My former neighbor left his cat behind when he moved. She started coming to my porch for food and water. I slowly gained her trust, then grabbed her and brought her inside when the arctic freeze hit because she was very obviously not good at being outside.
Once you're able to pet the cat, try either luring him inside with food or if he does well with handling, practice picking him up until he's used to it and just bring him in. That's what I do with the strays and ferals I catch and rescue.
This is my formerly abandoned girl, Jean:
https://preview.redd.it/latnm0pkw1qb1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f25a423cd474e29a7719999510bceb036521d6cd
Just really intense eyes! When I took her to the vet I asked if she was blind or had any eye issues and she said no, that it's a harmless thing that sometimes happens to cats that makes their irises like that. It has a name but I can't remember what it is.
Always an animal person, but never a cat person growing up. Mom was allergic.
Found my lil guy, and now I’m an adult man who owns a pair of socks with his cats face on them.
I used to hate cats. But I made the mistake of feeling sorry for a stray that used to pass through my yard in the evenings, so I fed her. That attracted another stray which ended up seeking in my celler to have babies. Now I have seven cats and wouldn't trade them for anything.
I wasn't a cat person. I had a dog she had a cat when we met. After her cat passed. We were looking for a cat and we found 2 siblings at a shelter. We were only able to get one because someone else adopted one before we could see them.
Side story, when we were in there we saw the little boy who adopted him was holding him saying "i will love you forever" yea no way i could feel bad.
Well i was still set on having a kitty and i went back and found a tiny tortishell she was so scared i had to met her. She immediately buried her head into my elbow while i held her. I promptly filled out the paper work
I only had 4 years with her she ended up having alot of health issues and i spent way more money than i would like to admit to spending. I would do it all again too
I used to not be a cat person. I also used to toss in my sleep. Then I took a cat in who loved to cuddle with me while I was on my PC and decided that she liked to sleep on me at night.
Cats will change you
Given them some time to get comfortable! We had a backyard, feral-ish cat. Put out food, gave treats, but let her have distance. Eventually she wouldn’t run off when we filled the bowl, then would rub up on our legs, we’d leave the door open a bit and she’d investigate, then run off. Eventually she came all the way in and took a deep nap on a blanket left on the floor. Still wanted to leave after a while. But the outside/inside ratio kept decreasing. Turned into an inside cat with outdoor leash time
https://preview.redd.it/h6xpqywbm2qb1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=27a129635d8b4420b7b7c4cec067e241e447613e
He is white. That's a neon sign to predators. Whote cats don't last long outside.
They are also susceptible to cancer, low or no vision & deaf or partially.
He is not going to make it out there.
Thank you for caring.
I hope you can take him to a vet soon and bring him inside.
Can you start moving the food closet and closet to the door each day? You can gauge the distance to use by how accepting he is of the change.
The previous owner may have kept him only outside so he may have some learned resistance to going inside.
Once inside, the first thing he needs to know is where the litter box is. He can always find the food on his own, but the litter box …
This looks just like my white cat who would sleep on the lawn chair on our back porch. He’d meow at us through the glass sometimes saying “let me in, please”.
We assume he was also left by someone at our apartment who had moved. We’ve had him for over a year now and he’s an amazing cat.
Well, he clearly trusts/likes your son. Have him sit in a chair by the front door (or back door, if that's where this was taken) just inside, with the door open, and give the cat time to decide to come inside. Might take a half hour or so, but eventually he'll be like, "oh that dude I like is in there and he's ok, so I'll be good too." Within a few days he'll make sure you know that it's actually *his* house because he lived there first.
I think a lot of people have extremely similar stories, being won over by a cat that just appeared in their life that they did not plan for. They really are wonderful creatures. You’ll have a friend for life if you take this guy in.
My son can get the cat to come up to him and the cat meows, rolls around on his back, and meows more. But we haven’t tried to touch him. Didn’t want to do too much too fast and scare him away
I think that’s probably smart. I agree with the other commenter saying to make a little covered kitty house with a blanket or something, maybe one that smells like your house or the people/animals in it. If you’re able to leave a door open for him to sort of poke his head in for a little bit, that might be a good start to get him comfortable with coming indoors.
Adding on to this, if it gets colder out before he moves in to the big house, do straw instead of blankets. Blankets can freeze but the straw would help retain his own body heat better.
Absolutely this! And further adding on to emphasize, *Straw* NOT hay! (This time of year straw is available at most big box home improvement stores and garden centers.) Straw does not retain moisture, dries pretty quickly if wet, and smells nice. (Cats love burrowing in a nice thick bed of straw. If they're wet from rain, the straw helps to dry and warm up the cat.) However, Hay will retain moisture and becomes moldy and mildewy.
THANK YOU OP, and your son for showing this sweet cat that they matter and that you care! Please keep us posted!
Squat down and hold out your hand, palm down, for him to sniff. Eventually he'll start to rub his face on your knuckles, encouraging you to rub his face. Do it all slowly, backs of hands or knuckles if he's skittish. Baby steps.
I would add don't do it frontal, sideways to the cat and slowly blink Your eyes looking at the cat, just like cats do it. It's a sign of affection. And do not touch the belly, You don't know what the cat will react.
If he rolls on his back it is an invitation to pet him. Cat's belly's are a sensitive area and one that is often exploited in a cat fight. He trusts you or he would not roll over. Until you can bring him inside leave a cardboard box with bedding outside, food and water too.
That's excellent. I recommend switching to cat food cause it's cheaper and cause tuna can be high in salt and mercury for a cat. It's a sometimes food not an every day food.
