My cat is very VERY upset at me for what I brought home tonight.

A stray walked right over to me today. A little girl-cat, black with white patches.

I've seen it around for several days.

It was clearly once someone's pet as it was pretty clean, very familiar with gestures and speech, and it allowed me to pick it up and bring it inside.

The cat was also clearly heading towards feral as it was very skittish and while purring and rubbing frantically in a manner seemingly desperate for a human-touch, it was also growling and spitting which was kind of awkward.

It's now camped out on a bed of towels in my bathroom. Seems immensely grateful to be there. Food, water, litter box.

I put up posters around the community tonight. Bringing it to the shelter tomorrow to see if it's chipped.

Not sure how permanent an addition this is even if nobody responds to the posters: My cat won't go near that side of the apartment right now and spent a good part of the evening growling and screeching under my desk without ever having seen the newcomer. Historically, she has not gotten along with other animals and I assumed that she'd be a solo act for the duration.

...I know that it can take a couple of months to acclimate them to each other if it comes to that. I've done it in the past.

This is cool: The new cat has got “mitten paws” -- a specific type of polydactyl mutation (extra digits) that makes it look like she has an opposable thumb on each front paw. Tried to take a picture, but she wouldn't stay still with her paws extended. Looked it up and it's actually a very common mutation, but I haven't seen it in-person before.

Pics tomorrow. It's been a very long and very hard day/week for me and this was a kind of weird way to cap it off.

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I’m looking forward to “Mittens” photo shoot! Seems like she chose you. I have a cat that came to me as a feral kitten. In fact, no one wanted him because he hissed and spat like crazy, and was considered untamable. He would start purring 30 seconds after you picked him up. Quite awkward indeed. I just laughed and didn’t let his display put me off. He now insists on lying on or with me every night.

If “Mittens” stays, I hope that she integrates well with your other furbaby. It sounds like you have things in hand.

Diana

Make sure you have someone do a FIV test on her, too. And then do the vaccine right away. If she'll stay inside, the others aren't quite as critical. Keeping her away from the other cat until you have a negative FIV is important.

Good luck. Hope she found a good home. Community cats are becoming a thing, but it's not the best answer, they really need someplace to call home.

It takes time. I hope you get to keep Mittens.

If you keep her you might try pheromones to help you unstress your original kitty. Good luck and thanks for caring.

One thing to do is to let them acclimate to scents - give them both a bed or towel to sleep on and then swap them out.

If she is staying, vet visit with full testing is in order - as well as vaccines - check for a spay scar - this time of year if she isn't spayed, she might be pregnant!

.......cat scratch....fever....

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I reject your reality and substitute my own!

Sarcany,

Check for fleas. I've dealt with strays now and again for years and fleas are all too common. Since the new kitty is a stray, it wouldn't surprise me at all if she has fleas.

Robert

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Robert M
Sarcany,

Check for fleas. I've dealt with strays now and again for years and fleas are all too common. Since the new kitty is a stray, it wouldn't surprise me at all if she has fleas.

Yeah, I was concerned about that, too.

Not a sign of fleas so far. But that doesn't mean she didn't bring in eggs.

Will check when I get her to a vet, probably at the shelter when they check her chip. She's very appreciative of petting, but not ready for a brushing yet. She gets over-excited and nips (hard!) when I pet her for too long.

Pics... Sorry for the quality. It was hard to get her to sit still. She wants to be petted whenever she sees me.

...You can see the 5th front toe very clearly in two of them!

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A very pretty girl. Agreed with the recommendations for a vet check ASAP.

Mrs. cbelt3's mitten cat Theodore volunteered to live with us when he was a kitten. By hiding in her minivan's engine compartment and crying loudly for help. It took a while before he was healthy and fully acclimated to the life of an Indoor Cat. He refuses to even consider going outside (fenced in back yard only under human supervision).

She is sooooo cute.

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Roswell, GA (Atlanta suburb)

Congratulations on your new family member! She is a cutie!

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=wr=

sweet kitty...

oh, what the hell... I'll just post this 10 second video of wolves being awakened by thunder. Not worthy of a thread on its own, but the animal lovers here will love it...

[www.youtube.com]

Original owner saw a poster.

Guess this is not going to be my next cat.

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Sarcany
Original owner saw a poster.

Guess this is not going to be my next cat.

I am sure the owner is very happy.

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Roswell, GA (Atlanta suburb)

.....aw.....shucks......

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I reject your reality and substitute my own!

Good that the cat is going back to its owner.

I've had two cats with extra toes over the years. One had the front "thumbs" on both paws with doubled claws on single digits. In the gap in between the "thumb" and "fingers" an additional claw grew without a visible digit. This left the claw growing back into the palm and not accessible easily to be trimmed. The only claws I have ever had removed from a cat were those two, vet who normally wouldn't declaw a cat agreed right away.

You done good Sarcany, real good.

it's the cute ones you have to be careful with.
sometimes they are rusky agents.
"kitti khochet obed?"
"kitti znayet Putin?

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"one door closes and another window opens"
Vlad the Impailer.

"I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion."
Alexander the Great

.....nyet.....

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I reject your reality and substitute my own!

Per the owner, she was out on her own for a month.

She was in great shape. Very healthy.

...Have I mentioned that I live near a bird-sanctuary?

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mikebw
You done good Sarcany, real good.

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=wr=

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mikebw
You done good Sarcany, real good.

