At one of those X-roads

[lyle]

Thanks for all the information/advice/opinions. It helps a lot in the decision process. I'm going take a picture, either outside if I can, or staged if I have to trap him. Take the photo over/around and determine if the cat is Dumar. I'll take it from there. If the people are obvious nut jobs then I'll say he was just passing through.

As far as the tipping goes, if he is Dumar I'm of the mind to have him neutered, but not tipped. The clinic does not like to do that cause they charge next to nothing to fix a feral. If they won't then I'll do it anyway. I don't know a good way to broach the subject with any potential "owners" and I'm loath to not insure that it's done.

I don't see an obvious down side of this for the cat (well, being neutered prob wouldn't be first on his list of to-dos).

[Straysmommy]

Originally Posted by lyle

I'm going take a picture, either outside if I can, or staged if I have to trap him. Take the photo over/around and determine if the cat is Dumar. I'll take it from there. If the people are obvious nut jobs then I'll say he was just passing through.

That's indeed what I was going to write that I would do in this situation.

The big red light here is that he doesn't eat. I don't understand why, it's something to explore.

[lyle]

That he doesn't eat (here anyway) suggests to me that he's like Squiggy, getting his meals at other homes or that he's someone's "outside" cat who just chooses to spend some time here. He's in good shape, appearance-wise.

[Straysmommy]

Personally, I wouldn't TNR a cat that doesn't eat regularly with the other strays, but then again the unwritten rules of conduct vary a lot from culture to culture.

[lyle]

We have some pretty loose "rules" here I'd say.

Personally, I feel that any cat that comes within my sphere of influence should be TNR'd. However, in practice, it's not quite that simple as this post indicates. Experience has taught me that much delay usually results in 4 more kittens.

[Whaler]

Originally Posted by lyle

We have some pretty loose "rules" here I'd say.

Personally, I feel that any cat that comes within my sphere of influence should be TNR'd.

with what, over 80 million cats here in the states that is how i look at it.

However, in practice, it's not quite that simple as this post indicates. Experience has taught me that much delay usually results in 4 more kittens.

which is exactly why i feel the way i do.