she's very pretty: black and white classic tuxedo kitty, 4 white feet, tufts on ears and eyes that look dark green in most light, but from some angles seem almost red. I wonder if she has a little Bombay in her. She was wandering around outside, no collar, no microchip that I could find. She's been appearing for the last couple of days, meowing her little head off. She was pretty hungry: today when we fed her, she ate two 3 oz. cans of cat food fast and had no trouble keeping it down. I'm not sure what to do. I would love to keep this little girl, and make her an indoor only cat. But maybe she's someone's loved pet and got out by accident. So my husband and I are going to put up flyers and we've been asking around. So far, nobody knows who she lives with. I'm worried that whoever her humans were/are, they may be of the 'outdoor cat' philosophy. In this neighborhood, that's suicide for kitties. I lost two to cars before I got the point that, here at least, cats need to stay inside. Of course, we'll give her back if she just got out by accident. But what do I do if the owners show up and say "Oh, we let her roam during the day, it's better for them"? Should I give her back then, even if it means I'll probably see her as road pizza some day? I don't want to deprive someone of their beloved sweetheart, but I feel like I should protect the cat. Any ideas? Thanks. ___________________________________________________ Camilla Cracchiolo Registered Nurse Los Angeles, California camilla4@mindspring.com webpage temporarily down Be careful that someone wanting a kitty doesnt pretend to have lost the poor wee sod. Dont provide a description, just say you have found a cat and if someone contacts you, ask them to describe it. Sounds like if her owners dont turn up, she will be well looked after with you! Good luck, keep us informed :) Regards, Gary. --------------------------------------------------------------- Visit Tigger's site and read his story. Browse photos of all our cats - Tigger, Tootsie and Tango. http://www.cutecats.co.uk 12 new pictures of Tango added 31/10/2004 Gizmo and Tango's Brother (Mr Darcy) photo's added 31/10/2004 --------------------------------------------------------------- > Well, a cat walked into my life today. I'm not good on kitten ages, > but she looks to me to be between 3-6 months. It looks like some of [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > > camilla4@mindspring.com webpage temporarily down >I'm not sure what to do. I would love to >keep this little girl, and make her an [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >around. So far, nobody knows who she >lives with. If nobody knows who she belongs to, and there are no lost cat flyers posted in the neighborhood, chances are she's been dumped. IME people who have lost loved pets make A LOT of noise and make a concerted effort to put up flyers, notify neighbors, etc. Regardless of whether someone claims her in the future, she should be taken to a vet ASAP and tested for FIV/Felv, have a stool sample analyzed, and checked for a spay scar. If there is no scar, I would leave her at the vet to get spayed, then bring her home. I worry that her roundness may be because she has a parasite infestation or is pregnant, and you can't afford to leave her outside, especially if that's the case. If she is pregnant she should still be spayed ASAP as the shelters are full and there are not enough homes available for the cats and kittens that are already here. Adding more kittens to the equation is senseless. It sounds like you're doing what you can to find the owners and if you don't hear anything in a week or so, I would consider her yours. One exception to this rule is that if she is not spayed, and has been allowed to roam, or has ear mites and parasites which have gone untreated, AFAIC she's yours now. :-) Either way, getting her to a vet for a check and inside where she is safe would be the right thing to do. Megan  Signature"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -Edmund Burke Learn The TRUTH About Declawing http://www.stopdeclaw.com Zuzu's Cats Photo Album: http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22 "Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way." - W.H. Murray Oh, wonderful! To me that is deja vue. I found my 14 year old Sapphire roaming around when she was a 7 or so months old, crying at night and all. When I picked her up I realized she was very, very special. I did take a Polaroid shot of her and had it hung in the clubhouse with my phone number. A week later my husband noticed she had been declawed. That did it. I took down her picture and she became mine. She is such a fantastic cat. I think sometimes these cats and you meet up as a kind of karma. Barb Of course I don't look busy, I did it right the first time. > Well, a cat walked into my life today. I'm not good on kitten ages, > but she looks to me to be between 3-6 months. It looks like some of > her pre-molars and molars are still erupting. Anyone know how old > that makes her? What should I look for? If I remember correctly cats molars erupt around 4 months. > Well, a cat walked into my life today. I'm not good on kitten ages, > but she looks to me to be between 3-6 months. It