Reasons Why Men Abandon Cats

My studies indicate that in the last five years more men have abandoned cats than women in my neighborhood.  Many times the cats are left behind because the husband is mad his wife or boyfriend angry at his girlfriend.

Abandoned cat hides behind tree

The sad truth is that the housecat is being used to hurt women.   I know this to be true because many distraught women show up with the men at the entrance of the woods calling for their beloved cats and then say that had a bad argument with their husband/boyfriend but everything was on the mend and they really wanted their cat back.

Other reasons for leaving the cat is most men think the housecat will adapt to the wild and will be able to survive in the woods they assume that this is better for the cat.  

Some men leave cats in a park close to a neighborhood because the park will provide food and shelter and eventually the cat will be found and adopted by a family in the neighborhood.  They honestly believe that the chances of survival are greater for a housecat than being turned over to the animal shelter where so many cats compete for adoption. 

Note:

1. Less than 5% of the abandoned cats that were abandoned to my woods were reunited with their families.
2. I believe that fewer cats would be abandoned if pet owners were better educated on the responsibilities of owning and caring for a cat as well as the proper ways to re-home a cat when they can no longer care for their pet. 

Reports of Missing Cats

The end of November I noticed that many of the feral and stray cats that we care were not showing up at the feeding station.  We assumed that they were hanging out at a kindly neighbor’s garage that was opened to them for a shelter throughout the cold winter months.  We also thought that the cats had gone to another feeding station.  

Orange tabby lying on the snow

This was a reasonable explanation for the missing cats however we continued to walk the neighborhood looking for the cats and calling for them.  Several of us went into the woods and found 3 cats at the thicket colonies but 6 feral and stray cats are still missing.

Tuxedo cat sitting by branches

Last week the cat caregivers volunteer meeting it was reported that 6 feral and stray cats were missing and that community residents were seeking their housecats as well.  This of course was reason for concern as it now seemed that foul play may be the reason why the feral stray and housecats are missing in our neighborhood.

We suspect the a resident that lives close by may be luring the cats into traps and then calling animal control to report cat nuisance on his property.  We are looking into the missing cats more seriously. 

Knowing What Cat Abandonment Means

When the cat is left at a veterinarians or kennel and the pet owner does not returned to pay or collect their pet after a certain amount of days then the cat is known as being abandoned to the animal facility.

Photo taken on day we rescued kitten

A cat can also be abandoned when the owner leaves the cat in a public place, park and neighborhood and does not return.  This abandonment happens frequently in my neighborhood.

1. Pet owners drive to the entrance to the woods by my home and then pick up their cat and carry them to the entrance of the woods before they drive away.
2. Many people will abandon their cats by moving from their home without pets in hopes that new owners of the home will take on the cat care responsibility.
3. Then there are the people that put their house cats outdoors before they move away.  They stop feeding the cat and do not give them shelter and the cats get freaked out and roam the streets for food, shelter and a person to love and care for them.

Kittens drink up formula in plate

We have taken in cats that were removed from their owner’s cars and left at the entrance of the woods.  These actions were clearly animal abuse and it was noted that owner no longer wanted to care for the animal. 

In our experience no owner has tried to reclaim a cat that they have left in the woods, none have felt remorse for their actions.  Had they come forward we would have returned the cat to the pet owner but cat owner would be liable for all expenses occurred while we cared for the abandoned cat.  As an example when we take in an abandoned cat we immediately care for any injuries.  Then after two weeks waiting we will then take cat to the veterinarian for checkup, Feline Leukemia and AIDS test and rabies shot.  Should the pet owner return after the medical care was administered we would then return the cat only after all expenses were compensated.

Note: 

As a rule we always post found cat signs in the area where the cat was left. These signs will aid the pet owner that may feel guilty for their actions.

When the cat owner refuses to care for their pet by abandonment then after a certain period of time the owner may be charged with a misdemeanor as it is against the law to abandon a pet.

