Stray cat

[coccinelle]

I need some help from you animal lovers. I took in a cat for the night just before Christmas as it was miaowing outside and as it was minus 7°C couldn't just ignore it. The poor thing was famished and thirsty. It can't have been trained as it didin't use the tray I put down for it and the kitchen was in a right mess in the morning. Our cat didn't see eye to eye with it so we decided to let it have residence in one of the cellars so it would be warm but free to come and go and hopefully find somewhere else when it was better weather. It doesn't seem to be a wild cat as it lets me pick it up no problem, but it's dirty, and its hair is very thin and tatty, in fact it loses its hair all the time. I give it food every other day and I seem to think it feeds from bins, in fact it had a rubber band round its neck when I found it.
My question is: should I take it to the RSPCA or do you think it'll eventually leave us? When the warmer days arrive I'll be leaving the doors open and don't want the cat in the house. Our cat never steals but this one has no education. Strange as it is, is does its business like a dog and doesn't bury it and it gets under my feet when I walk outside I've never known a cat do that. It sometimes knocks into things too... Any help and thoughts would be very welcome.

[Sqad]

Big problem:

Let is look at the facts.......3 weeks on and it cr@ps and pees on your floor won't use the ltiter tray and steals. Not an impossible situation which could be remedied by devotion and understanding but I would say with a poor outcome likely.

Are you prepared to train this cat with all the disadvantages and mess that it would involve.....if yes.....then do it.

If you are not prepared to upset the routine of the house, then i would take it to the RSPCA. where it would get the medical check up that it needs.

[lankeela]

I would contact one of the specialist cat charities like Cats Protection. If you contact the RSPCA and its a mangy scruffy looking thing they may well decide to put it to sleep knowing their track record. Cats Protection will take it in and treat anything that needs doing and then find it a suitable home, maybe as a farm or outdoor cat.

[lankeela]

http://www.cats.org.uk/contact/findcp.asp

[kita1]

I agree with Lankeela, the RSPCA would almost certainly kill it.

I would try other places first and to be honest I would rather leave it feral than contact the RSPCA.

Could it possibly have eyesight problems? It is strange for a cat to be dirty, plus you say that it knocks into things and gets under your feet. It may be worth a quick vet check if you decide to let it stay - there may be a simple solution to its problems (eg an ear infection that is easily cleared up with antibiotics).

[tamborine]

U keep it - it only needs a handful of food daily & it might be a good ratter, then I'll have it ;)

[coccinelle]

Thank you for your suggestions. I would welcome this cat if only it would stay outside and in the cellars. The problem is that it tries to get into the house whenever I'm entering the house and it now sits where our cat sits before we let it in ie; the kitchen windowsill. I often hear our cat crying at it and sometimes hissing to send it on its way, but it's still here. It looks very much like a grey squirrel as it has such a fluffy tail and even its hair is fluffy. I think I'll have to get in contact with Cats protection (or equivalent, as I'm in France). Thank again.

[webbo3]

my mum and dad live in france and have a few cats and they get the odd stray turn up and if it hangs around for too long they take the cat here.

http://www.phoenixasso.com/

they also take any unwanted stuff from around the house, books ect (bric-a-brac) to help raise funds.

Dave.

[coccinelle]

Thanks for that Dave. Will have to see if anybody does that north of Paris.