There must have been a red, blinking "Cat Vacancy" sign outside my door that I didn't

[Flaxbee]

know about.

Damnit.

There is a beautiful, friendly, male 'creamsicle" (light orange/ cream) tabby on my front porch. Those of you who have read my posts before know that my sweet feral boy Jesse was very ill and by the time I caught him, couldn't be saved. So someone else seems to want to move onto the porch. Stranger-cat has had 2.5 cans of food, dry kibble, fresh water, and there's a makeshift bed out there for him now. (I threw Jesse's away - made me cry to do it, to be honest - because he had FIV and I didn't want any remote possibility of any lingering FIV germs around the house).

Only Stranger-cat guy isn't feral, at all. He looks well-cared for, healthy, with a beautiful coat. No collar. Could be an indoor cat that has gotten out, but most cats know how to get back home. We live in a very rural area; he may well have been dumped. If he's still around on Monday, I'm going to see if he's got a microchip... and get him tested for FIV/FLV. I am out of town tomorrow but I'll leave food out and feed him every time he comes around...

It's just, I really can't have another cat. I have 5. I know that's not really a lot, many people here care for more, but we rent our tiny house, have no garage, no real way to integrate another cat easily and there is some very strong resistance from my husband. I love cats (all animals) and want to find this guy a home; I won't abandon him, but I just really don't think we can take him in. He has very obviously been someone else's pet so he can't just live rough if I supply food; he needs shelter and love.

If we had our own place, or had more economic stability right now, I'd take him. But life is just too precarious right now to manage one more cat (our current 5 have been together for 8+ years; 4 are related and the male cat was with us when we adopted the 4 - a mother and her three kittens).

Anyone along the mid-Atlantic looking for a good, friendly buddy? Will deliver!

[hedgehog]

1. Kick!

One of the sweetest cats we ever had was passed on to us by a DU member that couldn't keep him.

[Flaxbee]

3. thanks, hedgehog. I also found a terrific home for a stray via DU a while back..

madinmaryland adopted a stray from us and she's still very happily living with him and his family.

I have someone in mind, even though right now he's saying "no"... I might be able to wear him down, but then again, I might not.

[LoveMyCali]

2. Good luck

finding him a home. Cats just seem to know who will take care of them. My friend who gave me my kitten Raven already had 8 cats and 3 dogs when she found 3 kittens and the mama cat on her porch. Needless to say she gave me the hard sell to take a kitten.

[Flaxbee]

4. And I'm so glad your lovely Raven is doing well.

Believe me, if I had my own home and a little predictability with my life, I'd probably take him. But things just aren't very comfortable right now and I can't manage another one.

He's used to being with someone; he isn't like my feral Jesse who would eat, sing his thank you's and leave (before he got sick). This guy wants a HOME. And if someone dumped him, that person is a miserable turd.

[madinmaryland]

5. Sorry, but we are just starting to raise a mini-Sonia. She is completely black with no little white

spot.

Good luck!

BTW, is the stranger-cat look like he could have weighed 23lbs?

[Flaxbee]

6. Lol.

Are you going to keep her? Or maybe foster her until you find her a home?

Stranger's a gorgeous creature. Not quite 23 lbs, but he's long enough so that he might be able to fill out with enough food.

[Flaxbee]

7. He looks a bit like this, but his face is a bit rounder and he's a bit lighter orange (no white that

I can see).

I need batteries for my camera before I can get a good photo of him. I got this from the intertubes; Stranger looks like this fella, but he has deep-amber eyes:

[LWolf]

8. If you are in a rural area,

you should bring him in while you look for his owner. Coyotes, owls, etc...

[Flaxbee]

12. If it were even remotely possible, I would. I have no garage

and the house is so small I have nowhere to sequester him if I did... I have no garage. I also don't know if he's healthy, and don't want to expose my cats (three of whom are getting their shots - finally! - next week).

So, I agree with you - but he's on our porch in a safe place in a covered bed/box ... which is as safe as I can make him at night at this point.