Other Cat Blog Posts That You May Like

Last Attempt to Find Pet Owner

Rescuer Takes Cat to Veterinarian for Checkup

Why do Cats Leave Home

Last Attempt to Find Cat Owner

Today I ran my last classified ad in the lost and found section in our local paper.  At 6 p.m. I got a call from a cat rescuer who was seeking lost cats from the tornado in 2011.  I got to talking to her a found that she does the same type of work as I do only on the opposite side of the city.

The civic minded cat person told me that many of the cat owners had moved away but still had hope that one day they would be reunited with their cat.  She then went on to say that many of the displaced cats were picked up in my neighborhood.

I had rescued three cats during the tornado of 2011 and tried my best to locate the owners; I ended up keeping two and placed the other in a forever home.  Tomorrow I am meeting with the cat person to look at her flyers of lost cats.  If I have any of the cats at my shelter I will make arrangements to meet with the cat owners as I will need to be compensated for the care of these cats for the last three and half years.

Many of the tornado cats that got adopted by other families have left their adopted families and walked many miles to get back to the area where they once lived.  The area has no homes and their families have moved on.  It is sad as all these cats want is to be with their families once again. 

   

Other Cat Adoption Guide posts that you may like:

Why do Cats Leave Home

Rescuer Takes Cat to Veterinarian for Medical Care

Foster Cats When Disaster Strikes

Ways to Determine Ownership of Cat

Ways to Determine Ownership of Cat

Yesterday I thought we had located the lost cat’s owner as I got a call from one of the ladies that help me with the cats.  She had given a flyer to a family in the neighborhood and they said that is our cat.

As a rule I never release a cat without determining ownership of the pet.  I do this by asking the owner to identify the cat’s special characteristics. 

When they person called me to claim the lost cat I asked them “what is the name of your cat?”  They said “Moxie” I addressed the cat and there was no response.  I then asked them "what is the sex of your cat" and they responded female and I said this cat is a male.  The caller said I am mistaken, our cat is a male.  I took this as a “red flag”. I then asked one more question to determine the ownership "Is the cat neutered" they said yes and I am sorry this is not your cat.

I told them that I would keep an eye open for their cat and notify them if their cat comes into my woods.

So this week I am running another lost and found in our local paper in hopes to find the “real cat owners”.

For more information on the lost cat read: http://catadoptionguide.blogspot.com/2013/10/found-declawed-aegean-mix-cat.html

Rescuer Takes Cat to Veterinarian for Checkup

The Aegean-mix cat that I found after following distress meowing in the woods had a bite wound to the tail, cold-like symptoms and stomach upset with diarrhea.  

Since there was no way of knowing how long the cat was outdoors it was taken to the Veterinarian for a wellness check up.  While at the veterinarian the kitten received a rabies vaccine, test for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus the results for cat disease were negative.

The kitten is being treated for the bite wounds however will be released to me and I will continue my efforts to locate its people. I will make every attempt to find the cats people and if they pet owners are not located the cat will be put up for adoption.

I will not turn the declawed cat lose in hopes that he goes home as there are dogs that run loose in my neighborhood as well as coyote.  A declawed cat has no way of protecting itself from these predators.

Found Declawed Kitten in Woods Update

The last three days have been very busy as I have been networking our community for the Aegean cat owners.  Along with the neighborhood search I have also posted on the Humane Society website and added flyers to veternarian bulletin boards in our community.  Hopefully that will enable us to reunite kitten with its owners.

Today we are taking the kitty for a microchip scan which will identify the owners. Should the cat have no microchip then it will be evaluated by a veterinarian as it endured a flesh wound from a possible fight with another cat.  The kitten also shows signs of cold, sneezing, coughing eye drainage, and has diarrhea. 

Well defined face with white fur 

My cat says HI to found kitten

Note:

1. The Aegean kitten is approximately five months old and appears to be well cared for.has a shiny coat is groomed with no mats.  There are two new bite wounds and evidence of old bite wounds. I suspect this kitten has been outdoors a long time.
2. Finding a cat owner is never easy as most owners do not report their cats as missing. 
3. A declawed cat should never be allowed to go outdoors as it has no way to protect itself from a predator, cannot forage, unable to climb a tree to escape a dog. A declawed housecat has no idea of how to seek shelter from weather or harm.

