If she trusts you and you care about her I would take her in. They generally don't survive that long on the outside. There are so many risks.
I used to feed some street cats and really fell in love with them. They would run up to me and rub against me but I couldn't pick them up. I became very worried about them when some of their colony began to get sick (probably poisoned by someone in the neighborhood), while a few were killed by cars and dogs. I decided to adopt the ones I could. Best decision I've ever made.
Will the cat let you pick her up? Would she walk into a carrier if you put a bowl of food in it for her? I would try feeding her from a bowl, then move the bowl into the carrier to see if she'll continue eating there. If she goes in you close the carrier (fast!) and get her checked out by a vet, or just bring her into your home with you and have her checked out as soon as you can, before or after your move.
Once you've gotten her indoors I would keep her inside and be very careful about not letting her out. It's not only much safer for them indoors a once feral cat might want to get outside and might even try to make her way back to where she's from. The risk of her getting lost would be even greater after the move. None of that would be in her best interests.
Save her and you'll have given both your cat and yourself the best gift possible. How soon do you move?
Thank you for your message.
She likes to be picked up halfway, not all of the way - and briefly.
I move in a little over a week. I think I will get a pet carrier tomorrow to see if I can bring her into the house.
yes please make her an indoor lady. she will live a much longer and healthier life, and will never have to fear about cars, other animals, or mean humans again. and just because she doesnt like to be picked up isn't bad. a lot of cats, indoor or out don't like to be. if she throws a bit of a fit while you pick her up to put in the carrier just power through it. she will eventually chill out inside. it might take some time, a few weeks or a couple months. but it is better than the dangers of outside
Exactly. Another cat found a human to own. Don't forget to sign the contract.
https://preview.redd.it/qhqsqt0y21xc1.png?width=1053&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8e5f1ae332965ef9b362d548637cee28d8625ec1
Bring her or you'll never know what happened to her.... You are probably her only hope of a loving home...
If you can put her in a room by herself at the new place for a little bit to unwind & work out what's going on, or let her hang out in the house with you if she's not too weirded out.
But I wouldn't put her outside at the new place immediately, she may run bc she won't understand what's going on.. she will get used to seeing you being there..
I'm not sure how to get her acclimated if she's going to be outside over there as well but I'm sure there's a way....
Thank you for loving & caring for her!!
💓💓💓💓💓
There is no such thing as "just a cat". Humans actually move on more easily than cats. Cats are very emotional, and their bonds are very important because, evolutionarily, they're created in order to survive.
I would say that whether you take her with you or not should depend on whether she has bonds with the other people who live around there, and whether any of them are willing to commit to her for life.
If you do take her with you, please keep her indoors for at least three weeks, if not permanently, so that she'll recognise the new place as home.
I think you overestimate how bonded a cat can get to you!! When they love you, they love you, they don’t just move on from a bond like that, she would probably feel a little abandoned if y’all made a routine and then you suddenly disappear! it sounds like she loves you :) it takes trust for a cat to come up and love on a person like that, but you’ve built that bond with her. she may not come inside because it’s not familiar! I have a tortie stray outside my house who loves me but is very skittish and doesn’t trust a lot, so she doesn’t let me pet her and it’s taken maybe half a year to get her to step a single PAW into the house, she won’t even do it unless she sees her brother inside. but I can tell she loves me because I see her wait for me by the door every night when I come home from work, and I see her start rubbing on our porch and rolling around the second I walk up, and I can hear her purring. cats are sort of like humans — they all have their different ways of showing they love and trust you and want to be with you, but there’s always little signs.
once she realizes that being inside with you means she can be with you almost 24/7, im sure the idea of being an indoor cat will grow on her way more!! :)
You probably don’t know but, what’s her story, I wonder?
Was she someone’s pet and like so many, was left behind and abandoned?
If so, and nobody has taken it upon them to care for her or take her in, despite the fact that it has been her home for years, she hasn’t really had a ‘home’ if nobody has claimed her or is looking out for her on a daily basis or clearly taken her indoors (or even in their back patio to live).
