Planning, Capturing, & Temporary Housing

Planning to Bring Your Stray Inside
It may not always be possible to have a fool-proof plan before you bring a friendly stray inside, but plan ahead if you can. The first step is to figure out where you will house the cat while you look for a permanent home. Keep in mind that the adoption process could take weeks or months. While a bathroom might be acceptable for an adult cat in a pinch, it’s not a good long-term setting. A spare room is the perfect setting. If you can’t foster the cat yourself, ask friends and family if they can provide a foster home.

If you absolutely can’t bring the cat indoors long-term and can’t find anyone to help, consider getting the cat veterinary care (allowing for at least 3 days of indoor recovery from spay/neuter for males, and 5-7 days for females), providing fresh food/water daily, and creating an outdoor shelter until it is adopted. You can get a safety break-away cat collar and cheap ID tag from any major petstore. But keep in mind that as long as the cat remains outdoors, it is at risk for feline diseases and many other dangers.

Getting the Cat Inside
This may seem obvious, but sometimes catching a friendly stray is harder than it sounds! If you’re lucky, you can simply pick it up or let it walk into your home. If not, it’s time for plan B. Feed the cat at the same time everyday so you know when it’s hungry. If you have the opportunity to do so in a safe location such as a private porch or backyard, try setting up a pet carrier as the feeding station so the cat is used to going inside. If you need to pick up the cat and physically put it in the carrier, use caution–quickly scruff the cat if you think there will be a struggle resulting in scratches or bites. If you just can’t seem to get the cat into a carrier, it may be time to try a humane trap.

Once inside, be sure you separate the new arrival from your own cats in a spare room, enclosed porch, bathroom, or other setting until you are sure it’s healthy. You may wish to quarantine the cat for a while if you have other cats–ask your vet about any health risks to your pets. The stray should have its own food, water, and litterbox. A deep baking pan or an under-the-bed tupperware box will work fine if you don’t have a litterbox on hand.

Next: Pregnant Strays & Young Kittens