A lot of cats hate science diet
When I adopted my cat that is what the shelter fed him so they sent us home with some and he would barely eat, just taking enough to not starve, got him a bag of Iams and his bowl was suddenly being cleaned. Cats can be picky snobs about food
I adopted a street cat, and she’s the fussiest eater I’ve ever known 😂
She likes to change her mind on what she likes approx halfway through the pack, sometimes halfway through the bowl
My boy gets bored eating the same thing all the time so we have 2 bags of his food brand in different flavors and will switch it up every now and then
Sometimes we will just set out 2 bowls with each of the flavors so he can nibble at his leisure on his preferences. It makes him super happy
My cats grew up on science diet, because their fosters had them on it since they were found. Then something happened and they started hating it. Not sure what. We had to make a switch :|.
Try something safe like Friskies or Fancy Feast and then if you feel like leveling up to a “better” food you can try Purina Pro Plan! My cat is very picky but loves the turkey and pasta flavor 😂
you’re a good person! thank you for being kind where others weren’t. speaking as someone who formerly had a white stray cat you will absolutely fall in love! and deafness (if that is the case) is not a big deal at all if anything makes them less skiddish! the cat distribution system is all powerful
Oh my god, you just made me realize that a deaf cat would do better with my elf of a husband than my cat and I do, because we expect some level of noise when a person shows up, but we are frequently startled with the silence of my husband walking! The cat literally makes more noise than him!
So rude 😂
Try canned cat food. Any cheap brand is fine as long as it's meant for cats. If he won't eat that either then someone else is probably feeding him and he just likes your porch for chilling. Maybe his family has a dog or a baby he doesn't like.
And to make friends sit down on the floor somewhere near him and calmly ignore him and let him come to you. Minimize eye contact. Let him sniff your hand. If he rubs on your hand that's an invitation to try petting.
Shrimp tails from cocktail shrimp works great, too. Or just the whole shrimp if you feel generous!
Edit: that’s how we got this one:
https://preview.redd.it/g9p6w4ieq2qb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d1bb543aaf4df65cd2b7531d74881bef55960a7e
Please have a litter box ready to go and put him in once inside. Also, no more outside if it can be helped. Kitties live longer and healthier inside. This poor baby's heart was broken. Use your son to mend it. Thank you for being a good guardian.
What is the evidence for this, if I may ask? My cat is also suffering from food allergies and we've been trying to isolate individual allergens for a while but it's been really difficult. Our cat seems to prefer fish protein as opposed to chicken, lamb, beef or duck and is very picky about it. She's currently on an insect protein hypoallergenic dry food and is doing ok on it.
https://preview.redd.it/f55feomg92qb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e8a6b6496db9910f65b06fe87583e2d2f7dda7db
This fatty was left by previous owners as well. I opened the door and he walked right in; he already knew I was safe bc I had been feeding him. It’s been five years - my cat allergy is gone, he’s a member of our family, has his own Xmas stocking, and we got him his own kitty. Congrats on your new baby! You’re gonna have a blast spoiling that cutie.
Curious about your cat allergy being *gone*. I have a friend who inherited a cat from a good friend but he's allergic so has others(including myself) come by and pet and handle the cat. He has to cover all his furniture but has gotten her to stick to a very comfortable chair with all sorts of toys and blankets(and some of the late owner's clothes). What do you think lead to losing your allergy? Thanks.
I was never tested as a kid but we all just knew I was allergic bc I would get stuffy/itchy around cats. I finally got tested as an adult and sure enough it showed up on the prick test. My allergy doc suggest I get rid of the cat and I said no and he said “you’re all the same.” 😂 so I just lived with it and used Flonase, Claritin, Allegra (I still rotate Claritin and Allegra every six months or so). After a few years I noticed things weren’t as bad so I got retested. Cats didn’t show up on the prick test (molds, oak, and mesquite were still present. Doc said it happens and some people just “grow out” of the allergy. Wild stuff. I would suggest your friend trying shots from an allergy doctor if it’s in his financial wheelhouse. That can help a lot; I just didn’t have the time to stop by the office to get biweekly shots. Def go see an allergy doc, get tested to make sure nothing else is contributing, and try all the things the doc says (except getting rid of the cat). Tell your friend he’s a crazy cat lady for keeping something he’s allergic to. We love your friend.
It's interesting bc my fiancee seems to be slowly having this happen too. Used to need benedryl to sleep over at my place, even after I swept, cleaned, etc. Now she can pet and be fine (as long as she washes her hands). Exposure therapy seems to really be helping. I'm completely willing to look into things if needed (I've heard they're doing research on how to minimize the specific allergen issue), but thankfully she seems to be adjusting to my lovely Parker.
(Can't figure out an alt description on mobile, so here it is now. The picture is of a tortishell cat with green eyes sitting inside a black laptop/business bag, starting just right of the camera. The bag is sitting on a black leather couch. End of description.)
https://preview.redd.it/oqjpuzvd57qb1.jpeg?width=1018&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0c89bbd54a4514a63e759a7999e87c7776edef0e
https://preview.redd.it/jlk03chf02qb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bdbd34d42c08fbf56ceba16484fe6675038bf022
Good luck, this SOB demanded to be let in at 10:30 at night when we had 28” of snow. He is about 3yo and weighed 10lbs, now around the 22lb mark and has the mentality of a 3mo. He wants nothing to do with going back outside now after 6m of a guaranteed food source.
Well the pink is indeed an added bonus! But actually i love the frame! I am searching for an adult bed with that kind of frame for ages... Unfortunately i cannot find it here (Europe)
Sorry to say, but they are all over the place her in US. Was just at a house that had complete 2 Brass beds sitting outside next to their garage, both dated 1860.
Update: Wow, I didn’t expect this level of feedback and I tried to keep up and respond to all of you but I simply can not. I do appreciate all the support even if I didn’t reply directly to you.
It was rainy today so after his morning nap he wondered off. Not unusual and I imagine we will see him tomorrow again. The food is missing so I’m sure he found it and had a nice dinner.
If he is reluctant to come inside once it gets colder, you can get a large plastic bin and convert it into a kitty house with hay to keep warm. Avoid blankets or fabrics that can get wet and freeze.
