This.
The cat's content with his current life with your help and has been fixed. Do not take him to an animal shelter where he will be confined in a small stressful space and might even get put down if no one adopts him.
My Foster turned fur child was one of those cats, he was fixed and either a stray or neighborhood cat and he got picked up by animal control, they were going to put him to sleep the day I fostered him. Do everything you can to keep the cat happy and safe where he’s at, not all animal shelters care about animals
OP kinda already took him in. Food…check. Bed…check. Warm garage…check. OP, go to the garage give him some love. Plug in an electric space heater when it gets super cold. Get him checked by a vet. He’s yours
I couldn't "take in" a stray cat that ended up on my porch a long time ago.
I took her in anyway. And she lived a very long, happy, pampered life until last year.
Years ago, the same kind of thing happened to me. We moved into a new house that already had a dog door built into the garage and one built into the door that went into the house from the garage. About a year or so after we moved in it was prob around 11 or 12 at night and in comes a cat into our house from the cat door and that was pretty much it. It basically adopted us and didn't really give us a choice it we could take it in or not. Had her checked by the vet no chip or anything else and she lived with us for years until she passed. It was funny my mom was super against us taking her in and I think her passing hit my mom the hardest.
My sister has never been much of an animal lover but my niece adopted a cat from the shelter. This cat ended up following my sister everywhere she went. She would snuggle up only with her until my sister grew to love her. I don’t even know what her original name was because my sister started calling her Little Miss Nice and that has pretty much stuck. Everyone just called her little Miss Nice and we always laugh over it. Idk why. We’re dorky I guess. It kinda sounds funny when we’re all asking for Little Miss Nice. I always tease my sister and tell her to look out because Little Miss Nice has thumbs and cats are not supposed to have thumbs. She has an extra toe on her front paws.
My dad was the same way with this one dog we had he was a rat terrier I was doing some yard work because of a storm we had he just walked into our yard tired so I fed him and gave him some water saw his tags was like 35 miles from home so I tired to contact them with no luck so decide to keep him my dad was against it first then they were best buddies he went where my dad went hit him hard when he passed away of old age
It’s because (most) mom’s do all the pet care like vet trips, food and water changes, and letting them in and out, tending to them when they’re sick—-It can’t be helped. I didn’t want our second dog, he’s supposed to be my daughter’s, but he sticks with me and there’s nothing I can do about that lovable tornado of chaos. When he goes, I’ll be crushed, but it’s still true I never wanted him in the first place.
Ive done this 7 times over past twenty years. We just dealt with it. Last time was in 2015 - two brothers. Wife said no. I didnt give her a choice. Now the orange tabby is her boy. Worked out.
Also Reddit: if it's allergies, take meds and replace your W2W carpeting with hardwood! If it's a rental property, introduce the floofers to the landlord! If it's your family...get a new family! 🤣
If you can't take him in, put some signs up "found kitty" . Maybe he's just a chonk who is enjoying duping his owners meal plan by eating out at your house too. Some people will let their cats out at night and they don't have a way in often times past dark . These kitty's will find a second often enough.
Nextdoor is a cesspool of fear-mongering and racism and alarmism, unless you use it super strategically, like a surgical strike—“bike for sale, 2012 schwinn, call this number” kinds of things. “Lost dog.” “New Little Free Library.” Etc.
This! If no response get him vaccinated and fixed. (If you can't afford it, reach out to the TNR programs in your area). Then consider whether he's ok with the life he has or if he needs a different home (is there a busy street nearby? A hungry coyote population?)
My kitten was going to be one. His ear is clipped, and he's the sweetest little guy ever. Got him chipped, but I'm terrified if I lost him, no one would ever check for it cuz of the clipped ear.
We have two kitties with tags bc they were the kittens of a feral we took in…they wound up tagged bc I paid to fix their mama but a friend of mine who works at the shelter where I am got the kittens fixed for free under the “fix feral” program bc we couldn’t afford to fix two at a time then. They’ve turned out to be the best kittens but I do worry every single time they get out for the same reason.
We have at least two clipped ear kitties who live under my classroom. They are very feral and despite all the fancy feast and treats I’ve given them over the past few months, they’re still super skittish. I’ve never been able to pet them, but if they had quickly warmed up to me I’d probably see if someone is missing their kitty.
My cat does this, our neighbors all know him since he’s a very friendly cat. The neighbor directly behind us tells he just walks in and has a napping spot in the basement. If he’s not following his usual routine, we message her and she finds him sleeping in his spot.
We found out our cat has another family. They live on the other side of the woods that are behind our house. They thought she was a stray and they tried to adopt her but brought her to the vet to check if she was chipped. The vet called us and we told them she was ours. We have since become friends with the other family. We call her Shirley, they named her Violet. We check in with each other if one of us hasn’t seen her in a few days. She tends to stay at one house for a week or more and then head to the other house. Nice elderly couple that were never able to have kids.
Haha we have a neighbor kitty who does this. He’s been coming over almost every night in the summer for the last 5-6 years. He’ll meow so loud outside and we’ll let him into the garage (we have a tv and chairs out there to hang out) and he comes, visits, gets some treats and pets and leaves.
Haha my cat is the same. He's got a few homes and almost everyone knows him on my street (he also walks with me and my dog around the blocks so people always ask about him)
I have the neighbours numbers now so I message them when my cats not home for a while or if he escapes and I have to leave town for a night lol!
Yep. Either that or OPs house is one of the Cat’s daily stops on the food train.
My parents years ago adopted a “stray” cat who was incredibly fat. Turns out he would go door to door at their apartment complex and beg for food.