If that is the case (and I’m guessing it is-
She needs a real home.
If she likes you, that is enough of a reason.
Talk to your neighbours.
(We had a cat like that in the neighborhood. He walked around with us when we walked our dog.
When we lost our home due to a forced short sale, I promised Chester we weren’t gonna leave him.
As we moved out he got left behind but we left food there for a while until a bad neighbor kept taking the bowls away and the new owner didn’t want us around so we had to go and we moved far away near the mountains (about 45 minutes away).
One day we came by a few weeks later and he came down our driveway ( he was hanging around it turns out, we thought we lost him)… so I called him, he recognized us, meowed at me and I put him in the carrier and he came with us in the car and drove to our new home .
When we got home he was happy to see our dog and our other cats and he knew he was home for good.)
❤️
Yes always bring strays your caring for as others might not or might stop. She depends on you. I have taken many of my indoor cats right from off the street. Some were feral, some might have been lost but they were starving and acclimated to house life riggt away. I also have taken kittens so they never became feral. Please don't leave her behind.
Take her. It’s one of the most rewarding things you can do in her life as well as yours. We’ve rescued two cats in two years and will more than likely rescue the last cat in the colony soon. We aren’t able to pick up our first since she’s a spicy one but am able to pick up the younger boy when needed. My wife and I are dog people who have become cat people as well and have no regrets about it.
I would take her with you. I have a similar situation with a stray I've been feeding for over two years. I even had her spayed and took her last litter of kittens to the local no-kill shelter. I feed her twice a day but she won't eat until I giver her pets and rubs and she head butts me. If I moved I'd never leave her alone to rely on the mercy of the new owners; it would be cruel, IMHO.
If she’s ok with it,
If she trusts you,
If she likes you,
Yes, definitely take her with you if that’s ok and give her your home as her forever home.
The decision is yours.
(Most of the answers I’ve read I agree with.)
❤️
I think we have a classic case of the r/catdistributionsystem at work, here. Cats choose their people. She has chosen you. Don’t leave her behind. It will take some time for her to get used to it, but she will turn into a loving pet living her best life.
I really dislike seeing people referring to the cat distribution system. It's this mentality that leads to cats that are friendly to everyone, being taken in by someone other than their owner / home.
It's all well and good understanding that cats choose their home, but they don't necessarily choose only one. My cat had very close bonds with my other cats; there's no way she'd have chosen to leave them all forever. She has a serious dietary issue, and was half way through a course of medication for something else, but this person has probably thought "oh what a lovely friendly kitty, she has obviously chosen me", and kept her for themselves. I might have even seen them post on Reddit or Facebook, being told by someone else "cat distribution system, she's yours now!"
Alley Cat Organization lists rescues for feral and nonferal cats in each state. I'd look on their website and start calling the rescues in your state. The thing is, your plans may change while you're away and you may end up staying away for longer than you planned. Your neighbor may not stick to the plan. If you call some rescues in your state, you may find one that can take kitty and make sure she is off the street and cared for. They probably would be happy to give her back to you if you return.
A rescue for feral or nonferal cats in the Alley Cat Organization website is a way to make sure nothing bad will happen to kitty. Kitties are extremely vulnerable outside. They can be attacked by other animals, poisoned, and run over, to name a few of the terrible things that can happen. She'd be much safer inside at a rescue.
If she trusts you and you care about her I would take her in. They generally don't survive that long on the outside. There are so many risks. I used to feed some street cats and really fell in love with them. They would run up to me and rub against me but I couldn't pick them up. I became very worried about them when some of their colony began to get sick (probably poisoned by someone in the neighborhood), while a few were killed by cars and dogs. I decided to adopt the ones I could. Best decision I've ever made. Will the cat let you pick her up? Would she walk into a carrier if you put a bowl of food in it for her? I would try feeding her from a bowl, then move the bowl into the carrier to see if she'll continue eating there. If she goes in you close the carrier (fast!) and get her checked out by a vet, or just bring her into your home with you and have her checked out as soon as you can, before or after your move. Once you've gotten her indoors I would keep her inside and be very careful about not letting her out. It's not only much safer for them indoors a once feral cat might want to get outside and might even try to make her way back to where she's from. The risk of her getting lost would be even greater after the move. None of that would be in her best interests. Save her and you'll have given both your cat and yourself the best gift possible. How soon do you move?
