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Don't Feed That Stray Cat Unless You Want To Keep It
By Emily Sanchez

There are many reasons why there are so many stray cats in this world. One of the main reasons is that pet owners don't get their cats spayed or neutered, which means they can mate at will. If a stray female has a litter, those kittens then become strays. They grow up, have more strays and the chain continues. Pretty soon, there are many stray cats with no homes. This leads to too many cats getting euthanized when they're picked up by the local shelter and not claimed. Stray cats do need homes, however, and if you want one, there are many to be had. There are some rules you should follow, however, if you come in contact with a stray cat. If you don't want a stray cat to become your pet then, for God's sake, don't feed it. It will never go away.

Claiming A Stray Cat

If you see a stray and you think you would be able to give it a good home, then, by all means, feed it. Before you bring it in your house, however, you should first take it around the neighborhood to make sure that nobody owns it. You never know, there could be a sad boy or girl who desperately misses their pet that you mistook for homeless.

If you, after a search, come to the conclusion that this cat is indeed a stray cat, then you should take it immediately to the vet. Have the vet give the stray cat a complete physical. Because strays feed off of whatever they can get their hands on and they drink water that could come from anywhere, they are very susceptible to various diseases and illnesses. Have your vet determine if the stray cat is healthy and, if it is, have the vet give it its necessary shots. Then, make sure its free of fleas. Fleas can cause many problems, the least of which is infesting your house.

After the visit to the vet, you can take your stray home and it will no longer be a stray, it will be your cat. Get a collar and an ID badge so that if the cat wanders away, nobody will think it's a stray cat, they will know it's yours and they'll be able to contact you with whatever contact information you put on the badge.

There you have it, strays need love too, and, unfortunately, there are so many of them out there. If you see a stray cat, be careful, make sure it doesn't already have a family and, if not, take it to the vet to make sure that the cat you chose will be healthy and will hopefully be with you for many years.

Interesting Facts About Cats
All domestic cats are descendants of the species Felis silvestris. Felis silvestris is divided into three subspecies; the European wildcat, the African wildcat and the Steppe wildcat. If left as a stray cat a domesticated cat can revert to being wild and one which has gone wild is refered to as a feral cat.

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Author Details:
Emily Sanchez writes for various web sites such as www.thatozof.com, www.informationjunkie.co.uk & www.simplytop.com

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