The RSPCA actually has a handy little guide for exactly this situation: And you can find your local RSPCA's contact info here. They are probably the most qualified to answer any questions you...
What is the difference between a stray cat and a feral cat?
If the cat is not friendly and approachable, it may be a feral. These cats are able to look after themselves. So long as a feral cat is healthy, they will live happily outside. If the cat is approachable and friendly it may be a stray cat that belongs to someone.
We support the trapping and neutering of feral cats where local charities have the capacity to do so.
What should I do if I find a stray or feral cat?
Unfortunately we don’t have the resources to collect healthy strays but you can help a stray cat by following our ‘How to help a stray’ guide below. If you have concerns about a sick or injured stray cat you can report it to us.
If a stray cat is not feral the best thing to do is try and find its owner: To find out if the cat has an owner follow these steps:
Cats roam over a wide area, so ask around to see if anyone knows who it belongs to.
If you can safely transport the cat to a vet, you could have it scanned for a microchip.
If this isn’t possible but you can get close enough to put a collar on it, then download our Paper cat collars [PDF 36.5KB]. Take precautions when approaching the cat and fixing the collar.
We also recommend you visit Pets Located, an online resource that reunites owners with their pets.
And you can find your local RSPCA's contact info here. They are probably the most qualified to answer any questions you have. Although I can 100% confirm that feeding milk to a stray cat is a terrible stereotype since the vast majority of older cats are lactose intolerant. Cooked boneless chicken or canned tuna is the way to go. And unless you have an RFID reader then AFAIK, no, there is no easy way to tell if a stray animal is microchipped or not.
Yeah, he/she needs help. That kind of infection will kill the cat. They may have trouble locating or catching it, but I wouldn't feel right about it unless I reported it. It meowed at you and...
Yeah, he/she needs help. That kind of infection will kill the cat. They may have trouble locating or catching it, but I wouldn't feel right about it unless I reported it. It meowed at you and sought your attention by trying to get inside, so it's certainly not feral as they avoid human contact altogether. It's likely an escaped former indoor/outdoor cat. At least call and report it, and I'd keep an eye out for it and try to help as well as you are able.
Please think about if you want to be the owner of the cat. Once you start feeding it, it's pretty much going to adopt you. If that's cool with you, great! If you're unsure, then perhaps try to...
Please think about if you want to be the owner of the cat. Once you start feeding it, it's pretty much going to adopt you. If that's cool with you, great!
If you're unsure, then perhaps try to find the owner as suggested (likely no owner given the condition) and then if no luck with that investigate to see if there is a no-kill shelter in your area. I believe others provided some great links. Good luck!
Don't give it raw meat, might have worm eggs in it. Cats also don't drink milk. Like cfabbro said, cooked chicken or fish is best. I'll advise sticking to chicken because most house cats cannot...
What can I actually give a cat to eat or drink if I don't have any catfood? There's the stereotypes of milk and fish but e.g. does the fish need to be raw, cooked? Is cow milk actually okay for them?
Don't give it raw meat, might have worm eggs in it. Cats also don't drink milk. Like cfabbro said, cooked chicken or fish is best. I'll advise sticking to chicken because most house cats cannot pick fish bones. Don't put any salt, oil, or spices in the meat, normal doses for humans is dangerous for cats. If you plan on feeding it long term (months), cat food would be better. Chicken breast and such don't have all the nutrients the cat needs.
For the UK, can cats carry anything harmful or contagious if I were to touch or go near it?
The only serious thing off my mind is rabies, so go get an immunity shot within 48 hours if you get bitten, just to be safe. Other than that, the possibility of fleas and ticks.
As others have said, feed it cooked meat or cat food, no dairy. In my experience living in a smallish town, stray cats can be friendly even if they didn't have any previous owners. Some cats just...
As others have said, feed it cooked meat or cat food, no dairy.
In my experience living in a smallish town, stray cats can be friendly even if they didn't have any previous owners. Some cats just go from yard to yard searching for a source of water and the occasional handouts from humans, other than that they have an abundance of small critters, birds and insects to eat.
If the cat doesn't look starved or really sick just put out a bowl of water in the yard. I wouldn't feed it too much as it could make the cat dependent on you.
The RSPCA actually has a handy little guide for exactly this situation:
And you can find your local RSPCA's contact info here. They are probably the most qualified to answer any questions you have. Although I can 100% confirm that feeding milk to a stray cat is a terrible stereotype since the vast majority of older cats are lactose intolerant. Cooked boneless chicken or canned tuna is the way to go. And unless you have an RFID reader then AFAIK, no, there is no easy way to tell if a stray animal is microchipped or not.
Yeah, he/she needs help. That kind of infection will kill the cat. They may have trouble locating or catching it, but I wouldn't feel right about it unless I reported it. It meowed at you and sought your attention by trying to get inside, so it's certainly not feral as they avoid human contact altogether. It's likely an escaped former indoor/outdoor cat. At least call and report it, and I'd keep an eye out for it and try to help as well as you are able.
Please think about if you want to be the owner of the cat. Once you start feeding it, it's pretty much going to adopt you. If that's cool with you, great!
If you're unsure, then perhaps try to find the owner as suggested (likely no owner given the condition) and then if no luck with that investigate to see if there is a no-kill shelter in your area. I believe others provided some great links. Good luck!
My family is similarly allergic. Good luck!
Don't give it raw meat, might have worm eggs in it. Cats also don't drink milk. Like cfabbro said, cooked chicken or fish is best. I'll advise sticking to chicken because most house cats cannot pick fish bones. Don't put any salt, oil, or spices in the meat, normal doses for humans is dangerous for cats. If you plan on feeding it long term (months), cat food would be better. Chicken breast and such don't have all the nutrients the cat needs.
The only serious thing off my mind is rabies, so go get an immunity shot within 48 hours if you get bitten, just to be safe. Other than that, the possibility of fleas and ticks.
As others have said, feed it cooked meat or cat food, no dairy.
In my experience living in a smallish town, stray cats can be friendly even if they didn't have any previous owners. Some cats just go from yard to yard searching for a source of water and the occasional handouts from humans, other than that they have an abundance of small critters, birds and insects to eat.
If the cat doesn't look starved or really sick just put out a bowl of water in the yard. I wouldn't feed it too much as it could make the cat dependent on you.