Kitty Dilemma

[AmyO26]

Hello All,
This is my first time starting a new thread, so I'm crossing my fingers that it works! Anyway, here is the situation:

A stray cat has been hanging around my apartment building for the last week or so. Of course the apartment building does not allow pets. Anyway, this last weekend, someone (not me) let the cat into the building and several people have been putting out tuna, water, milk, etc. for the kitty. But the poor thing had no place to use the bathroom and had been digging up potted plants in the stairwells to use as litterboxes.
With all good intentions, I bought a litterbox, litter, dry food, etc. and have been letting the cat live in my apartment. I am also taking it to the vet tomorrow night to get checked out.
HOWEVER, I am a nervous wreck that I will get "caught" sneaking a pet. By the way, I am getting married this June so I will be moving in about four months...of course this is helping me to rationalize the situation (only 4 months...)
So...have any of you been in this situation? Any advice?
TIA,
Amy




:confused:

[donleyk]

Male or female?

[wallycat]

the kitties of the world are lucky there are people like you out there (and my DH--can't begin to tell you how much we've spent on food for the strays)....and very lucky your kitty likes people (our strays won't come near humans)....
I say you are doing the right thing (hope you plan to keep him even after you get married :confused: )

I've lived in tons of apt. where no one listens to "no pet" theory. I do feel bad for people with allergies who will think this was a pet free apt., but...I'd probably do what you're doing....:o

[aggie94]

Amy,

I'd do the same thing too if I were in your shoes. Just one thing - what IF you get caught? Do you have someplace to take the cat until you're able to move out of your apartment, like your DF's place? Or a friend or relative who might be willing to foster him/her for a couple of months? Just something to think about. I had a bunny in college and got busted with him in my no-pets-allowed apartment complex. I took him to my parents' house for a couple of months until I could bring him back to live with me but were it not for their willingness to take him in, I would have been really stuck.

[Angela]

I was in a similar situation. When I lived in an apartment I got a cat, pets were allowed but I didn't want to pay the outrageous pet fee, so I kept him a secret (I had him 8 months before I moved). I didn't have any problems and you probably won't be found out--just be careful if you have to have maintenance in your apartment. I would do the same thing you are doing. It might be wrong (in the apartment complexes eyes), but you are saving the kitty!
If you are not comfortable with the situation--Is there some one you know who would be able to keep kitty until you move? It is only 4 months.

[beejayw1]

And a star in your crown!

I think since it's only 4 months till you move out, it'll be OK. It sounds to me as though this was a family pet that was dumped (happens all too often) and was lucky to run into you.

Frankly, I've known a lot of landlords that turned a blind eye when I had more cats than I was allowed. This was because my rent was always on time and my apartment was always spotless when I moved (I relocated within the company a couple times).

[AmyO26]

Hi,
Thanks for your quick replies! How sad is this, but I'm not sure if it's male or female! When I called the vet, she just laughed when I said I wasn't sure and that it's sometimes hard to tell!
Yes, I am planning on keeping the kitty (I'll name him/her after I find out the gender) after we get married. In fact, DF has a neutered male cat (2 1/2 years) and a spayed female dog (approx. 6 years). He thinks it's ok to keep the cat here, but said he can take it in if I get "busted"
By the way, aggie94, how did they catch you with the bunny?

Thanks again for your quick and caring responses!
Amy

[kgraham]

DH and I did something similar when we were living in a "no pets" apartment....there was a stray, we started feeding it. After a while the cat would sit outside our apartment and wait for me to come home to feed her and start "talking" to me when she saw me coming. I began to live in fear that someone from apartment management would walk by while she was sitting there waiting for me. The difference is, the kitty would come into our apartment to eat and hang out for the evening, but at night we put her outside because she refused to go near the litter box. We did this for 4 months or so until we found a new place where we could legally have a cat.

Probably the worst thing the apartment people can do if they discover you have a cat is give you a three day notice to get rid of the cat or leave so having a back-up plan in case you get caught is a smart idea.

[aggie94]

Amy,

My roommate, unbeknownst to me, had called for maintenance on something. I wasn't home when they came to fix whatever needed to be fixed, so I couldn't take him to a friend's or for a ride like I usually did. And I don't think she did it on purpose - she just didn't think about it. That's how they found out.

