How to Deal with Stray Cats

I have always been a "Cat Person" from childhood to my now late 30's. And stray cats are attracted to me like guys are to the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders! So I will dip into my vast experience as a feline wrangler to give you some tips for dealing with a stray cat.

First you must decide what you want accomplished from your stray cat experience. Are you looking for a new pet? Do you want to return him to his former home? Do you want to feed him if needed but to have no other interaction? Or do you simply want the pesky critter out of your life? Carry on fair reader and I show enlighten the path to Stray Cat happiness.

Ok my first tip for dealing with a stray cat is that he probably wouldn't be a stray if he had a happy home to go to. A Tom will roam if he thinks he is the Cat's Meow to any female felines in the area, but he will go away after kittens are made. If a cat is a stray he has probably been abandoned or possibly but seldom lost. I have had over 20 cats and only had one leave home (I see him from time to time so I know he yet lives) that I didn't suspect just died.

If you do want to try to return the stray cat to it's home here are some things to do. Put up flyers around the area with a description or picture of the lost cat. Call the local animal shelter and see if they have received any reports of missing cats that match the description.

Should you happen to want to keep the cat here is what you have to consider. Does the cat act wild and run rapidly or commence combat if you try to pick him up? If so this may be a feral cat rather than a stray, if so call the Animal Shelter to deal with it. You won't ever tame a feral cat. One that is just skittish CAN be made into a pet with time and patience.

If you can catch the critter and he/she seems pet worthy then take it to the vet and make sure it gets vaccinated. Especially if you have other cats, if the stray has something, he will pass it to the already established pets. Also observe the stray's interaction with the other cats. If they seem to get along then it is fine to keep the new one. However if it bullies your cats then get rid of it.

Not needing a new cat but want to be humane? Simply let the Animal Control people deal with the feline. In most places they will come out and set a trap, you call when the cat is captured and they come pick it up. If for some reason you have to capture the stray yourself, then it is fairly easy.

Get a cat trap or raccoon trap and bait it with some canned food. The meat smell will be irresistible to a hungry cat. Trap him and take him to the Animal Shelter, he is better off there than being hungry all the time.