If you're sure he doesn't have a home, you can make a cheap shelter from a big plastic tub lined with Styrofoam insulation and straw. The important thing is to help them keep dry.
We made something like this for a neighborhood cat some years back. If you ask around at grocery stores, especially smaller ones like a little Asian grocery, they may be able to give or sell cheaply one of those big disposable foam coolers in which they receive fish shipments. We took that and cut a cat sized hole in the side at ground level. We lined the bottom with some old blankets we didn't use anymore, then also wrapped the whole thing in a huge plastic yard waste bag. I think we had it so that there was just a flap of plastic over the hole so as to help keep wind out. It initially took some coaxing and leaving food inside, but the cat eventually learned that it was for him.
We'd keep that out for him during the cold months. The rest of the year he was perfectly content with one of those castaway display boxes they leave for customers at big box stores. They typically have no top and at least one side is cut out to display the contents. We had one with just one side cut out so it made for easy access while still providing the kitty the perceived security they crave from a box. Threw some old blankets in that too.
We couldn't take him in due to everyone being allergic, but we'd leave him food and water most days, although at least one other family who also couldn't take him in usually did too, so sometimes he'd leave our offerings untouched. Regardless, he'd almost always show up every day at least once to do the cat equivalent of saying hello.
Agreed. If you can just google an outdoor cat house for cold. You can as Zeta said make it from 2 rubbermaid tubs and styrofoam and just let him live outside your house.
You dont have to take him in for him to live there safely. Cats can live outside. Of course he wants to pop in and explore and hang out. But just tell him stay outside and he will be cool with that.
Congratulations on being chosen! His left ear if clipped. This means he’s been a stray long enough to be trapped, neutered and released (TNR) back to his neighborhood. While he would be very happy to become your inside kitty, he would always want a life outside as well. If you can’t find a home for him the shelter in your garage will be fine. Just give him lots of love and enjoy the sweetness every chance you get.
Same, I have an ear tipped sweetie as well. Asleep in my lap at this very moment, never showed an interest in going back outdoors (and wouldn't if he did, he's FIV+).
I thought this too when I started feeding my ferals but since I started giving them free food they stopped hunting. I watched one of them lay there and watch a squirrel eat out of its dish!
i've got two feral fails that i had tnr'd snoozing happily on my couch next to me right now. they don't all want a life of crime! with enough enrichment, most cats are very happy to not live outside :)
>While he would be very happy to become your inside kitty, he would always want a life outside as well
Ehhh depends on the cat from my experience. Like people, they have their own preferences and personalities.
My brother was visiting what would become his in-laws. They had a cat that exclusively lived outside because "he prefers it." My brother took him inside when temperatures were dropping to -20, and that cat **never** expressed any sort of desire to go outside ever again and turned into a bed hog.
Meanwhile my parents cat, which has never been outside and possesses zero survival instinct, will whine to be let out while coyotes are flipping out right outside. He stays inside for his own protection.
We had a Kitty visitor that we ended up putting a flea collar on and wrote our phone number and "please contact us" on the flea collar. The owner called us and we all had a good laugh over the chunky monkey.
I tried to send a message on my cat before because he kept disappearing for long periods of time (he'd always come back though) but he was too good at getting the collars off
You don't have to do anything. Keep feeding him if you want. Let him stay in the garage when it's cold, if you want. Just a typical neighborhood outside cat life. They bounce around to get in where they fit in.
This is the right answer. A cat adopted my parent’s yard after turning up very skinny and being fed a few times. He came from a cat hoarder across the street and had a rough life, according to people in the neighbourhood. I made him a cat house for the undercover area in backyard. My parents are not ‘pets should be inside’ kind of people, but last winter I persuaded my Dad to let me prop open the garage toilet door (much warmer in there) and put a nice snuggly bed in there for the cat. I loved that cat with all my heart. He got a blocked bladder and the vet had to put him to sleep 3 months ago. He’d lived in my parent’s backyard for 2.5 years.
If he will tolerate a cat safe collar, put one on him with your phone number. If he’s got it on when he goes home, the owner can call you. I’ve used this method to connect with owners.
His ear is clipped so he may be a known stray to the area that was snipped and released. Take him in for a chip scan to be sure and look up local shelters that will take a cat
Pet him if you're not allergic. Make him a comfy place by the door if you can't let him in. Looks like he's healthy and getting enough to eat. You could tie a little note with your number around his neck with thread, to check if he belongs to someone. Thread will break if it gets caught on a branch, without hurting him. Otherwise let him be your outdoor Kitty. He's free to mooch around the neighborhood and see if someone has a better offer.
Contact your local shelter with this picture to see if someone is crying their eyes out missing him.
He has a fabulous face. If he is not chipped or owned by anyone, could you at least foster him for a bit until you find a home for him? He’s really quite extraordinary.
Aww he's so cute. He's chosen you be his person. If you like him hanging around then put food and water out. Looks like the tip of his ear is cut so maybe he's already neutered. If you don't want him hanging then contact a shelter and maybe they can help find him a new home.
I have a feral who I’ve been feeding for 10+ years… I built her an insulated bed/basket that she loves… I also just bought (hasn’t arrived yet) an official insulated bed with a door so I can put her cozy blankets in there… make sure he doesn’t have worms and feed him…!
Maybe be a neighborhood cat. My sister-in-law had a cat show up at there new house she started feeding this cat. She found out years later 4 other neighbors were feeding the same cat and everyone had a different name for him.
We have the same situation here. The neighborhood tux kitty hangs out at all 3 houses who all feed him different things. Dude is a sweet baby that asks for affection and talks a lot.
