Question about taking in a stray cat and bathing.?

Question

I want to adopt a cat that's always hanging around my house, but first off, I want to make sure I'm not kidnapping it.

It's not wearing a collar or tag. And it's been coming to my house on a regular basis for at least 6 months looking for food. It's shown up every day for the last 2 weeks now. It wakes me up in the middle of the night sometimes with all the meowing. So it has to be stray right?

Also, I know I need to take it to a vet, but I also want to get it cleaned. Is there a place I can take it to get a bath? I don't want to do it myself because it sounds terrifying.

Answer 1

Yes, the cat is showing all signs of a stray so I would say you're okay in that area.

As for the bath, you can take it to a groomer or wait until you go to the vet. Although, I wouldn't be too worried about doing it yourself with some gloves.

Either way, it's very, very kind of you to take in a stray!

Wish you the best:)

Answer 2

You could ask around the neighborhood to see if the cat is really a stray. But, if it's around your house all of the time I really don't think it does belong to anyone.

As far as bathing this cat, well,,, I really wouldn't even try it. Cats don't like baths, they don't like water. When you take the cat for a check up ask when you call if they have a groomer there too. That way you could have the cat checked out and have it bathed most likely at the same time.

I hope this helps and I hope you do keep this cat.

Good luck!

Answer 3

You already have some good advice on assuring that this cat really is a stray. As for bathing, some cats will allow you to bathe them. I have two who do; this is partly because I trained them for it when they were kittens. An adult cat will probably be more difficult. Chances are, you'll want to let the vet do it, even though it's much more expensive, because the cat will probably only need a bath once (assuming that you make him/her an indoor cat). But if you want to try to train your cat to be bathed at home, first try a sponge bath. Wear grungy clothes, put just a small amount of water in the bathtub to dip the sponge in, and sit on the side of the tub with him/her in your lap. Incorporate lots of petting and gentle talking into the process. Graduate to you in the tub with only a few inches of water and the cat in your lap. (Keep the petting/gentle talking ritual going.) Occasionally, shut the cat in the bathroom while you take showers or baths so s/he sees that you're not afraid of the water. Graduate to progressively deeper baths until it's a bath deep enough for your cat. (After having done this, one of my cats is now so unafraid of the water that he'll occasionally join me in the shower if I leave the door open!)

Answer 4

I take showers with my cat all the time. I've been doing it since he was three months.

Answer 5

Just keep her in the house. And post flyers for a found cat. If nobody replies withn a week, I guess it would be yours.

Taker her to the vet to get fixed. And get shots. If she has been living outside, she might have gotten in get fights, and you want to take care of that! make sure she does not have worms, and no fleas. The vet can give her a bath.

I hope everything goes well! =)

Answer 6

I'd guess it's a stray.  When you take it to the vet ask them to scan for a microchip first.  If the cat doesn't have one then I'd just keep it.  If someone puts up signs then you can decide if they deserve to have it back.  But if it is a pet and hasn't just been lost for the last 6 months then it must have some pretty undeserving owners.

As far as the bath goes, I wouldn't bother except in the most extreme circumstances.  We've brought in three strays this year and the only one who got a bath was a little kitten who was infested with fleas and too young for Revolution so he got one Dawn bath to get rid of the fleas.  The other kitties got themselves perfectly clean pretty quickly.  When we got the girl inside she devoted the first several days to sleeping and obsessive grooming.   Within days no one would have known she was ever a stray.  Healthy cats are very good at keeping clean.  

good luck with your new kitty!

Answer 7

cats clean themselves. if it is dirty, wipe it with a damp cloth, no need to bathe it. ask around the neighborhood. no one claims it, it's yours.have thr vet check it and have it fixed.

Answer 8

Um... find any nearest grooming for cat places they'll clean it up well fur shur