<p>I live in a horrible neighborhood, where a bunch of idiotic pot smoking wannabe gangbangers strut around, thinking they own the neighborhood. I’ve been feeding this stray cat on a daily basis, and now I’m his best friend. I’m sure he’s a stray, and he might have been abused before, judging from the way he acts. In addition, everytime I feed him, he always seems to be starved. Anyway, he’s been rubbing against my leg, and following me around, and it seems humane to adopt him and put a roof over his head. My friend adopted a cat for $80, and that covered just the adoption fee, because apparently his cat was already free of parasites and all that stuff. If I adopt this cat, I’m going to have to take it to someone to make sure he’s clean and healthy. Considering I’ve never owned a pet before, I’m not familiar with the process. So it would be nice to get some pointers on who I should take this cat to for inspection, and how much it would cost.</p>
<p>Call a vet or an animal shelter and ask what you should do and how much it would cost.
If he’s rubbing your leg, you’ve been claimed!
Adoption fees usually include a vet check and neuteriing/spaying fees…</p>
<p>I’ve adopted four stray cats over the years: two now age nine, one age 5, and one still a kitten. I take mine to a vet and get them checked for disease and then get the animal neuter/spayed and all the requisite shots. The jump in costs between cat #3 and #4 surprised me but I learned it can be minimized. For example, call several local veterinarians and see if any give discounts for rescued animals: they gain a paying patient in the long run so some help out. Do call several if you go this route as costs vary widely among vets here. Another solid option: call your local animal shelter and ask for advice; it wants animals in good homes and should be able to help you out, with information if nothing else. </p>
<p>Anyway, there are places here that help for a much lower price than the vet charged me, even with a discount. Next time I will check the options more carefully. I would guess you should budget at least the amount your friend paid for adoption: I’d bet his cat came neutered/spayed with shots. At least here, that’s standard adoption practice. You may be able to get by for less (even a minimal amount) but plan on around $80, just in case.</p>
<p>I love my rescued kitties: once you cover that initial one time cost, then the expense is minimal. I do take my cats in yearly for a checkup and shots but again you should be able to find low-cost options for doing so.</p>
<p>Anyway, it sounds as though you’ve already made that friend for life, make that next step as easy for yourself as you can financially.</p>
<p>I would contact the local humane society, our local one has a vet associated with them that does lower cost spay/neutering.</p>
<p>We adopted a stray that my coworker found last year. Turns out she had already been spayed, so we just had to pay for an exam/shots. We did this through our regular vet, so it wasn’t discounted.</p>
<p>Also, unless you live in a cold climate, first thing, even before bringing the cat inside, get some flea treatment - advantage or revolution is best - and use it on the cat (well, obviously not on you). Give it a day to work and the fleas will be gone. If you go to a vet, you can ask about this. All you need is one.</p>
<p>Definitely bring the cat in for at least a check for parasites and disease. We adopted a cat once that had a parasite and it costed us a couple hundred dollars by the time it was over.</p>
<p>You can Google “Cat rescue” plus your city/state to find low cost options for vet care. The first step is definitely spay/neuter, check for FIV, parasites and fleas. In my area a local cat shelter will do all of this for $15.</p>
<p>Thanks for considering giving this cat a home. Sometimes cats that live on the streets are feral and very difficult to socialize, but it sounds like you found a sweetie.</p>
<p>We adopted a stray cat many years ago; a beautiful, smart, loving animal. When we initially brought him to the vet, two major concerns were raised. One, he was an adult male and we were told that, even if he was neutered, he might continue to “spray”. Second,we were warned that if he tested positive for Feline Leukemia Virus [ASPCA</a> | Feline Leukemia Virus](<a href=“http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/cat-care-feline-leukemia-virus.aspx]ASPCA”>Cat Care | Grooming | Nutrition | Disease | Behavior | ASPCA) ongoing care for him could become quite expensive. Thankfully, he tested negative and “spraying” was never an issue.</p>
<p>You may completely freak the cat out if you try to put him in a carrier to take him to the vet. Personally, I would buy the back-of-the-neck flea treatment and treat him with that a few days before I’d bring him inside. </p>
