I wonder what others here would have done?

I was out shopping, and on my return I came across this cute young cat. It looked nervous, but when I put my hand out it came right over. I crouched with it for a few minutes and saw it had a nametag of 'oscar' around it's neck.

This was next to a busy road with a car every twenty seconds zooming past, on the other side was an embankment with a railway line. It's dark and dangerous for a pet animal to be just wandering around.

I felt bad just leaving it. I mean, I pass cats quite often in the street and don't think twice, but this cat was in a perilous location and I regretted just leaving it behind. I wanted to take it! I have never owned a cat, just a dog years ago..I have a leather sofa, no cat food..I mean that's not practical. I thought I could leave a wee poster out asking for someone to come claim it, even phone up a cat home!! Maybe I'm over-reacting, but now I'm just wondering if it got across the road okay or is now lost, wandering the streets. Cats have a good sense of direction, right??

Anyway..just wanting to know if I did the right thing. He was SO friendly.

Cats very seldom, if ever, approach strangers. If he came to you, that probably means he's highly socialized but has a bonehead owner who allows him to roam. I would have picked up the cat and either took him home with me or dropped him off at the animal shelter rather than allow him to fend for himself in traffic. Hopefully, there was either some info on this tag or he was micro-chipped so the owner could easily be found. Allowing a cat to roam is the epitome of irresponsibility. All kinds of horrible things can happen.

Being a bona-fide cat person I would have taken him home and tried to find his owner. Pets have individual personalities like any other creature but cats can be quick to become skittish and that would have made me fear for his safety. If I couldn't keep him and couldn't find his owner I would look for a no-kill shelter and take him there.

Cat food is pretty cheap so I would have bought a few cans to hold him over till I figured out what to do with him.

I would have taken him home and either assumed he was lost and would advertise that I found him or assumed that he had an irresponsible owner (especially if it was not fixed) and found a new home for him on my own.

awww. good on you for caring!! i would have done the same thing, probably. because, we aren't supposed to just pick up other folks' cats.

If you see him again do what people are advising, if you don't, he might still be OK, some other nice person might have taken him home - don't worry!

Scotsman1999 said:

Hmm..I had been kind of hoping you'd have all told me to wise up and that cats are independent and I did well in walking away! Of course, now all I can think of is that the poor creature was run over on that busy road. I could have picked him up at a pinch, my other hand was carrying some heavy shopping. So many possibilities, and I agree it's a shame that such a lovely, friendly creature was left at the mercy of the road. I wasn't sure of the etiquette of just taking someone else's animal, but I guess if it's in peril then my responsibility should have been with the cat. A shame but there you have it..

Awww...but not being a cat person how could you have known? Your heart was in the right place, you just lacked experience.

Hopefully the owner came looking and found him before any mishaps could occur.

Thanks for your responses everyone. Out of interest I also posted this in a technology forum that's mainly frequented by guys...I got ten times the response, but those were either filled with sick jokes or of the opinion that cats can look after themselves.

I feel more affinity with the responses I got here on the Org. I've seldom visited GD up until now, and having been used to the arguments in the Prince threads, it's refreshing to get such intelligent posts from you all. It doesn't make me feel much better about my choice mind you.

Scotsman1999 said:

Thanks for your responses everyone. Out of interest I also posted this in a technology forum that's mainly frequented by guys...I got ten times the response, but those were either filled with sick jokes or of the opinion that cats can look after themselves.

I feel more affinity with the responses I got here on the Org. I've seldom visited GD up until now, and having been used to the arguments in the Prince threads, it's refreshing to get such intelligent posts from you all. It doesn't make me feel much better about my choice mind you.

Welcome to GD! We're crazier, but nicer than the crew at PMM.

kitbradley said:

Cats very seldom, if ever, approach strangers. If he came to you, that probably means he's highly socialized but has a bonehead owner who allows him to roam. I would have picked up the cat and either took him home with me or dropped him off at the animal shelter rather than allow him to fend for himself in traffic. Hopefully, there was either some info on this tag or he was micro-chipped so the owner could easily be found. Allowing a cat to roam is the epitome of irresponsibility. All kinds of horrible things can happen.

