Out Door Cat Houses and Microchip Scanners

[Rosella moggy]

Have you checked out the Purrs auction PB re an outdoor cat home and a scanner? 

http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,44024.0.html

http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,44179.0.html

[Hippykitty]

I don't drive either. The way that I get around this is to ask a driving friend for help, or if they're busy, to get a taxi (I've just moved house, so will be registering with a good nearby vet once I've sussed the area, I was with one fairly near to my last address so the taxi didn't cost too much).
But if you're having to scan on a regular basis, it may be worth the cost of a scanner. It might be worth balancing the cost of the scanner against the cost of taxis - the vet won't usually charge for the scan.

I used to live in an area heavily populated by ferals and saw them at all times, roaming round looking for food. Ferals don't usually give their prey as gifts, they need the food too much, so eat everything they catch. Are you sure these are 'unowned' cats? They sound like cats who have a regular supply of food and don't need to eat what they catch. Hope this makes sense.

The RTAs really do need to be taken to a vet for scanning and also disposal of the body. If you prefer burial in your garden, they still need to be scanned properly. It's easy to miss a chip if it's migrated.

I hope you manage to get this sorted before winter sets in. Ferals need good friends. 

[Purdy Bear]

Thanks for the reply.

We don't actually see the feral cats, but we get presents left on the doorstep so we know they are about.  They only seem to come out in the dead of night.

We've had 3 cats without collars pass away from RTAs recently, and the first thing people ask was 'are they microchipped'.  They don't realise not everyone drives to get to a vet etc. 

So the scanner is for two things, one to find out if the stray/ferals are truely so and help the moggies find their home.

[Hippykitty]

Regarding the scanner: ask a UK vet which type you need; be prepared to spend lots of money. Once you know the type, you may find them on the internet, but I imagine that they're still expensive.

And the bedding: that depends how luxurious you want this to be, how many cats, and how much you're prepared to spend. You could just go for a cardboard box with some soft bedding in and put this in a sheltered (from rain) place. Or you could provide wooden kennel/hutch structures for the ferals, allowing them to come and go at will, but putting food in there at regular times. You could, theoretically, provide as many of these as you have room for and that your neighbours will tolerate.

Or you could provide heated cat-hotels. It's all a question of how much you're prepared to spend.

It really is a shame that you can't trap some of them and give them a home, or at least tame them a little and find homes for them. Failing that, some kind of shelter and regular food would be great.

Don't really understand why you want the scanner though.

[Purdy Bear]

I have two questions about out door cats.  We have a lot of owned cats round here but also stray/feral cats which I put food out for.


1.  How can I make a nice cosy place for a cat to sleep in when the winter weather comes?

2.  What microchip scanner is best for our UK chips?   I did get a pocket white one but it didn't work on my dogs chip.

At present we can't have a cat due to my dogs flea treatment - apparently it drops a cat at a metre away - and I'm also an Asthmatic so may have reactions to my feline friends.  I thought if I could help out the local feral/strays it would help my withdrawal symptoms of not having my own moggy.