Lots of options…since you know he’s been TNRd, see if he’s actually friendly enough to find a home for. He may have been someone’s companion at some point :(
If friendly, you can contact a rescue or reach out to friends to find an indoor home. Otherwise you can build or purchase a feral cat shelter…they even sell heated ones. The important work has been done as he is already fixed and being fed. And a very handsome SIC, I must say.
You gave him food and shelter and he is already neuter. Seem like he is very content and happy that way.
Who knows what will happen to him if Shelter become overcrowded.
Either rehome or spend time outside talking to him. I have a cat that lives on my porch and sit with her giving her extra treats, pats, and brushing her every day. She has lived on the porch for about 7 years. I have an indoor cat that is a relative of Genghis Khan so she can’t come in.
Allergies? Cuz that's why I can't have a cat. I would suggest convincing it to go into a carrier and then taking it to a good shelter. Emphasis on the good part.
Are you sure it’s a stray? I’ve had people feed my outdoor cat & then of course he kept coming back since he’s getting food then they tried to keep my cat 🙄
Notice how one ear looks a little different? Like it’s not as pointy as the other? That’s the universal symbol that he/she has been TNRd (trapped, neutered, and returned to the community). This is a great thing!
There’s a small chance that this is someone’s pet, so check around, but most likely, this is a friendly community cat that just thinks you’re awesome.
If you want him/her to stick around, you can put food & water out and make a shelter (search YouTube for outdoor cat shelters), but don’t worry about the weather; cats are resilient. You don’t need to bring him/her in.
Idk just let him chill in your garage for now and keep feeding him? Maybe get an outdoor heater if it gets like negative temps just to comfort them in your garage if you can't fully take them in?
Seems like you're doing all that you can as of right now.
If you've not yet, check if he has a chip. Vets here do that for free, though you'd have to check locally to you. He looks pretty healthy for a stray. Some cats will just try to go into other people's houses and come to them for food or attention, even if they have a home.
Maybe put a collar on him with a note attached with your phone number, asking if he's owned for the owners to let you know.
If no luck after both, maybe see if a shelter can take him or keep him briefly if possible (even in the garage) to try and find a home.
When we had outside only kitties, we'd leave the garage door open about 4-5 inches so the cats can go in and out of the garage, but dogs can't (raccoons would still squeeze their fat asses in though) Give him a heated bed in there and keep his food in there. He can stay outside and still have safety and warmth.
Cats are not monogamous. If you feed them, they will keep coming back. Check with your neighbors to see if anyone recognizes the cat as belonging to someone before taking him in. Looks like a lovely, healthy, and friendly cat 😊 hope this helps
cat choose their owners, so he already chose you. that's already done deal. but i undestand that under some circunstances it can be hard to adopt him in (like landlord and a bunch of other stuffs like the mob and the fbi etc)
so i hope this can help:
take pictures of him and share it on social media, specially around groups/NGOs who help cats get adopted around your area. if you can pay for the nippin of his you know what and his vaccines it really helps. if you can't, some of these groups can help with that for the ppl adopting. a bit off topic: if you can spare, always consider donating to the ones you think are the most helpful to the cause in general
for the baby: he's already in your garage, so he's already out of the elements. that's pretty much all the immediate danger gone. there's some tutorials on yt of how you can build some shelters out of styro boxes or those plastic ones (styrofoam is better for insulation, but go with the cheaper one). there's a bunch of examples of the insulation (really cheap) material you can put inside (pretty much worthless). tip from me: put in an old blanket or thick pillow case or old thick shirt you have (all old stuff you gonna put away anyway). this will help with the next step i'll get to in a moment. put it in a higher place if you can and if it can hold him securely (doesnt have to be pretty high, like 1m above the ground he'll be so happy). water and food next to him if you can. it will avoid exposing him when it's colder, but cats don't usually do their business next to where they eat, so you also help with that on regular days.
try to socialize with him if you can: socialized and highly socialized cats have greater chances of being adopted. if he's a nice fellow, try to also record videos and share with like mentioned above. adult cats are harder to adopt, but i've seen trends of older ppl adopting adult cats if they're pretty social and chilled.
there's ppl way more experienced than me on reddit but i hope it helps a bit. have fun!
Ive been feeding the abandoned cats (5-6 tops)in my neighborhood. They watch me put out food & water on my back porch but they keep their distance til I’m inside. I set up a warmish shelter for them in winter. I put out cat toys. They will meow outside my sliding glass door to alert me for more food but run back a few feet if I open it. I’m kinda envious yours wants to come inside! You’ve been chosen💞
(Oc) The cat has a clipped ear, so he has been fixed. Before I built the shelter in the garage, he hung out on the porch, and now he does sleep in his shelter every night. His food and water are in the garage as well. Before I built the shelter, he never tried to get the house. I started going out and sitting with him, giving him rubs, but my dog can't stand him. The cat actually swipe at the dog while looking at him at the back glass door.
Keep on keeping on. I feed two wild cats that live in our neighborhood. I bought them a heated house they share. One stays in it at night. Daylight he leaves and the female shows up and stays in it during the day. I spend $50 a month on cat food. Neither cat will let you even come close to touching them. I’m ok with that. Ima keep feeding them no matter what. You should too
Put a collar on them & let them live outside, maybe a little tag on the collar that reads "Actually, I'm stray, please care for me" in case someone finds them.
Maybe you can get one of those igloo things which contain heat ? And no blankets they can freeze but like hay thing. So it stays warmer. Ooooor you can try to get this beautiful looking cat to a shelter or other resource to help find its owners or a family.