Maybe the cat snuck out of the house? A door could have accidently opened, or any other number of things could have happened.

Years ago we used to have a very big cat that we always kept in the house. As with most cats, he enjoyed laying in the window. One summer morning we went downstairs and noticed he was gone, nowhere to be found. Then we discovered one of the window screens was gone. Apparently when he pushed up against it as he often liked to do, the screen popped out. We immediately went into a panic, put our clothes on and opened the front door to go searching for him. Much to our surprise, there he was sitting on the welcome mat waiting to come in.

So I think we need to give all pet owners the benefit of the doubt when their pets are found roaming, we can't assume they were intentionally let loose.

[Edited 2/19/13 5:52am]

Oscar probably is fine.

Cats know how to get home.

I would not be happy if a stranger would take my cat to his home

Pokeno4Money said:

kitbradley said:

Cats very seldom, if ever, approach strangers. If he came to you, that probably means he's highly socialized but has a bonehead owner who allows him to roam. I would have picked up the cat and either took him home with me or dropped him off at the animal shelter rather than allow him to fend for himself in traffic. Hopefully, there was either some info on this tag or he was micro-chipped so the owner could easily be found. Allowing a cat to roam is the epitome of irresponsibility. All kinds of horrible things can happen.

Maybe the cat snuck out of the house? A door could have accidently opened, or any other number of things could have happened.

Years ago we used to have a very big cat that we always kept in the house. As with most cats, he enjoyed laying in the window. One summer morning we went downstairs and noticed he was gone, nowhere to be found. Then we discovered one of the window screens was gone. Apparently when he pushed up against it as he often liked to do, the screen popped out. We immediately went into a panic, put our clothes on and opened the front door to go searching for him. Much to our surprise, there he was sitting on the welcome mat waiting to come in.

So I think we need to give all pet owners the benefit of the doubt when their pets are found roaming, we can't assume they were intentionally let loose.

[Edited 2/19/13 5:52am]

It's possible. Both cats and dogs do slip out of the house without the owner's knowledge. It did happen once with my cat. He was an indoor cat so thank God he decided to stay around the house. But, far too many people allow there cats to roam. If the cat is fixed, there is absolutely no reason for a cat to roam. It's against the law for dogs to roam because they may hurt someone. I think a law should be passed for cats, also. For their own safety.

Scotsman1999 said:

There's nothing worse than seeing a dead cat or dog at the side of the road. Well, maybe a human, but you don't get that often..even where I live. Believe it or not I've avoided that road since I came across Oscar, and will probably do so for a few days..just in case I see him lying there. I'm nuts, but there you have it.

Well, that dear Oscar not only got you worried about him. I bet half the orgers here do wish he's doing ok.

Pokeno4Money said:

kitbradley said:

Cats very seldom, if ever, approach strangers. If he came to you, that probably means he's highly socialized but has a bonehead owner who allows him to roam. I would have picked up the cat and either took him home with me or dropped him off at the animal shelter rather than allow him to fend for himself in traffic. Hopefully, there was either some info on this tag or he was micro-chipped so the owner could easily be found. Allowing a cat to roam is the epitome of irresponsibility. All kinds of horrible things can happen.

Maybe the cat snuck out of the house? A door could have accidently opened, or any other number of things could have happened.

Years ago we used to have a very big cat that we always kept in the house. As with most cats, he enjoyed laying in the window. One summer morning we went downstairs and noticed he was gone, nowhere to be found. Then we discovered one of the window screens was gone. Apparently when he pushed up against it as he often liked to do, the screen popped out. We immediately went into a panic, put our clothes on and opened the front door to go searching for him. Much to our surprise, there he was sitting on the welcome mat waiting to come in.

So I think we need to give all pet owners the benefit of the doubt when their pets are found roaming, we can't assume they were intentionally let loose.

[Edited 2/19/13 5:52am]

For sure give the owner the benefit of the doubt that it got out by accident but I am so sick of irresponsible pet owners. Your cat should not be out roaming free, and especially if it is not fixed and probably has never had vaccinations, etc.

If one thinks pets should be outside pets with no real care but putting out food for it, you don't deserve that poor animal back. You don't really care about anyway, so you won't miss it. Off to a new, better home it will go.