looks like some of [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > > camilla4@mindspring.com webpage temporarily down My Idea: Check the Lost & Found columns daily for a couple of weeks. After all, it is the owner's responsibility to hunt for her. You might also check the rescue groups to see if a loss has been reported. If no one has made an attempt to find her -- well, just keep her. There are those who think cats are easy to replace, so why bother trying to find one. >> Of course, we'll give her back if she just got out by accident. But >> what do I do if the owners show up and say "Oh, we let her roam during [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > those who think cats are easy to replace, so why bother trying to find > one. Hi, Camilla I agree with the above advice. I would add a little more. First remember that without a microchip, it is not that easy to identify a cat and prove ownership. So, look for some distinguishing pattern of markings that would help identify this cat. But do not, under any circumstances, mention these markings in your lost ads. Just say something like black and white cat found and give a phone number. A cell number would be best because it is not associated with an address. You don't want them to be able to just show up. If someone calls, you can assume that they lost a cat and are making some effort to find it. She may or may not be their cat. However, it is possible that someone may just be looking for a cat and not have good intentions. If someone calls to claim her, you can talk to them and feel them out as to how they happened to have a cat outside wandering around and looking for a place to stay. Ask in a conversational way, not an accusing way, because the callers might have a logical reason. Also, they may have actually lost a cat, maybe this cat, maybe not, and are feeling bad about it. Be careful not to give the caller any more information about the cat or yourself than they already have. You can ask them if their cat has any distinguishing marks, what color are the eyes, the whiskers, how old is she, is she spayed, what does her voice sound like, etc. It's possible that they will not be able to answer all the questions, but the conversation will narrow down how much time they spend with their cat to notice at least some of these things, and to tell if it really is their cat. If you still have doubts, you can ask if they have photos and who the vet is. Get their name and number and tell them you will call them back. Call the vet and ask if these people have a Tuxedo cat and what kind of care they give it. If you get the impression that it is their cat and they are really concerned and will care for her, you should give her back. You might make a new friend as well. Otherwise, you can tell them that you are sorry, but it is not their cat. I believe the odds are in your favor that nobody will claim the cat. Annie Annie There is a danger in those ads. Anyone could call up and say they lost a cat especially if you give a description. I would have the cat checked for a microchip. If none is found it is a good bet that the cat is a stray. If you do put an ad out there for a lost cat I would make sure you name the area that she was found in and the date. Don't describe the cat, let whomever calls or emails you do that. This way you definately weed out the potential animal abuser with the real human the cat belongs with. SignatureCat Galaxy: All Cats! All The Time! www.catgalaxymedia.com Panther TEK: Staying On Top Of Your Computer Needs! www.panthertekit.com > Hi, Camilla > I agree with the above advice. I would add a little more. First remember [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] > Annie > Annie > There is a danger in those ads. Anyone could call up and say they lost a > cat especially if you give a description. I would have the cat checked for [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > whomever calls or emails you do that. This way you definately weed out the > potential animal abuser with the real human the cat belongs with. That's exactly what Annie said. What was the point of your post? Signature-Kelly kelly at farringtons dot net www.kelltek.com Check out www.snittens.com Not exactly, she suggested to the poster to mention that a black or white cat was found. I say mention no color at all at let the caller describe the cat in whole. SignatureCat Galaxy: All Cats! All The Time! www.catgalaxymedia.com Panther TEK: Staying On Top Of Your Computer Needs! www.panthertekit.com > That's exactly what Annie said. What was the point of your post? > Not exactly, she suggested to the poster to mention that a black or white > cat was found. I say mention no color at all at let the caller describe > the cat in whole. Well, I meant to say black and white. I think that is vague enough. Personally, I would not want to take a call or email from every person missing a cat unless there was some chance it might be theirs. There is no point in giving a glimpse of hope for someone who had, for example a ginger cat and then when they call, just burst their bubble. I don't have the heart to do that and would not suggest it to anyone else. Annie ... Don't describe the cat, let >> whomever calls