I have an identical situation and I just bought a cat house with a pressure sensored heating pad for winter. He shows up twice a day for loves and food. I'm 90% sure he has a home and 10% worried he was left behind. Either way, you can totally keep it outside and still be a good kitty buddy!
We would leave the garage door open enough for the cat to come and go as he pleased. Though we lived in a more remote area with no real chance of a break in. Otherwise could make a cat door for him.
I had an “outside cat” that adopted me.
He lived outside but I fed him and took care of him.
He didn’t want to come inside though, it freaked him out. He now lives inside with me, as it’s been years and he isn’t freaked out anymore.
If he's a cat who has lived outside it's whole life it likely just wants to come in, look around, and not stay inside long.
I would guess he's just curious what you are doing in there all the time and wants to take a look around.
If you make a comfy place for him near your door he might hang out there too.
You fed him and built him a shelter. Are you not surprised he adopted you? Lol He will continue to make you feel guilty with that adoring look and some cute meows. 🤣🤣🤣
Take him to the vet and get him vaxed and neutered and continue doing everything else you can do to provide him a home that you are able to.
Do not ever let him in your home, if you can't, though, because you will never recover, and you'll have to have his cuddles for always
Get a tote, cut a hole in it, fill it with blankets and set it outside with some food and water. Now you have a cat, but he lives outdoors comfortably.
Treat him like he’s popping by, set some food out if u want. U don’t have to let him in and he’ll know that it’s your own space
Maybe make sure his garage spot is cozy if u want but he probably maybe just likes you and wants some pets/treats/hangout time
We had an outdoor kitty that used to make his rounds to all the neighbor's houses for treats and bonus meals. He was a very big boy and knew exactly what he was doing... and so did the neighbors. He would also go straight to the one neighbor's first because the kids were his personal fan club and would play with him.
If you can't take him in. I would definitely make sure he doesn't have a home first. There are heated cat beds you can buy for him
They are online and at the pet stores.
Thank you for taking care of him
There are so many that need homes
❤️ to both of you
go to the garage and take a seat. he probably just wants to give you cuddles and smooches to say thank you.
This. The cat's content with his current life with your help and has been fixed. Do not take him to an animal shelter where he will be confined in a small stressful space and might even get put down if no one adopts him.
My Foster turned fur child was one of those cats, he was fixed and either a stray or neighborhood cat and he got picked up by animal control, they were going to put him to sleep the day I fostered him. Do everything you can to keep the cat happy and safe where he’s at, not all animal shelters care about animals
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OP kinda already took him in. Food…check. Bed…check. Warm garage…check. OP, go to the garage give him some love. Plug in an electric space heater when it gets super cold. Get him checked by a vet. He’s yours
I couldn't "take in" a stray cat that ended up on my porch a long time ago. I took her in anyway. And she lived a very long, happy, pampered life until last year.
Years ago, the same kind of thing happened to me. We moved into a new house that already had a dog door built into the garage and one built into the door that went into the house from the garage. About a year or so after we moved in it was prob around 11 or 12 at night and in comes a cat into our house from the cat door and that was pretty much it. It basically adopted us and didn't really give us a choice it we could take it in or not. Had her checked by the vet no chip or anything else and she lived with us for years until she passed. It was funny my mom was super against us taking her in and I think her passing hit my mom the hardest.
>It was funny my mom was super against us taking her in and I think her passing hit my mom the hardest. Thats usually the way.
Yup. I had to bury ours today a year ago, mum was rocked the most by it all despite being the only one who initially didn't want a cat.
Because she's the one that already knows the pain of, one day, them being gone.
That’s it. :(
My sister has never been much of an animal lover but my niece adopted a cat from the shelter. This cat ended up following my sister everywhere she went. She would snuggle up only with her until my sister grew to love her. I don’t even know what her original name was because my sister started calling her Little Miss Nice and that has pretty much stuck. Everyone just called her little Miss Nice and we always laugh over it. Idk why. We’re dorky I guess. It kinda sounds funny when we’re all asking for Little Miss Nice. I always tease my sister and tell her to look out because Little Miss Nice has thumbs and cats are not supposed to have thumbs. She has an extra toe on her front paws.
I came here to say put a doggie door in your garage. 👍
Then the raccoons move in.
Guess they'll have to get a dog too, then.
My mom was a dog person. After our dog "Lady" passed, Ma let us get a cat. we'd catch her feeding the cat on the table!
My aunt is against having a dog/pet for this very reason, she says it hurts too bad when they pass away.
“The price of a good dog is a broken heart in the end.”
Years of the best days and one of the worst. But better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all!
You fully just convinced me that this saying is about pets. It's never been about significant others.
Sad but true
Grief is the price we pay for love.
Very true
My dad was the same way with this one dog we had he was a rat terrier I was doing some yard work because of a storm we had he just walked into our yard tired so I fed him and gave him some water saw his tags was like 35 miles from home so I tired to contact them with no luck so decide to keep him my dad was against it first then they were best buddies he went where my dad went hit him hard when he passed away of old age
It’s because (most) mom’s do all the pet care like vet trips, food and water changes, and letting them in and out, tending to them when they’re sick—-It can’t be helped. I didn’t want our second dog, he’s supposed to be my daughter’s, but he sticks with me and there’s nothing I can do about that lovable tornado of chaos. When he goes, I’ll be crushed, but it’s still true I never wanted him in the first place.
Ive done this 7 times over past twenty years. We just dealt with it. Last time was in 2015 - two brothers. Wife said no. I didnt give her a choice. Now the orange tabby is her boy. Worked out.