<p>Over the years, I’ve been adopted by several cats (not so much recently, since I got dogs). Two of them had been neutered and then abandoned (based on their condition when they found him). However, they definitely had fleas. And if they have fleas, they likely have tapeworm (carried by fleas). </p>
<p>You will need to find a local vet; I’d start there BEFORE you attempt to put the cat in a carrier. They may be willing to give you a worming treatment without seeing the cat. (The flea stuff is over-the-counter at your local pet store or even online.)</p>
<p>CapStar tablets for fleas work within 30 - 60 minutes. The kitten we just rescued had fleas from tip of nose to tip of tail. We wrapped a tablet in something tasty and the kitty ate it. Fleas died within the hour. We gave him another tablet a day or two later, just in case a flea or two lingered in the room with plans to reinvest him. It works wonderfully well.</p>
<p>[Welcome</a> to the CAPSTAR Homepage - Novartis Animal Health US, Inc.](<a href=“http://www.capstarpet.com/dogsAndCats/dogsAndCats.htm]Welcome”>http://www.capstarpet.com/dogsAndCats/dogsAndCats.htm)</p>
<p>Let us know what you find out. I hope you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the options available to you.</p>
<p>Just an aside, I have had great success using a pillow case as a carrier.</p>
<p>that’s hilarious :D</p>
<p>I’ll just use a grocery bag then.</p>
<p>And he’s not always very friendly with me. Like during daylight, he’ll treat me just like everyone else and pretend he doesn’t know me. I think it’s because he thinks there’s people watching. this one time, I was just walking and he avoided me. But after I walked behind the fence where this guy hanging out in the balcony was out of sight, the cat came up to me wanting to get friendly.</p>
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<p>Looks like the cat is trying to adopt you…</p>
<p>I’m not a cat person, but the sweetest cat I’ve ever met came to his owners in a similar way.</p>
<p>Anyway, good on you for taking him in, it sounds like you’ll do well together :)</p>
<p>He doesn’t want to come into the apartment. I guess he’s still used to hunting down insects. I could use his skills. My apartment has cockroaches.</p>
<p>Don’t know where you are in Texas, but Houston has a group called Citizens for Animal Protection. They have a thrift store on Katy Freeway, and I’m sure you can get information about low cost spay/neuter, vaccinations from them.</p>
<p>In my area, New Orleans, there are a couple of rescue groups, and there is a wonderful vet that will spay/neuter strays for 10 to 30 dollars. You can get rabies shots for an additional five. I like to get Revolution flea/ear mite treatment applied before I bring the cat home.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for opening up your heart and home to this sweetie. He will take care of your cockroaches, and I’m sure he’ll be sleeping on your pillow in no time.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>spectastic, start by feeding him next to the door, on the outside. After a week or two, open the door and move the bowl onto the door sill. Every few days, inch it further inside. Be patient. I think you’re probably right, he probably has been abused and neglected, and it will take him a while to get used to the idea of consistent kindness from a human. Give him time.</p>
<p>I’m sure this goes without saying, but you should leave fresh water outside for him at all times. Strays get very dehydrated.</p>
<p>Bless you! We’ve adopted several strays over the years, and I believe they were sent to us because we’re supposed to be together. Sounds like the same thing has happened to you.</p>
<p>man apparently I have some competition. two my neighbors are also feeding the cat. I think I should upgrade my product so he eats from me more. I want him inside, so he can help me with this cockroach problem, instead of digging in the dirt for crickets.</p>
<p>it’s been living in my home for several days. likes to follow me everywhere, and purrs nonstop. hopefully he knows why I placed the litter box right over the spot where he took a huge dump last time, and that he plays with the scratching post I bought him, instead of my air mattress.</p>
<p>one thing though. he grooms himself, and I’ve checked for fleas. but he seems to lick his balls more than any other part. I’ll bring him to the shelter one of these days, to make sure he doesn’t have worms. (doubt it, judging by his fat body). but since he probably won’t be in contact with any females in the near future, is it really necessary to get his nuts clipped?</p>
<p>He may pee all over the house if you don’t. Normally, getting them neutered prevents that.</p>
<p>You may want to try using catnip on the scratching post to motivate him to use it</p>