Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Help! Seemingly Homeless Tabby Tom Has Adopted Us
Hello Holers
For the past few weeks a cute, but quite vocal tabby Tom has rather forlornly staked out our flat. He has a wide face and big bright green eyes. The photos don't really do him justice.
As the weather got colder, he started sneaking in through our cat flap. First of all I'd smell the wee (either his calling card or maybe a 'wee off' between him and our own cats - we have two) and then on a couple of occasions we'd see him running out through our cat flap. Over the last month, he has been more bold and I've come in to the sitting room to find him lounging on the sofa or armchair whilst our two cats look on in denial and defeat.
My husband and I have been too compassionate to shoo him out or hide the cat food when it's been arctic. Now we have builders around and the weather is less awful he is inside less (for the moment). But he is very much around and sits with his big moon eyes wailing at us outside the back door. I have every sympathy for him, but we can't take on the responsibility and expense of another cat and would like Wee Off to stop.
Does anyone know this cat?
Or have any suggestions as what to do now?
He deserves a nice home and maybe being Top Cat.
Many thanks for any advice.
- Attachments:
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Sally on
-
Hi, we had a Tom cat that similarly used to come into our flat. Neutered cats will be intimidated by them. We took him to the RSPCA in the end and unfortunately like many toms he had FIV (which they get from fighting) and had to be put to sleep. We got a magnetic cat flat to exclude him from the flat and issued our cats with the collar 'keys'. The wee is musk as he attempts to scent and therefore territorialise your house. Look for the mark on the wall about eight inches off the ground! Good luck.
-
Permalink Reply by SGB on
-
Ah thanks so much Sally.
I did wonder if he might have FIV, poor thing.
I will look for marks on the wall - it smells very strong! I did find a smelly white grainy marks on the floor and leg of furniture which I assumed was from him.
We're going to get the magnetised flap asap. I wonder if I should try to catch him after that or leave him to fate. At least the weather should improve shortly (fingers crossed)!
Thanks again!
Sophie
-
Permalink Reply by Bethany Burrow Atherton on
-
The lesson here is to NOT take him to the RSPCA. There is no need to put to sleep cats with FIV - the key thing is that he is neutered asap - please do try to catch him and take him to a shelter (Celia Hammond are great, but there are plenty other good ones) so that he can be neutered and find a good home (plus he may not need to be top cat once he's been neutered). Our FIV+ mog (who looks a lot like your little chap, by the way) wouldn't be with us now if the kind people who looked after him in similar circumstances to you had taken him to the RSPCA instead of Battersea.
-
-
P.S. Whereabouts are you? I've seen a cat that looks like him on Pemberton a few times - also quite vocal, but very shy. Thought our Ozzy had gone a-wandering at first!
-
-
You are all so kind!
We are on Pemberton, so that's probably the same one. Really good advice here - I have just booked our two cats to be fitted for microchips and bought a microchip catflap, so by the weekend we should be sorted.
Re Bertie, as I have named him - I called Animal Aid who put me on the Cats' Protection League. From them I will hire a trap for him and take him to be neutered (and also checked for a chip). Then dependent on whether it's decided he is feral or just shy, he will be either released or rehomed.
Really touched by how everyone is so helpful here, thank you!
Sophie
-
-
Aha! Bertie probably is the same cat, then. He and Ozzy happily meow at each other through our conservatory window - it's like seeing double!
-
-
That's very cute. Don't tell me that Ozzy is as loud as Bertie though?! He has some lungs on him!
-
-
No, he's quite a squeaker, really!
-
Permalink Reply by Salsa on
-
try phoning
http://www.animalaidandadvice.org/
they are local and very helpful re. unneutered cats
or celia hammond who has a no euthanasia policy, unlike rspca
good luck!
-
-
Hi,
We had a similar problem until recently, in fact I think from the pictures that it might even be the same cat. Are you in the Woodlands Park Road/Conway Road area?
The cat was getting in through our cat flap and spraying, it was bullying our little cat who was getting quite stressed out about it. We had one of the magnetic cat flaps at the time, but it wasn't strong enough and the other cat was managing to push its way in. We ended up buying one that works with our cat's microchip. They are expensive, but better designed so cats can't just use brute force to get in.
If you do still want a magnetic cat flap I have an old one that you are welcome to. We've only got one collar magnet to go with it but it's easy to get more.
One other thing you could do is take him to a vet and see if he's microchipped. Might be possible to find out who his owner is.
Neil
© 2024 Created by Hugh.
Powered by
