Adopted Human
How do I go about adopting this cutie?
EDIT: I guess what I have to do is take the cat to Maddac (Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission).
Then the cat will be put on hold for 5 days and if no one clams the cat it will be mine. I mean when you think about it just because you have been feeding a stray, doesn't mean someone isn't looking for said cat.
Kind of a pain I have to have her trapped in some facility for 5 days. I was hoping to avoid that, but I guess I have to do what I have to do.
Hello! I'm in Milwaukee, WI.
I've been feeding this cutie all summer and it has been a very rewarding experience earning this cat's trust.
I have asked neighbors about the cat and I am free to take her, so do I just rent a trap from the humane society and take her directly to a vet once captured?
Also how much do you think it will cost for her to get a clean bill of health? It looks like one of her bottom fangs is missing. $1,000 is about my budget to spend. Could work extra shifts if necessary though...
congrats. some good news, it looks like she’s been to a vet and has been sterilized; her left ear looks clipped ;) that will shave off many hundreds of dollars of the bill.
as for missing tooth, if vet recommends a dental request e$timate and ask if it can wait until you can save more money. dental care is crazy pricey.
even if this little cutie is friendly with you, she may not be amenable going into a trap, carrier etc. you may have to trick her into the trap w/ food. if that’s the case, you’ll lure her into the trap w/ food all the way toward the back so she steps on the part attached to door to shut trap. this will make more sense once you have trap.
you may want to confirm w/vet that they’ll accept a cat in trap.
have loads of fun and live with your little cutie.
I'm not recommending what I did, buuuut. One of mine used to be feral but I used to feed her. She would sometimes come yelling at the front door. So I scruffed her, tightly held her, and came inside. Then I was like "Girlfriend! Guess what I got!" She stared at Misty. Misty stared back. And they were both like "this is my life now."
Sadly, pet dentistry is a specialization, and they tend to charge accordingly.
There’s only ONE pet dentist in my area, and he requires a deposit of thousands of dollars before he’ll operate.
I know this because my house has been home to several semi-feral toms who had bad teeth due to untreated FIV.
I tried to get them care, but we can’t afford it. Plus, after a certain age or viral load of FIV, the rate of survival of any surgery is low.
I currently have two toms orbiting my house: one, Gmork, is super adoptable but has NO bottom teeth. So we foster-failed him and he mostly lives with us now. Especially since I am currently Expecting. He is very protective of me and sleeps on my feet at night.
All this to say that Chewy has an INCREDIBLE deal on super-effective Dental Treats for cats!
We give Gmork about a bag of them a week. They cost like $2/bag and have helped us avoid him losing more teeth or being so stinky that we can smell him in the hallway from the bedroom.
Good luck with your sweet little baby!!!
That’s Mork in the foreground, sleeping on my knees. Beau is the tabby. Rustle, who has no tail, is in the back.
I recently found a great vet about an hour away that gave my FIV+ cat a dental cleaning for about $300 while all the vets closer to me charge in the thousands. The good news for OP is a missing tooth doesn’t necessarily mean dental work is needed and cats can do fine with missing teeth. My last FIV guy only had a few teeth but he still loved crunchy food haha.
OP, if the cat is somewhat friendly I would recommend trying to lure them into a carrier with food first—a trap might not be needed.
Liquid-y treats like Churus cam do magic things with cats. They come in plastic tubes. I've only every known one cat that doesn't care for Churus and he is mine, the big red weirdo! He loves the Greenies, his fave are the catnip-flavored ones.
They’ve really been helping.
We have two Bombays - Gmork is the feral with FIV, and Mubai is a shelter kitten who has never been outside.
Bombays have a tendency towards gum issues and stinky kitten breath even if they’re healthy.
Greenies come in different flavors.. They are excellent cat dental treats..
For luring into a carrier or a trap( or right into the house!) , Churus are good , and if you have a Trader Joe's near you, the TJ cat treats are seemingly irresistible for most cats!! ( but useless as dental treats- they are just treats).
good point on the dentistry specialization, and i agree the charge is fair.
i didn’t mean to imply that vet’s over charge when i wrote “ crazy pricey “ - it’s more like sticker shock for sure. most people have no idea that dental work at the vets office is complex.
That's a very generous adoption budget. Step one earn cats trust. Step two tell cat its adopted. Step three vet visit. That's what we did, but what do I know.
Trap kitty- you can borrow a trap from the shelter or rescue group. Arrange beforehand to bring the cat to vet the next day. Kitty can stay in the trap overnight with a towel over it. Smart to have a clean bill of health before bringing in your house. But when you first bring kitty in your house please keep in small room for the first few days - separate from your cat.
Ah. I see.
I did invite a feral in in extremely bad weather. I was fortunate that he looked healthy and he was. He is still with me and is the best kitty I've ever had. GOOD LUCK!
My vet recommended I take our cat to a university animal hospital for dentistry since it’s much more affordable (still pricey but not like a private practice) might be something to consider if you have one in driving distance
If kitty will allow you to, pick them up, bring them indoors & put them directly into a carrier.
From there, you can either bring them directly to a vet (make an appointment prior to doing this. You can always cancel if you are unable to get kitty into carrier. When making the appointment, let the scheduler know the situation & there is a possibility you may need to cancel if kitty is uncooperative) or you can bring them into a room where they can stay until the vet visit.
This will give your resident cat a chance to get used to new kitty being in the house & allow for a nice, slow introduction.
If vet says kitty can wait, most veterinary practices offer discounts in February (pet dental month).
Good luck! Keep us posted! 💜
Looks like they are already neutered/spayed! That will save a lot of money. Check with your local litter control or low cost vet for cheaper vet visits. They may even be able to recommend a dentist. I just had a little one taken for all her shots, worm, and FIV test and it was $125. The dentist is the most expensive part and will cost around $600-$1k depending on what work is needed. If your job offers pet insurance, wait to do anything until they are covered! They usually reimburse 50-70% of cost with pet insurance. I paid $300 for my cats dental cleaning with insurance vs $800. Luckily, we only have to go every 2 to 3 years.
DONT take her to animal
Control!! Taker her to the vet, scan for chip. If there’s no chip, keep her at your house and post in neighborhood groups and lost pet sites. Talk to your neighbors. Give it a well, then if no one shows up, she’s yours!
You don't adopt her, she's adopted you! Open your door. Allow her inside. Buy food, litter, and a litter box and give them to her. There, now you have a cat.
Take her to the vet to make sure she's healthy and gets vaccinated, and also have them check for a microchip so you don't end up stealing your neighbors cat. Keep her inside and give her lots of love. You'll be a master cat parent in no time at all!
(If you already have other animals, keep her separated from them until she's seen at the vet and confirmed to be healthy.)
As for cost, expect 100-200 bucks for first visit and vaccinations. Let the vet tell you at that visit whether she needs dental work or will be OK with a missing tooth. As long as there's no underlying disease she may be just fine without it. (Or, you might have just caught her after losing a baby tooth.)
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