or emails you do that. > That's exactly what Annie said. What was the point of your post? > -Kelly I didn't see it at first in his comment, but I think C.P. might have a good idea to use an email as a point of contact. It would be easy to create a yahoo or hotmail or similar free email for the purpose of collecting replies, and it has the advantage of not being traced to a physical address. A phone number can be used with a reverse directory to find an address. I think that's also a reason to give a cell phone number if you have one, because, as far as I know, cell phones are not listed in directories. Of course, not everybody has computer access, so it would eliminate those who don't. But maybe if somebody lost a cat and really cared about getting it back, they would find somebody they know who would send a message for them. I know if I lost one of our kitties and saw a found ad or post with an email, I would respond. But, obviously, I do have computer access. What do you think about adding an email as a point of contact to found pet notices? Annie I would have the cat scanned for a microchip. If she has no ID it's a good bet she is a stray. I highly doubt anyone will come looking for her. If a human does show up and says she's theirs then I would educate them about keeping their cat indoors. SignatureCat Galaxy: All Cats! All The Time! www.catgalaxymedia.com Panther TEK: Staying On Top Of Your Computer Needs! www.panthertekit.com > Well, a cat walked into my life today. I'm not good on kitten ages, > but she looks to me to be between 3-6 months. It looks like some of [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > > camilla4@mindspring.com webpage temporarily down >I would have the cat scanned for a microchip. If she has no ID it's a good >bet she is a stray. I highly doubt anyone will come looking for her. If a >human does show up and says she's theirs then I would educate them about >keeping their cat indoors. Aren't you so sanctimonious! The cat could have gotten out by accident, it does happen. It was literally the day before I was going to take Antonio to in to get microchipped that he got out through a broken door. So, there he is, much loved pet from an indoor-only home, outside with no ID. I certainly hope if anyone finds him, they contact me, or if they haven't seen my fliers, put an ad in the paper or a flier up or something. Signature-Kelly kelly at farringtons dot net www.kelltek.com Check out www.snittens.com Have you not heard of the infamous I found your cat or dog scams where someone claims they found your cat and you can get it back for money? Yes, cats do get out but if the cat is not microchipped or has no identification the cat is missing and it is presumed a stray. Besides, many cats are simply dumped and that scenario happens more than the simple cat escaping. Also, it is best to get your cat microchipped soon after adoption or at the very least a collar with ID. SignatureCat Galaxy: All Cats! All The Time! www.catgalaxymedia.com Panther TEK: Staying On Top Of Your Computer Needs! www.panthertekit.com > > Aren't you so sanctimonious! The cat could have gotten out by accident, [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > ID. I certainly hope if anyone finds him, they contact me, or if they > haven't seen my fliers, put an ad in the paper or a flier up or something. > Have you not heard of the infamous I found your cat or dog scams where > someone claims they found your cat and you can get it back for money? ... C.P., In this case the O.P. has actually found a cat and is more concerned about who will show up to claim it. As far as I know, she's not thinking about collecting a ransom. Annie > Have you not heard of the infamous I found your cat or dog scams where > someone claims they found your cat and you can get it back for money? Actually, no I haven't. > Also, it is best to get your cat microchipped soon after adoption or at > the very least a collar with ID. Yes, it is. I had a collar and tag for Antonio that I had been trying to get on him for a while. He's semi-feral, more feral than semi, so I could barely pet him, much less put a collar on him. He was my foster, so when I adopted him, it wasn't like I took him home from a shelter or anything. I never even worried about him getting out, as he always seemed afraid of the door. 3 of my other cats had gotten out at the time of this incident, so I'm sure he just followed them. I have to admit I used to be a bit judgmental about people who had lost a cat, always thinking "so why did you let it out?" and all that stuff. Never, ever thought I would be in that position. Signature-Kelly kelly at farringtons dot net www.kelltek.com Check out www.snittens.com ...