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How to identify a stray cat vs someone& #39;s house cat: a thread
Lil disclaimer: I& #39;m from the suburbs in Canada, this might not work everywhere. I have indoor/outdoor cats. Sc=stray cat hc=house cat. 
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❗" title="Rotes Ausrufezeichen" aria-label="Emoji: Rotes Ausrufezeichen">Check end of thread for exceptionshttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❗" title="Rotes Ausrufezeichen" aria-label="Emoji: Rotes Ausrufezeichen">
1st: never ever bring a random cat into your home unless obviously injured or it is in danger ex: hail storm/blizzard/flash flood. Take pictures of the cat if you are concerned & post them on Facebook or in the community center, ask around the neighborhood or put up found pics
Is this the first time you have seen this animal? Does it look scared/stressed/ or calm/curious. How does the fur and general condition of the cat look, is it approaching random people? Do you see the cat in the same spot or around it often/at a certain time?
Cats are very territorial & if the cat is always in the same space & is in good condition (explained later) it& #39;s an hc that the owners let outside. If the cat is approaching you it is probably a hc!! Sc don& #39;t like people!! Please do not
Kidnap random cats who come up to you they are looking for attention & have a family. An ex of this is my cat sits on the same section of a pathway everyday & comes up to people meowing & rubs himself against them, he is an attention whore & has a family. Hc territories
Are usually very close to their home, if you are concerned try following the cat & it will most likely lead you to it& #39;s house where you can ring the door & such
What to do if you see a random cat! Approach slowly with your hand out at a low angle palm up, Sc tend to be more reserved against humans where as hc usually are more welcoming to people. If it starts hissing/hackles raised stop approaching & give space, let the cat come up to
You where you can properly assess its condition, check for a collar, tattoos inside of the ear, if the claws are well kept, how dirty is the fur(matted & covered in fleas(SC)or rolled in dirt(hc))
Identify via weight: if the cat is at a healthy or is overweight chances are it is not a stray & has either escaped it& #39;s home or is an outdoor/indoor cat, if you can see/feel bones or the cat looks very gaunt or sickly it is probably a stray.
Identify via fur: Fur is a very big tell for a cats health, if the fur is thick, shiny, unmatted & clean =hc. If the fur is dirty, thinning/extreme matting, greasy=sc 1st two pics are exs of sc. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❗" title="Rotes Ausrufezeichen" aria-label="Emoji: Rotes Ausrufezeichen"> Exception @ end of thread
Exception @ end of thread" title="Identify via fur: Fur is a very big tell for a cats health, if the fur is thick, shiny, unmatted & clean =hc. If the fur is dirty, thinning/extreme matting, greasy=sc 1st two pics are exs of sc. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❗" title="Rotes Ausrufezeichen" aria-label="Emoji: Rotes Ausrufezeichen"> Exception @ end of thread">
Exception @ end of thread" title="Identify via fur: Fur is a very big tell for a cats health, if the fur is thick, shiny, unmatted & clean =hc. If the fur is dirty, thinning/extreme matting, greasy=sc 1st two pics are exs of sc. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❗" title="Rotes Ausrufezeichen" aria-label="Emoji: Rotes Ausrufezeichen"> Exception @ end of thread">
Exception @ end of thread" title="Identify via fur: Fur is a very big tell for a cats health, if the fur is thick, shiny, unmatted & clean =hc. If the fur is dirty, thinning/extreme matting, greasy=sc 1st two pics are exs of sc. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❗" title="Rotes Ausrufezeichen" aria-label="Emoji: Rotes Ausrufezeichen"> Exception @ end of thread">
Identify via behaviour: if the cat is terrified of sudden movements/noises & is in good condition it& #39;s an escaped hc but if the cat is in bad condition & is scared of humans/loud or sudden movements & will not warm up to you = sc. A stray will not come up to you
Places to find identification: Check the inner ear for a tattoo, vets use these for tracing lost pets, most pets have them or have a chip inbedded into them where you will need a scanner to look for them
Exceptions: diabetes/health conditions. If you can& #39;t find the owner/aren& #39;t sure don& #39;t feed them until taking them to the vet, people have killed their neighbor& #39;s cats this way before. I had a cat w/ hyperthyroidism & she was constantly feed yet felt malnourished
1st pic is a cat w/ diabetes & 2nd is a cat w/ hyperthyroidism, it& #39;s important to make sure the cat checks off *all* boxes and not just a few otherwise you might steal someone& #39;s diabetic cat
Weight, state of fur, and behaviour towards humans are the main 3 things to look out for. Make sure they all line up, never take a cat into your home w/o trying to find the owner, that is not saving it& #39;s stealing & you are a dick for that.
Feel free to ask questions or add information I may have forgotten
