Stray...?

[slvrwhispr]

Traci, you wouldn't have a guilty conscience at all? Not even a little bit, taking someone's pet, even if they weren't being responsible with it? I think that's what I'm having the hardest time with.

[Traci]

Truthfully, slvrwhispr, no. If you've observed this kitten outside in the parkinglot at night, SEVERAL times, do you really think the owner is that conscious? Kinda makes you wonder if they supervise their own children.

We don't live in safe environments/communities anymore. Not our children, certainly not our pets. A kitten, mind you, who doesn't have the witherto of the outdoor hazards. You don't even know if he has an owner, if the owner cared so much, why haven't they come knocking on YOUR door looking for him? Never even bothered to put an ID and collar on?

That's my honest opinion. I spend half my life educating people, this person probably had that chance when aquiring the kitten, but many people don't listen and are old school thinking the outdoors are just safe, sound and dandy. Each night you see him in the parkinglot is another night he is always at risk for harm.

Which would you prefer, the guilt of taking MAYBE some irresponsible owner's pet, or having the pet come to dire harm, knowing you might have had a chance to save him from harm?

I'm sorry, I don't mean to come off sounding like a bad guy here, but that has been and always will be my take on the situation.

Look, you can rescue the kitten, provide him safety, and THEN make contact with people in the complex. Then you have time to determine if there's an owner and if there is, how you can educate them. If no owner, then you have time to find a home for him if you can't keep him.

[slvrwhispr]

Oh, if she comes into my house, I'm not gonna give her up unless the rightful owner can promise me that they'll keep her INSIDE and SAFE. She's such a precious little fluffball, I couldn't give her up.

I'll keep an eye out tonight. It's not every night she's out there but when she does, she lays in the middle of the parking lot. Not hiding, doesn't run from people. In fact, she walks right up to you and follows you around.

[Traci]

That's what has me worried, that she is not afraid. And that isn't always good.

[momPaws]

Good luck SW in whatever decision you make - it is good of you to care about the kitten. Be careful, tho, like Dot says.

[slvrwhispr]

Argh... I'm having no luck luring her up the stairs to my apartment. I can't just go down into the parking lot and snatch her for fear of being seen. I keep putting food near the steps but she's not taking the bait. She sees me up here but either can't smell it or isn't interested. And if I put it any further down, someone else will be able to see it. And it's not like I can just put a trap out; that would... very much arouse suspicion.

I think she got in a fight with this big mean cat that lurks around outside. I don't know if it's a stray or not but it's out there all the time and you can hear it just SCREAMING at night for whatever reasons that I don't want to know about. I heard the mean cat screech and the little one peeled off, tail down, and hid in the shrubs.

The big one keeps eyeing me putting food out for the little one, but I want nothing to do with the big one... I am not anywhere near equipped to handle a vicious cat, and there's no way I'm putting Izzy in the same living space as the big one. I'll help the kitten if I can, but... I'm pretty sure that big cat can hold its own...

[Traci]

I have to ask, if everyone has seen the kitten (I assume, since YOU have seen her several times), do you think they are seriously going to question you going up to her, picking her up, and then out of sight? (in other words, they haven't, so do they care?)

The other cat might be an intact male, although I'm not going strictly by what your post says, you don't know unless you "examine" him. But, if the kitten is female and not spayed, and the other cat is an intact male......well, need I say more, not to mention not knowing vaccination status of either one....fighting/mating is putting the kitten at further risk.

[slvrwhispr]

I really don't know if other people have seen the kitten or not. It's not a very social apartment complex. I've talked to one of my neighbors, the ones below me, on the night they moved in. Other than that, I've never seen or heard from the rest.

I just don't know... I can't risk DH getting in trouble for anything I do. I can't just kitten-snatch in plain view. But as for the big mean cat, it's either female or altered. It hopped right up for the food I left out for the kitten, and I got a pretty good look under the tail. Couldn't determine gender for sure, but there were no cotton balls.

I'll keep trying to lure the kitten, but... it wouldn't surprise me if most of the people around here just don't think twice about letting their cats out. Although it baffles me that anyone would hear that mean cat screeching and wouldn't keep THEIR cats inside. It's LOUD. DH could hear it over the TV, and he's half-deaf.

[Cleo]

I've always suspected my Jackson was someone's pet because he is an absolute LOVE and acclimated indoors and with the others without a problem. I mean, no problems whatsoever. Do I feel guilty? No.

I remember Ruby, the calico manx with no tail who came around to eat. Lovable to the point where she could be picked up and put in a carrier. Go to find out she was spayed and FULLY declawed. She's now in a loving home. Inquiries to local vets, hospitals and humane societies had no calls about her. Do I feel guilty? No.

If something happened to either one of these cats had I not acted, I'd be devasted. In fact, I am devasted each day that goes by for each feral I can't TNR. I'm devasted each day over the ones I did TNR and don't see anymore. I shudder to think what happened.

Take her in. If someone sees you pick her up, then they clearly didn't see you put her on the other side of the parking lot away from the big mean cat. I'll contribute to kitty's vet fund. I'll peddle my stained glass paw prints or make anything with 100% of the proceeds going towards the kitten. Just say the word.

[slvrwhispr]

Okay. So let's say I get her inside tonight and take her to the vet tomorrow. What if she's microchipped? Or what if she's already spayed? Basically, what do I say if the vet questions? I don't want legal trouble, y'know...? I just want to know what to do in that circumstance.