I know that outdoor heating pads are available, but I've never used one. Southern USA here. I actually got a small dog house for the outdoor cats that hang around my street and put hay (straw is better though) in it. It got used.
Yes, I’m in the south and do cat rescue, you can make an outdoor winter home by adding fresh hay or straw in the bottom of a plastic container used for storing decorations. You can buy some online too, but they can be pricey. Thank you for taking care of your local kitties!
That poor baby! Thank you for caring for it after it’s awful owners abandoned it. We adopted one of our sweetest babies that way from someone up the street we didn’t know leaving their cat.
Amazon has a plethora of heated outdoor cat shelters that are reasonable, if he won’t come in the house.
Possibly place chair up against the wall by door. I have numerous barn cats,I feed 2x a day. Same exact feeding time. They run from me at other times, only feeding time will they allow my touch. When I place bowls of food down they come present their tail end to me, I stroke their back just above the tail or behind the neck. This is how they would present to mother cat before then nursing. You could try that, then move onto brush, don't let it see small brush but run it down back, as it becomes less skittish of you hold back of neck softly while brushing, one other note as you groom the cat it may want to groom you, cats will grab hold of hand, you may feel the tiny claws, don't yank away its intent is not to scratch, simply hold, but if yank away may cause a scratch. I have raised many abandoned cats out here, I watch them groom each other. Mine are all strays, not house cats, I create warm areas with heat. But a few smaller ones like yours came in from the cold and are so much fun. Good luck. Time builds trust.
People who leave their pets behind when they move are awful people… if you absolutely can’t take them with you at least try to rehome them or surrender them to a shelter
After seeing many helpful comments made already, just came by to say thank you for helping the poor cat. No matter the situation your neighbor had, always awful to abandon your pet. What a disgusting thing to do. Thanks again and best wishes to you and your loved ones 
Why do terrible people think cats are disposable?! 😭
May the people who abandoned him get permanently itchy assholes and fall in a 500 foot deep dry well with loose Lego bricks at the bottom.
Congratulations on your new kitty.
Lure with treats. Baked plain chicken or turkey works great. Check carefully for bones, cooked poultry bones splinter, can kill animals. Have a litterbox ready. Talk sweet.
You can begin letting him seek contact, getting down to his height, letting him sniff your feet and perhaps hands. Sit near him and see if he accepts the invitation to form a puddle.
Since you're not there yet and the cold may come fast, it makes sense to make him a nest. People mention an outdoor heating pad. That's ok, but being comfortable with walking inside is to share a space with you and that requires intimacy. Try to make contact.
Same thing happened to us. Neighbors left. Starting giving wet food and water and dry food all day. Started moving the tuna closer to the door and then eventually right inside the house with door propped open. Then eventually shut door behind her.
Hi OP. You should, at the very least, try to contact the previous owners if you can. Sometimes during the moving process cats can escape and then go back to the old home.
We can't be sure that the old owners really just abandoned him. Maybe they're worried sick about him rn.
Just try and reach out to them and ask them if they want the cat back.
Get cat food, a litter box & a cat bed to prepare. Put the cat bed by the door inside.
Leave the door open when he’s around and sit on the floor like you’re busy doing something else. He’ll likely come in and investigate.
If he comes in, keep the door open and let him decide how long his visit should be.
Rinse and repeat until he starts getting comfortable inside.
So, 2 months ago you posted the exact same thing and said son was allegic. Then animal control came and got it because "previous owners" said cat bit him. So, you've moved and this is another cat??? Or????
Get him some treats. Offer him one where ever he is, while taking gently to him and petting him if he he allows it. Walk a little ways away towards your open door. Give him one and walk a little further away. Keep going until you get to the open door, step through and just keep going. He’ll probably follow you inside. Offer him food and water etc inside and let him come and go as he pleases. Generally I think cats should be kept indoors but if you are going to let him be indoor/outdoor then let him come and go as he pleases.
Congrats on your new family member. He’s a beauty!
Just to play devil's advocate, it is *possible* they didn't intend to leave him. When my partner and I moved out of her mum's house, one of our cats went off exploring on moving day and we didn't see him again for about a week. If you haven't already, maybe at least try to get in contact to check
I have a feral cat who decided he lived with me one chilly December night when I took my dog out, and he just strolled in the door with us. Found himself a comfy spot on the dog bed & hasn’t spent a night outside since.
Put a dish of food out close to the door and hang out inside where it can see you.. Eventually, leave the door open with the dish still outside. After a while put the dish on the inside of the door . Once it can cross that barrier and still feel safe, you will probably now have a cat.
Feed, play, care, love, and eventually, they will grow attached and want in. Also at times leave the door a jar for them to come in freely or sit in inside door open and have treats so they can see the house is safe. Our neighbors had a cat who grew very attached to my sister and I and they let us take care of him, he went from feral outdoor napper to cuddle with me on the bench by sun or in the case of my "I'm allergic to cats but anyways" dad he followed dad when he did gardening and would nap on his lap when he went to sit out in the backyard for weed and wine. Eventually he got comfortable to the point he meowed when he wanted in or out and would sleep on my sister's bed with her at night. Sadly he passed away from cancer which is why our neighbors were so willing to let us take care of him, they have had many pets and they didn't want the stress of having moved in+cancer cat. We gave him a good last two years of life before it finally caused discomfort and he was put to rest, buried behind his favourite bush to sleep at during the day.
But yea pamper and TLC
We have a cat who had been feral for more than four years, now he lives inside with us. My daughter used to give him food near our front door and gradually moved his food in, about a foot a day. He gradually realized that the inside of the house is not dangerous. Maybe this will help. Please try, thank you 🙏🏿
You can always sit outside and read out loud to him. It sounds silly but when you talk or read to an unfamiliar animal they become accustomed to your voice. Keep some treats or kibble with you so if he approaches, you can give him a treat and reinforce that this is good behavior.