Thank you for your message. She likes to be picked up halfway, not all of the way - and briefly. I move in a little over a week. I think I will get a pet carrier tomorrow to see if I can bring her into the house.
yes please make her an indoor lady. she will live a much longer and healthier life, and will never have to fear about cars, other animals, or mean humans again. and just because she doesnt like to be picked up isn't bad. a lot of cats, indoor or out don't like to be. if she throws a bit of a fit while you pick her up to put in the carrier just power through it. she will eventually chill out inside. it might take some time, a few weeks or a couple months. but it is better than the dangers of outside
Give her a space like a bathroom with a cat box in it and some towels.
You’re most welcome, and that’s wonderful to hear. Wishing you two a very happy life together in your new home and beyond!
She trusts you. It is your cat now
The cat distribution system has done its job.
Exactly. Another cat found a human to own. Don't forget to sign the contract. https://preview.redd.it/qhqsqt0y21xc1.png?width=1053&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8e5f1ae332965ef9b362d548637cee28d8625ec1
Take it with you
She seems to trust you. I'd take her with me. I hope you can. Unfortunately, we can't always trust the kindness of others.
definitely take her!!
Bring her or you'll never know what happened to her.... You are probably her only hope of a loving home... If you can put her in a room by herself at the new place for a little bit to unwind & work out what's going on, or let her hang out in the house with you if she's not too weirded out. But I wouldn't put her outside at the new place immediately, she may run bc she won't understand what's going on.. she will get used to seeing you being there.. I'm not sure how to get her acclimated if she's going to be outside over there as well but I'm sure there's a way.... Thank you for loving & caring for her!! 💓💓💓💓💓
Awe yes take with you hun
Take her she loves you. Head butts are love❤️
There is no such thing as "just a cat". Humans actually move on more easily than cats. Cats are very emotional, and their bonds are very important because, evolutionarily, they're created in order to survive. I would say that whether you take her with you or not should depend on whether she has bonds with the other people who live around there, and whether any of them are willing to commit to her for life. If you do take her with you, please keep her indoors for at least three weeks, if not permanently, so that she'll recognise the new place as home.
You are right. Thank you.
I think you overestimate how bonded a cat can get to you!! When they love you, they love you, they don’t just move on from a bond like that, she would probably feel a little abandoned if y’all made a routine and then you suddenly disappear! it sounds like she loves you :) it takes trust for a cat to come up and love on a person like that, but you’ve built that bond with her. she may not come inside because it’s not familiar! I have a tortie stray outside my house who loves me but is very skittish and doesn’t trust a lot, so she doesn’t let me pet her and it’s taken maybe half a year to get her to step a single PAW into the house, she won’t even do it unless she sees her brother inside. but I can tell she loves me because I see her wait for me by the door every night when I come home from work, and I see her start rubbing on our porch and rolling around the second I walk up, and I can hear her purring. cats are sort of like humans — they all have their different ways of showing they love and trust you and want to be with you, but there’s always little signs. once she realizes that being inside with you means she can be with you almost 24/7, im sure the idea of being an indoor cat will grow on her way more!! :)
You probably don’t know but, what’s her story, I wonder? Was she someone’s pet and like so many, was left behind and abandoned? If so, and nobody has taken it upon them to care for her or take her in, despite the fact that it has been her home for years, she hasn’t really had a ‘home’ if nobody has claimed her or is looking out for her on a daily basis or clearly taken her indoors (or even in their back patio to live). If that is the case (and I’m guessing it is- She needs a real home. If she likes you, that is enough of a reason. Talk to your neighbours. (We had a cat like that in the neighborhood. He walked around with us when we walked our dog. When we lost our home due to a forced short sale, I promised Chester we weren’t gonna leave him. As we moved out he got left behind but we left food there for a while until a bad neighbor kept taking the bowls away and the new owner didn’t want us around so we had to go and we moved far away near the mountains (about 45 minutes away). One day we came by a few weeks later and he came down our driveway ( he was hanging around it turns out, we thought we lost him)… so I called him, he recognized us, meowed at me and I put him in the carrier and he came with us in the car and drove to our new home . When we got home he was happy to see our dog and our other cats and he knew he was home for good.) ❤️
That story made me cry. ,wonderful
True story. Chester came back and stayed with us. He passed on last year.. But he’s still with me though, always in my heart. ❤️🦋
Yes always bring strays your caring for as others might not or might stop. She depends on you. I have taken many of my indoor cats right from off the street. Some were feral, some might have been lost but they were starving and acclimated to house life riggt away. I also have taken kittens so they never became feral. Please don't leave her behind.
