Found a black cat! Here we go again~

[Koteburo]

Tonight we went for a walk and we heard a VERY loud little fellow so I went to see and found a black kitty cat. Very vocal, loud and extremely friendly so I though a neighborhood indoor/outdoor cat (there are a lot around) and I was going to keep going my way but the little guy kept following us and meowing with urgency. We were only a few blocks away so while I stayed with him my husband went to get some of our cat's cat food. He DEVOURED it. He seemed very hungry. After a while of failed attempts because of one of our crappy irresponsible neighbors who allows their poor little dog to roam in the area unleashed, alone, unsupervised. The carrier opened, the cat escaped, the dog chased him. Kitty ended up on a tree. It was really stressing for him and for us. But long story short we have him in our place for now. We want to help him. He has no collar, no tag, no tattoo, and of course no license tag. He drank a lot of water and ate more. He's using one of my cats bed that they don't use anymore.
Our next step will be to take him to the vet for a scan in case he's been chipped in which case it will be easy to return him to owner.
He's very thin but not skin and bones, appears to be very young (like an adult kitten like I call them or a young adult cat) and he's not neutered.
He's extremely vocal. Talks all the time, very very friendly and loving which makes me hesitate that he might have a home.
I'd hate to cause someone to be wondering where their cat is tonight but he followed us, had no tags I didn't know what else to do.
I'm going to print signs and put them around particularly in the area where we found him (besides checking for a chip)
Our cats are SUPER curious but for now we'll keep them apart for many reasons.
My husband wants to have the city have him for a few days to see if someone claims him, if not we'll back him up and take him under our care until we find either the owner or a responsible home for him.
What do you think?

Note: I already posted this in the lost and found area but this thread I created is more for discussion, advice, support (although I've been through this many times hehe new ideas, support, etc are always welcome)

I just took this pics of him

And

[ownedbycats]

Handsome! No new ideas on reuniting him with his family, but good luck.

[hazelrunpack]

Oh, what a sweetheart! And what an angel you are for taking him in!

[Koteburo]

Well... We had him scanned today, as I suspected, no microchip.
He's so friendly and loving and he doesn't like us to leave his side and he sure lets us know with his loud meowing.

So what's next?
Well to begin with I want to make everything as easier for him as possible and avoid him stress so I want to take him under our care until we find either his owner or a good home (and I mean it by saying good. I'm not letting go to the first person that raises the hand unless I know it'll be OK)

Difficulties to encounter:
I live in an apartment and it's not big and for now he's confined to the spare bedroom where I spend time with him whenever I can (which I'm doing right now. The Desktop is here so there's someone here every day ). However I have 2 cats: Scully and Mulder so this is where difficulties come.
We can't start slowly introducing to each other until I make sure he's free of parasites and feline leukemia (I don't think he has it but I have to make sure)
And making sure implies blood tests and blood tests means money and I'm certainly short on that.
I live in Calgary so does anyone knows if there's an option gentle on the wallet to have him checked for that?

There's still much to do than just that but if I don't take it one step at a time I'll go bonkers.
After that there's the neutering and the whole adoption process and for that I could use all the help I can get. I'm willing to foster him, neuter him, all I need in return is help to find a quality home for him.
And I wonder who can help me with that?

Well... Now I have to go print found signs although more and more I believe he's a stray (well not anymore heh) but gotta keep trying right?

[thildy]

Good luck, the cat found a new home now.

[sugarcatmom]

Awww, what a cutie! Good for you for looking out for him!

Definitely a great idea to put "found" posters up around your neighbourhood, maybe even up to several blocks away cause this little guy may have wandered far from his home. I actually live pretty close to you and there are some "lost" posters up on my street, but they're for a couple of missing tabbies.

I recommend contacting the MEOW Foundation and talking to someone about your situation. Here is their Rescue and Intake page with phone numbers: http://www.meowfoundation.com/bins/c...101-375&lang=1 Their next official "intake day" for found cats is Wednesday Sept 5th. You have to phone at 9am sharp and keep dialing until you get through (kinda like trying to get concert tickets). There are a limited number of spaces available on these days and they fill up quickly.

MEOW works with the Humane Society to reunite lost cats with their owners, and will also speuter/vaccinate/microchip the kitties and put them up on their adoption page if the owner isn't found. The catch is that right now it's peak kitten season so their shelter and foster homes are chock full. But maybe the fact that you would be willing to foster this guy will help the situation, so I suggest calling them before the 5th to see what they say. To be a foster home for MEOW, you have to fill out a bunch of paperwork and get approval from your landlord if you rent.

One more thing if you do go the MEOW route: they don't test for FIV/FeLV. It's considered unreliable in cats under a year, and doesn't differentiate between truly infected cats and previously vaccinated ones. The cost/risk ratio for a rescue organization to spend so much money looking for rather uncommon (2%) diseases isn't worth it for them. If this is still a concern for you, it's something you might have to pursue on your own. Although honestly, unless this kitty has been out on the street for quite a while and getting in lots of fights (and that doesn't sound like the case), the likelihood of him having FeLV of FIV is very rare.

[Koteburo]

Thank you so much for the advice SCM. I'm going to contact the MEOW foundation. I'll be delighted to foster this little guy for sure.
By the way I saw the signs of the lost tabbies too by the park (Buckmaster Park) I see lost cats signs here way more often of what I'd like (I'd like not to see those signs at all but... )

Tonight I let them see each other, Scully, Mulder and "Bobandy" for about a minute. Mulder was the most curious and bold. I didn't let them get too close because is the first time they see each other without any door in between them and my girls can be quite mean the first time. (Although they're not aggressive a couple of times Scully went berserk from the deck because a neighbor cat walked by. But I was there so nothing happened at all and she and me were in the balcony)
Anyways, there was no growling or hissing it went really well. So I'll let them see each other for a bit longer tomorrow. Poor Bobandy he's sick of being in that room and he's only been there since Friday but good things come to those who wait.
Although I found him outside I've met my share of outdoor fighting cats and Bobandy has no signs of fights, no scars, no little indents in his ears, no traits that indicate he gets in fights and he doesn't seem to be aggressive towards other cats so far.
You wouldn't believe HOW SWEET he is, he's so loving. He jumps on our laps and literally hugs us and he's so talkative I think I'm falling in love hehehe. (and he uses the temporary litter box I set up for him)
Tomorrow the found sign quest will began and getting in touch with MEOW.