Scotsman1999 said:

There's nothing worse than seeing a dead cat or dog at the side of the road. Well, maybe a human, but you don't get that often..even where I live. Believe it or not I've avoided that road since I came across Oscar, and will probably do so for a few days..just in case I see him lying there. I'm nuts, but there you have it.

unless the animal is on a busy freeway, i always stop to see if they are still alive and injured in need of help. there is a place called the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center here in MN, they take in injured wildlife of all kinds, rehabilitate them and release them

Seeing an injured animal would really get to me, I don't think I could personally do that.

I still have flashbacks of driving late at night and seeing two foxes in the middle of the road..one had been knocked over, and was lying unconscious or dead. The other was trying to grab it by the neck and drag it to the side of the road.

I don't know the motive for that behaviour, but all I could think about was the truck that was following not too far behind me, and I hope they both made it to the verge in time.

I'm impressed that you're the kind of person who would stop to help an injured animal, that's wonderful..more power to your elbow!

Scotsman1999 said:

Seeing an injured animal would really get to me, I don't think I could personally do that.

I still have flashbacks of driving late at night and seeing two foxes in the middle of the road..one had been knocked over, and was lying unconscious or dead. The other was trying to grab it by the neck and drag it to the side of the road.

I don't know the motive for that behaviour, but all I could think about was the truck that was following not too far behind me, and I hope they both made it to the verge in time.

I'm impressed that you're the kind of person who would stop to help an injured animal, that's wonderful..more power to your elbow!

last one i tried to save was an injured crow by the roadside. it was lying there, with two living crows standing over it. it was alive, and when i checked it's wings and feet out it grabbed my fingers/hand like it needed the warmth. the other crows scolded the heck out of me but i got a box and scooped it up, headed off for the wildlife center. it died in the box on the way there, and i've been wondering ever since if i should have simply left it with its friends. maybe it was dying of old age. i really don't know. i returned it to the spot where i found it.

I took in a stray cat. He lived outside where I lived. He would follow me every where so I took in him in. Best little friend anyone could of ask for. He passed away last year. Had him for 5 years. Miss him but I'm so glad I took him in.

The fact that you thought about the animal's well-being at all, I think, speaks well enough about you as a person.

But truthfully, there are WAY TOO MANY cats in America. The latest figures I could find show over 80 million as pets and another 50 million feral cats. Those were from around 2007, so without a doubt those figures are now higher.

First of all, as others have mentioned, the cat probably has an owner. It wouldn't be so friendly, or have a colar with a name , if it didn't. It may have been lost, but maybe it wasn't. Regardless, it's a cat. They get along very well on their own. And if it doesn't, if for some reason it should come to a bad end, honestly, it's just ONE less cat.

And please, no hate! I love cats. I have two of them. I'm a cat person. But the only thing I would have done for that cat was take it to the nearest shelter, which would have given it a few weeks to find a new home, or not.

I love my cat.

I was supposed to look after him temporarily, because his owners couldn't have him in their flat.

Never heard from them again.

And he has been by best friend 4-ever. He really is a character. He's sweet, polite but very dominant. He makes sure I don't forget our daily quality time. If I'm behind the computer to long, he's sit next to me and miauw untill I leave.

[Edited 2/21/13 3:51am]

Unfortunately he also is very curious.

Few days ago I had painted a tabletop white. Table stood in front of black window-sill.

He didn't wipe his feet before he jumped from the freshe painted table to the windo-sill!

dJJ said:

I love my cat.

I was supposed to look after him temporarily, because his owners couldn't have him in their flat.

Never heard from them again.

And he has been by best friend 4-ever. He really is a character. He's sweet, polite but very dominant. He makes sure I don't forget our daily quality time. If I'm behind the computer to long, he's sit next to me and miauw untill I leave.

[Edited 2/21/13 3:51am]

Awwwww. Him's sweet! I have 6 cats, so needless to say I'm a cat lady. I love dogs, too but when I was living in an apartment, I couldn't have a dog, so I got a cat. Then I got another one to keep Doris company. Doris lived to be 9 and Charlie Griffen lived to be 15. But if I had come across that cat, without hesitation, I would have scopped it up and taken it home to try to fnd the owner.