Urgent dilemma involving local kitty

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I've considered tagging him to see if anyone responds, but have been a bit hesitant in case, for any reason, the owner sees it and "takes it the wrong way", and this ends up compromising the situation...paranoid, I know, but that's what you get for caring!

He's very friendly, but is getting a bit more cautious (not aggressive) now his sight is failing. He's not neutered, which is why there's so much competition when he's in the house.

Unfortunately, I haven't seen him now for a few days, but if I do I'll try and capture him, keep him for a couple of days and post a 'found' notice locally, as you say...hadn't thought of that - thanks, sheila.

[sheilarose]

I wonder if someone is attempting to locate his real owner as you are, by collaring him? Try writing your phone number and "is this your cat" on a small slip of paper and use sticky tape to tape it to his collar, like a napkin ring if you see what I mean?

Hopefully the people who collared him will see it. Either his owners or other would-be rescuers will read your message and get in touch, then you at least know whether you have an ally in rescue, or need to step back.

Is he friendly? Can you tell if he's neutered? You say your cats are disturbed by him, is he showing signs of aggression?

If he isn't microchipped and no-one claims him in seven days after you post him as "found" you can take measures towards having him neutered and re-homing him.

I'll be in Scorton on 20th Jan, if I can help with re-homing I will.

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I was hoping to get some advice from the RSPCA, rather than getting them to take over the situation, but all they could tell me was that their systems were down :\ 

It's sad that there's so little willing to help out...all of these "rescue" centres just seem to pass the buck.

[bunglycat]

Don't use the RSPCA please, they will put him to sleep .
Wish I could help 

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Hi sheilarose and bunglycat.

Sheilarose, he isn't microchipped.  We discovered he had an owner by removing his collar temporarily to see if it'd be replaced, which it was the next day.  Have tried the local Cats Protection branch, which only takes answer machine messages, and haven't heard back from them.  Unfortunately it looks as though the Four Paws Pet Rescue no longer exists.  Have also called the RSPCA - systems are down  - and the largest local rescue centre - "it's an RSPCA issue".  We haven't seen the little guy for a few days now, which happens occasionally, but I will try and corner him the next time I see him.  It's just difficult to keep him in and isolated for long, since my partner and I both work full time and live in a one-bed house with 5 other cats!

Bunglycat, for the reason I mentioned above, although we do have a shed, it's packed full already (one-bed house, 5 cats, etc ).  We had actually tried to create him a makeshift "bed" out of an old polystyrene box when he was sleeping in our garden, but he wasn't interested!

[bunglycat]

Have you a shed, outhouse, or can you make a makeshift shelter just temporarily for him?
I could have done that if I loved nearer , I have a spare shed that's empty and a couple of cat houses .

Poor soul, hope he can be helped 

[sheilarose]

Expand, is he microchipped? Is that how you know he has an owner?

I know vets are not allowed to give out details of an owner to the public if a cat is local, but they are allowed to attempt to contact the owner or report the cat as found if it is hurt or ill, as in this case, to the microchip company.

It may be the owner has died or moved away and the vet would be no wiser, so if this little man has effectively been abandoned the vets need to know so they can run the checks with the chip company who would attempt to make contact.

It seems this lad has been abandoned, and is at huge risk now as his eyes are failing. You may wish to take extra care as he might also be carrying an infectious illness such as 'flu that could affect your cats. If he's staying the night, can you pop him in your bathroom with his own food and water dishes so there's no chance of cross infection?

See if these guys can help with support... they're on our sister site, Catchat, and cover your area

http://www.fourpawspetrescue.org/

or plenty of other rescues here who may be able to assist.

http://www.catchat.org/adoption/lancs.html

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Thanks cos at least that helps anyone who maybe able to help.

Cp are manned by volunteers on the phone so worth keep trying at various times, afraid RSPCA will just pts 

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Sorry - Lancaster, to be specific!

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Ummmmmmmm thats rather vague!

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We're in the North West.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

What area do you live in Expand?

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Gill, Sue, thanks for your replies.

Unfortunately, we really can't keep him - we're actually in a one-bed house, so just our 5 (didn't intend to acquire this many!) is a push!  He's also not housetrained/neutered, which means it'd be a war zone

I've been trying to contact our local Cats Protection branch, but not having much luck, and there are a limited number of other local rescue centres...

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I agree with what Sue says and this cat cannot be left out with his sight failing, suspect he will by now have other issues too if he has had fleas and worms for a long time.

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Oh Expand - what a shame for this poor cat.

I think a number of people may say/think the same as I'm about to say now.

If at all possible, you keep this little cat in, take it to your local rescue as a "stray" you've been feeding and ask if they can get him the treatment he needs and a new home (assuming of course you can't keep him yourselves, and I would understand why that may be given your current position.  The alternative is to take him to your own vet again and ascertain what the difficulty with his sight may be, although I appreciate this could cost, and some vets will not venture an opinion with a "questionable" cat, so it's down to you how you present the poor lad to the veterinary surgeon.

He deserves to have some love and attetion in his life, and he obviously feels that you're a greater place of safety than his "usual" gaffe.  Am hoping you can get a home for this poor soul because he certainly sounds like he needs one that will give him the attention he deserves.

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Hello all, first post etc!

I'm after some advice re: a local cat who's taken to us.  He's been around the area for about a year now, and, for several months, we assumed he was a stray because of his condition - covered in fleas, sniffles, suspected worms, spending his nights asleep in our garden - but, through a little bit of sneakery, we eventually discovered he actually does have an owner (though we don't know who/where).  We took him to the vets, Frontlined him and made sure he had a basic check-over, but felt we couldn't do anything else for him at that point (5 cats of our own at home, so couldn't take him in ourselves and didn't feel we had the right to, despite his awful treatment).

This has now become an urgent issue because, over the past few months, we've noticed he's started to lose his sight.  Obviously it isn't safe for him to be out and about like this, and he rarely seems to go "home". He somehow found his way into our house earlier this week, slept on our sofa which was covered in flea eggs when he left, so his owners' treatment of him obviously isn't improving...

Is there anything we can do for him? It's heartbreaking watching him stumble over things and lose his way