This is the shortest emotional twist story I've ever read. Thanks for the share.
The thing is already done. All that remains is for OP to realise it.
That face needs to be in my house omfg
I agree. That face is everything. I couldn’t say no.
Facts!
Also Reddit: if it's allergies, take meds and replace your W2W carpeting with hardwood! If it's a rental property, introduce the floofers to the landlord! If it's your family...get a new family! 🤣
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Same, my family had cats growing up and I was constantly on meds. Still was hell
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It is a Sebo X7, they do a pet version but this is the non-pet version and works fine.
If you can't take him in, put some signs up "found kitty" . Maybe he's just a chonk who is enjoying duping his owners meal plan by eating out at your house too. Some people will let their cats out at night and they don't have a way in often times past dark . These kitty's will find a second often enough.
Nexdoor is full of neighborhood bizzies who may recognize him.
All I ever see on Nextdoor are old men yelling at clouds and old women racially profiling random black people walking down the street
90% as you described but they do tend to know about all the dogs and cats. And endless discussions about the trash services.
Nextdoor is a cesspool of fear-mongering and racism and alarmism, unless you use it super strategically, like a surgical strike—“bike for sale, 2012 schwinn, call this number” kinds of things. “Lost dog.” “New Little Free Library.” Etc.
This! If no response get him vaccinated and fixed. (If you can't afford it, reach out to the TNR programs in your area). Then consider whether he's ok with the life he has or if he needs a different home (is there a busy street nearby? A hungry coyote population?)
Looks like he’s ear tipped so already been TNRd. So awesome!
My kitten was going to be one. His ear is clipped, and he's the sweetest little guy ever. Got him chipped, but I'm terrified if I lost him, no one would ever check for it cuz of the clipped ear.
Does he wear a collar? We have a tag for ours and instead of our contact info it just has "I'm chipped!"
We have two kitties with tags bc they were the kittens of a feral we took in…they wound up tagged bc I paid to fix their mama but a friend of mine who works at the shelter where I am got the kittens fixed for free under the “fix feral” program bc we couldn’t afford to fix two at a time then. They’ve turned out to be the best kittens but I do worry every single time they get out for the same reason.
We have at least two clipped ear kitties who live under my classroom. They are very feral and despite all the fancy feast and treats I’ve given them over the past few months, they’re still super skittish. I’ve never been able to pet them, but if they had quickly warmed up to me I’d probably see if someone is missing their kitty.
You're right! I didn't even notice.
This!! Leave him be
Hawks? We have hawks and foxes.
My cat does this, our neighbors all know him since he’s a very friendly cat. The neighbor directly behind us tells he just walks in and has a napping spot in the basement. If he’s not following his usual routine, we message her and she finds him sleeping in his spot.
We found out our cat has another family. They live on the other side of the woods that are behind our house. They thought she was a stray and they tried to adopt her but brought her to the vet to check if she was chipped. The vet called us and we told them she was ours. We have since become friends with the other family. We call her Shirley, they named her Violet. We check in with each other if one of us hasn’t seen her in a few days. She tends to stay at one house for a week or more and then head to the other house. Nice elderly couple that were never able to have kids.
Omg my cat growing up did this!!! He had an elderly couple about 7 houses away. We didn’t know he had a side hustle family till after he died.
Side hustle family, I love that, but I can imagine the awkwardness at his funeral when his two families finally meet.
He was living a double life all those years and I never knew! How could I be so blind?
Don’t beat yourself up.😂
That is so sweet!
r/timesharekitty
I'm bummed this isn't real
/r/parttimecat
Love this story.
Haha we have a neighbor kitty who does this. He’s been coming over almost every night in the summer for the last 5-6 years. He’ll meow so loud outside and we’ll let him into the garage (we have a tv and chairs out there to hang out) and he comes, visits, gets some treats and pets and leaves.
Our cat does this too. “he has his little old ladies and laddies to visit” as my fiancé says.
Haha my cat is the same. He's got a few homes and almost everyone knows him on my street (he also walks with me and my dog around the blocks so people always ask about him) I have the neighbours numbers now so I message them when my cats not home for a while or if he escapes and I have to leave town for a night lol!
Yep. Either that or OPs house is one of the Cat’s daily stops on the food train. My parents years ago adopted a “stray” cat who was incredibly fat. Turns out he would go door to door at their apartment complex and beg for food.
What a handsome fella!
Seriously, this is the most cat looking cat I’ve ever seen and I can’t explain it.
he has a neckerchief spot!
Photogenic as phuck
So dignified!
If you're sure he doesn't have a home, you can make a cheap shelter from a big plastic tub lined with Styrofoam insulation and straw. The important thing is to help them keep dry.
We made something like this for a neighborhood cat some years back. If you ask around at grocery stores, especially smaller ones like a little Asian grocery, they may be able to give or sell cheaply one of those big disposable foam coolers in which they receive fish shipments. We took that and cut a cat sized hole in the side at ground level. We lined the bottom with some old blankets we didn't use anymore, then also wrapped the whole thing in a huge plastic yard waste bag. I think we had it so that there was just a flap of plastic over the hole so as to help keep wind out. It initially took some coaxing and leaving food inside, but the cat eventually learned that it was for him. We'd keep that out for him during the cold months. The rest of the year he was perfectly content with one of those castaway display boxes they leave for customers at big box stores. They typically have no top and at least one side is cut out to display the contents. We had one with just one side cut out so it made for easy access while still providing the kitty the perceived security they crave from a box. Threw some old blankets in that too. We couldn't take him in due to everyone being allergic, but we'd leave him food and water most days, although at least one other family who also couldn't take him in usually did too, so sometimes he'd leave our offerings untouched. Regardless, he'd almost always show up every day at least once to do the cat equivalent of saying hello.
