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Whether the cat is going to live outdoors or you plan to take it inside , it needs to get to a vet for examination, vaccinations, and spaying or neutering. It can also be checked for a microchip to see if it is someone’s lost pet. Your first priority should be giving the cat access to food and water.

For example, a cat with an injury may experience discomfort or soil a vehicle or the ground without a towel or blanket covering the bottom of the trap. Based on the severity of illness or injury, a cat might need to be placed in a long-term holding area for recovery. Whether that recovery is done in your home or the veterinary clinic, plan beforehand so you don’t have to scramble at the last minute. It may also involve testing out different types of cat litterto find the one that most closely mirrors what the cat was relieving himself on outside. “There’s actually a litter meant to help transition cats from outdoor to indoor living—it’s called Touch of Outdoors [Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Touch of Outdoors cat litter],” she says.

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You can gain a stray cat’s trust, but by following these five steps and practicing patience, you too can help save a life. If there is a stray cat hanging around your home or work, you may want to know what you can do to help. Contrary to popular belief, cats can not live well on their own outside. Good Samaritans who have never lost a cherished companion animal may conclude that the owner of the found dog or cat callously abandoned them or, at the very least, neglected to keep them safely confined at home.

California’s Cats – Cal Times

California’s Cats.

With up-to-date information from our experts and veterinarians. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 135,002 times. This will help to increase the chances of the cat coming inside. Our content and products are for informational purposes only. Great Pet Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This nifty trick works great when you need to medicate your cat, too.

You can always reach out to local no-kill shelters and humane societies for help with treatment if it turns out that you can’t afford the medical care after paying for the initial check-up. If you can’t afford to take a stray cat to the vet if they look sick or hurt, you should take the animal to a local humane society or no-kill shelter where they can get the help that they need. If you can handle the veterinarian costs, the following information can help you properly budget. However, you should not expect a veterinarian to provide you with a bunch of free services as a thank you. Veterinarians like to help animals, but they must make a living to keep their doors open and their families thriving. A veterinarian can scan a cat for a microchip, so if there is an owner it can be found, but that’s generally the extent of available free services.

If the cat has an owner, it is your responsibility to make a genuine effort to reunite cat and owner. “Some cats are good at making the neighborhood rounds and having several friends they like to visit,” she says. Keep a regular feeding schedule to show the cat that you’re reliable. This demonstrates to your cat that you are a trustworthy source of food and will help it to bond with you. Wash your hands after touching the stray cat to avoid passing on any germs to other pets in your house.

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If not, they will administer any medical care, spay or neuter the cat if needed, and release it back outdoors post-recovery. If you cannot get a stray cat to come to you and get into a carrier for transport to a veterinarian, you can take steps to create trust before trying again to get them to go with you for medical care. Consider putting out a bowl of commercial wet food or cooked chicken or beef for the cat to enjoy while you hang out near them. The MSPCA does not currently have the resources to offer a domestic animal emergency ambulance service. However, the MSPCA’s Angell Animal Medical Center does offer 24-hour emergency care for cats, so if the cat is friendly, you would have the option to bring the cat in for a fee. As always, exercise extreme caution should you decide to handle a sick or injured animal.

You can also provide a cooling pet pad, like The Green Pet Shop self-cooling pet pad, so your outdoor kitty always has a place to relax and cool down during hotter days. Martin Fernandez, a trap-neuter-release program trainer and stray cat expert who works with the Cypress Feline Rescue in Brooklyn, New York, says that earning a cat’s trust is partially a waiting game. “Take a picture and post it online, asking if anyone knows the cat hanging out in your yard.

They’re usually hanging around near our house, in our garage.My question is, is there a way to do the things here without my dad knowing? I know he’ll put an “end” to it immediately after finding out. He’s threatened to kill our stray cats multiple times, and I know very well he’ll do it. This is the same guy who kicks my dog in the face when he’s blocking a walkway. If you are able to transport the animal, take them to the nearest animal shelter. If you plan to keep the animal in the event no owner is found, notify animal control that you have the animal or that you have taken them to a veterinary hospital for treatment.