Declawed Gray and White Tabby

For the last seven days I have watched a white and black tabby cat go into my greenhouse to eat from the feral cat food bowl.  I assumed the cat was visiting my feeding station to get a snack and then going back to his home because the cat wore a leather collar (not a breakaway) with no tag.

My neighbor informed me that the cat was crying and that it was coming from the woods.  She said that something was wrong with the cat and it looked like its paws were hurt.

We  watched for the cat, hoping it would come to the feeding station so we could learn more about its ailment. No sign of the cat throughout the day, but in the evening we did see the cat and it was being chased by another cat.  

The lost cat tried to climb a tree but fell and with that the other cat was on top of him.  Se then realized that the lost cat had no claws so my husband went out to break up the cat fight.  When there was an opening the lost cat ran in my direction and leaped into my arms. 

The cat suffered a bite wound to the tail and on his leg.  The cat was shaking like leaf and meowing loudly  We checked his paws and realized the cat was declawed. 

Ear tip torn - side face and collar

I examined the cat and found it was declawed all four paws.  No way to defend itself, no way to hunt and no way to be safe in a forest full of coyote and other wild animals. 

 I took the cat to our cat shelter.  Gave it a bed, litter box, food and water and turned on the light.  The cat is obviously lost and does not know how to go home.

Side view of lost cat

My veterinarian told me that 93% of the house cats that go outdoors get lost and do not know how to find their home.  I think this is true especially if they are not accustomed to going outdoors.  I am glad that I was at the right place at the right time and able to rescue this cat from harm.

Feral and Stray Cat Health Comparison

I have trapped many cats since 1999 and in that time all of the feral cats were healthy, none of them tested positive for any feline disease.  In addition to being healthy they were all well groomed.

 

Rescued Stray Cat

When first started trapping feral cats for sterilization I expect them to be sickly, to have a poor coat with infestation of parasites.  The veterinarian reports that the cat has ear mites, needs to be wormed and needs a dosage of revolution to get rid of the ear mites.  Not a flea or tick is found on them and none of the feral cats tested positive for feline disease.  

In comparison the stray cat did not do so well. Out of the 128 cats that I trapped this year 10% of the stray (abandoned house cats) tested positive for cat disease including diabetes.   All of the stray cats had poor coats and many were matted.  Long haired cats needed to be shaved.

Cats that once lived with people are stray cats. These stray cats have a difficult time adapting to living outdoors. They do not know how to forage or where to go for shelter and they do not live in colonies with other cats because the feral cats do not welcome them.  Stray cats are on their own and it must be very frightening.

I pick up strays all the time that are starving, have hair missing, they may have bite wounds from fights or their hair is matted.   

So when it comes to living outdoors the feral cat will live a longer and healthier life than the stray cat.  

Photograph of Calico Cat:  This is Gracie she was a stray that my husband found on a bitter cold night.  She was skin and bones, had missing fur, was missing one tooth and her tongue was cut off at the tip.  It is doubtful she would have survived the night as she did not know where to go for shelter.

Tips for Finding Lost Cats Home

We got up early this morning to network the neighborhood when many people outdoors.  It is necessary to take as many steps as needed to locate the Maine Coon cat that I found.

By putting the word out in the neighborhood that cat was found we are hoping that somebody will come forward with information about the cat.

Along with talking to people in the community we also posted “found cat flyers”.  I also placed a free classified advertisement in the lost and found section of the newspaper.  The classified for found MaineCoon cat will run over the weekend and hopefully somebody somewhere will have information about this lost cat.

Cat Found Flyer by Susang6

Many people are not concerned with the whereabouts of their outdoor cat.  One neighbor said he does not worry about outdoor cat unless he his missing for a week. 

I know this to be tree as one summer a few years back a neighborhood cat left his home and walked three blocks before settling in my yard for the entire summer.  The cat hung out in my yard day and night.  I assumed the cat was going home at night but found out that he had chosen my yard as his summer retreat. 

