What do you think I should do about this gorgeous cat?

Do you have a problem with taking him in?

Pretend he is the spirit of Christmas present and welcome him into your home.

@fly- I live with someone who doesn’t want a dozen animals right now and already have two cats- one 14 yrs. and one 2 yrs. so I am worried about diseases, etc. but I also don’t want to compromise my two cats emotional well- being (they are momma’s cats, my fault). Plus the new cat has claws, and as long as I have been feeding him his trust has grown but I have not yet been able to touch him. I am at a loss!

What about seeing if a friend will take him in?

@gail- wish I could but my attempt to steal him inside didn’t go so well. Shifty lil’ fellow, he is.

keep it in your garage…thats what my aunt did raccoons etc. can’t get in

@90’s- Unfortunately, I can’t put him in the garage. My live-in refuses to let the door stay open due to the leaves blowing in from the huge tree next door. Wish I could get him in there.

keep him in there for the whole winter with the garage closed. You could also bring him in the house so he has more area to be. And you can take the cat outside every once and a wihle.

cats are territorial, if you take him in other cats are less likely to ask to move in:) Never heard about racoons wanting to shack up with cats either :) He’s your cat, let him into the house :)

Alley Cat Allies (an organization that traps, neuters, releases, and cares for feral cats) suggests you build a “cat house” per this plan at http://www.feralcat.com/shelter.html .

When I used to have a real job (not one on the Internet) volunteers built a number of them for the feral colony on our grounds. We scattered them about in areas we knew the cats already used for shelter and fed the cats near them but not right in front of them.

Of course, what I would do is bring the cat inside (as I have done way too many times – we are down to only 8 cats now) or put a cat door into the garage door so the cat can shelter in the garage without the leaves blowing in.

I was feeding a stray for quite some time…we called her our ‘porch cat’. I couldn’t bring her in for various reasons, but a neighbor could and did. She now has a happy home, and my children visit her regularly. Good luck with your kitty situation!

Feed him, love him and he will love you forever. Your cat will learn to love him. He came to you for a reason.

@darwin et al: that’s a nice little cat shelter! but I would suggest buying, in addition to all the other things, some thin birch veneer to cover the insulation with. That stuff will get in your outdoor cat’s eyes and mouth and paws and hurt her. I know, I know, the silver side is supposed to go on the inside, but the fiberglass leaks out. Seal it up!

Bring the cat inside, I have 4 of them, and I could never make any of them live outside. Get a litter box, and a food and water dish, the cat will love you more in the long run. Hope this helps.

@Darwin
Are you the “crazy cat lady?” :-)

I’m afraid you have yourself a cat. When you set out that first bowl of food – you got a cat. If you can’t take it in (not a garage, or a box, but IN) take it to a no kill shelter where it will have a chance.

@Judi
Probably. Have you seen my action figure?

@darwin; yes I have! At stupid.com.

@Judi
I think it looks just like me, don’t you?

Just in case anyone is wondering, this is the crazy cat lady action figure.

and darwin, according to your avtar, you’re a redhead with a black nose. Don’t look anything like the action figure!

Don’t tell anyone, but it’s a wig.

@ darwin, funny, I don’t have one of those dolls, but I might consider it if it had black hair. lol I don’t wear a robe either, I do however have a pair of slippers. lol My cats will smother me too, there are times when all 4 of them are on the bed, and the husband just growls and then pets them. lol

@tiggersmom – have you considered paint? And how can you be a cat lady with only four cats? I have 8, down from 14

I used to have more, but my husband is set in his ways, he won’t let me get anymore, but I do feed the strays in the neighborhood, and they love me too, I hate that they can’t come in, it’s cold out there. I have a plaque that says, cats are like chips, you can’t have just one. I am truly jealous that you have so many cats. Paint? I was just recently considering getting my maine coon dyed to look like a skunk, she fits the part the stinker. Oh, the other cats are Hemmingway cats. a.k.a. polydactyl I love that breed the best.

I think she meant paint on the action figure, but have you see the painted cats?

@judi, DOH, Homer moment. lmao I have a ton of painted cat pics that a friend of mine sends to me all the time. I love the idea, but really don’t want to do it unless I know it’s safe for the cat.

I did mean paint on the action figure (or you could dye your own hair). And of course painted cats aren’t real – can you imagine what the cats in question would do to the “painter”? If you think cats hate baths…

Darwin, lol, nope, not going near dye with my hair, tan skin and blond hair really don’t look good, and I like my black hair, lol.
They do paint (dye) cats, they do it to dogs now too. lol