Hi, I've been living just off Abbeydale Road for 8 months and I need some advice.
I have two cats (mainly housebound out of choice) and on our road, there is a black cat who wanders around.
According to a neighbour, he "might" belong to someone as he might have been adopted when some people moved out and abandoned their cats. However, he has taken to hanging around our house ALL of the time. We thought that he liked us or fancied our female cat, and then went back to his owner at night, but we have discovered that he has burrowed a hole in our garden and is sleeping in the hole for some warmth.
He doesn't seem like a stereotype stray, but whilst he is big, he is very light, much lighter than our two fat cats. He "seems" in good health, and to discover whether he is stray or not, we are asking all neighbours, but the signs, so far, aren't good.
I think he must be quite elderly (say 9-12 years at a guess?), but my cats don't really get on with him, and I cannot afford to take him on, because of insurance, vets costs, etc........I would if I could, though.
If I find that he is a stray, what is the best course of action? Do I take him to a cattery? Do I get him cleaned up and adopt him? Do I leave him as he is, but regularly leave sufficient food for him? I don't know what I should do, as this cat might not want to leave, what is effectively his home, and he "seems" happy enough to live outside, etc.
Anyway, please help. I want the best for this cat. He's ever so affectionate, you'd never guess he was a stray, but I do want him to have a happy life. I will feed him for the time being, but I hope someone can provide some good advice for him.

Many thanks!

Poor little guy! I'd hate to think one of mine had started curling up in a hole (literally) and as he's black (as mine are!) I get a little choked! I would buy a little collar and attach a note to it - like "hi, we wanted to know if this kittie belongs to anyone as he's staying at ours alot and we're worried etc". I'd leave it on and let the other neighbours know what you plan to do so they don't take it off. I'd wait maybe a few weeks, just in case the owners have gone away or something. Then, if no reply I'd take him to the vet to get scanned for a chip and if no chip, maybe get advice from the vet and call Cats Protection/Sheffield Cat Shelter to see if you can find him a new home. Unless someone in your area wants to take him on. You could also put up a few posters maybe if you do get him rehomed.

Hope everything turns out alright for him. :(

pm madusa she will know exactly what to do for the little one

Cheers for the advice. I'm still knocking on the neighbours' doors and we've fed him this morning and left him a bowl of water.
Our problem is that he does seem happy in his own environment, so is to wrong to take him away from his environment? Or should I leave him? But then who would look after him if he becomes ill?

I will try to PM Medusa for advice, thanks.

Have you tried taking him to the vets to see if he is microchipped?

I know when someone up the road from us moved away, they took their cat but a few days later, he'd managed to find his way back. Perhaps he was never actually abandoned? If he looks to be in good health it could just be that other people are looking after him but if he's chipped the owners that moved away may well be missing him dearly.

Cheers for that, but I was told by long-standing neighbours that he was abandoned a while ago and the microchip would probably be registered to the address on my road.......
After some digging, I believe 3 cats were abandoned (2 years ago) and two of them were actually taken in by others on the street. As far as I know.......

Put a collar on him with a note wrapped in sellotape to keep it dry- something like 'does this cat belong to you? Please phone...........' to see if anyone responds weve done that beofre- sometimes you get a response and its worth doing it before you try taking him away

Its getting quite common now for cats that have either drifted or been dumped to be fed by several people and to look quite healthy- my friend Donna seems to be constantly caring for a stream of strays near where she lives.

Hiya, Please let us know how you get on with this little one. I may be able to help - just got to talk the other half round. :)

I've had a PM from Medusa that gives good advice, and thanks for the responses so far from everyone else. I still need to speak to the person on my road who seems to know the status of all the cats, and I will see if I can get a collar on him with a little note. I'll keep feeding him for a week, but if not, I'll take him to a shelter where he can keep warm, be fed regularly, and hopefully find a good home. I'm sure he will, because he is awfully friendly, independent (though), hoovers food rather than eats it, never runs away from human hands, and runs in a very amusing cute way. Does a big meeeeow if you scratch him round the base of his tail!

If there is anyone who would like to take him on (ajaj1 seems interested), then PM me and I'd be more than happy to help out, once I have established whether he has an owner or not.

Many thanks!

Hi there,

You may remember my previous posts about an abandoned cat. He is still, effectively, homeless, but it looks like ajaj1 will be coming down on Friday to take a look, and we will be splitting the costs to check him over. If all is well, then this black cat (now named Lenny because he's a bit slow) will be re-homed in what sounds like an ideal environment.
Lenny is currently being sheltered in our garden with a waterproof and insulated box, so he's living in relative luxury, and he's being fed and watered twice a day by ourselves.
He's still very friendly to us, seems to have picked up a routine already, and seems to weigh more now that we've been feeding him regularly!!!
Many thanks to those who offered advice, but the cat shelter gave me sound advice, and this looks to be his best option.
Gonna miss this little one, but a good home is far more important!!!

Many thanks,

Dan

If he is sleeping in a hole in your garden during the night, he either has no home to go to or is so lost he's unable to find his way back. Male cats are usually fairly good at finding their way home so I suspect he is a stray. Although some people's cats sometimes spend a lot of time visiting the neighbours and spend the odd night there, the fact he's sleeping at yours every night is unusual. My advice would be to do what you can to find an owner i.e. adverts, check for a microchip, but adopt him in the meantime. It must be scary sleeping outside all night.

Sorry, I didn't explain myself properly. We now know that he was abandoned a few weeks ago by someone whose house was repossessed.
He has been living in our garden, but we have built him a shelter to sleep in, that is warm, dry, and wind-proof(ish). There is no point searching for the owner, because he's living his life elsewhere and seemingly has no interest in his cat. As Lenny spent so much of his time round ours anyway (before he was abandoned), we are regularly feeding him, giving him attention, etc, so he seems fairly happy.
I can't let him into my house at the moment, because my other two cats don't like him much, but the shelter we have provided for him is warm and dry, which is the most important thing for him.

Cheers.

Poor old Lenny, he's so lucky that he decided to live in your garden and has found good people to help him.
Its terrible the way that people view cats as a disposable toy, it happens all to often.
Good luck to Lenny I hope this new home works out for him :)

Glad to hear Lenny is going to get a new home

HOORAY!!!! :partyhat:

Lenny has gone to a good home. We've found that he had no microchip, but is in good health, is anything between 10 and 13 years old, and is now going to a great home in the Peak District.
The very nice lady who came to collect him contacted my via PM on here, and is clearly going to give him a great home, with plenty of space, an open fire, and plenty of chicken dinners!!!
Gutted to see him go, but much more delighted to see him go to a safe and living environment.

Thanks for the messages of goodwill, etc, and I know that Lenny is going to really enjoy his new home.

Thanks again.

Aww that's smashing news CR - I foster for Cats Protection and I love it when one of my charges goes to a new home where they'll be given all the love and fuss theyve been missing. He'll be treated like a king now and it's all thanks to you looking out for him. Nice one!

:clap: Whey hey thats fantastic news :banana:
Good luck to Lenny in his new home, not that it sounds like he needs it :D
Forum power hey :clap: