Stray...?

[slvrwhispr]

A new family moved in a few days ago, and I THINK I saw them with a kitten. It wasn't on a leash or in a carrier, but they called it by a name and it followed them.

Well... there's this kitten that's hanging out outside. It's laying in the middle of the parking lot, just chillin' there. DH went outside and played with the cat for a little bit and it's very friendly. It leads me to believe it belongs to this other family, but they let it outside.

It just makes me nervous because I see the cat going under the cars and sleeping and playing there. It has no collar. I know animal control does come around and take "stray" animals to the pound. I don't know which unit specifically the other family moved into; I just saw them go around the corner... and I didn't pay attention to which car is theirs.

What should I do...? Just leave it alone and hope for the best in case it does belong to the other family? Or should I bring it inside?

[Tambrey]

Well....I know what I would do.....

I would be adding to my family.....but in all fairness to the family who it may belong to, maybe if you see them, warn them about the local animal control and talk to them about keeping their kitten indoor only and see how they react to that....if they are indifferent.....then I say go for it and let them wonder forever what happened....they don't deserve it anyways if they don't care enough to keep it indoors...

[slvrwhispr]

Well, we're going to be moving soon and any animals I bring with have to be UTD on shots and be altered. I don't have the money for another animal's vet visit right now... and if it IS someone else's cat, what if it's already vaccinated? Would it hurt the cat to have a whole 'nother round for the paperwork? I dunno.

But if that cat is still wandering around every single night, I doubt I'll be able to resist until mid-November when we move.

[E's]

Oh gee. Know how you feel - that's very worrisome. What sort of complex are you in? I mean, is there a central mail kiosk, or community center or pool area? Maybe you could take a pic and post a notice? Or would that just make trouble? If not, then you can act like you think the kitten is lost... like they don't know it is there, rather than being confrontational, see what I mean? It still amazes me how many people don't realize times have changed, and don't place value on a pet's life... these aren't mean folks usually - they just don't think about things in the same way we here do...

[slvrwhispr]

Well, I saw the guy I THINK it is playing with his two young kids and they seem like really sweet people. From his accent, he's definitely southern, and he's been wearing a cowboy hat whenever I see him. Maybe he's just used to barn cats? It's not totally unheard of. If I can narrow it down to the cat belonging to them, I'll talk to them and just warn of animal control around here. Hopefully that'll be enough to keep the cat inside without offending them.

It's SUCH a sweet little kitten; I'd hate to see anything happen to it.

[Traci]

Why wait for some unfortunate accident? You would never forgive yourself and SOMEONE needs to do the responsible thing by keeping him safe. Don't even let the kitten be at that risk, take him, NOW. Isolate him temporarily and call your vet or other vets in the area for an appointment. Some vets will keep costs down for "new kitten/new puppy" exam. Test for FELV/FIV first, then vaccinate.

If the kitten is at least three months of age, and in excellent health, it won't hurt to vaccinate if he's had prior vaccinations. (Rabies however, should be ideally given at 6 months of age, if the kitten is less than 6 months of age, I'd wait for the exact 6-month-age. If kitten is older than three months of age, I'd wait at least 3 weeks after the vet gives his FVRCP, FELV vaccinations.

It's entirely possible the family you saw him with are not the owners. The kitten could have been nearby and when they were there, he simply followed them, happens all the time. If kitten has an owner, they are being irresponsible and you seeing him out in the parking lot sitting under cars is testament the owner is NOT going to change. This is a KITTEN, not an adult. Any kitten or cat left outdoors with no ID is fair game, the owner already had fair opportunity to keep kitten indoors.

[E's]

I agree with what you say in principle, Traci. However, in this instance, due to SW's location and status, certain complicated factors - which might not need to be considered in such situations elsewhere - may well apply: SW is a military dependent residing in the culturally polyglot community just outside a huge military complex, with said installation being essentially in wartime mode. To put it bluntly, taking the kitten on her own responsibility and/or being personally involved in any sort of controversy or disturbance in this matter could land SW and her husband in an undeserved messy situation. Or at the least, being stuck with responsibility for the cat's whole future, as in: "OK, lady, the cat is now yours: you have to take it with you when you leave - no giving it to someone else or sending it to animal control!"

SW can talk informally to a new neighbor. She can ask around (innocently) to other tenants and on-site management, "Oh, this poor kitty - who does it belong to??" etc. etc. She can even take a picture and post it, asking something like, "Has anyone lost this kitty?" But IMO she cannot - should not - take action on her own as if she were a civilian citizen.

Dot B
Austin

[slvrwhispr]

Yeah. There's... all of that.

And just general guilty conscience. It might be their beloved pet, but they're from the country where cats generally roam free. And this is a pretty rural area regardless. I couldn't just take the cat in without feeling pretty guilty about it.

But if anything happened to it, I... argh, why can't people just be responsible???

[E's]

"OK, lady, the cat is now yours: you have to take it with you when you leave - no giving it to someone else or sending it to animal control!"

And believe me, this would be checked out from now to kingdom come! You would never hear the end of it... especially if some cranky first looie or old "top kick" non-com got irritated, or wives of same... Do the best you can to save the kitten, SW, but do it DISCREETLY, okay?

[Traci]

And while waiting for and exercising beaurocracy and wasting time, the kitten is 100% at risk for harm. We're talking about an innocent young kitten with POTENTIAL OBVIOUS irresponsible owners. Does slvrwhispr have time to go knocking on doors, waiting for people to answer or show up at home, set up her camera, take pics, download and print and then go knocking on doors again? Does the kitten have that time?

My point is, irresponsible ownership and the fact this is a young kitten, NO ID, SEEN several times, AT NIGHT, IN A PARKING LOT, AROUND CARS. If the owner is that stupid, they don't deserve this kitten.

slvrwhispr asked what to do, I assume she was asking for opinions. Guess we all have different opinions.