Outdoor cats are funny, if left to wonder the neighborhood then will leave their home.

Hopefully I will be able to find this little Maine Coon cat’s people.

Found Lost Maine Coon Cat at My Door

This evening at dusk a stray cat found his way to my side door and mowed loudly. The cat is an adult male Maine Coon cat that is either lost or abandoned.  

The cat greeted me by rubbing on my legs so I knew he was not feral,  I immediately checked his front paws and found that he was declawed.  This was an indication that he had no business being outdoors after dark with the feral tom cats and the coyote.  

I called my neighbor and asked about the cat and learned that the cat had been going door to door seeking food and shelter for about a week.  They suspected he was abandoned but could be lost.  There was no word on a lost cat in our neighborhood. 

Main Coon Cat

The cat followed me into to shelter and there I gave him  Friskies special diet canned food and a bowl of water.  After the cat finished licking the food bowl clean he came to where I sat and jumped up on a pillow that was sitting on a chair close to me.  He then lay down and wrapped his bushy tail around him and looked like he wanted to go to sleep. 

The cat will sleep well tonight in the shelter.  Poor thing outdoors with no claws.  Unable to climb a tree, or defend himself.  

Tomorrow I will post found cat flyers in my neighborhood and will run a classified for found cat in the newspaper.  If this cat is lost I will hopefully reunite him with his people.

Keeping Newborn Orphaned Kittens Warm

If you rescue newborn kittens then you must keep the kittens warm.  A kitten that is separated from their mother is known as an orphaned kitten.  If you catch or trap an orphaned kitten that is under a month old they will need special care.

As soon as you catch the kitten it is important that the kitten stays warm.  Set up a kitten bed;  a cardboard box that is lined with a fleece blanket also add a heating pad that is set on low or a hot water bottle that is wrapped in a towel. 

Keep the kitten box in a warm room that has no draft.  One way that I keep kittnes warm is with a snuggle safe pet bed microwave heatign pag.  You heat the pad in your microwe and then set it underneath your kittens bedding , the heat area should be pushed to one side in the kitten box, so kittens can get close to the heat or move away. 

The heat pad  will keep kittens warm and comfortable for up to ten hours.  I use to keep the kittens fleece blanket warm with a hot water bottle but find the snuggle safe pet bed is better.  Check the heating pad monitor the temperature to make sure that the kitten is warm but not hot.

Tips:

Orphaned newborn kittens in the wild is rare but there have been cases; mother cat has no milk and cannot nurse the kittens, or mother cat trapped by civic minded people, mother cat injured.   I always make a point to walk in the woods and listen for newborn kittens because one never knows if the mother cat is caring for them or has abandoned them.  

View this video to learn more about taking care of orphaned kittens

Cosequin Joint Health Supplement for Cats

When a cat gets older they develop the same type of age related arthritis health conditions as humans.    It is very common for an older cat to get arthritis and there is prescription medication as well as cosequin joint health supplement that will nourish your cats joints and help mobility.

A few weeks ago I trapped a stray cat that was people friendly and I suspect was once a housecat.  I brought the cat into my shelter to examine and when I petted her she purred and rubbed her head on my hand.  I noted some stiffness in her joints and made an appointment for a wellness exam at my veterinarian. 

Upon wellness exam the veterinarian found moderate arthritis.  The veterinarian recommended nutramx cosequin joint supplement for cats.  Cosequin for cats helps to keep my cats mobile.  Within five day the stray cat was jumping up to the window seat and playing with cat toys.  

What I like about the supplement that nourishes her joint s is that the powder that I mixed into her canned food has natural chicken and tuna flavor.  It is easy to administer to cats because they like the taste.

The cosequin treatment will enable me to adopt the cat into a home where adults reside.  I find a cat that needs to be cared for is a good match with a person who lives alone and is a shut-in.  Caring for the cat is therapy for an adult senior citizen. 

Learn more about cat arthritis by viewing this YouTube video: