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Old 08-19-2010, 11:12 AM
 
544 posts, read 1,478,749 times
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There's a gray ferral cat which has been hanging out in my back yard for weeks. I have a very much loved, inside cat (see photo), Edward, and Edward is not happy about this cat. Ferral cat sleeps on the air conditioner and teases (I guess) my cat.

I've fed this outside cat several times recently because he/she looks so thin, but it hisses at me and is not in the least loving, affectionate or tame. I'm not sure that it's not ill. I did call animal services and they said they'd send someone with a trap, but have not done so. I have mixed feelings about that because my neighborhood is not high traffic and if Animal Services pick this guy up, he'll probably be dead in a few days.

I love cats and if I didn't have Edward I'd probably put more into feeding and taming and caring for this cat, but I can't. If I let the outside cat in, it would be a constant fight and though Edward is a big boy, he's very gentle and might get hurt, not to mention that other cat might be ill.

What should I do??

TIA

Postscript: It occurs to me that I could post this thread on craigslist and maybe some animal rescue people would respond? and let me add that I feel a lot of dissonance between my love of animals, in general, and my love of and protectiveness of, one animal in particular (Edward). Edward has had all his shots, but that doesn't prevent him from being scratched or even bitten. And the problem is compounded by the fact that I'm a 60 year old person who has had MS for the last 16 years and I don't drive, don't own a car, and there isn't a lot of money. I have to pay people to take me to the store and anywhere, and clean my house; I can't afford it, but I have to do it. Money would solve this seemingly insolvable problem, but there isn't any.

I'm not at all sure what the correct ethical and moral thing is to do; I've cried over it several times, and so I'm writing here, hoping someone will offer a good, workable solution. --Thanks!
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Last edited by scsigurl3000; 08-19-2010 at 12:32 PM..
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Old 08-19-2010, 04:53 PM
 
1,688 posts, read 8,115,497 times
Reputation: 2005
Quote:
Originally Posted by scsigurl3000 View Post
and so I'm writing here, hoping someone will offer a good, workable solution.
First things first - REMOVE the notion of bringing this cat into your house. Erase it entirely. I don't mean to sound harsh or uncharitable or anything, but your commitment is to Edward. Full stop, end of story.

Any meeting between Edward and the stray would end very, very badly and Edward, being a big Momma's Boy, would most definitely come off worse for it. Over and above any contagious disease (for which the vaccinations do not offer 100% immunity) cat bites are notorious for forming into abscesses. Your duty is to Edward - his health and safety must come first.

While I understand how much it distresses you to see a hungry cat, if you continue to feed it, it WILL come back. You don't want it to come back. You want it to go away and hunt mice and leave Edward alone.

If the cat is truly "unowned" then your best bet is to see if there is any TNR group in your area. They will trap, neuter & release, which ultimately is about the best you can hope for. They might also vaccinate - much differs from group to group.

I know you mean well, but the fact of the matter is that if this cat is an adult and is either a feral or a semi-feral, and not just a scared stray, it may be impossible to tame it regardless of the will and effort you put into it. Again, you risk making Edward's life a misery in the meantime and that's not fair to Edward.

I do understand your situation - I'm not in a dissimilar one myself. We have a big powder puff of a cat, and while no person in his or her right mind could call him "gentle" (he's a monster actually ), he is one of our cats. We also get visited from time to time by a very large, very un-neutered feral (this one is a true feral) who would, if he could, shred the powder puff. Just his being around is enough to send our cat into a fit, so... he's not welcome. It's just the way it is.
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Old 08-19-2010, 07:25 PM
 
544 posts, read 1,478,749 times
Reputation: 410
Thanks for helping me get some perspective, Five Horses. Your input appreciated.
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