Please pray for our stray "Strider" to find a home

[Tina B and crew]

Being a softy kind of sucks sometimes

We have had this cat that we have seen pass through our property on occasion for several years now. He never stopped, never acted like he was interested in attention, never hung around. That is until about a month ago (I now suspect it was his presence that caused Chunk's behavior toward Lucy, but I wasn't aware of his presence because he usually came around at night I think.) He started showing up more and more, hanging around longer and longer. I never fed him or tried to attract him. One day when it got warm he was sitting outside the screen door talking to Lucy (and she was responding) He still ran from me if I went near the door and disappeared when I stepped outside. I've seen him around a few times since, but he never stopped until yesterday. I hear him meowing and went outside and he came running to me, plopped down and rolled over, then let me pet him, pick him up, talk to him...a complete change! He followed me around the yard and after I had got a close look at him I decided I couldn't just let him continue on like this. I decided that if I could catch him I was going to call my vet. It was a breeze. I think it was meant to be.

Anyway, I was lucky enough to get him in yesterday and the vet checked him over. He is negative for FIV and FeLV, was definitely an unneutered Tom, had matts and bald spots all over him, was covered in what looked like fight wounds, but is otherwise an 11lb 6oz beautiful, healthy, buff colored boy. He is now neutered, vaccinated, and cleaned up of matts. My vet is making some phone calls to see about getting him adopted but in the mean time I had to bring him home. They let me borrow a 2 story kitty condo (kennel) to house him in. I have him sheltered on the porch. We can't bring him in, his urine is over the top tomcat urine. As soon as he no longer reeks the vet may agree to take him into their adoption room, but right now they can't.

So please, please pray that we can find him a home soon. My heart breaks at having to "cage" him up, but otherwise he is at great risk with dogs, raccoons, coyotes, hawks, and other cats. I know he survived several years in this environment but I just can't do it. That said, I also can't stand to hear him meowing out there. I am just in a pickle and don't know what else to do though.

Traci, when can I expect his tomcat urine odor to settle down? He is really, really strong right now. I mean he stunk up the whole vets office and it is a big space!

[Traci]

I've had the male urine thing resolve in as little as a week after neutering. Also remember that part of the smell may be lingering on his fur. I wouldn't recommend bathing him right now though, he's been through too much in the last 24-48 hours. He'll groom himself, just let him and nature take it's course. If he refuses to groom after several days, just gently use a baby wipe over his fur. You don't want him grooming excessively right now anyway, particularly near his incision site.

Are you absolutely certain this is the same cat? It would be rather unusual to be frightened of you for so long and then one day, not. Just make sure.

I'm assuming your vet scanned for a microchip? Does your local newspaper or craigslist have any ads that could indicate this kitty is lost? Remember, there are A LOT of people out there who own but do not spay/neuter their cats. Although it is unlikely anyone microchipped and did NOT neuter. Do you know his approximate age?

If possible, and ONLY if you're comfortable with it, place a lost&found ad in your local paper, but in the ad, don't mention any identifying marks (just something like male light-orange tabby - most people don't even know what "buff" coloring is!), ask any callers if any, to describe their kitty, otherwise, you'll put kitty at risk by callers who have no intention of taking/caring for, or even scammers and those who have evil agendas. I would not run the ad for any longer than two weeks, as most owners if they cared enough, searching for their lost pets, watch ads DAILY. By asking people to identify their cats, you can control the situation.

All that said, do NOT post any free ad or craigslist or anything else ad for homing this kitty. Your best bet is your vet's office, especially if they are willing to take him into the clinic for adoption.

Likewise, if you're pretty sure he was prior abandoned (the scars, intact status, running loose around the neighborhood, does not indicate to me a responsible owner), then don't even bother with an ad.

I'm sending positive thoughts that kitty finds the perfect owner!

[Tina B and crew]

We are pretty sure it is the same cat, but there is a possibility it is a related cat. At times he would sit there in our driveway and look at me like he wanted attention but would run when I came near him. So there is the possibility it is a different cat but I'm pretty sure it is the same one that has been trotting through for the past couple of months. I was really surprised of the sudden change in behavior myself. I'll keep an eye out for a look alike though.

We live in a very rural area and people tend to not keep their cats inside at all. I'm going to skip the lost cat pleas because the shape this boy was in it is apparent nobody cared for him, although he had been fed. Tim said he swears he saw the same cat nearly a mile away from our place. Most people around here probably wouldn't place an ad for a lost cat, particularly one that lived outdoors. I know it may seem unfair if he is someone's "pet" but I'm at the point that I don't give a damn. I just dropped a lot of money on him and no way am I going to hand him back over to any jerks who claim they may have "owned" him. The matted fur on him had been that way for a long, long time...it was bad. I would never post a free cat ad...not in a million years. I will plea to friends and family but that is about it.

I sent an email to a couple of rescue groups and the local SPCA in hopes that they may be willing to help, but I won't hold my breath. I'm counting on my vet more than anything and hope they will come through for me. I'll post a photo of him later for you to see. He really is a handsome cat (and you are right about buff...ha ha...I can hear the jokes about a naked cat now!)

[Tina B and crew]

Well, the SPCA is no help. They told me to take him to the regional Animal Control Center since that is where they pull from. Right. I know AC euthanizes more than they adopt out. She did tell me that if he was young and friendly his chances were good, but I can't take even a small chance, not after putting my heart and wallet into his care.

Looking at Craigslist just pissed me off with all the "Free to good home" ads for cats.

He has settled down out there a little bit but when I go to give him attention he really wants out

[momPaws]

Bless you Tina for taking care of him and I hope it works out.

[Tina B and crew]

I felt really bad tonight. Naturally we get some really nasty rain and thunderstorms on the first night he has to spend in his kitty condo on the porch. Hubby and I had it sheltered pretty good though, so he didn't get wet, but I'm such a softy I hate to think of him out there alone. At least he is sheltered, has a soft clean bed to sleep on, and food and water. I'll give him some lovin' in the morning

At any rate, here he is before I took him to the vet:



And here he is in his temporary kitty condo home on the porch...looking rather content at this moment:




Oh...in case you were curious, we called him Strider because he seems to wander a lot like Aragorn/Strider from The Lord of the Rings.

[slvrwhispr]

What a GORGEOUS cat!

[momPaws]

Yes, very beautiful boy!!

[Traci]

Tina, he's a beautiful boy.

Don't you have a bathroom or another room you can bring him inside? Rain and thunderstorms are scary for cats confined in cages. It could also be way too cold outside too, we're having the same kind of weather and it is COLD outside.

[Tina B and crew]

No..nowhere to put him inside unfortunately, not even a garage. Besides, the odor is already causing issues with Chunk when I come back in from giving him attention. The entire inside would reek of tomcat if I brought him in. This cat survived much worse than the storm we got last night. Before we get another we are going to clean out a spot in our workshop/shed and put him in there but we didn't have time last night since it came on so quickly. I don't want to leave him in there long term because it only has one small window and I'd rather him have good natural light.

It's actually not that cold here. Chilly, but not cold. Again, he's been use to fending for himself in much worse weather. I use to see his paw prints in the snow. I know he would be more comfortable inside, but we have no spare room, which is why I am hoping against hope to find a way to get him into a foster home or furever home as soon as his odor is gone

Believe me Traci, it is stressing me out and breaking my heart plenty to not have space to house him, even temporarily. Sometimes I wonder if I would have been better of to just let him be, but my heart wouldn't let me. Seems I'm damned if I do or damned if I don't, but at least he's safe now, if not in the most ideal conditions.