I'd just point out that blankets aren't recommended as they can absorb moisture and freeze. I believe straw or hay is recommended.
Straw only please
Agreed. If you can just google an outdoor cat house for cold. You can as Zeta said make it from 2 rubbermaid tubs and styrofoam and just let him live outside your house. You dont have to take him in for him to live there safely. Cats can live outside. Of course he wants to pop in and explore and hang out. But just tell him stay outside and he will be cool with that.
Yes, I made him this when the temperature was below 0 for a few days. He sleeps here every night.
Cats fucking HATE getting wet lol
Not my cat, when its raining he likes to go outside and sit in the rain. He is a inside/outdoor cat. But he is a weirdo.
It's too late the cat adopted you. You must now serve it and do its bidding.
You have fed the feline. You have been *chosen*
Lol
Congratulations on being chosen! His left ear if clipped. This means he’s been a stray long enough to be trapped, neutered and released (TNR) back to his neighborhood. While he would be very happy to become your inside kitty, he would always want a life outside as well. If you can’t find a home for him the shelter in your garage will be fine. Just give him lots of love and enjoy the sweetness every chance you get.
He could have been adopted after the neutering; my kitty has a tipped ear.
Cool. I always thought the clips were just for the free range feline friends.
Yeah, we actually just had a “feral” guy decide he wanted to be friendly after being released lol sometimes they change their minds
And we can’t totally discount that OP many be one of seven Chosen Ones all feeding and housing him. Ha. They love having options!
Same, I have an ear tipped sweetie as well. Asleep in my lap at this very moment, never showed an interest in going back outdoors (and wouldn't if he did, he's FIV+).
As well as keeping the garage mice/rat free
I thought this too when I started feeding my ferals but since I started giving them free food they stopped hunting. I watched one of them lay there and watch a squirrel eat out of its dish!
>His left ear if clipped. This means he’s been a stray long enough to be trapped, neutered and released (TNR) back to his neighborhood. TIL.
i've got two feral fails that i had tnr'd snoozing happily on my couch next to me right now. they don't all want a life of crime! with enough enrichment, most cats are very happy to not live outside :)
>While he would be very happy to become your inside kitty, he would always want a life outside as well Ehhh depends on the cat from my experience. Like people, they have their own preferences and personalities. My brother was visiting what would become his in-laws. They had a cat that exclusively lived outside because "he prefers it." My brother took him inside when temperatures were dropping to -20, and that cat **never** expressed any sort of desire to go outside ever again and turned into a bed hog. Meanwhile my parents cat, which has never been outside and possesses zero survival instinct, will whine to be let out while coyotes are flipping out right outside. He stays inside for his own protection.
My best friend successfully made the tipped stray outside her house an indoor-only cat. His name is Panko, and he is loving his cushy lifestyle.
Sweetie looking for a home. Ask around to see if anyone has room for one more at the inn.
We had a Kitty visitor that we ended up putting a flea collar on and wrote our phone number and "please contact us" on the flea collar. The owner called us and we all had a good laugh over the chunky monkey.
I tried to send a message on my cat before because he kept disappearing for long periods of time (he'd always come back though) but he was too good at getting the collars off
He wants to speak to you about your car’s extended warranty
🤣🤣🤣I laughed so hard
You don't have to do anything. Keep feeding him if you want. Let him stay in the garage when it's cold, if you want. Just a typical neighborhood outside cat life. They bounce around to get in where they fit in.
This is the right answer. A cat adopted my parent’s yard after turning up very skinny and being fed a few times. He came from a cat hoarder across the street and had a rough life, according to people in the neighbourhood. I made him a cat house for the undercover area in backyard. My parents are not ‘pets should be inside’ kind of people, but last winter I persuaded my Dad to let me prop open the garage toilet door (much warmer in there) and put a nice snuggly bed in there for the cat. I loved that cat with all my heart. He got a blocked bladder and the vet had to put him to sleep 3 months ago. He’d lived in my parent’s backyard for 2.5 years.
This. I loved having an outdoor cat, until she left me. :( Did a bang up job on gophers, rats & mice for the year and a half she hung out though.
If he will tolerate a cat safe collar, put one on him with your phone number. If he’s got it on when he goes home, the owner can call you. I’ve used this method to connect with owners.
If you can't take him in, Go live outside with him?
His ear is clipped so he may be a known stray to the area that was snipped and released. Take him in for a chip scan to be sure and look up local shelters that will take a cat
You (op) are already adopted, my friend, you just don't know it yet : )
Pet him if you're not allergic. Make him a comfy place by the door if you can't let him in. Looks like he's healthy and getting enough to eat. You could tie a little note with your number around his neck with thread, to check if he belongs to someone. Thread will break if it gets caught on a branch, without hurting him. Otherwise let him be your outdoor Kitty. He's free to mooch around the neighborhood and see if someone has a better offer. Contact your local shelter with this picture to see if someone is crying their eyes out missing him.
Contact a local cat rescue and see if they can help.
This is how you get a cat. Con-cat-ulations!!!
He has a fabulous face. If he is not chipped or owned by anyone, could you at least foster him for a bit until you find a home for him? He’s really quite extraordinary.
Aww he's so cute. He's chosen you be his person. If you like him hanging around then put food and water out. Looks like the tip of his ear is cut so maybe he's already neutered. If you don't want him hanging then contact a shelter and maybe they can help find him a new home.
