Orange Tabby...He Stays and His Name is Finn (Update with Videos Dec 31)

Haven't had a cat since I was a kid and I never took care of those back then, really. This cat showed up, obviously having been a house cat somewhere-he showed instant recognition of a bag of cat food, curls up willingly in your lap, follows us everywhere like a dog at heel, takes direction very well (point where he should jump to and he does), etc. He is not neutered, but hasn't been spraying around. Seems young but not less than a year old, I'm betting. I got some flea & tick powder and dusted him, put ear mite drops in his ears since he's been out in the woods and was shaking his head and I've fed him for two days now, got him a plush bed and he slept in it last night inside a pet carrier outside (door open for him to come and go). He keeps asking to come in, waiting by the door. You can see if we give him half a chance, he'll be inside and I'm betting he's litter box trained, though I do not want in indoor pet again.

This morning, he was gone when we went out, but he showed up about an hour later and came up to eat. He's a super personable and intelligent cat, even my DH, who claims he hates cats, likes him. The chickens are freaking out over the roaming predator but he doesn't give them a second glance so I'd say unless I had little chicks or bantams roaming, he's probably pretty chicken-safe. If he sticks around and I can't find him another home, other than getting him the regular shots and neutering, anything else I should do for him? I can't spend any real money on him until it's apparent he will be staying. The Humane Society told me they would neuter him for me if he stays-they are at capacity already so can't take him. And I'd never take him to Animal Control here, not a cat.

Here is the sweet boy. Maybe someone on BYC close to me would like a nice barn cat? I did put a free rehoming ad here on BYC, but if there is something else to do for him other than flea and ear mite treatment, short of shots and neutering right now, let me know. Thanks!

ETA: no neighbors know anything about him, I asked.

Has DH named him yet? If so, you know he's yours! He looks like Jonsey, the cat from the Alien movies. Actually, that name would work well with Deacon, wouldn 't it?

No, he hasn't named him. He still wants to find him another home, he says. I say, we need a mouser, he showed up, all chicken-friendly and everything, so don't look a gift cat in the mouth!


ETA: I was sort of thinking "Finn" for Huckleberry Finn, a classic vagabond, but we shall see if he becomes permanent.




This is a self professed cat hater:

While he is at the vet's you can ask them to run a microchip scanner over him, see if he's got a chip. Seems like a really sweet cat.

Chickenneighbor--he does look like Jonesy!

He's a doll, for sure. I want to make sure he's going to hang around and no one will claim him before I take him to be neutered. I'm pretty sure folks around here rarely microchip cats, but I'll ask when and if we get to that point.

Just checked and he came back to the pet carrier and his plush, warm bed for the night. It's going into the 20's tonight, but he'll be out of the wind and even I'd like a bed like this one:

Neutering him will definitely decrease his chances of roaming. If you are feeding him, he'll probably stick around! I'm willing to bet you've got yourself a new cat! However, if he does want to go inside, and you find someone who wants an indoor cat, that's not a bad option either.

I like the name Jonesy, but I'm a bit biased. The alien movies were some of my favorites.

Chickerdoodle13 said:

Neutering him will definitely decrease his chances of roaming. If you are feeding him, he'll probably stick around! I'm willing to bet you've got yourself a new cat! However, if he does want to go inside, and you find someone who wants an indoor cat, that's not a bad option either.

I like the name Jonesy, but I'm a bit biased. The alien movies were some of my favorites.

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haha, I like the Alien movies, too. I especially like Aliens2 and frequently use Bill Paxton's line, with his voice, "This ain't happ'nin', man!" I like Jonesy, but of course, I already have a Deacon Jones and sometimes I do call him by his full name when he's in trouble.

ETA: Will be finding him a better food if he doesn't find an owner. Someone on the Blue Ridge Online Yard sale says his mom is looking for a cat, so he could have a home already, but you know how those things go. If he can be someone's indoor cat, that's obviously what this cat wants to be.

Aliens was by far my favorite! When I was a kid, my parents never really had movie restrictions as long as we knew not to curse (except for Friday the 13th because of "nudity" lol!) and so I would watch it almost every day when I was about five. When I grew up, I realized just how attractive Bill Paxton and Michael Biehn were! Lol!

What a sweet looking cat! I'd say YOU'VE been adopted, lol.

P.S. Just terrible how much your 'cat hater' can't stand him!

NorthFLChick said:

What a sweet looking cat! I'd say YOU'VE been adopted, lol.

P.S. Just terrible how much your 'cat hater' can't stand him!

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Yeah, I know, terrible, right?
He really is a well-mannered cat, extremely gentle. He has a scratch behind one ear, probably from him scratching his own ears due to ear mites from being in the woods. I am treating those, though, and put antibiotic ointment on the scratch and it seemed to soothe it. If someone could let him be a mostly indoor cat, I'd like that for him. Such a sweetheart.