# I caught a stray cat! Advice? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 10, 2011, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-caught-a-stray-cat-advice/602516 "2011-11-10T17:09:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-caught-a-stray-cat-advice/602516/21 "2011-11-10T19:27:44Z")
Mr. Horseshoe’s family has a policy of never paying for a cat. When I met him, his mother had seven. (Down to one, now.) They were awesome cats, every last one. Yes, former strays can make good pets. Dumped former pets almost always make great pets! You have a new family member, **Lady** 🙂 Don’t worry about picking him up just because he’s skinny. You won’t break his bones, I promise! ---
**Author:** ![Scubaqueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@Scubaqueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scubaqueen)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-caught-a-stray-cat-advice/602516/22 "2011-11-10T19:32:02Z")
I used to waltz with my dear departed Murphy. He was very understanding about it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Lady\_of\_the\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@Lady\_of\_the\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lady_of_the_Lake)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-caught-a-stray-cat-advice/602516/23 "2011-11-10T19:45:59Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > What an adorable cat. And an adorable thread. yay! I love to see a good creamsicle kitty getting taken care of 🙂 Thanks! I’m heading out now to the try to 1) put the cat in a carrier 2) get the cat to the vet without either of us freaking. > [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Mr. Horseshoe’s family has a policy of never paying for a cat. When I met him, his mother had seven. (Down to one, now.) They were awesome cats, every last one. Yes, former strays can make good pets. Dumped former pets almost always make great pets! > > You have a new family member, **Lady** 🙂 > > Don’t worry about picking him up just because he’s skinny. You won’t break his bones, I promise! This is a good point. I’ll be sure to bring up our savings to my husband, why we didn’t even have to pay an adoption fee! As several people have now mentioned, it is quite possible this cat was dumped. The vet had been checking on cats known to be lost, though we’ll have a more accurate search once the gender is known. I think I’m just used to having \*something \* to hold onto when picking up a cat, it is so bony and slight to me. The fur hides a lot. **Cat Whisperer and JThunder,** Well, as this is a _stray_, we’ll have to see which of us ends up dancing in the end. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Av8trix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/90db22/32.png) [@Av8trix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Av8trix)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-caught-a-stray-cat-advice/602516/24 "2011-11-10T20:11:42Z")
Handsome boy. Looks like he’d be a cobby ‘thick’ cat, if he wasn’t starved, poor guy. Major kudos to you for giving comfort and food to a creature who needs it. ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-caught-a-stray-cat-advice/602516/25 "2011-11-10T20:39:03Z")
> [@obbn](#): > > Wonderful cat. The most important suggestion that I would make is to go immediately to the pet store and purchase a product called Soft Claws (I think that is what they are called, I had to get rid of my cats as my wife has allergies). Great. Also there’s the benefit of bonding with the cat – I know “my” cat as a kitten had her claws trimmed regularly by a woman, and she (the cat) was docile as an adult. I don’t know about the claw-covers, but I’ve heard of them, and they sound fine, and probably gets you into as intimate an area as a cat can have, which is nice. ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-caught-a-stray-cat-advice/602516/26 "2011-11-10T20:45:27Z")
ETA my parents adopted a stray (maybe feral) moggie about eight years ago – I spent some time last weekend looking after him just for a change of scenery. He’s a good cat, but I wouldn’t expect miracles – this guy likes to do his own thing and yet be very vocal when he’s hungry. He’s also huge – not fat, but he looks like a puma or some kind of jungle cat. – and if insulted, he has learned to retract his claws and become playful. He sure seems to like his “owners” though – I don’t know when they found him, or how old he was, but he has very much bonded to them, in a way that disappoints me as a sometime guardian of his fur. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-caught-a-stray-cat-advice/602516/27 "2011-11-10T21:46:12Z")
Thank you so much for taking in such a handsome cat! I hope his vet visit is uneventful and that you have many happy years together! ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-caught-a-stray-cat-advice/602516/28 "2011-11-10T22:06:30Z")
Oh, poor little. He’s a sweetheart - of course the vet visit will be perfectly boring and normal. It has to be. Good on ya, **Lady**. You’re good people. ---
**Author:** ![Lady\_of\_the\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@Lady\_of\_the\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lady_of_the_Lake)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-caught-a-stray-cat-advice/602516/29 "2011-11-10T22:39:14Z")
**Update** His name is now **Arthur** , and the vet visit went fine, though originally he was quite upset about the [cat carrier nonsense](http://www.flickr.com/photos/57672259@N02/6332385909/in/photostream). Not only is he a ‘he’, but he had been fixed and de-clawed. They believe he’d been outside for quite awhile (more than just the two weeks). They had a 1-10 (I think) body weight scale and he was a ‘2’, which is not good. ☹ They guessed he was three years old, but he still looks so little to me! He had no fear of the vets office: [http://www.flickr.com/photos/57672259@N02/6332385811/in/photostream](http://www.flickr.com/photos/57672259@N02/6332385811/in/photostream) In an interesting twist, I thought he was walking funny and had maybe hurt his paws. But the vet noticed right away, he’s polydactyl. [Behold](http://www.flickr.com/photos/57672259@N02/6332385955/in/photostream)! Also, the nubby thing was a tick, so everyone here called it. (Whew). No Feline Leukemia/FIV and they rubbed on ‘Revolution Cat Blue’ to take care of ear mites and worms, so in a day or two he should be out and mixing it up. > [@Av8trix](#): > > Handsome boy. Looks like he’d be a cobby ‘thick’ cat, if he wasn’t starved, poor guy. Yes (I think), the vet said that he is very long and tall and will be big when he gains weight (10-12 pounds from his current 