Have had a cat running around my apartment building since saturday and tonight my roommate decided to pet it and it followed us to our door. It's been outside meowing for a while now and i'm tempted to just bring the thing inside and keep it. It's a good looking cat and doesn't look like it's been without a home for very long. Anybody ever take in a stray?
The only thing i'm worried about it any diseases or any other health issues it has, can I take it to a shelter in the morning and have it checked out for free? If it's healthy i'd keep it but don't care to have a cat that is already disease ridden.

Get it checked out................and then............you have a new pal!

All the time.

For outdoor/barn cats, no problem. For house cats, we did it twice at my wife's insistence - and neither experience ended well.

The first one went psychotic after a year and shredded the curtains and carpeting, then started pissing on the beds, including the baby's crib. She went to the shelter the next day.

The second would bolt out the door every chance, then would bring fleas back with him. I spent $50 a month on pest control before he took off one day and never came back.

After that, we went to a shelter for our cats, and waited until we found an adult cat that actually LIKED people. We've had two of them for 8-10 years and counting with no problems.

When we first moved into our current house this cat would always come into our garage. My dad took it to the vet. Got it checked out. We had it from 92-early 00s maybe a little less before we had to put it done with cancer.

It was a good pet and I'm a dog person.

Hate cats..but tried it once b/c my son wanted one for a while..I'll asked me for one..and a stray came along..that lasted about a week.

All of my family's cats have been strays.

The only good cat is a dead cat.

BRF wrote: Get it checked out................and then............you have a new pal!

Ding ding ding....we have a winner!

Nine years ago on a snowy and cold December day, a battered kitten found his way into our garage. He had been attacked by some animal and had a slash near his neck. When my wife tried to see how badly he was hurt, it crawled into her arms and nestled there. Now until that day, both of us hated cats. Long story short, we ended up keeping him, and he has turned out to be the most affectionate of any of our pets.

Mr. 300 wrote: The only good cat is a dead cat.

lol

Mr. 300 wrote: The only good cat is a dead cat.

The same can be said of assholes.

Yea, I took in one of their concerts many years back in New York City. The Stray Cats had a very unique sound and each band member had a very distinct look.

HitsRus wrote:

Mr. 300 wrote: The only good cat is a dead cat.

The same can be said of assholes.

I'd hate to see you pass on.

^^^ha ha ha ha ha ha

HitsRus wrote: Ding ding ding....we have a winner!

Thanks for the props, HitsRus! I'll bet that kitty is curling around your leg right now.

Look how mean a couple of posters are being. Can you believe that?

Yes, you can!

Took in a stray cat and had him for 13 years. Loved that cat. Took in a stray dog two months ago. I know I am just a sucker for stray animals. Right now I have 3 dogs and two cats. Love every one of them.

I guess if you wanna have fun...

I'm not a fan of cats

Mr. 300 wrote:

HitsRus wrote:

Mr. 300 wrote: The only good cat is a dead cat.

The same can be said of assholes.

I'd hate to see you pass on.

I'd hate to see you pass gas....Oh, wait you you did!

The China Gate Restuarant takes in many strays, so I've heard.

All of my cats have been abandoned, strays, rescues or from friends whose cats had babies.
I refuse to buy pets, as in registered or purebreeds.

Call your local shelter, they can hook you up with a voucher to a vet.

Be Nice wrote: The China Gate Restuarant takes in many strays, so I've heard.

Oh.......ho ho ho..........you verwy funny boy!

BRF tips his hat to all the posters who have taken in animals. That is awesome.

Once in college. The next morning....buttaface.....last time I ever did that.

We've had three. Two worked out pretty good, one didn't. The two that became a member of our family were very young kittens when we took them in.