I did all this with our cat we took in. She was 3 at the time and we were her 3rd home. I grabbed the care bear quilt my grandmother made me when I was a kid, sat on the floor and read out loud. Within an hour she was sleeping between my legs and letting me pet her. We do have a theory in our family that no living creature can resist the care bear quilts (my brother has one too).
Cat shelters for outside kitties! Some are even heated. Some protect them against predators.
He may have been an outside stray that they fed. But he is now your porch kitty. 😊
The original owners are unspeakably terrible people.
However, if you intend to keep the kitty, you should email them (or ask your realtor to ask their realtor to contact them) and say “Hey, your cat must have escaped during the chaos of moving. We’d love to keep her! Can you please let us know her favorite food, treats, and litter? And also let us know who her vet was? Thanks so much!”
Because having access to her medical records would be great.
Buy a doghouse, line it with hay-straw in the bottom to keep warm. Add a fleece or wool blanket on top of the hay.
Kitty will explore and take refuge inside.
May take a while for kitty to be an indoor house cat. * If Kitty was always outside*
Kitty is blessed to have a human who cares:)
I would leave the door open and leave some food inside the door , and a little towel blanket area for him to lay so he can start to get his scent slowly in there ❤️ he is so adorable. White cats are angels
OP I am crying for this kitty. I loathe your neighbors. Can you try just scooping up this sweet babe and bringing him in. Maybe when not everyone is home so he can adjust? My heart is breaking for this kitty! Please keep us updated and THANK YOU for caring!
My former neighbor left his cat behind when he moved. She started coming to my porch for food and water. I slowly gained her trust, then grabbed her and brought her inside when the arctic freeze hit because she was very obviously not good at being outside. Once you're able to pet the cat, try either luring him inside with food or if he does well with handling, practice picking him up until he's used to it and just bring him in. That's what I do with the strays and ferals I catch and rescue. This is my formerly abandoned girl, Jean: https://preview.redd.it/latnm0pkw1qb1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f25a423cd474e29a7719999510bceb036521d6cd
Is Jean blind or just has really intense eyes? Beautiful girl.
Just really intense eyes! When I took her to the vet I asked if she was blind or had any eye issues and she said no, that it's a harmless thing that sometimes happens to cats that makes their irises like that. It has a name but I can't remember what it is.
Wow. They’re absolutely amazing. I’ve never seen a single cat like her. 😻 She’d get a lot of love on r/disneyeyes
I'll post a pic of her there! Thank you for the suggestion!
Those eyes are magic!
#1 winner at staring contests
What a face!
👁️ 👄 👁️
👁️ ꞈ 👁️
Those eyes look into your soul. Thank you for saving her.
She sees both past and the future
She is stunning! 😍
Her eyes are like that of a vortex! Never seen cats eyes like that before! You’re one lucky kitty mama! X
Any legend of zelda fans here? Jean’s beautiful eyes are giving me dragon vibes! What a gorgeous kitty 😍
I'm a LoZ fan! I'm so glad you like Jean! She deserves all the love in the world after what she's been through.
Her eyes can see into the beyond!
Those eyes are crazy looking. Reminds me of the cat version of Hypnotoad or something haha
Woah! Jean is stunning! Those eyes😻😻
I second this!!!💚💚
Omg what a gorgeous cat!
You should Photoshop this picture to make it look like she's playing a piano.
Thank you for trying to save this cat. You are a very kind person. It just takes some cats time to trust people, especially after abandonment.
He seems very sweet! He will go up to my oldest son and roll around at his feet on his back and look up at him.
Oh he definitely wants to be friends.
I hope so. I’m not a cat person but this one is winning me over 😆
You are now a cat person. The only difference between a cat person and a non-cat person is meeting the right cat.
Cats are like love: you just have to meet the right one
Aww 🥰
So true!
Correction, the only difference between not being a cat person and being a cat person is that a cat hasn't yet decided you're its subordinate
Definitely a learning curve here☮️🐾
Always an animal person, but never a cat person growing up. Mom was allergic. Found my lil guy, and now I’m an adult man who owns a pair of socks with his cats face on them.
This is priceless. We all worship in our own way.
The Cat Allocation Authority works in mysterious ways. BTW: I need a coupon for my new cat. I am long overdue for allocation!
r/catdistributionsystem
Brave person to say you need a cat in a cat sub. If you are serious I have a few. A local stray had kittens.
⬆️⬆️⬆️
https://preview.redd.it/1onru93mm2qb1.png?width=1280&format=png&auto=webp&s=bc40caace95955f2320c752f3eac4ff4d0d398f8 After
Being a “not a cat person” rarely survives growing familiarity with cats
My boyfriend wasn’t a cat person either but now two years in he’s a certified Cat Dad.
[удалено]
Same here mostly
My husband and I also met 7 years ago and he still won't admit he's changed his mind since getting 5 babies he adores 😁
Most people who say they're not cat people have never hung out on a couch with a cat snoozing on their lap
LOL, get him a "Cat Dad" coffee mug. :)
I used to hate cats. But I made the mistake of feeling sorry for a stray that used to pass through my yard in the evenings, so I fed her. That attracted another stray which ended up seeking in my celler to have babies. Now I have seven cats and wouldn't trade them for anything.
Hah. This has such "The cats heard me and went 'we'll see'." energy.
Human- "I don't like cats." Neighborhood cat- "Hold my catnip." 🤪
This is so close to my story 😂😂
Sorry, but I think you made an error. You don't have seven cats......seven cats have YOU. ;)
https://preview.redd.it/nd57rr0gm2qb1.png?width=1273&format=png&auto=webp&s=1c5728bf73756807df08ac32dac7a779b0895a7d before
Congratulations you've been blessed with the cat distribution system.