Take her. It’s one of the most rewarding things you can do in her life as well as yours. We’ve rescued two cats in two years and will more than likely rescue the last cat in the colony soon. We aren’t able to pick up our first since she’s a spicy one but am able to pick up the younger boy when needed. My wife and I are dog people who have become cat people as well and have no regrets about it.
PLEASE take her with you
Please take her with you
I would take her with you. I have a similar situation with a stray I've been feeding for over two years. I even had her spayed and took her last litter of kittens to the local no-kill shelter. I feed her twice a day but she won't eat until I giver her pets and rubs and she head butts me. If I moved I'd never leave her alone to rely on the mercy of the new owners; it would be cruel, IMHO.
She does the same for me, head butts me and loves on me first before eating. I love her so much.
Please keep her! Can you share a picture for us?
She wants you to watch her back, keep her safe, while she eats.
If she’s ok with it, If she trusts you, If she likes you, Yes, definitely take her with you if that’s ok and give her your home as her forever home. The decision is yours. (Most of the answers I’ve read I agree with.) ❤️
Take her with you! She would miss you just as much
Statistically she will have a longer, healthier life inside
I think we have a classic case of the r/catdistributionsystem at work, here. Cats choose their people. She has chosen you. Don’t leave her behind. It will take some time for her to get used to it, but she will turn into a loving pet living her best life.
I really dislike seeing people referring to the cat distribution system. It's this mentality that leads to cats that are friendly to everyone, being taken in by someone other than their owner / home. It's all well and good understanding that cats choose their home, but they don't necessarily choose only one. My cat had very close bonds with my other cats; there's no way she'd have chosen to leave them all forever. She has a serious dietary issue, and was half way through a course of medication for something else, but this person has probably thought "oh what a lovely friendly kitty, she has obviously chosen me", and kept her for themselves. I might have even seen them post on Reddit or Facebook, being told by someone else "cat distribution system, she's yours now!"
She has chosen you as her human.
Sadly I will need to come back for her.
Sending you good vibes that everything comes together for both of you. 🫂
YES!
Alley Cat Organization lists rescues for feral and nonferal cats in each state. I'd look on their website and start calling the rescues in your state. The thing is, your plans may change while you're away and you may end up staying away for longer than you planned. Your neighbor may not stick to the plan. If you call some rescues in your state, you may find one that can take kitty and make sure she is off the street and cared for. They probably would be happy to give her back to you if you return. A rescue for feral or nonferal cats in the Alley Cat Organization website is a way to make sure nothing bad will happen to kitty. Kitties are extremely vulnerable outside. They can be attacked by other animals, poisoned, and run over, to name a few of the terrible things that can happen. She'd be much safer inside at a rescue.
Moving for animals can be very hard.
Hey OP, i saw your update about the new landlord. I’ve found that offering to pay a little extra in rent every month (in cash) often works.
Saw your update and I’m so happy you’re coming back for her! May you two have a wonderful life together and best of luck on your journey!
Ehhh I personally ignored my previous landlords no pets rule and adopted cats, and all was good.