I know the apartment complex wouldn't agree, but I think you guys are doing a great thing by taking in this kitty. And with a back-up plan in your DF, sounds like you guys are set. Good luck!

[beejayw1]

Originally posted by AmyO26
How sad is this, but I'm not sure if it's male or female

Check under the tail. If what you see looks like an upside-down exclamation point, it's a female. If it looks like two dots side by side with a spot underneath it (like a triangle) it's a male.

[Beth]

My kitties have all been strays or humane society adoptees, so I'd do the same thing myself. However, I was once a landlord on a no pets lease. I learned from a neighbor (after they had been booted out for not paying rent) that they had a lab puppy that barked all the time, tore up my gardens, nearly chewed the bottom off the back door, etc. From a landlords perspective, the greatest concern is property damage. If your kitty stays true to the litter box and has something other than the carpet to scratch, you should be able to avoid those problems. Be responsible, and you should minimize any conflict even if the kitty is discovered.

[KathrynY]

Amy - I worked in property management for several years. If they happen to discover you have the cat, their first step will most likely be to send you a letter reminding you of the "no pet" language in your lease, and probably giving you a deadline to get rid of the cat. If the deadline passes and they are able to determine that you still have the cat, they will probably send you a second, more strongly worded letter. From there they may get a bit more nasty, but given that you're moving soon (do they know you're planning to move?) I doubt they'd go to the bother of pursuing more costly options.

It takes quite some time (3-4 months here) to evict someone, and it's a very expensive process so in your case it would be silly for them to consider it. Especially if they aren't getting complaints from the neighbors, and there is no damage in the apartment. As beejayw1 said, if the rent is paid on time and the apartment is in good shape, it's likely they won't bother you about it in your remaining time there. Check your lease to see if it outlines the penalties for violating the no pet policy, so you'll know what to expect.

I hope you and your new cat enjoy many happy years together! :)

[AmyO26]

Beth and Kathryn,
Thanks for your "landlord perspective" regarding the kitty situation. So far everything has been ok (litterbox, carpet, etc.) so hopefully it won't be a problem. Like I posted before, I do have a "back-up plan" in case I am caught and have to get rid of him/her...
Amy

[SusanT]

If you're going to keep this cat, take it to the vet for a health checkup.

It needs to be tested for feline HIV and vacinated and tested for feline leukemia and ALL other vaccinations before introducing to another cat. These diseases are contagious to other cats. I'm sure you don't want to unwittingly give your fiancee's cat a fatal disease.

[AmyO26]

SusanT,
I am taking the kitty to the vet's tomorrow night for a check-up. I'll definitely ask to have the feline HIV test and any other necessary shots. This is new to me, so thank you for the information and the reminder!
Amy

[aggie94]

Originally posted by SusanT
It needs to be tested for feline HIV and vacinated and tested for feline leukemia and ALL other vaccinations before introducing to another cat. These diseases are contagious to other cats. I'm sure you don't want to unwittingly give your fiancee's cat a fatal disease.

I don't know much about feline leukemia, but I've done a lot of research on FIV related to my rescue kitty from last summer. It is NOT contagious, at least not in the sense that FIV cats cannot live with non-FIV cats. It can be transmitted through bite wounds and the like, but not through things like sharing food/water bowls or litterboxes. The only reason I say this is that, in case your kitty should turn up with FIV or feline leukemia, PLEASE do plenty of research before making a decision like putting him/her down. Vets are often quick to recommend it and people are often quick to do it when it's often unnecessary.

[luv2cook]

Well? How did the vet appointment go? Male? Female? Hopefully disease-free? Age approximation? We want details!!!!:)

[AmyO26]

The vet appointment is for tomorrow night at 7:00! But I will be sure to let you all know everything when we get home.

Hopefully it doesn't have any diseases! One question for aggie94: if it does in fact have the leukemia or FIV, could I receive some type of hideous disease if it bit or scratched me? (So far it hasn't!)

On an earlier post, I said that I couldn't tell if it was a boy or girl. I still can't tell for sure...although from beejayw1's post I am thinking it seems more like a boy. And he/she seems rather young...it's not a tiny kitten, but I'd be surprised if it were older than 1 yr...18 months max.

