I have inadvertently acquired a cat.

[Kapadons]

Why didn't you give the homeless guy a home instead of the cat ?

[Celista]

Okay so I found some bitter apple spray from when the dog was a puppy, sprayed it on the leather couches + put some heavy throw blankets on top of them. Hopefully that + encouraging scratching post usage will work.

Whether the cat is neutered or not will be very important in this situation.

Yeah he's going in for the snip, $33 coupon for male cats here in Portland. I definitely do not take the decision to neuter/spay lightly but it seems like the best decision all around. His owner is 100% on board with this.

[spinner981]

Cats are weird. I've had 3. One was a loner most of the time but really liked to jump on my lap and just lay there asleep. Another one doesn't really like being where people are but loves being petted and scratched and given attention by individuals, jumps on my lap just so I can scratch her. Another one really liked going where lots of people are but just lays there watching everyone, and when you tried to pet her she sort of just laid there and purred until she got tired of it and left.

Observe and use your best judgement. Also food and water and stuff.

[Synbios]

1. Castration. You HAVE to sterilise your cat. It will make the scent of his urine weaker, make his temperament better, he'll be less likely to mark, and, more importantly, if you lose him, he won't reproduce, which is a huge deal, as the amount of stray cats is difficult to comprehend. Note that his metabolism will go down once castrated, so adjust his food intake accordingly. Also, we typically castrate cats at around 8 weeks old, so 1 year old more than old enough. If money is an issue, you can shop around, as some vets will include an hemato-bioch with the price, but it's not 100 % necessary, so you may be able to avoid that if you shop.

2. Anti-parasite treatment. You should visit your vet to receive an anti-parasite treatment to get off to a good start. If he has been living outside for a while, there's no doubt that he has acquired parasites. It's not life threatening or anything, but getting him clean is a good idea. You should only need one dose, you don't need a 6 months plan for this.

3. Vaccines. You should at least vaccine him for rabies.

4. FIV/FeLV (feline aids and feline leukemia). Those are two important diseases that stray cats can catch outside, the population at risk are the cats that fight a lot (ie un-castrated males). These diseases are immunosupressive so it's important to know if your cat has them.

5. Cat bites are VERY DANGEROUS. If you are bitten seriously, you should make your wound bleed and apply soap right away and rinse for 10 minutes under water (dilution). You should then monitor very closely the status of the bite. If you notice the area of the wound get inflammated (red) and if it grows over a few hours, you need to go to the hospital right away to receive anti-biotics. The way cats bite is that they deposit bacteria deep in the wound and the wound is then sealed, which creates a very favorable environnement for some bacteria. You could die in 1-3 days if it spreads and you don't seek medical treatment.

6. Litters. Ideally, number of litters = number of cats + 1.

7. Food. If your cat don't have medical issues, go for vet-grade dental care food, as it will reduce the accumulation of tartar. Lesser food with make him more likely to develop health issues later on in his life, but if your budget is very limited then it's passable.

8. Claws. Buy a "cat tree" with both an horizontal and a vertical surface. Put it next to where you notice the cat likes doing his claws. Put him on it when you catch him and give him a candy after he's done (positive reinforcement). You can put aluminium foil or double-faced tape where the cat enjoys doing his claws to dissuade him. There are also nail caps that you can try putting on your cat if he tolerates them. Cut his claws often, like every two weeks. Declawing is not ethically acceptable after 6 months of age, and really is considered animal cruelty by most vets at any age. It has been banned in Europe for several decades and will be in Quebec within 10 years probably.

[Celista]

Why didn't you give the homeless guy a home instead of the cat ?

I don't have room right now, my roommate still has her stuff here and has rent paid until the end of the month. Also the guy has substance abuse issues and is like 30 years older than me at minimum. He might be harmless but I don't think it would be a copacetic living situation for a wide variety of reasons.

[Frozenbeef]

Take him to a vet and get him checked out.

[Celista]

1. Castration. You HAVE to sterilise your cat. It will make the scent of his urine weaker, make his temperament better, he'll be less likely to mark, and, more importantly, if you lose him, he won't reproduce, which is a huge deal, as the amount of stray cats is difficult to comprehend. Note that his metabolism will go down once castrated, so adjust his food intake accordingly. Also, we typically castrate cats at around 8 weeks old, so 1 year old more than old enough. If money is an issue, you can shop around, as some vets will include an hemato-bioch with the price, but it's not 100 % necessary, so you may be able to avoid that if you shop.

2. Anti-parasite treatment. You should visit your vet to receive an anti-parasite treatment to get off to a good start. If he has been living outside for a while, there's no doubt that he has acquired parasites. It's not life threatening or anything, but getting him clean is a good idea. You should only need one dose, you don't need a 6 months plan for this.

3. Vaccines. You should at least vaccine him for rabies.

4. FIV/FeLV (feline aids and feline leukemia). Those are two important diseases that stray cats can catch outside, the population at risk are the cats that fight a lot (ie un-castrated males). These diseases are immunosupressive so it's important to know if your cat has them.

5. Cat bites are VERY DANGEROUS. If you are bitten seriously, you should make your wound bleed and apply soap right away. You should then monitor very closely the status of the bite. If your notice the area of the wound get inflammated (red) and if it grows over a few hours, you need to go to the hospital right away to receive anti-biotics. The way cats bite is that they deposit bacteria deep in the wound and the wound is the sealed, which creates a very favorable environnement for some bacteria. You could die in 1-3 days if it spreads and you don't seek medical treatment.

