I fed a cat walking around the alley...

[Staple]

So here's the story. A cat which honestly can't be more than a year old (probably younger), and I'm pretty sure isn't neutered (but could be, it just has pretty muscular arms) is walking around and I felt really bad for it. Its face was discolored and its eyes were messed up, I think one eye is blind.

 

So I took out some dry food from my friend's place since her cat doesn't eat it anymore, and fed it to the cat. It chomped that stuff down so fast. So I went up and got it some fancy feast chicken with gravy, and fed it that. Again, chomped it down extremely quick.

 

After it was done though, it did run towards one of the houses and sort of stick around there.

 

Do you guys think its a stray, or perhaps it has an owner? No collar, etc...

[sophie274]

Most of the stray cats I see are significantly thinner than most house cats: very bony and lean. Their fur is also generally matted and dirty. House cats have a well-fed, contented look that stray cats don't have - and stray cats are WAY more desperate for food than house cats: I have three at home and they would never gobble down dry food from a stranger, because they get all the dry food they want at home.

 

Based on what you described, sounds like he could be a stray. I'd just keep an eye out for him, and you could always ring the bell on that house and ask them if the cat is theirs. Don't rely on the lack of collar: we have three cats and none of them wear a collar, just because they always get in trouble with them or try to rip them off anyway. Then again we live on a small street and everyone knows that those cats are ours. If you do think it's a stray, you can take it to a vet or shelter to see if it has a microchip, but I would NOT capture him as a stray until you've asked around. You don't want to kidnap someone's baby.

[Staple]

Plus I wouldn't want him to bite me. This is a tough call. He's certainly not bony, but he did seem extremely hungry. He's like normal sized, not bony, not fat. Anyways, I'll keep an eye out on him when I'm down in that area.

[sophie274]

Cats are usually afraid of humans if anything, and are actually rarely aggressive, in my experience. If he let you get close enough to feed him he's probably not scared of you - whenever I approach a new cat I got forward slowly, squatting down so that I'm less intimidating, and hold out my hand so that the cat can sniff it. Usually the cat will either run away or walk up to me and rub against me/my hand - that means we're "good", and I've rarely had a cat turn on me and try to nip me once we've made contact. I've known cats to bite when I surprise them or approach them without warning.

[doityourself]

Uh oh,

 

Once you feed a stray they will be your friend for life, watch out they also tell their friends. Before you know it youll be labeled the cat lady, lol

[Staple]

I'm a guy, haha. Yeah I know, we men don't usually feel sorry for cats, but what can I say, I was a dog person until the cats won over me with how funny they are.

 

I don't mind feeding it every once in a while. 50 cents to keep an animal from starving? I don't mind.

[doityourself]

I'm a guy, haha. Yeah I know, we men don't usually feel sorry for cats, but what can I say, I was a dog person until the cats won over me with how funny they are.

 

I don't mind feeding it every once in a while. 50 cents to keep an animal from starving? I don't mind.

 

Im sorry, thats funny.

 

I thought the same thing until I looked outside and seen atleast 12 cats in my backyard.

[Staple]

haha seriously? lol

[hidden_kitten]

It sounds like a stray even though it was running towards another house, the tenants there have probably fed it out of pity too and the cat was heading for seconds, lol. There was an old cat that lived down the road that paid me regular visits because we'd always be soft and give him a couple of cat treats. Wouldn't be surprised if my cat is out doing the same thing on his 'rounds'.

[meteorstrike]

man there are no strays where i live. It would have been cool to take in a stray instead i had to adopt and they ask like a million questions.

[itsallgrand]

I don't know if it's a stray or not. A cat of my mine was so gregarious, that when she got out her personality naturally led her to any and all people. Here I am looking for my cat, and I find out a neighbor down the way has taken her in as their own.

 

She'd gobble every meal like it was the first one she had in weeks, but she was well fed. Just a naturally lanky silly cat. lol.

 

But if his eye is infected, than if he has a home, he either hasn't been around for a while or they aren't all that on top of his medical care.

 

Depends if you want to take the little guy on or not. Since you fed him, donuts to dollars he'll be back!

[Staple]

I'll just do the right thing and monitor the situation, if he comes back and I feed him a few more times, I'll call the shelter and see if they can take him in. I would take him in myself because I think he's a cute little white cat (kind of an angry face though, but I'm sure I can fix that with some loving) but I'm moving to D.C. in August and my friend's apartment is too small for two cats.

[itsallgrand]

It's nice knowing there are folks like you out there. Angry face lol. Sounds like he's got some personality. ha.

[Staple]

He looks like such a great cat, I would really adopt him if I could. But he has a very frowny face. Like the other cat we have is very happy looking. He looks angry. I feel sorry for him but he is definitely a sweetheart.