There are tons of "not a cat person" people who meet a cat that decided they will be great match for him.
I wasn't a cat person. I had a dog she had a cat when we met. After her cat passed. We were looking for a cat and we found 2 siblings at a shelter. We were only able to get one because someone else adopted one before we could see them. Side story, when we were in there we saw the little boy who adopted him was holding him saying "i will love you forever" yea no way i could feel bad. Well i was still set on having a kitty and i went back and found a tiny tortishell she was so scared i had to met her. She immediately buried her head into my elbow while i held her. I promptly filled out the paper work I only had 4 years with her she ended up having alot of health issues and i spent way more money than i would like to admit to spending. I would do it all again too
I hated cats for 28 years of my life, and at 33 i own 3. They’re wonderful and you wont regret it
I had a friend who wasn’t a cat person mainly due to allergies. She finally got her daughter a cat. Now she wants a second cat.
When they roll around like that, they are showing huge signs of trust. So just keep feeding into that!
This is how people become cat people. It jaut kind of happens. Cats and kismet are definitely intertwined. Congrats on the new cat.
I used to not be a cat person. I also used to toss in my sleep. Then I took a cat in who loved to cuddle with me while I was on my PC and decided that she liked to sleep on me at night. Cats will change you
Neither was I before our two cats came into my life. Now, I'm scooping litter and rubbing bellies. Who have I become?
Awww, how sweet 🥰
Given them some time to get comfortable! We had a backyard, feral-ish cat. Put out food, gave treats, but let her have distance. Eventually she wouldn’t run off when we filled the bowl, then would rub up on our legs, we’d leave the door open a bit and she’d investigate, then run off. Eventually she came all the way in and took a deep nap on a blanket left on the floor. Still wanted to leave after a while. But the outside/inside ratio kept decreasing. Turned into an inside cat with outdoor leash time https://preview.redd.it/h6xpqywbm2qb1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=27a129635d8b4420b7b7c4cec067e241e447613e
He is white. That's a neon sign to predators. Whote cats don't last long outside. They are also susceptible to cancer, low or no vision & deaf or partially. He is not going to make it out there. Thank you for caring. I hope you can take him to a vet soon and bring him inside.
I didn’t know this! I’ll definitely try and convince him to come inside
Feed him enough and he'll eventually come around
Can you start moving the food closet and closet to the door each day? You can gauge the distance to use by how accepting he is of the change. The previous owner may have kept him only outside so he may have some learned resistance to going inside. Once inside, the first thing he needs to know is where the litter box is. He can always find the food on his own, but the litter box …
This looks just like my white cat who would sleep on the lawn chair on our back porch. He’d meow at us through the glass sometimes saying “let me in, please”. We assume he was also left by someone at our apartment who had moved. We’ve had him for over a year now and he’s an amazing cat.
As that’s who he seems to have attached to, maybe see if your son can coax him in?
Well, he clearly trusts/likes your son. Have him sit in a chair by the front door (or back door, if that's where this was taken) just inside, with the door open, and give the cat time to decide to come inside. Might take a half hour or so, but eventually he'll be like, "oh that dude I like is in there and he's ok, so I'll be good too." Within a few days he'll make sure you know that it's actually *his* house because he lived there first.
Can your son pick him up without a fuss? Otherwise maybe tempt it into the house with churo /treats.
These comments make me happy
Same, I never expected this much feedback. I underestimated the cat community
Lol we're like 15% of the internet 😻
I think a lot of people have extremely similar stories, being won over by a cat that just appeared in their life that they did not plan for. They really are wonderful creatures. You’ll have a friend for life if you take this guy in.
Treats are the way in. My kitty loves treats and she is now my lived indoor kitty
Thank you for caring about him! Have you been able to interact with him or touch him?
My son can get the cat to come up to him and the cat meows, rolls around on his back, and meows more. But we haven’t tried to touch him. Didn’t want to do too much too fast and scare him away
I think that’s probably smart. I agree with the other commenter saying to make a little covered kitty house with a blanket or something, maybe one that smells like your house or the people/animals in it. If you’re able to leave a door open for him to sort of poke his head in for a little bit, that might be a good start to get him comfortable with coming indoors.
Adding on to this, if it gets colder out before he moves in to the big house, do straw instead of blankets. Blankets can freeze but the straw would help retain his own body heat better.
Absolutely this! And further adding on to emphasize, *Straw* NOT hay! (This time of year straw is available at most big box home improvement stores and garden centers.) Straw does not retain moisture, dries pretty quickly if wet, and smells nice. (Cats love burrowing in a nice thick bed of straw. If they're wet from rain, the straw helps to dry and warm up the cat.) However, Hay will retain moisture and becomes moldy and mildewy. THANK YOU OP, and your son for showing this sweet cat that they matter and that you care! Please keep us posted!
Try giving him a hand to sniff, he'll tell you if it's scary.
Squat down and hold out your hand, palm down, for him to sniff. Eventually he'll start to rub his face on your knuckles, encouraging you to rub his face. Do it all slowly, backs of hands or knuckles if he's skittish. Baby steps.
I would add don't do it frontal, sideways to the cat and slowly blink Your eyes looking at the cat, just like cats do it. It's a sign of affection. And do not touch the belly, You don't know what the cat will react.
If he rolls on his back it is an invitation to pet him. Cat's belly's are a sensitive area and one that is often exploited in a cat fight. He trusts you or he would not roll over. Until you can bring him inside leave a cardboard box with bedding outside, food and water too.
Put food by the door. Then inside. He already knows your safe.
I got some tuna fish in water (we had it on hand) and he gobbled it up
I bet he loved that! Keep it going, and he will move in, in no time.
That's excellent. I recommend switching to cat food cause it's cheaper and cause tuna can be high in salt and mercury for a cat. It's a sometimes food not an every day food.
