Cat advice required

[Hot Pepsi]

I confess I am not a fan of letting cats roam the neighborhood. They're going to be killed by a car, sooner or later, and they're essentially an invasive predator that we've brought in to the ecosystem that may not be able to handle it. They kill lots of birds, bats, voles, chipmunks, etc.

Also, the killing of cats is an excuse given for slaughtering coyotes and other natural predators who not only deserve to survive for their own sake, but also do a lot to control the population of rats, etc.

I understand the merits of catch-spay-release colonies, but ultimately those colonies will wind up on their own. Otherwise, if the cat appears to want to find a home, it's best to find a shelter that can give it one.

[DCI Harry Batt]

This is my worry about having any outside space of my own. Not that I'd have a dog bowl with food in, or owt. But even so.

[WOM]

Not that I'd have a dog bowl with food in, or owt.

'In' is best if you've troubled yourself to get a bowl.

[DCI Harry Batt]

Certainly any cat should be neutered, of course.

[Jah Womble]

'In' is best if you've troubled yourself to get a bowl.

You tinker.

[Wouter D]

Are you sure gradual exposure brings immunity? Doesn't seem very scientific to me.

This is exactly how one treats severe hay fever. See, for example, here.

The goal is symptom suppression rather than immunity, but yeah, I see no reason why this wouldn't also work for cat allergies.

[pebblethefish]

After reading the thread title, I'm disappointed that this isn't a thread asking advice from a cat, rather than about one. If there was a Cat Agony Aunt (Dear Purr-dre?), I'd read it.

[lambers]

Letter from our cat:

Dear Purr-dre,

My humans refuse to top up my food bowl 24/7, what can I do to correct their abhorrent behaviour? Unfortunately they are too big to fit into the bowl themselves.

Yours faith-purr-ly,
C

P.S. they keep complaining when I try to hold tight onto them with my paws, I don't understand why they don't want to be close to me?

[Logan Mountstuart]

Vet. ASAP. Check for a chip, and missing owner first. Don't leave any food out randomly, scraps, or otherwise. If the cat is ill a stronger predator, a fox or a bigger cat will get it anyway and drive your cat away.

If you actually want to adopt him/ her, feed him when he is there. If you don't, get him to a vet and the RSPCA tout de suite.

I've taken both options twice. 2x very sad to dump a cat into a remote, but caring system. 2x paying a fortune for spaying, dental issues, organ issues, registration issues, but then having two beautiful family members for more than a decade.

Either way, make a choice quickly. Give a cat false and ultimately painful hope, or bite the bullet and make the commitment.

[Nefertiti2]

It’s very hard to get advice from a cat.

[Sean of the Shed]

Cat advice is entirely reduced to "feed me before you do anything else" and "leave the bedroom door open so I can sleep on the bed".
Simple rules that must always be observed.

[Balderdasha]

Update. I managed to get a few photos of the cat. I've posted on a couple of local Facebook message boards to see if anyone will claim it. I've also just left a message with the local RSPCA branch asking for advice, so we'll see if they phone me back.

[Balderdasha]

And the verdict from Facebook. Lots of really annoying comments saying "cats should be left to roam", "not all cats wear collars", "there's an annoying old lady on my street who leaves out chicken and steals everyone's cats", etc, and then one helpful comment from someone who claims she knows the cat's owner. So, I will assume the cat has an owner, not leave any food out, and not let it in our house.

[WOM]

Facebook, eh? No reminiscences about what it used to be like (better) or that kids today don't know how to have fun without a tablet / phone or that you're not allowed to say Merry Christmas any more?

[WOM]

Oh, and our community FB is 98% 'cats are murderers who should be kept indoors for their own health and that of the bird population'.

[blameless]

I'm not normally of that opinion, but I think in the case of our current house guest (mrs b is fostering again) they might have a point. Our current fosteree cat has clearly been a hunter at some point, as toy mice get attacked to the point of evisceration; if we let him into the back garden there'd be sparrow entrails everywhere in short order.

[WOM]

Yeah, our old guy doesn't pose much of a risk to anybody, but this young fella would give an eagle a run for his money. He has the instincts of a barn cat / street fighter.

[lambers]

Similar, in 12 years we've noticed precisely three dead birds in our garden. Given our cat's ability to mis-swipe a dangled toy, I find it more likely that the birds were actually taken down by another (territory invading) cat, or a fox, or a slug.

[Balderdasha]

The cat's actual owner has now responded to the post, fortunately just finds it amusing and confirms that he is indeed a very friendly cat.

[The Mighty Trin]

One enormous positive of lockdown for me has been getting to spend all day at home with my cat Beefy as he mostly snoozes next to me on his plush sloth bed. I've had him 11 years, getting him as a rescue cat from Battersea. My girlfriend's Mum raised an eyebrow when I told her that he is the love of my life...

[Nocturnal Submission]

I presume that's Beefy in your avatar?

[The Mighty Trin]

I presume that's Beefy in your avatar?

That's correct. My furry 6am alarm clock. I suspect that my parents have missed not seeing him just as much as they've missed not seeing me since early October. Both our Christmas presents are still up in Wakefield...

[San Bernardhinault]

The missus has turned the heating down in the house at night (only to 60F/15C). The cats are not happy about this and have taken to plonking themselves as close as they possibly can to me while I sleep, effectively anchoring the duvet and preventing me from moving under the sheets. I've been waking up so stiff recently (not in that way, you naughty kids!).

I'm very pleased to hear that Balders's cat has an owner and will just get to enjoy hanging out. Even better that the kids have a cat to get friendly with, while not having one in the house killing Mr B.

[Sporting]

The missus has turned the heating down in the house at night (only to 60F/15C

A bit coldish, no?

[San Bernardhinault]

The cats think so.