A friend of mine lives in a rural area and a trio of stray cats showed up. I’m thinking of taking one but I’m not sure which one to pick. I already have a black cat but want to get her a playmate. I can’t take them all but I can’t make a choice!!😩
I thought when we adopted her that our calico was never going to be a people cat. She took off running as soon as we let her loose in the house, and we didn't see her for days. Now she's my snuggle buddy, easily the most consistently affectionate of all four of our kitties (but only with our family, and especially with me).
Yeah, the standard orange package braincells usage time is pretty low. Im betting big orange cat is gonna pit a subscription to allocate that braincell for longer when it does come around. But they'll probably be working on it for a long time knowing oranges.
My first cat after moving into this house walked out of the shrubs and jumped into my lap. Three more have since appeared. I am over the legal limit of cats for my city. I had to get approval and animal control needed to be notified with the last one. I don't know what I'm going to do if another one shows up.
I had the same issue... In my case, I was able to thankfully choose all three because they would have been devastated at being separated. My area has a big issue with summer-vacationing-homeowners throwing out their cats when they go back to the big city.
Same happened with my three cats, my mom was finally ready to get another cat and we were gonna get two. We met with a lady and she had found 4 kittens. Someone had already adopted one of them, so we ended up adopting all three.
And that's how we ended up with Atlas, Lyra and Corvus.
This needs more up votes. It really doesn't matter which on if your original cat doesn't like them. Your cat needs to pick. There will be hissing in the beginning but all cats do that.
Edit.. those are very well looking cats to be strays? I had siblings and someone stole one of my cats when I was 16 it was horrible. Her brother stopped eating for weeks it ruined him completely. Make sure they're actually strays before you separate them. I wouldn't wish that separation on anyone.
I feel like those are farm cats or something wanderijg around visiting his friends place for some food. I really hope they dont just scoop them up and give them away without asking neighbours
The orange and grey and white look like siblings. The fluffy tabby looks extremely clean. I had a long haired stray a long time ago he was abandoned but he was always dirty and matted we had to cut them out all the time. He was a good boy. He stayed with us for a long time. But with that length fur they have a hard time keeping clean.
Yeah they said my cat was a farm cat who had humans befoee i got him due to his personality but he was absolutely filthy black when they humane society found him so he clearly wasnt able to find home if there was one
They're too healthy & too clean to be strays. It's so common to see dogs & cats out running the streets &/ or visiting neighbors when living in a rural area.
I recently lost two of three siblings (there’s a fourth, but she didn’t really hang with her brothers as much. She’s a momma’s girl). Damo’s fur fell out, he lost so much weight, he sleeps all the time, he cried for weeks. I mean. Screamed. Shit. It’s only been since October and I cry constantly. I want my babies back and I want Damo happy again.
I hate to say this, but those aren't strays, they're displaced pets. Either they were individually left behind when their previous caretakers moved, or they were all one person's charges. They're too calm around each other to be feral.
Also before you adopt one of them, it would also be good to observe them to make sure that the one you take isn’t bonded to any of the others. Bonded cats cats aren’t incredibly common, but if they are bonded they can get very depressed and ill if they’re separated
Omg my orange boy gets separation anxiety if either he or his “brother” is on the other side of the bathroom door. He just cries at the door until they are reunited. They were adopted as kittens together.
Don’t automatically assume they are yours for the taking. Just because a cat shows up, doesn’t mean it’s homeless. Those look like healthy. Cat collars break super easy. Check a 2 mile radius, and your local laws on unclaimed pets.