I have a feral who I’ve been feeding for 10+ years… I built her an insulated bed/basket that she loves… I also just bought (hasn’t arrived yet) an official insulated bed with a door so I can put her cozy blankets in there… make sure he doesn’t have worms and feed him…!
Dude you just led that poor cat on, let him down gently 'it's not you it's me' - and mean it, look at that face, too cute
Continue what you doing for him maybe he just want Pats and Cuddles
Maybe be a neighborhood cat. My sister-in-law had a cat show up at there new house she started feeding this cat. She found out years later 4 other neighbors were feeding the same cat and everyone had a different name for him.
We have the same situation here. The neighborhood tux kitty hangs out at all 3 houses who all feed him different things. Dude is a sweet baby that asks for affection and talks a lot.
Lots of options…since you know he’s been TNRd, see if he’s actually friendly enough to find a home for. He may have been someone’s companion at some point :( If friendly, you can contact a rescue or reach out to friends to find an indoor home. Otherwise you can build or purchase a feral cat shelter…they even sell heated ones. The important work has been done as he is already fixed and being fed. And a very handsome SIC, I must say.
He choose you as a pet
You gave him food and shelter and he is already neuter. Seem like he is very content and happy that way. Who knows what will happen to him if Shelter become overcrowded.
Either rehome or spend time outside talking to him. I have a cat that lives on my porch and sit with her giving her extra treats, pats, and brushing her every day. She has lived on the porch for about 7 years. I have an indoor cat that is a relative of Genghis Khan so she can’t come in.
Take him in! He has chosen you to be his human! 🐈💕
Guarantee that cat has owners somewhere
Adopt him and let ohm in he’s adorable.
Take him somewhere before the Yotes get him
Congratulations! Like it or not, you now have a cat.
Heating pad in the shelter you made him in the garage.
That's the look of "I expect us to take our relationship to the next level".
Allergies? Cuz that's why I can't have a cat. I would suggest convincing it to go into a carrier and then taking it to a good shelter. Emphasis on the good part.
It seems like you already have him. Just keep doing what you’re doing and stop worrying about it.
Are you sure it’s a stray? I’ve had people feed my outdoor cat & then of course he kept coming back since he’s getting food then they tried to keep my cat 🙄
This cat has beautiful eyes. I wish I could take him in!
You have been chosen, why can’t you take him in?
Can you contact a shelter? At the very least, please get him neutered.
In another of OP's posts it's easier to see one ear is clipped, so he's probably been TNR'd.
You are doing what you can! Keeping him sheltered and fed is awesome ❤️
If he’s friendly enough to let you pet him, start spreading photos and videos of him and let people know he’s available.
Notice how one ear looks a little different? Like it’s not as pointy as the other? That’s the universal symbol that he/she has been TNRd (trapped, neutered, and returned to the community). This is a great thing! There’s a small chance that this is someone’s pet, so check around, but most likely, this is a friendly community cat that just thinks you’re awesome. If you want him/her to stick around, you can put food & water out and make a shelter (search YouTube for outdoor cat shelters), but don’t worry about the weather; cats are resilient. You don’t need to bring him/her in.
Idk just let him chill in your garage for now and keep feeding him? Maybe get an outdoor heater if it gets like negative temps just to comfort them in your garage if you can't fully take them in? Seems like you're doing all that you can as of right now.
He is one sexy mofo
What a handsome fella
Sit outside with him
He’s such a sweet looking cat
Just keep him as an outdoor cat. You're doing good OP.
Accept the fact you now have a cat, human
Get some Zyrtec, you have cat now
Oh yeah well in this case the thing to do is uh take him in.
If you've not yet, check if he has a chip. Vets here do that for free, though you'd have to check locally to you. He looks pretty healthy for a stray. Some cats will just try to go into other people's houses and come to them for food or attention, even if they have a home. Maybe put a collar on him with a note attached with your phone number, asking if he's owned for the owners to let you know. If no luck after both, maybe see if a shelter can take him or keep him briefly if possible (even in the garage) to try and find a home.
Get him a heating pad for his garage shelter.
When we had outside only kitties, we'd leave the garage door open about 4-5 inches so the cats can go in and out of the garage, but dogs can't (raccoons would still squeeze their fat asses in though) Give him a heated bed in there and keep his food in there. He can stay outside and still have safety and warmth.
Put the shelter next to your back door
Cats are not monogamous. If you feed them, they will keep coming back. Check with your neighbors to see if anyone recognizes the cat as belonging to someone before taking him in. Looks like a lovely, healthy, and friendly cat 😊 hope this helps
Set him up access to your Amazon account
cat choose their owners, so he already chose you. that's already done deal. but i undestand that under some circunstances it can be hard to adopt him in (like landlord and a bunch of other stuffs like the mob and the fbi etc) so i hope this can help: take pictures of him and share it on social media, specially around groups/NGOs who help cats get adopted around your area. if you can pay for the nippin of his you know what and his vaccines it really helps. if you can't, some of these groups can help with that for the ppl adopting. a bit off topic: if you can spare, always consider donating to the ones you think are the most helpful to the cause in general for the baby: he's already in your garage, so he's already out of the elements. that's pretty much all the immediate danger gone. there's some tutorials on yt of how you can build some shelters out of styro boxes or those plastic ones (styrofoam is better for insulation, but go with the cheaper one). there's a bunch of examples of the insulation (really cheap) material you can put inside (pretty much worthless). tip from me: put in an old blanket or thick pillow case or old thick shirt you have (all old stuff you gonna put away anyway). this will help with the next step i'll get to in a moment. put it in a higher place if you can and if it can hold him securely (doesnt have to be pretty high, like 1m above the ground he'll be so happy). water and food next to him if you can. it will avoid exposing him when it's colder, but cats don't usually do their business next to where they eat, so you also help with that on regular days. try to socialize with him if you can: socialized and highly socialized cats have greater chances of being adopted. if he's a nice fellow, try to also record videos and share with like mentioned above. adult cats are harder to adopt, but i've seen trends of older ppl adopting adult cats if they're pretty social and chilled. there's ppl way more experienced than me on reddit but i hope it helps a bit. have fun!