> I have to admit I used to be a bit judgmental about people who had lost a > cat, always thinking "so why did you let it out?" and all that stuff. > Never, ever thought I would be in that position. > -Kelly Kelly, I know you are still trying to find Antonio. You are both in my thoughts and prayers. You did your best. It was amazingly bad timing on his part to get out. You just never know what life will throw at you, even when you are careful. I find that the longer I live, the less judgmental I am. I believe I'm a better person for it. But I still have a long way to go. Annie Me too, Kelly. I always thought all strays' owners must be 1st class jerks. Then there was Licorice. She was trapped as an aprx. 10-week old semi-feral and came to live with us. Then as a 6-month old kitten, she disappeared from our house. She was inside-only and we went crazy tearing the house apart. There was not a peep or a sign of her. Later that night, Walter thought of something. We have a fireplace insert, and he had lit a fire in it earlier in the afternoon. He realized if a kitten had crawled up on top of the insert (basically inside of the chimney,) it would have gotten real hot in there. He ran outside and opened the little trap door at the base of the chimney and saw glowing eyes. OMG. She at least had been able to jump down to the ground, under the insert, but was still trapped inside the chimney. She would not come out and the door was 6 inches square. In our panic, running back and forth inside of the house for something to tempt her out, she must have run out into the yard. We finally did get her back 36 hours later by leaving the garage door cracked open. There is a stairway that leads up to the house in there and we were hoping she'd smell familiar things and recognize sounds. It worked! She meowed one night from the top of the stairs. Anyway, I feel your pain and wish that Antonio would come back. Rhonda > I have to admit I used to be a bit judgmental about people who had lost a > cat, always thinking "so why did you let it out?" and all that stuff. > Never, ever thought I would be in that position. >She at least had been able to jump down to the ground, under the insert, >but was still trapped inside the chimney. OMG! How scary! That could have turned tragic very easily. :( Thank you both Rhoonda and Annie for your kind words and purrs/prayers. It really does mean a lot to know there are so many people pulling for Antonio to come home. Signature-Kelly kelly at farringtons dot net www.kelltek.com Check out www.snittens.com I'd like to add my 2 cents here and say that just because a cat doesn't have a microchip doesn't mean they are a stray! For the past 15 years I have been owned by 6 cats and only one (a shelter cat) was microchipped. All of my cats are indoor cats, but my Burmese did escape on a 4 day adventure a year ago. We plastered the neighborhood with posters, and thankfully he did find his way back to us, but he had slipped his collar in the meantime. So, please don't make statements like this. Some indoor cats are great escape artists, and cat collars are designed to be easily gotten out of..... dragon >Well, a cat walked into my life today. I'm not good on kitten ages, >but she looks to me to be between 3-6 months. It looks like some of >her pre-molars and molars are still erupting. Anyone know how old >that makes her? What should I look for? Well, we have recieved nary a call so far, although I confess that we are not searching all that hard as we are getting very attached to this sweet little girl. We're taking her to the vet tomorrow. As far as I'm concerned, if I have to put out money for her exam, blood work, treatment for fleas and possibly for parasites as well, and then spaying, somebody's going to have to make a really good case for why they deserve to have this kitty back. Then they have to repay me my vet bills. But we're not real worried that someone is going to show up to claim her. A guy down the street says he saw someone dump her from a car a "week or two ago" and that an "old lady" had been feeding her. Now this guy is probably a junkie, therefore not the most reliable, but he hangs out on the street all the time and therefore sees a lot. Plus he pointed to some empty cat food cans near by, so I think it's true. It's not like he's got a stake in lying about this: he's not going to get any money or handouts from us. Also, my husband spoke with a lawyer who put his mind at ease. Robin had been worried that it was some kind of "kidnapping" if we kept her, but the lawyer said that if the cat was out on the street and we've been taking good care of her, all the burden of proof is on the other party. ___________________________________________________ Camilla Cracchiolo Registered Nurse Los Angeles, California camilla4@mindspring.com webpage temporarily down As I said before the cat was probably dumped or a stray. This happens quite a lot and I was told it happens where I live quite frequently. Did this person who saw the cat being dumped get a description of the vehicle or a license plate number? SignatureCat Galaxy: All Cats! All The Time! www.catgalaxymedia.com Panther TEK: Staying On Top Of Your Computer Needs! www.panthertekit.com "Camilla Cracchiolo" <camilla4@mindspring.com> wrote in message > Well, we have recieved nary a call so far, although I confess that we > are not searching all that hard as we are getting very attached to [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > > camilla4@mindspring.com webpage temporarily down please feed your cat life's Abundance cat food from http://www.healthypetstuff.com. Please don't post advertisements in discussion-based usenet groups such as this. Thank you.
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