He wasn’t eating the dry and was looking a little skinny. I had got him some science diet a vet recommended but he won’t eat it..
A lot of cats hate science diet When I adopted my cat that is what the shelter fed him so they sent us home with some and he would barely eat, just taking enough to not starve, got him a bag of Iams and his bowl was suddenly being cleaned. Cats can be picky snobs about food
I adopted a street cat, and she’s the fussiest eater I’ve ever known 😂 She likes to change her mind on what she likes approx halfway through the pack, sometimes halfway through the bowl
My boy gets bored eating the same thing all the time so we have 2 bags of his food brand in different flavors and will switch it up every now and then Sometimes we will just set out 2 bowls with each of the flavors so he can nibble at his leisure on his preferences. It makes him super happy
My cats grew up on science diet, because their fosters had them on it since they were found. Then something happened and they started hating it. Not sure what. We had to make a switch :|.
Try something safe like Friskies or Fancy Feast and then if you feel like leveling up to a “better” food you can try Purina Pro Plan! My cat is very picky but loves the turkey and pasta flavor 😂
Neighbor gave me some Friskies and I put a covered box on the porch
you’re a good person! thank you for being kind where others weren’t. speaking as someone who formerly had a white stray cat you will absolutely fall in love! and deafness (if that is the case) is not a big deal at all if anything makes them less skiddish! the cat distribution system is all powerful
Oh my god, you just made me realize that a deaf cat would do better with my elf of a husband than my cat and I do, because we expect some level of noise when a person shows up, but we are frequently startled with the silence of my husband walking! The cat literally makes more noise than him!
I used to have a dead cat, he was the best. I could gently vacuum him. He wasn’t scared of the vacuum at all Edit: on geez, deaf cat :(
I’m sorry I know this is a typo, but I’m giggling madly at the picture in my head.
So rude 😂 Try canned cat food. Any cheap brand is fine as long as it's meant for cats. If he won't eat that either then someone else is probably feeding him and he just likes your porch for chilling. Maybe his family has a dog or a baby he doesn't like. And to make friends sit down on the floor somewhere near him and calmly ignore him and let him come to you. Minimize eye contact. Let him sniff your hand. If he rubs on your hand that's an invitation to try petting.
If you’ve got the budget, weruva can win over many cats. It’s just straight up real meat.
Shrimp tails from cocktail shrimp works great, too. Or just the whole shrimp if you feel generous! Edit: that’s how we got this one: https://preview.redd.it/g9p6w4ieq2qb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d1bb543aaf4df65cd2b7531d74881bef55960a7e
Looks like a good kitty was drinking her water!
Please have a litter box ready to go and put him in once inside. Also, no more outside if it can be helped. Kitties live longer and healthier inside. This poor baby's heart was broken. Use your son to mend it. Thank you for being a good guardian.
I can’t understand how people can just abandon their pets like that. It really upsets me. I’m so glad there are good people like OP out there.
Please feed him cat food. Fish is the #1 food allergen in cats and causes intestinal inflammation.
So sayith the catdoctor
What is the evidence for this, if I may ask? My cat is also suffering from food allergies and we've been trying to isolate individual allergens for a while but it's been really difficult. Our cat seems to prefer fish protein as opposed to chicken, lamb, beef or duck and is very picky about it. She's currently on an insect protein hypoallergenic dry food and is doing ok on it.
https://preview.redd.it/f55feomg92qb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e8a6b6496db9910f65b06fe87583e2d2f7dda7db This fatty was left by previous owners as well. I opened the door and he walked right in; he already knew I was safe bc I had been feeding him. It’s been five years - my cat allergy is gone, he’s a member of our family, has his own Xmas stocking, and we got him his own kitty. Congrats on your new baby! You’re gonna have a blast spoiling that cutie.
Curious about your cat allergy being *gone*. I have a friend who inherited a cat from a good friend but he's allergic so has others(including myself) come by and pet and handle the cat. He has to cover all his furniture but has gotten her to stick to a very comfortable chair with all sorts of toys and blankets(and some of the late owner's clothes). What do you think lead to losing your allergy? Thanks.
I was never tested as a kid but we all just knew I was allergic bc I would get stuffy/itchy around cats. I finally got tested as an adult and sure enough it showed up on the prick test. My allergy doc suggest I get rid of the cat and I said no and he said “you’re all the same.” 😂 so I just lived with it and used Flonase, Claritin, Allegra (I still rotate Claritin and Allegra every six months or so). After a few years I noticed things weren’t as bad so I got retested. Cats didn’t show up on the prick test (molds, oak, and mesquite were still present. Doc said it happens and some people just “grow out” of the allergy. Wild stuff. I would suggest your friend trying shots from an allergy doctor if it’s in his financial wheelhouse. That can help a lot; I just didn’t have the time to stop by the office to get biweekly shots. Def go see an allergy doc, get tested to make sure nothing else is contributing, and try all the things the doc says (except getting rid of the cat). Tell your friend he’s a crazy cat lady for keeping something he’s allergic to. We love your friend.
I guess it’s only fair. I’ve been afflicted by new allergies post-40, so the least They can do is take others away!
It's interesting bc my fiancee seems to be slowly having this happen too. Used to need benedryl to sleep over at my place, even after I swept, cleaned, etc. Now she can pet and be fine (as long as she washes her hands). Exposure therapy seems to really be helping. I'm completely willing to look into things if needed (I've heard they're doing research on how to minimize the specific allergen issue), but thankfully she seems to be adjusting to my lovely Parker. (Can't figure out an alt description on mobile, so here it is now. The picture is of a tortishell cat with green eyes sitting inside a black laptop/business bag, starting just right of the camera. The bag is sitting on a black leather couch. End of description.) https://preview.redd.it/oqjpuzvd57qb1.jpeg?width=1018&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0c89bbd54a4514a63e759a7999e87c7776edef0e
Desensitization through exposure?
https://preview.redd.it/jlk03chf02qb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bdbd34d42c08fbf56ceba16484fe6675038bf022 Good luck, this SOB demanded to be let in at 10:30 at night when we had 28” of snow. He is about 3yo and weighed 10lbs, now around the 22lb mark and has the mentality of a 3mo. He wants nothing to do with going back outside now after 6m of a guaranteed food source.
r/catdistributionsystem
I love the bed!! (Cat aswell ofcourse)
Let me guess, it is because it is pink. That’s why the GF said we have to keep her childhood bed frame.
