What to do with a stray cat?

seraph

We saved a stray kitten the other day from the jaws of a dog. We are inclined to keep it, but several people have told us to get rid of it. According to them, cats in India carry all kinds of nasty diseases (e.g. diphtheria). Since we have a small child in the house, we also do not want to take any chances.

We went to a veterinarian today and he was not willing to test the cat for diseases or vaccinate it. All he kept saying was. “It is a cat. It is healthy.” However, he did not even touch the cat. He estimated that it is two and a half months old and told us to come back in a month. Frankly, I got the feeling that he thought we were crazy to keep the cat and crazier for bringing it to him.

Any thoughts/suggestions?

wandering_kat

I wouldn't keep it, esp with a kid around. Apart from the disease aspect, what are you going to do with it when you move on? Or do you live where you found it? Don't know where you are, but it might be better to try finding an independent animal shelter/charity than a vet - they'd be more inclined to do whatever's good for the cat. Good luck!

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Jorge Reverter

I have at home six cats, so I can only say "keep the cat".
Btw, I have also two dogs and a porcupine, and we are now waiting the swallows.

Jorge

shpatel

Be very careful in the way you handle its feces since up to 80% of cats carry Toxoplasmosis which can effect people who don't have a fully develpoed immune system such as a young infant. I'm not sure how old your child is but if he/she is under the age of 1, I would not keep the cat.

SP

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phobal

let nature take its course. it sucks, naturally you want to help it (i would too), but you're just going to burden yourself greatly.

ddevadatta

I would get rid of the cat. Not worth it! Don't take the risk!

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SHIMLA

You are wanting to keep a cat which a vet refused to touch ????

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machadinha

Maybe try to get another vet to examine him properly? Just a thought.

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turlapati

Cats are not looked upon favourably in India. There are a lot of bad luck superstitions about them. This may have caused some discrimination against your kitty. Maybe that vet won't touch any cat. Keep baby amd kitty seperate until they are both old enough to respect each other, find a vet to give him some shots and was well after scooping the poops (like that isn't obvious right?) and you have yourself a new pet.

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Peter/Chris Witton

Dogs truly have a Dogs life in India, but cats have no life. The vet probably has'nt a clue as to what to do. They barely know how to treat dogs!

seraph

To answer the questions in the above posts:

We are in Puri. As far as I know, there is no animal welfare society that takes strays. Even in the United States, where there are such things, the strays are given only a few days before they are put “to sleep”. I would rather just release the cat near the fish market. As for our daughter, she is 15 months old.

Maybe in bigger cities than Puri there are veterinarians that are more familiar (or more comfortable) with the concept of keeping animals such as cats as house pets. The guy we went to was an “animal doctor” who mostly deals with livestock. No doubt he is properly trained, but I don't think he usually deals with animals as house pets.

In any case, as it was mentioned in some of thee above posts, I was wondering if anyone can tell me why cats have a bad reputation in India?

Thanks!

Nick-H

Plenty of pet dogs here, in fact too many, they seem to be the noisy ones! I've seen only the occasional house cat, but I have seen one or two.

Whereas the street dogs seem to strike up relationships of a sort with people, the cats appear to be separate and wild. I think they are regarded as about equal to the rats.

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SHIMLA

While dogs are considered faithful, cats are supposed to be unfaithful and sly. It is considered a bad omen if a cat crosses your path from left to right(or is it right to left? I don't remember ). It is supposed to mean that you will not finish the task you have set out to do! A black cat is especially considered bad and sinister, as black cats have been associated with witches and witchcraft. It is also said that one should never challenge a cat in a closed room - it will go straight for your throat!!

In Marathi, a cat is called "Waghachi Maushi", meaning "Tiger's maternal aunt" !!

Little wonder then, that cats are frowned upon in India.

Nick-H

Thanks, Shimla: I now know why my life has been a series of unfinished jobs! I can blame the cats!

Nick-H

And, as for going for the throat... take a look at my last cat and try to imagine her going for your throat! Scary (I don't think)

But I have known cats, even pet ones, that strangers were well advised to leave alone and I would never, never try to corner a wild one.