7). > [@Jaledin](#): > > Great. Also there’s the benefit of bonding with the cat – I know “my” cat as a kitten had her claws trimmed regularly by a woman, and she (the cat) was docile as an adult. I don’t know about the claw-covers, but I’ve heard of them, and they sound fine, and probably gets you into as intimate an area as a cat can have, which is nice. Alas, no bonding with this cat over claw-covers now that we know he’s de-clawed. I wonder how on earth he survived with no front claws for however long… > [@SnakesCatLady](#): > > Thank you so much for taking in such a handsome cat! I hope his vet visit is uneventful and that you have many happy years together! Thanks! I am set on keeping him. Though, I feel that I should check over the lost cat section one more time, now that I know it’s a boy, and polydactyl! In the vet office, he became fascinated with the door the vet/assistant went through and in fact tried to go through when given the chance, I think this could be a case of a wandering cat. However, the vets office had nothing matching him listed as missing in the area. > [@Snickers](#): > > Oh, poor little. He’s a sweetheart - of course the vet visit will be perfectly boring and normal. It has to be. They said he was a very nice cat, letting them poke him and move him about as they wanted. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-caught-a-stray-cat-advice/602516/30 "2011-11-10T22:56:49Z")
Oh wow…I am so glad you’re keeping him! Poor dude was so terribly skinny. Good for you and you can be my neighbor any time. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-caught-a-stray-cat-advice/602516/31 "2011-11-10T23:07:38Z")
_fingers crossed, hoping for good bloodwork_ Thank you so much for taking that poor skinny kitteh in. I looks like he wouldn’t have lasted much longer. ---
**Author:** ![Lady\_of\_the\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@Lady\_of\_the\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lady_of_the_Lake)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-caught-a-stray-cat-advice/602516/32 "2011-11-10T23:22:44Z")
Thanks! Yeah, I can’t wait until he gains weight and his back is no longer so bony to the touch! He seems not to mind it and wants petting anyway. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-caught-a-stray-cat-advice/602516/33 "2011-11-10T23:30:46Z")
Don’t try to fatten him up too fast. He’ll sick up on you. Arthur is a lovely looking kitteh. I’ll bet once he is comfortable, he will be talkative too. Yea for kitteh rescuers! Judging by the pic in the vet office, you go to the same clinic I do unless this is the popular color/design for examining rooms. I think they are tops for my three cats. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-caught-a-stray-cat-advice/602516/34 "2011-11-10T23:49:23Z")
I found my cat, George, this way - he was running across the street and could have been hit by a car. I grabbed him and took him home. Took him to the vet and the spay/neuter clinic - they told me he had already been neutered. He either was captured by the feral cat spay/neuter-and-release program here, or he was owned by someone before. He is a _great_ cat in every way, and he still retains some traces of his life in the wild. Never in my life have I encountered a cat who was as strong and brave as George. He is so muscular, you can actually see his muscles rippling under his fur when he crunches his food. When he hooks his claws into a couch or bed that you’re sitting on, you can feel the whole thing shaking with the vibrations of his muscles. He can jump all the way from a two-foot-high stool to the top of a door frame (and hang on the the ledge with his claws!) And he routinely walks right up to our dog and whacks him on the head with a paw. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-caught-a-stray-cat-advice/602516/35 "2011-11-10T23:53:34Z")
Happy new cat to you! I love the name Arthur for a cat. I’m glad he’s in relative good health. I’m sure he’ll put on a few pounds soon. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-caught-a-stray-cat-advice/602516/36 "2011-11-11T00:10:38Z")
Yay, Arthur! That’s a great name for him. So, he wasn’t chipped or anything? It doesn’t sound like he would have lasted much longer out on his own. I guess you have to do your due diligence to see if you can find the owners, but my fingers are crossed that you now have a big ol’ ginger boy cat. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-caught-a-stray-cat-advice/602516/37 "2011-11-11T00:18:09Z")
Concrats! So glad you & Arthur found one another, he is lovely! ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-caught-a-stray-cat-advice/602516/38 "2011-11-11T00:33:08Z")
**LoL** - Congrats on your new boy! I’m glad he was relatively healthy. Imagine being declawed in the great big world. He was so lucky you cared. Arthur is a wonderful name. His face looks like a big Peace sign. I’d probably call him Hippie. Or Asbury. StG ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-caught-a-stray-cat-advice/602516/39 "2011-11-11T00:55:30Z")
> [@Lady\_of\_the\_Lake](#): > > In an interesting twist, I thought he was walking funny and had maybe hurt his paws. But the vet noticed right away, he’s polydactyl. [Behold](http://www.flickr.com/photos/57672259@N02/6332385955/in/photostream)! Awesome. I have a weird fondness/fascination with polydactyl cats, even though I have never owned one. But I’ve known a couple that really had quite amazing dexterity with those paws, including one who liked to eat pawfuls of dry food by picking them up. Amusing and slightly disturbing all at the same time. Congratulations on what looks like a very good-natured new pet :). ---
**Author:** ![Scubaqueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@Scubaqueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scubaqueen)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-caught-a-stray-cat-advice/602516/40 "2011-11-11T00:55:47Z")
Oh, happy dance!!! Good news for Arthur and good on you, **Lady** for taking in Arthur. Much good karma shall come your way. WOOT! Arthur’s an orange boy!!! I meant to comment on that earlier. They are awesome cats. I was much wrapped up in the memories of Murphy and I dancing across the living room together many moons ago… ☹ I told Miss Widget the good news about Arthur. She wasn’t quite as thrilled as I was, but that’s cats for you. How did you come to name him Arthur? Oh, and where are you? Like \*\*carnut \*\*said, your vet examining room looks like mine, too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-caught-a-stray-cat-advice/602516.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-caught-a-stray-cat-advice/602516.md?page=3)