While food and shelter are important, Phillips says that the number one priority, especially if you have other cats, is confirming that the stray cat is healthy. “You have to ensure that their basic veterinary needs are being taken care of, so if you can, try to catch the cat and bring her to the vet.”
Their coat should be neat, clean and well kept. They also normally have a collar. A stray is a cat that is lost or ran away from home so they normally have unkept or grungy coats compared to feral cats They should also be thinner since they don't know or aren't used to hunting for themselves.
In some cases, cats are sadly abandoned by their owners and may not be welcome in their original home. If you would like to keep the cat, you usually can. As long as the cat is comfortable in your home and happy to make it theirs, there really are no restrictions.
Yes because stray animals pick up diseases of all types. They get parasites like ticks, worms, and fleas. They can contract rabies. They may have other diseases that can be transmitted to humans or to your own pets.
If they're used to people and aren't fearful, a stray cat may immediately approach you. Stray cats that are injured or wary of people may take a month (or even longer) to trust you. While you may be tempted to feed a stray cat for several weeks to gain their trust, use caution.
It may take up to 4 weeks for the cats to ultimately feel comfortable. The more feral the cat, the longer this process can take, as a less-socialized cat will take longer to bond to a new person and place.
Today, many stray cats that roam freely throughout their imaginary territories of about 200 acres each choose their families the same way. Many of them are fed by different families for years until they select the one who provides the safest place and the most comfortable conditions.
Free-ranging and feral cats can contract and spread a wide variety of diseases, such as feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV or feline AIDS), feline leukemia virus (FeLV), feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), rabies, and distemper, to other domesticated animals.
What can you do? If you have a stray visiting you, think about taking it to a local vet or shelter, where it can be scanned to see if it has a microchip, and given a health check. It may prove to be someone's lost pet, giving it a chance of being reunited with its owners.
Free-roaming cats are an important source of zoonotic diseases including rabies, Toxoplasma gondii, cutaneous larval migrans, tularemia and plague.
Good hygiene should always be maintained with pets. Wash your hands with soap and water after petting cats, cleaning food or water bowls, and after scooping litter. Stray cats are best handled only by appropriately trained professionals.
Yes, that stray cat or alley cat can become your beloved house cat, but there are some caveats you should consider. First, understand the difference between a stray cat, an alley cat and a feral cat. It's often impossible to tell at first glance. Both types of cats may seem skittish when you first approach them.
If a feral cat survives kittenhood, his average lifespan is less than two years if living on his own. If a cat is lucky enough to be in a colony that has a caretaker, he may reach 10 years.
If you are able to transport the animal, take them to the nearest animal shelter. If you plan to keep the animal in the event no owner is found, notify animal control that you have the animal or that you have taken them to a veterinary hospital for treatment.
If the cat is not owned and you would like to take them in, you should ensure they are vaccinated, desexed, and microchipped before adding them to your family. A vet can also scan the cat to see if it is microchipped. Microchipping your pet is required by law in South Australia.
Many local veterinarians and animal shelters will scan cats for a microchip, free of charge. If the cat is microchipped with current registration, an owner can be contacted immediately.
We will not remove a healthy stray cat. You can find out if it has an owner by popping it down to the local vets and having it checked for a microchip. Alternately you can attach a paper collar to the cat – click here for one you can use. If you feed a cat, it will keep coming back.
Cats carry disease.
You could be exposed to zoonotic diseases (diseases spread from animals to humans), or you could expose your cats at home to feline diseases when you pick up a stray cat or handle any cat with an unknown background.
Keep in mind that a frightened stray cat may bite or scratch, even though you're trying to help them. Cat bites and scratches can become infected and can transmit dangerous diseases, like rabies.
2 Feral cats will attack humans and pets.
“Unless they are forced into a situation they cannot escape from, feral cats generally avoid human interactions,” she says, adding that some can even become “friendly” toward caregivers who feed them. Robinson agrees. “These cats are absolutely not a danger,” she explains.
What to do if a stray cat is following you? Stray cats might be able to tell that you have a moggie at home based on their smell, or they may just take a general liking to you – especially if you fuss them. Also, if the cat following you is homeless, you may also be their best chance of attention or a meal.
There are actually a number of reasons. Cats meow as a way of greeting you, to demand attention, to ask for food, to be let inside or outside, to find a mate (for cats who are not fixed), or if they are elderly and suffering from mental confusion, such as a result of the cat version of Alzheimer's Disease.
Stray cats may wander up to your home for many reasons. If you leave food, water, or shelter, such as a small doghouse, outside overnight, a cat will use your house as its primary resting place, thanks to the resources and security. Attractive plants and even menstruating female cats can attract strays, too.
Many of these cats avoid people; however, stray cats will sometimes yearn for human interaction (or the full bellies that these interactions tend to guarantee). In these cases, it seems as if stray cats decide to “adopt” an unsuspecting person as their new caretaker.
Should I feed a stray cat? Feeding a stray cat will likely make it your cat. Scared and lost cats will enjoy coming back to your home as a source of food. We strongly recommend going beyond feeding stray cats and reaching out to a veterinarian and no-kill shelter to ensure the cat is healthy and safe.