There is nothing quite as heartbreaking as the cry of a stray cat at your door. Once you have recovered from the emotional side of finding a stray cat reality sets in. You know there are certain steps you have to take and decisions to be made regarding this cat. Here are a few tips for dealing with a stray cat.

To feed or not to feed

Your first instinct will be to feed the stray cat but before you do this you really should decide if you want to be responsible for the cat, for once you feed it the cat, he will keep returning to your home and the decision will be made for you. If you don't want the responsibility then leave the cat as you found it but if your heart is torn by wanting to take care of him then food is probably the best way of making friends.

Friendly or feral

Your next decision will be to figure out if the cat is friend or feral. This doesn't take a long time as a friendly cat will let you know its appreciation almost immediately but if it's a feral cat you may not even get close enough to give it food. This also poses another problem. If the cat is friendly you won't have the problems that a feral cat will present. This should be taken into consideration before feeding the cat.

Check for the owner

The first thing you should do if the cat is friendly is check the neighborhood for anyone that is missing a cat. The owner may be on your block and will appreciate their cat being return. If there is nobody in your area that is missing a cat then you need to phone the shelters in your local area to see if a cat have been reported missing. If not then you have a decision to make regarding keeping the cat. If you are not keeping the cat then the shelter is the next step. If you are keeping the cat there are a few things you will have to do before he moves into your home.

Visit your vet

If you are keeping the friendly cat you should take him to the vet for a checkup immediately. If you have pets already don't let your new visitor mingle with your other pets until you have had him tested at the vets. Stray cats can have all kinds of diseases and this will protect your other animals in the meantime. Keep your cat in a small separate room away from everyone while you're waiting to hear from your vet. If your feral or friendly cat is not spayed or neutered get it done now.

The introduction

If the stray cat checks out with no problems you can start your plan to introduce him to your family and other pets. This can be done by placing him in a wire cage and bring him into the living quarters. This should be repeated until everyone including the stray cat is comfortable with this arrangement. Once you are sure the stray cat is comfortable and the other pets of your family is accustom to him open the door of the cage and let them interact.

The change may not be wanted by the cat but you know the dangers of leaving him roam the streets and you and your cat will do just fine if with love, patience and a few tips for dealing with a stray cat.

Learn more about this author, Betty Carew.
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