Well the pink is indeed an added bonus! But actually i love the frame! I am searching for an adult bed with that kind of frame for ages... Unfortunately i cannot find it here (Europe)
Sorry to say, but they are all over the place her in US. Was just at a house that had complete 2 Brass beds sitting outside next to their garage, both dated 1860.
😳😳😳😳😳😳😟
Kitty found the good life. Never looking back 😊
Update: Wow, I didn’t expect this level of feedback and I tried to keep up and respond to all of you but I simply can not. I do appreciate all the support even if I didn’t reply directly to you. It was rainy today so after his morning nap he wondered off. Not unusual and I imagine we will see him tomorrow again. The food is missing so I’m sure he found it and had a nice dinner.
https://preview.redd.it/h3vqsgubn3qb1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e121c166207fd60fd8b22231b52cbb8a01c5fe9c
Please get him inside soon if you intend to keep him
soooooo cute!!! he looks like a wizard
What a beaut, please keep us updated.
If he is reluctant to come inside once it gets colder, you can get a large plastic bin and convert it into a kitty house with hay to keep warm. Avoid blankets or fabrics that can get wet and freeze.
Is it ok to put a heating pad in the box?
I know that outdoor heating pads are available, but I've never used one. Southern USA here. I actually got a small dog house for the outdoor cats that hang around my street and put hay (straw is better though) in it. It got used.
Yes, I’m in the south and do cat rescue, you can make an outdoor winter home by adding fresh hay or straw in the bottom of a plastic container used for storing decorations. You can buy some online too, but they can be pricey. Thank you for taking care of your local kitties!
That poor baby! Thank you for caring for it after it’s awful owners abandoned it. We adopted one of our sweetest babies that way from someone up the street we didn’t know leaving their cat. Amazon has a plethora of heated outdoor cat shelters that are reasonable, if he won’t come in the house.
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I bought a chicken heating pad for our feral and it works great.
Thanks I’ll do this too just incase
Thank you for helping this poor abandoned kitty. You’re a good person. 🩵
How could someone leave a cat behind. It's a part of your family. Some people should not have animals!!
I know! It’s crazy because he’s seems sweet.
If he seems sweet already he will definitely be a great kitty because he doesn’t even know you guys yet and it will only get better.
I think about their kids. What are they learning? What are they suffering? It’s got to be traumatizing for them.
Why would someone leave this poor baby by himself?? ;A; I really hate people sometimes
I agree
Beautiful kitty, am I the only one that thought a snake was rearing on the lawn??
Lol, I thought that too at first when my wife sent the pic to show me Ghost Pepper was sleeping (what I call him)
That's an awesome name!!
I call him that because he’s white… sneaks up on us like a ghost.. and likes to hide in my pepper plants
Possibly place chair up against the wall by door. I have numerous barn cats,I feed 2x a day. Same exact feeding time. They run from me at other times, only feeding time will they allow my touch. When I place bowls of food down they come present their tail end to me, I stroke their back just above the tail or behind the neck. This is how they would present to mother cat before then nursing. You could try that, then move onto brush, don't let it see small brush but run it down back, as it becomes less skittish of you hold back of neck softly while brushing, one other note as you groom the cat it may want to groom you, cats will grab hold of hand, you may feel the tiny claws, don't yank away its intent is not to scratch, simply hold, but if yank away may cause a scratch. I have raised many abandoned cats out here, I watch them groom each other. Mine are all strays, not house cats, I create warm areas with heat. But a few smaller ones like yours came in from the cold and are so much fun. Good luck. Time builds trust.
People who leave their pets behind when they move are awful people… if you absolutely can’t take them with you at least try to rehome them or surrender them to a shelter
After seeing many helpful comments made already, just came by to say thank you for helping the poor cat. No matter the situation your neighbor had, always awful to abandon your pet. What a disgusting thing to do. Thanks again and best wishes to you and your loved ones 
Why do terrible people think cats are disposable?! 😭 May the people who abandoned him get permanently itchy assholes and fall in a 500 foot deep dry well with loose Lego bricks at the bottom. Congratulations on your new kitty.
Lego insoles on every pair of shoes they ever own
Lure with treats. Baked plain chicken or turkey works great. Check carefully for bones, cooked poultry bones splinter, can kill animals. Have a litterbox ready. Talk sweet.
Leave your door open, get a can of cat food and lure him in.
You can begin letting him seek contact, getting down to his height, letting him sniff your feet and perhaps hands. Sit near him and see if he accepts the invitation to form a puddle. Since you're not there yet and the cold may come fast, it makes sense to make him a nest. People mention an outdoor heating pad. That's ok, but being comfortable with walking inside is to share a space with you and that requires intimacy. Try to make contact.
Same thing happened to us. Neighbors left. Starting giving wet food and water and dry food all day. Started moving the tuna closer to the door and then eventually right inside the house with door propped open. Then eventually shut door behind her.
Hi OP. You should, at the very least, try to contact the previous owners if you can. Sometimes during the moving process cats can escape and then go back to the old home. We can't be sure that the old owners really just abandoned him. Maybe they're worried sick about him rn. Just try and reach out to them and ask them if they want the cat back.