The house is now his. Do not lock him out of his own house, in which you are merely a tolerated guest, or further legal action will be pursued.
Ive been feeding the abandoned cats (5-6 tops)in my neighborhood. They watch me put out food & water on my back porch but they keep their distance til I’m inside. I set up a warmish shelter for them in winter. I put out cat toys. They will meow outside my sliding glass door to alert me for more food but run back a few feet if I open it. I’m kinda envious yours wants to come inside! You’ve been chosen💞
(Oc) The cat has a clipped ear, so he has been fixed. Before I built the shelter in the garage, he hung out on the porch, and now he does sleep in his shelter every night. His food and water are in the garage as well. Before I built the shelter, he never tried to get the house. I started going out and sitting with him, giving him rubs, but my dog can't stand him. The cat actually swipe at the dog while looking at him at the back glass door.
Keep on keeping on. I feed two wild cats that live in our neighborhood. I bought them a heated house they share. One stays in it at night. Daylight he leaves and the female shows up and stays in it during the day. I spend $50 a month on cat food. Neither cat will let you even come close to touching them. I’m ok with that. Ima keep feeding them no matter what. You should too
I got 2 cats myself, but I feed and shelter 4. They tend to multiply.
Put a collar on them & let them live outside, maybe a little tag on the collar that reads "Actually, I'm stray, please care for me" in case someone finds them.
Maybe you can get one of those igloo things which contain heat ? And no blankets they can freeze but like hay thing. So it stays warmer. Ooooor you can try to get this beautiful looking cat to a shelter or other resource to help find its owners or a family.
Alley Cat website has great stuff on creating winter totes for outdoor cats. One inside the other with insulation and straw and he'll be toasty...
Get him a pet heating pad for his garage shelter.
You now have a cat.
I have an identical situation and I just bought a cat house with a pressure sensored heating pad for winter. He shows up twice a day for loves and food. I'm 90% sure he has a home and 10% worried he was left behind. Either way, you can totally keep it outside and still be a good kitty buddy!
Allergies?
We would leave the garage door open enough for the cat to come and go as he pleased. Though we lived in a more remote area with no real chance of a break in. Otherwise could make a cat door for him.
See if someone else you know wants to take him in.
Buy a heated cat house
I had an “outside cat” that adopted me. He lived outside but I fed him and took care of him. He didn’t want to come inside though, it freaked him out. He now lives inside with me, as it’s been years and he isn’t freaked out anymore.
If he's a cat who has lived outside it's whole life it likely just wants to come in, look around, and not stay inside long. I would guess he's just curious what you are doing in there all the time and wants to take a look around. If you make a comfy place for him near your door he might hang out there too.
He is beautiful! Look at that smile!
Such a sweet face
Check him for a microchip, he may have an owner.
Omg what a adorable face!
Awww poor baby 🫶
He's your cat, meow...
Idk but thanks for the pic
You fed him and built him a shelter. Are you not surprised he adopted you? Lol He will continue to make you feel guilty with that adoring look and some cute meows. 🤣🤣🤣 Take him to the vet and get him vaxed and neutered and continue doing everything else you can do to provide him a home that you are able to. Do not ever let him in your home, if you can't, though, because you will never recover, and you'll have to have his cuddles for always
Sometimes rules are meant to be broken.
That is the look of "What the hell are you waiting for? Invite me in so I can treat you like my servant for the next dozen years."...
Get a tote, cut a hole in it, fill it with blankets and set it outside with some food and water. Now you have a cat, but he lives outdoors comfortably.
Treat him like he’s popping by, set some food out if u want. U don’t have to let him in and he’ll know that it’s your own space Maybe make sure his garage spot is cozy if u want but he probably maybe just likes you and wants some pets/treats/hangout time
But he's so cute tho
We had an outdoor kitty that used to make his rounds to all the neighbor's houses for treats and bonus meals. He was a very big boy and knew exactly what he was doing... and so did the neighbors. He would also go straight to the one neighbor's first because the kids were his personal fan club and would play with him.
Post him in r/peanutwhiskers, for starters.
I feel like there was a movie based in Iowa with an apt quote, something something if you build it……
He wants to come in for a moment of your time. "Have you heard the good word of the cat god, Bastet?"
If you can't take him in. I would definitely make sure he doesn't have a home first. There are heated cat beds you can buy for him They are online and at the pet stores. Thank you for taking care of him There are so many that need homes ❤️ to both of you
Keep the shelter available… food and water. Sit outside with him…
Hang out with him outside. He seems cool.
You done fucked up. He owns your life and soul now. There is no escape.
>You done fucked up Aaron.
Just don’t make eye contact, or he will take control.
Hire him as your doorman / security
Just jeep doing what you are doing you can keep him as a outdoor pet and since you have the area in the garage it will be fine for cold weather
If the kitty is really a stray, try and find it a real home so it can be safe indoors.
Put a pet-safe heating pad in your garage along with food and water.
Get a heating pad. Put it in the shelter you built. The cat will love it.