6. Litters. Ideally, number of litters = number of cats + 1.

7. Food. If your cat don't have medical issues, go for vet-grade dental care food, as it will reduce the accumulation of tartar. Lesser food with make him more likely to develop health issues later on in his life, but if your budget is very limited then it's passable.

8. Claws. Buy a "cat tree" with both an horizontal and a vertical surface. Put it next to where you notice the cat likes doing his claws. Put him on it when you catch him and give him a candy after he's done (positive reinforcement). You can put aluminium foil or double-faced tape where the cat enjoys doing his claws to dissuade him. There are also nail caps that you can try putting on your cat if he tolerates them. Cut his claws often, like every two weeks.

Thanks! This was useful in a lot of ways, I knew about FIV and other things cats can catch outside but I didn't know cat bites were that serious. He's a really docile cat and we're giving him a lot of space, letting him approach us for pets etc, but bites can happen no matter the temperament. Thanks for the heads up.

[Synbios]

Also, cats are very nervous creatures, so it may take weeks until he's comfortable around you and the apartment. It's normal, he'll get used to it. It's a good idea to limit the cat to one room in the first week or so or until he's comfortable.

[Celista]

Right now the cat food I'm using is Taste of the Wild, dry, with smoked salmon and roasted venison: https://www.amazon.com/Taste-Wild-Mo.../dp/B0018CJYCO

He seems to like it, I buy the same brand for my dog (obviously the dog food variety, roasted bison and venison).

- - - Updated - - -

Also, cats are very nervous creatures, so it may take weeks until he's comfortable around you and the apartment. It's normal, he'll get used to it. It's a good idea to limit the cat to one room in the first week or so or until he's comfortable.

Yeah he seems most comfortable in the bathroom. Once my roommate moves out I might give him her bedroom until I figure out if I'm going to get another roommate or not, I try to leave him be but when I'm home I need to use the bathroom obviously lol.

Cat perches seem like a good idea.

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Take him to a vet and get him checked out.

Yep, going soon. Going to take him for a checkup and very likely a neuter as soon as possible.

[alexw]

Take him to a vet and get him checked out.

.....not sure if your suggesting the cat or the homeless person.

[bloodmoth13]

Cats are pretty easy, newborn kittens on the other hand...
Just make sure they have food and water and they are fine, cats naturally shit in spots where they can bury it, so they generally go straight for litter boxes without even being trained.
Is the kitten fixed? if not, get it fixed! you dont want your cat breeding with strays, cute as kittens are, unowned cats are a big problem.

[Celista]

His name is Angus

[Azadina]

His name is Angus

Awwww....So cute!

[Mellomania]

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/TiFse3Nm.jpg[IMG]

His name is Angus

Awwwwww :3

[Celista]

Oh, you have screens right? Don't want him getting out and getting lost and "going home"

Missed this earlier. We have screens on all windows except for one. Landlord asked me if I could "live without" lol which I said yes, but I think I'd prefer to get one. If it's an issue I can just leave that window closed.

[Rudkobing]

Don't worry. The cat will train you.

[Reeve]

If you plan on keeping him, I recommend one of these:



A bit more expensive than a standard litterbox, but you only have to change it once a month, and it doesn't stink until a month in, when it's time to change it anyway. People who visit my apartment often comment on how much it doesn't smell like cat, and I love the convenience of not having to scoop the litter every damn day.

Also, if you're going to keep it, I recommed giving it wet food at least a couple times a week (I do every other day). Most cats don't drink enough water, which gives them kidney issues later in life. Wet food can keep them hydrated.

[falagar112]

Forgot the most important part!

If you have blinds/those weird horizontally opening windows, do not leave cat alone when they are open, they can hang themselves - seen that happen and it is not something you want to see.

[Celista]

If you plan on keeping him, I recommend one of these:



A bit more expensive than a standard litterbox, but you only have to change it once a month, and it doesn't stink until a month in, when it's time to change it anyway. People who visit my apartment often comment on how much it doesn't smell like cat, and I love the convenience of not having to scoop the litter every damn day.

Also, if you're going to keep it, I recommed giving it wet food at least a couple times a week (I do every other day). Most cats don't drink enough water, which gives them kidney issues later in life. Wet food can keep them hydrated.

Good idea! Thanks. Cat smell is already noticeable, to be honest.

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Forgot the most important part!

If you have blinds/those weird horizontally opening windows, do not leave cat alone when they are open, they can hang themselves - seen that happen and it is not something you want to see.

Oh no! I do have blinds and horizontally opening windows, so I'll keep that in mind. Animals can get into trouble in amazing ways, when my dog was a puppy she managed to get her head stuck in the corner of a fitted sheet that she had pulled out of the laundry basket. :/

Need to keep an eye on the cord situation (electrical and otherwise). Sprayed some bitter apple spray on the furniture, I'll likely be doing that on a regular basis for the foreseeable future.

[Deleted]

If you pet them on the back near the tail they'll love you forever. Also, if cat has longer hair, get a brush for it for they shed hair.

Except that feed it, give it water and it will sleep 3/4 of the day. Will change spots between naps though. Also get him a ball or play with it.