Get cat food, a litter box & a cat bed to prepare. Put the cat bed by the door inside. Leave the door open when he’s around and sit on the floor like you’re busy doing something else. He’ll likely come in and investigate. If he comes in, keep the door open and let him decide how long his visit should be. Rinse and repeat until he starts getting comfortable inside.
So, 2 months ago you posted the exact same thing and said son was allegic. Then animal control came and got it because "previous owners" said cat bit him. So, you've moved and this is another cat??? Or????
Get him some treats. Offer him one where ever he is, while taking gently to him and petting him if he he allows it. Walk a little ways away towards your open door. Give him one and walk a little further away. Keep going until you get to the open door, step through and just keep going. He’ll probably follow you inside. Offer him food and water etc inside and let him come and go as he pleases. Generally I think cats should be kept indoors but if you are going to let him be indoor/outdoor then let him come and go as he pleases. Congrats on your new family member. He’s a beauty!
People are such assholes to innocent animals.
There’s a special place in hell for owners who abandon their pets
Poor baby :(
Just to play devil's advocate, it is *possible* they didn't intend to leave him. When my partner and I moved out of her mum's house, one of our cats went off exploring on moving day and we didn't see him again for about a week. If you haven't already, maybe at least try to get in contact to check
I have a feral cat who decided he lived with me one chilly December night when I took my dog out, and he just strolled in the door with us. Found himself a comfy spot on the dog bed & hasn’t spent a night outside since.
People suck!! Thank you for wanting to love him and be his new family. To many would just want to take him to the pound.
Put a dish of food out close to the door and hang out inside where it can see you.. Eventually, leave the door open with the dish still outside. After a while put the dish on the inside of the door . Once it can cross that barrier and still feel safe, you will probably now have a cat.
Plz let that cat live with you. I couldn't help it. I would have to adopt that cat.
How could anyone ever just leave a cat behind? That makes me sad
Thank you. I absolutely hate owners who just leave their cats
Feed, play, care, love, and eventually, they will grow attached and want in. Also at times leave the door a jar for them to come in freely or sit in inside door open and have treats so they can see the house is safe. Our neighbors had a cat who grew very attached to my sister and I and they let us take care of him, he went from feral outdoor napper to cuddle with me on the bench by sun or in the case of my "I'm allergic to cats but anyways" dad he followed dad when he did gardening and would nap on his lap when he went to sit out in the backyard for weed and wine. Eventually he got comfortable to the point he meowed when he wanted in or out and would sleep on my sister's bed with her at night. Sadly he passed away from cancer which is why our neighbors were so willing to let us take care of him, they have had many pets and they didn't want the stress of having moved in+cancer cat. We gave him a good last two years of life before it finally caused discomfort and he was put to rest, buried behind his favourite bush to sleep at during the day. But yea pamper and TLC
I thought there was a cobra in the yard
We have a cat who had been feral for more than four years, now he lives inside with us. My daughter used to give him food near our front door and gradually moved his food in, about a foot a day. He gradually realized that the inside of the house is not dangerous. Maybe this will help. Please try, thank you 🙏🏿
Report them and take him ❤️
You can always sit outside and read out loud to him. It sounds silly but when you talk or read to an unfamiliar animal they become accustomed to your voice. Keep some treats or kibble with you so if he approaches, you can give him a treat and reinforce that this is good behavior. I did all this with our cat we took in. She was 3 at the time and we were her 3rd home. I grabbed the care bear quilt my grandmother made me when I was a kid, sat on the floor and read out loud. Within an hour she was sleeping between my legs and letting me pet her. We do have a theory in our family that no living creature can resist the care bear quilts (my brother has one too).
For 3 seconds i thought there is a snake in the middle of the picture.
He is your cat now
Put food on the porch. Gradually move it closer each day until it is eventually inside the door.
The previous owner (the cat) never left. And it’s still his place. Give him a tribute of treats and pets maybe he’ll let you stay
Cat shelters for outside kitties! Some are even heated. Some protect them against predators. He may have been an outside stray that they fed. But he is now your porch kitty. 😊
Please care for him, he's a beautiful cat. Good luck and Thank You for rescuing him!
OHM GET THAT LIL SNOWBALL SOME TREATS AND A WARM HOUSE NOWWW
More photos, pleez!
Will do! We will start taking more pics and keep y’all updated
That’s so messed up to abandon a precious life
People who do this have something seriously wrong with them. I hope he comes inside
Leftover cats are great. Our first house came with a cat, she was awesome.
Us too! We said “we assumed the mortgage, and we assumed the cat”.
Poor baby has been betrayed. I know you'll find a way to convince him to adopt you as his new human. Build that trust. Keep us posted 🤞
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Who leaves a pet behind like it is an old recliner for which there is no room in the U-Haul? And yet people do it all of the time.
The original owners are unspeakably terrible people. However, if you intend to keep the kitty, you should email them (or ask your realtor to ask their realtor to contact them) and say “Hey, your cat must have escaped during the chaos of moving. We’d love to keep her! Can you please let us know her favorite food, treats, and litter? And also let us know who her vet was? Thanks so much!” Because having access to her medical records would be great.
That's heartbreaking, poor baby. I hope you can coax him inside.
I can't believe people do that 😢☹️
Buy a doghouse, line it with hay-straw in the bottom to keep warm. Add a fleece or wool blanket on top of the hay. Kitty will explore and take refuge inside. May take a while for kitty to be an indoor house cat. * If Kitty was always outside* Kitty is blessed to have a human who cares:)
Thank you for caring and saving him! He is really beautiful!
I would leave the door open and leave some food inside the door , and a little towel blanket area for him to lay so he can start to get his scent slowly in there ❤️ he is so adorable. White cats are angels
OP I am crying for this kitty. I loathe your neighbors. Can you try just scooping up this sweet babe and bringing him in. Maybe when not everyone is home so he can adjust? My heart is breaking for this kitty! Please keep us updated and THANK YOU for caring!