[HopeHoops]

9. I wish I could, but we're maxed out on critters. Have you put up signs?

If it's got a rabies tag it can usually be tracked down easily, at least to the vet who administered the shot. Most stores won't mind if you post a "lost/found cat" sign, especially if they sell cat food.

[Flaxbee]

11. No, I just caught sight of him last night, but Ivan (the cat) saw him (I suspect)

the night before - he caught sight of someone/thing through the window on Wed. night and went on full alert, which he usually doesn't do for possum, raccoons, etc.

Then last night Stranger showed up, meowed at the door, and hung out until I went to bed at 1 a.m.... he's not here this morning, though. We'll see if he comes back tonight (I suspect he will).

No collar, no identification at all for Stranger.

I have to head into town before long so will feed him this weekend and take him in to see if he's been chipped on Monday....

And will put up lost cat signs this weekend.

[HopeHoops]

14. I got my big boy's predecessor that way. He just showed up at the door.

I let him come and go, but he wanted to stay. They didn't allow pets in our apartment complex (I had a dog, a snake, and suddenly a cat), so I figured he was abandoned. He looked a lot like your new one. He'd been clipped and declawed so he was obviously not feral. He made it to almost 16 and was a great cat. Sometimes things just work that way.

[Flaxbee]

15. I just posted this in the Pets forum -- he's back again tonight, and has been

well fed by me. I just went back out to check on him (he's in his bed, which is a big plastic storage box tipped on its side, with a cardboard box and fleece blanket inside and a blanket covering half of the opening ... so he should be able to curl up and keep himself warm).

He all but flung himself into my lap and seems to like to have his face rubbed ... was purring up a storm. He is very gentle with humans. I started to scratch his back a little bit, and he turned his head to my hand, very gently took the side of my hand in his mouth, held it for a second, did not bite down, and then let go. He was very clearly telling me he didn't enjoy having his back scratched, but would I pleeeeease rub his forehead again (as he rubbed his face all over mine and purred and slobbered).

This cat is a loverboy. He needs a good home.

[HopeHoops]

16. LOL! Yeah, our sheltie moves your hand around so you'll bet her belly.

I call her a "belly slut". The border collie lives for neck rubs, but the sheltie is all about the belly. Scratch her neck and up come the paws to pull your arm down. It's a riot to watch.

From your description, he sounds like he's definitely been a pet, either abandoned or lost. You probably aren't the only good friend he's found and the other or others probably wonder where he went the same way you did. If he disappears forever, just assume he found that "good home".

[hifiguy]

10. A good friend off mine swears there is a Cat Psychic Network.

About fifteen years ago she lost her longtime Maine Coon buddy at 23 years of age. Two days later a beautiful Russian Blue cat showed up in her back yard and invited himself in to her home. He stayed for more than ten years until he passed.

Cats know where other cats have been treated well.

[Flaxbee]

13. He is someone's pet (or was ...) he needs love and affection

He kept pushing himself into my lap and purring, and trying to climb up my neck for a hug... I hope I can find his family nearby and they take him back with great love. But I know he's not from near here - not my immediate neighbors -- so he's traveled some distance to end up at my door.

[madmom]

17. Our house is the same way. Seems whenever a cat needs rescued they show up...they know! :)

[Flaxbee]

21. Yes, there is some sort of network ... they always seem to know

[slutticus]

18. Have you tried the online sites where people can register lost/found pets?

There are many many sites if you google. Here are a couple:

http://www.lostpetusa.net/home
http://www.thecenterforlostpets.com/
http://www.missingpet.net/

You can search by geographical region and also upload pics. This is the first place I would go if I lost my pet.

But I do know someone in VA that likes cats, I'll ask.

[Flaxbee]

20. thanks, slutticus

(your name cracks me up)

I'll check.

Also, check out this link - there are photos of Yuri: http://www.novamir.org/yuri.html

[slutticus]

23. Yep, saw it.

I actually meant to post my reply on your other thread, but you saw it anyway so it's all good

[yellowcanine]

19. Hmm. Did the female cats put up the red blinking light?

Maybe they were advertising a cathouse?

[Flaxbee]

22. Well, one of our girls is definitely a flirt

but she's spayed, so she just likes to be admired, none of that other stuff.