Q&A for How to Take in a Stray Cat

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Should I let a stray cat into my house?

Francine Miller
Certified Animal Behavior Counselor
Francine Miller is an Applied Animal Behavior Counselor and Founder of Call Ms Behaving, a behavior counseling service for dogs and cats in San Diego, California. With over 16 years of experience, Francine specializes in treating behavior problems such as aggression, separation anxiety, phobias, fear reactions, destructiveness, urine marking, and compulsive behaviors. She uses a behavioral management and modification plan that is positive reinforcement only. She holds a Diploma in Canine Behavior Counseling from the American College of Applied Science (ACAS). Francine has completed all coursework toward an MS in Applied Animal Behavior Science and Family Counseling for Companion Animals from the American College of Applied Science (ACAS). She is a certified Associate of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and a member of the Pet Professional Guild.

Francine Miller

Certified Animal Behavior Counselor

Expert Answer

Many stray cats are able to adapt to living indoors and can become wonderful pets. Before you bring a stray cat indoors, you should always take it to the vet first to make sure it doesn't have any underlying health problems.

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Question

Can you domesticate a stray cat?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Staff Answer

Some stray cats have already lived with humans, so they’re already well socialized and ready to be in a loving home. If the stray hasn’t lived with humans before but is still a kitten or a very young adult, it may not take long for the cat to become friendly and tame. Older cats who aren’t used to being around humans can be a lot trickier—you’ll need to be very patient and give them lots of time to learn to trust you. Be prepared for the possibility that your new friend may never be fully socialized.

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Do stray cats carry diseases?

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They can, yes. For this reason, always be careful when handling a stray cat. Always wash your hands after touching the cat, and get medical help immediately if you get scratched or bitten. If you plan to adopt a stray, take the cat to the vet right away for an exam and tests to make sure it doesn’t have any serious health problems.

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What do you do if you find a hurt stray cat?

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If the cat is friendly, carefully put it in a cat carrier and bring it to the vet for an exam and treatment. If you can’t handle the cat safely, call local animal control or a feral cat rescue organization in your area. They can send someone to help capture the cat and get it to a vet.

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Question

I have food out there for a stray and some water. What else should I do?

Community Answer

Make a shelter for it.

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Question

I found a cat and her kittens under my porch. Should I also take the kittens into the vet? I'm just worried it'll be costly for all 5 kittens.

Community Answer

The weather is an important factor in this. If it is warm, but not too hot, and the kittens are not dehydrated or emaciated, then they will probably be fine, but they could have ticks or fleas, which would be problematic for their health. Ask your vet if he'll discount looking at them, since they're strays and you're doing a good deed looking after them.

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Question

My Siamese cat is a girl and so is my stray cat. My Siamese does not like the stray cat even after a month of introducing them. What can I do?

Community Answer

Give the cats some more time. Don't pressure them to go near each and don't feed them near each other. Have separate litter boxes and don't give all the attention to one cat.

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My stray is fearful of my other cats and they attack him when I am not in the room. I kept him isolated so they do not hurt him when I am not home. How can I get them to get along?

Community Answer

Feed your cats together. Start by feeding them in two different corners, then move them closer until they're comfortable. There are some more helpful tips in this article about how to Encourage Multiple Cats to Get Along with Each Other . If nothing works, it might be best to rehome the cat that isn't fitting in, but hopefully it doesn't come to that.

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Question

What if my parents don't let the cat come into the house?

Community Answer

You will need to listen to your parents. They may not want the cat in for reasons such as the possibility of vermin, disease or injury to you or the cat. Perhaps they don't like cats. You can try talking to them about it and showing them this page on how to rehabilitate a stray cat, to see if it changes their mind. If not, consider making the cat a home in your yard, if the vet has seen the cat and said it's okay to keep it.

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Question

Can the stray cat get used to a name?

Community Answer

Most likely, yes, with a little patience and training. Check out this article on How to Teach a Cat to Recognize Its Name .

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Question

Is it good to have a stray cat in an apartment?

Community Answer

If your cat has been thoroughly checked by a vet and you're certain that nobody owns the cat, then you can consider keeping it. The cat may find it hard to deal with being kept indoors in an apartment if it has been used to living outdoors. You will need to ensure that it has plenty of room to run about, things to climb up on and high sleeping areas. Check out online images for suitable apartment styles for keeping cats happy to see what you can make use of. In time, the cat will get used to it if it's happy with you.

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Question

How do I build a shelter for a stray?

Community Answer

Building a shelter for a stray can vary from being a case of putting a few items together to a full on project. For the easiest, no build cat house, use a box with no lid on its side with necessities inside. If you want, you can get a box with a lid and carve out a swinging “cat flap” or a door. You can also use a wooden or plastic box so that the rain will not harm it.

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Question

I have a feral cat in my shower with food, water, a small litter box, and a blanket for her to lay on. The door on the shower is clear and my pet cat takes an extreme liking to the stray. What do I do?

Community Answer

Well, as you know feral/stray cats can be quite aggressive. But it is possible that she has already been spayed meaning she won't be as aggressive. If you can I would recommend bringing her to your vet to check her out for fleas, worms, and if she has been spayed. If she does have a tattoo in her ear that means she probably has been checked before. But I would still recommend checking her out. If your cat likes her once you get her checked introduce them between a door. Then gradually let them meet each other by keeping the door open slightly. If she seems to not like your cat that's okay, keep introducing them to slowly get her used to your cat. Hopefully, from there she'll be comfortable!

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Question

There is this stray cat I see sometimes on my way back home. I can approach it and it plays with me, but I can't get it to follow me home. What do I do?

Community Answer

Try using food or a treat to get it to follow you. Use something that smells strong, like tuna. If that doesn't work, try using a Havahart trap to catch it, or lure it into a cat carrier with food/treats. Make sure to take it to the vet right away if you end up taking it in.

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Question

There is a cat who keeps walking around he is very well groomed and he is fat but there are no lost cat signs. None of my found cat signs have been answered in 14 days want to take it in, can I keep it?

Mollie Snyder

Community Answer

No. If he is well groomed and fat, it may just mean he is an outside cat. It is doubtful he is a stray and it would be not be right for you to take him as your own.

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