Help! Found a cat

[pnance]

I need some advice from those of you who rescue cats. Long story short, we've had a little black cat hanging around our neighborhood for a few months now. He's complete skin and bones and tonight he ran up my steps ahead of me and kept trying to get attention. I brought him some food and water, but he was more interested in attention. Needless to say he's now in my bathroom with a make shift litter box, food and water. He's an absolute sweetheart. He immediately laid down on my bath mat purring and went to sleep. He's an all black unneutered male. There's no way I can keep him. One of my cats barely tolerates the other 2 I have. So what I need to know is what people suggest. To my knowledge the shelters that will take him are kill shelters. We have non kill but they'll only take pets not strays. I'm going to see if any of the rescue groups have space tommorrow. But I only know of 2 so I'm doubtful. Any other suggestions?

Here's a couple of pics I took tonight

[Laura's Babies]

Oh My! He is beautiful and it sounds to me like he has adopted YOU! It is a shame you can't keep him, he looks and sounds like the perfect kitty!

[catnapper]

Wow he sure is handsome!

*Snicker* How many times have we said "I can NOT keep him!" and then he's still there 6 months later... until you finally admit he's not going anywhere. Honestly, he could become the peacemaker between al the kitties!

But first thing first, find out a way to get him nuetered before he snell up your apartment. Even if he uses his letterbox faithfully, they SMELL!

[catmandu]

I would give him a chance at getting along with your two Cats.
And i would have him neutered as even if you cannot keep him, he will be far more adoptable if he is already fixed, and has been seen by a Vet.
Tubby 2 sends special Prayers that that Ebony Angel will get a Furr Ever Home of his own.

[moosmom]

Pnance,

He's beautiful!!! He looks like a Turkish Angora Wannabe. I'm glad you took him in.

The way to create a happy environment is to introduce them gradually. Keep him in the bathroom and rub him down with a towel. Allow your cats to smell his scent. If you can, do the same with your cats and allow "new" kitty to smell their scent. If you can get baby gates from friends, stack two of them, on on top of another, in the doorway of the bathroom, allowing them to see each other, but having protection. There will be hissing, spitting and growling. After a week or so of that, let the new cat out to explore, putting your cats in a room. Allow new kitty a while to get used to his surroundings. Show him where the litterboxes, food and water are. As long as there is no bloodshed, just standby with a squirt bottle to break up any real confrontations (ears back, fighting stance, bloodshed)

"Can't keep him"??? SURE YOU CAN!!!!

Keep us posted on your newest addition.

[kuhio98]

Would you be willing to take him to the vet for a checkup and get him neutered? You need to know that he's healthy before introducing him to your kitties. And, if you can't keep him, he may have more of a chance of being adopted if he has a clean bill of health and is already neutered.

[sasvermont]

Please take this little guy to the vet. I have sent you a PM with information for you.

Oh my, he is handsome.

Sas

[Donnaj4962]

Oh my, what a little cutie patootie! His eyes are just gorgeous! And the fur! Oh my!

I concur.... sounds like he has adopted YOU! and there may be no turning back now! I think he will make a great addition to your home!

Funny how all of us are just ASSUMING that he is going to become a part of your furfamily!

[pnance]

Update - thanks everyone for your replies. I agree a vet visit is in order and was on the plan for after I got of work tonight if I couldn't get a rescue group to take him. I just brought him in late last night after he kept trying to get into my house so I haven't had the chance. The good news is I received a response to an email I sent a cat rescue group and they may be willing to take him. I'm taking him to them tommorrow morning and they'll do the blood tests there. If they come back negative they'll take him, neuter him and find a good home. I agree I would absolutely love to keep him, he loves attention and is constantly purring. He seems to be pretty bomb proof. He didn't care when I took a shower (he's confined to my bathroom), he didn't even care when Nikka (my 70 lb dog ) went up to sniff him. He heard the other cats on the other side of the door and seemed interested but not aggressive. I trully think he just wants companionship. It's not him that's the issue (I think he'd be fine) it's 2 of my other cats MC and Mau. It's taken me 2 years to get to the point that MC won't spray everwhere Mau lays, and Mau won't try to kill MC every chance she gets. Even this morning I opened my bedroom door and walked out to let the dogs out. Mau followed me out of the room and MC was coming in. The black kitty meowed because he heard the commotion and Mau flipped out ( I had to lock her back in my room), so I really don't see keeping him as and option as much as I'd like to. I'll keep you posted on how the blood tests go. If you could keep him in your thoughts and prayers tomorrow in hopes the blood tests come back negative.

[moosmom]

Oh boy would he fit in great at my house!! I'm glad you were able to find a rescue organization to take him and find him a great home.

Great job!

[pnance]

Good news!!! His blood tests came back negative and he was already making all the staff love him before I walked out the door. The shelter is Friends of
Cats and she said they normally don't take strays and don't really have room now, but when she opened my email all the staff ended up gathering around to look at his picture, so they decided to break the rules a bit and take him. My roomate started calling him Cassanova yesterday and they decided they'd keep it (seems to fit). They think he's about 3. They'll vaccinate him, neuter him, and she doesn't think it will be an issue to find him a good home. They're a no kill and have a few different rooms for the cats to roam around in with both indoor and outdoor access so he'll be much more comfortable than being locked in my bathroom while he waits for his forever home!

[Edwina's Secretary]

Job well done!