Agreed, and I think Sarcany should take this as a sign that he might want an additional feline companion. Shelter rescue perhaps? There are plenty of good kitties who need adopting. Your current kitty might actually come to appreciate the company... cats are weird that way.

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Freya says, 'Hello from NOLA, baby!' (Laissez bon temps rouler!)

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PeterB
...I think Sarcany should take this as a sign that he might want an additional feline companion. Shelter rescue perhaps? There are plenty of good kitties who need adopting. Your current kitty might actually come to appreciate the company... cats are weird that way.

There is some hope in that regard. My cat stopped screeching at every noise from the new one after just one day. Progress!

But you've never seen a creature more pleased and relaxed as she was the moment the new cat was out the door. Right back on "her" couch.

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Sarcany

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PeterB
...I think Sarcany should take this as a sign that he might want an additional feline companion. Shelter rescue perhaps? There are plenty of good kitties who need adopting. Your current kitty might actually come to appreciate the company... cats are weird that way.

There is some hope in that regard. My cat stopped screeching at every noise from the new one after just one day. Progress!

But you've never seen a creature more pleased and relaxed as she was the moment the new cat was out the door. Right back on "her" couch.

Oooh, a tortie! That explains everything. Torties and calicos are known for their tortitude. [www.meowingtons.com]

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Freya says, 'Hello from NOLA, baby!' (Laissez bon temps rouler!)

Hmm. Cats and “gratitude.” Obviously I was unaware those two things went together, but we can thank Catbert for that.

Our 3 hang out in the barn loft for feeding, and then “go to work” out on the farm during the day. Two are older bobtail and nice. The other was a stray that never fully got unferalized (new word) —- travels farther —- but the kids did manage to catch her a time or two so that she could get spayed. When they went to pick her up they learned HE had been neutered. Didn’t make any difference to the cat, but he did also get a name change afterwards.

Our Tortie was the absolute sweetest kitty, but she just tolerated her sister, as she got older. She definitely preferred to be the only kitty. More love for her alone.

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Roswell, GA (Atlanta suburb)

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deckeda
Hmm. Cats and “gratitude.” Obviously I was unaware those two things went together, but we can thank Catbert for that.

Our 3 hang out in the barn loft for feeding, and then “go to work” out on the farm during the day. Two are older bobtail and nice. The other was a stray that never fully got unferalized (new word) —- travels farther —- but the kids did manage to catch her a time or two so that she could get spayed. When they went to pick her up they learned HE had been neutered. Didn’t make any difference to the cat, but he did also get a name change afterwards.

Ummm, it's not gratitude. Cats generally aren't grateful about anything, except when their servants bring their food, etc., and even then, it's not really gratitude, so much as satisfaction and grudging acceptance.

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Freya says, 'Hello from NOLA, baby!' (Laissez bon temps rouler!)

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PeterB

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deckeda
Hmm. Cats and “gratitude.” Obviously I was unaware those two things went together, but we can thank Catbert for that.

Ummm, it's not gratitude. Cats generally aren't grateful about anything, except when their servants bring their food, etc., and even then, it's not really gratitude, so much as satisfaction and grudging acceptance.

[GoT]PeterB, you know nothing (of kitties)![/GoT]

My trio — including the meatball explosion with fur — are bundles of gratitude for all sorts of things. All head bumps and purrs and kisses for days.

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A priest, a rabbit and a minister walk into a bar.
The bartender asks the rabbit "what'll ya have?"
The rabbit says "I dunno. I'm only here because of Autocorrect.


National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
As of July 16, 2022, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now available by simply dialing 988. The previous number, 1-800-273-8255, will remain active.

I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

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Blankity Blank

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PeterB

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deckeda
Hmm. Cats and “gratitude.” Obviously I was unaware those two things went together, but we can thank Catbert for that.

Ummm, it's not gratitude. Cats generally aren't grateful about anything, except when their servants bring their food, etc., and even then, it's not really gratitude, so much as satisfaction and grudging acceptance.

[GoT]PeterB, you know nothing (of kitties)![/GoT]

My trio — including the meatball explosion with fur — are bundles of gratitude for all sorts of things. All head bumps and purrs and kisses for days.

That's just what they WANT you to think. Meanwhile, they're plotting global domination.

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Freya says, 'Hello from NOLA, baby!' (Laissez bon temps rouler!)

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PeterB

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Blankity Blank
[GoT]PeterB, you know nothing (of kitties)![/GoT]

My trio — including the meatball explosion with fur — are bundles of gratitude for all sorts of things. All head bumps and purrs and kisses for days.

That's just what they WANT you to think. Meanwhile, they're plotting global domination.

THEY(probably) ARE NOT.

---

A priest, a rabbit and a minister walk into a bar.
The bartender asks the rabbit "what'll ya have?"
The rabbit says "I dunno. I'm only here because of Autocorrect.


National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
As of July 16, 2022, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now available by simply dialing 988. The previous number, 1-800-273-8255, will remain active.

I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

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Blankity Blank

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PeterB

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Blankity Blank
[GoT]PeterB, you know nothing (of kitties)![/GoT]

My trio — including the meatball explosion with fur — are bundles of gratitude for all sorts of things. All head bumps and purrs and kisses for days.

That's just what they WANT you to think. Meanwhile, they're plotting global domination.

THEY(probably) ARE NOT.

[www.youtube.com]

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Freya says, 'Hello from NOLA, baby!' (Laissez bon temps rouler!)