I'll be sure to let you know all the details tomorrow!!!
Thanks for helping me out with your advice

Amy

:)

[SusanT]

Sounds like he/she may be a "teenage" kitty. Have you named him/her yet? Our oldest boy cat was a similar older stray when we brought him home and he's the best cat in the world. I think after living on the mean streets, he appreciates having a great home. He's sitting in my lap purring away quite happily as I type. I was so worried that he was too old to bond to us and get used to living inside, but once he figured out where the bed, food and litter box were, he settled right in.

FIV and feline leukemia aren't contagious to people. Feline leukemia is also transmitted through fighting behaviours, but even my two little housecats tussle so I think it's better to know the status before introducing the cats. Especially if it turns out you have a boy! Male cats, even neutered, can be territorial and may get into it occassionally. But cats have a way of working out their own pecking order and will find ways to get along and even appreciate each other's company.

Isn't cat ownership interesting... people usually set out to get dogs but cats have a way of finding you instead. Bless you for giving this little guy/girl a home. Enjoy being a cat mom!

[AmyO26]

I am waiting to find out whether its a boy or a girl before giving him/her a name. I was thinking about "Annabelle" for a girl and either Winston (as in Churchill) or Mr. Crowley (DF's cat is named Ozzy!) if it's a boy!

[nancy_east]

Good luck with your new kitty! You're smart to take him to your vet and have him examined. FeLV (feline leukemia) and FIV (feline AIDS) are definitely two diseases you should have him tested for--as SusanT mentioned, they're not easily transferred from cat to cat, but if one cat has the disease in a household, the others are bound to become infected eventually. I have a client who has 7 cats, and she introduced a FeLV positive cat, and within 3 years, all 7 cats were positive. Luckily, they all seem to be carriers, and haven't shown any signs of disease as of yet.

On the other hand, it's not too terribly likely that your new kitty has either of these diseases--FeLV is the more common of the two, but with the introduction of a fairly efficacious vaccine, the percentage of stray cats infected with FeLV has dropped significantly. And I agree with whoever posted the advice not to let your vet talk you into putting the kitty to sleep if he/she has either of these diseases. (although I don't think your vet would do that anyway--it's not the recommended standard from the American Feline Practitioners Association) The experts recommend to re-test in 4 weeks, as a cat can have a transient infection--in other words, his/her immune system can actually kill the virus before it becomes a "permanent fixture" in it's system. And even if it is positive in a month, it doesn't necessarily mean that the cat will ever become sick from the disease, especially if it has FeLV. My parents have a cat who is now 23 years old and has been FeLV positive her entire life--she's a "carrier." but since you have your fiance's cat to worry about, it changes things a bit.

Anyway, I'm sure I went in to MUCH more info about FeLV/FIV than you ever wanted to know--but just want you to make an informed decision. I know in the past, vets used to recommend euthanasia a lot more for a cat positive for either of these diseases, but that's just not the case anymore.

Oh yeah, I'm sure your vet will recommend a fecal as well to check for intestinal parasites, but even if it's negative, I'd definitely have it dewormed--fecals are only about 90% accurate, so it's best to be safe with yucky worms!

Keep us posted! New cats are just the best!

[AmyO26]

The kitty and I (still haven't decided on a name for sure yet) just got back from the vet...it's a boy kitty! It had already been neutered so that's probably why I had a hard time telling what sex it was!
But the great news is he tested negative for both FIV and feline leukemia. They also gave him his shots and a de-worming pill. I do have to take him back in a few weeks, though...his back teeth (molars?) on the one side are totally gross!
Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that the visit went well...the biggest trauma was the car ride there and back in the cat carrier (poor thing cried the whole time!!!)
Amy:)

[SusanT]

Congratulations! Let us know what you name him. What color is he?

[luv2cook]

that's great news! So I wonder where he came from if he was already neutered...

[AmyO26]

luv2cook,
That's a good question. I live near the intersection of a major road and a rural country road. At the top of the country road is a farm, and unfortunately people sometimes "dump" their unwanted pets there.
I have been checking the paper, though, to see if anyone is looking for a lost cat...I wouldn't want to keep him if he really does belong to somebody and he just wandered a little too far from home

By the way, he is black and white...pink nose. Very cute!
Amy

[Angela]

Glad to hear the vet visit went well!! Good luck with your new little friend!!