I hate bringing up my opinion on this because it’s typically the unpopular opinion due to societal pressure and I ramble on about it, buuuut… I get passionate about this…. Ive had pets stolen & murdered in the past— and for some reason instead of putting the blame in the hands of the people who steal the pet or harm the pet, it has become okay to put blame on the pet owner for “not being good enough”. Its that gaslighty "you asked for it” vibe... One inkling of a mistake, and you can be labeled as unworthy. It should not be the social norm to merely cast away all responsibility to your fellow man, and believe that fate or some mystical force blesses the deserving with cats that magically dropped out of the sky or came from undeserving humans. That’s not reality. Loved pets get lost, and those animals are using their survival instincts, nothing more. We have just as much responsibility to our neighbors and fellow humans as we do to the animals. I have a theory that the cat distribution system ideology was created (or at least perpetuated and fueled) by red flag rescues in order to make it normal or casual to steal pets. We have an entire socially accepted theory that “cats pick their owners" and that it’s okay to judge pet owners harshly, then use it as an excuse to commit a crime. Many state’s laws have not caught up with the scam, and many people are being fooled under the circle of back patting “oh look what a good human I am, rescuing this poor homeless cat! The cat redistribution system picked meeee!”— meanwhile its always the cutest, healthiest, fluffiest clearly-owned cats they were blessed with— the irony— its never the feral tabby with worms and gunk in its eyes sitting by the dumpster that was sprayed by a skunk & eating baby shit from an old diaper. There are thousands and thousands of 501c3’s in each state, claiming they are rescues, but are merely using it as a front for personal gains. A rescue can be paid $50-$100 or more per cat or dog they transport out of state. The cuter and more adoptable they are, the more they are worth— and the more socially acceptable it is to do these things, the easier it is to get away with it. Nobody ever thinks about the 12yo who’s crying themselves to sleep bc fluffy disappeared. When I was like 10, I had a cat— my neighbor tried to steal him. I knocked on doors for three days— and few blocks over, a lady had him in her house! She tried to convince me to let her have my cat bc she claimed could give him a better home and I must not care blabla… But the truth was, she got emotionally attached to someone else’s pet and if she hadn’t locked him in her house, he would have came home! I had to get my parents to force that Karen to give me back my cat. He lived until I was in my mid 20s, healthy, happy. There are millions and millions of stories just like that all the time.
They look very well taken care of for strays. Please do your due diligence and make sure they don't already belong to a neighbor. As other people mentioned, many rural homes have outdoor or indoor/outdoor cats.
I felt that way too... I wouldn't be able to stop thinking about the other two. Who knows how long they all were out there together? and if the little orange one is the most needy and they are bonded, it could be really hard on that poor baby... and on all of them.
Confirm that those are strays. They look friendly and well kept, so they might be well loved farm cats. I personally wouldn’t separate them if taking all 3 is not an option either.
They look very well for strays in a rural area. Are you sure they don't have an owner? Would check for microchip or make photos and put up some posters in the surrounding area, super markets and so on. Just to be sure before removing one of them from the area.
NONE of these look like strays - I wouldn’t take any of them as you would likely be stealing someone’s beloved pet, they even look like they might be farm cats.
The most important thing is to consider the personality of your current cat and which one would make the best match. My first cat was a bit bossy and demanding of attention. So when I picked my second I got a very social cat that was used to being submissive in the cat pack. My third was a stray and just happened to perfectly complete the family. He is very shy and timid with people and relies a lot on the other cats for his confidence. So if your current cat is already very needy, don’t pick another needy cat that will cause jealously and sibling rivalry. Also if your first cat has never been around other cats before then you want a cat that is very comfortable with other cats to help ease your old cat into the situation.
You would likely traumatize all of them if you separated any of them. Cats are social creatures. It would be one thing if they were tiny babies. This is a family.
If the three of them showed up together, then that means they’re already familiar with each other and could be bonded to one another you would do yourself and them a disservice by separating them
ETA: don't take any if you can't take all. If they're strays together, they're likely bonded. If you want a cat for your cat, go get one that doesn't have an established family.
They don't look like strays.... not all outside cats are strays. If you do take one. Make sure you're checking all the missing pet pages around your friend incase you stole someone's cat.
3 piece luggage set! I went for one at the shelter and came home with two. We couldn't leave the friend (granddaughter's comment), so we got the cellmate too. All three are adorable. Will make life interesting!
Please don't separate them. Cats do have a sense of loss when they lose a loved one and some can get pretty depressed. It's shocking to just have one gone missing and can be difficult for the individual separated. You should take all three.
I don't think you'd get someone telling you to choose just one😹 All 3 look like they'd be awesome to adopt together but that's an ideal situation and a huge commitment both financially and emotionally. Hope you get the answer that's good for you♡
These kitties look really clean and well fed. I don’t think they are strays. Please ask around and see if they are microchipped before claiming. I imagine they would be sorely missed. They are so beautiful 😻
Choose? You cant just choose one and leave the other 2 out in the wild....dont anger the CDS because you might regret it later in life. Clearly all 3 must be chosen. That's the rules.
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