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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The comment about the Fairfax county shelter doesn’t make any sense.  They are an open-access shelter.  Why would they NOT take healthy animals.  Either you misunderstood or you spoke with an idiot.  Since it’s a county shelter, a good portion of their funding is likely from taxpayers.  This is a service taxpayers would expect in return. [/quote]I was also turned away by Fairfax county shelter when I tried to help a stray. They suggested I let them go again or find a rescue.[/quote]

This is standard practice for healthy outdoor cats. Most responsible shelters don't take in healthy outdoor cats - most of the cats who are living outside, are doing just fine, and do worse when they come into a shelter. It's also because shelters are full, and cats are among the pets most at risk of euthanasia for space.

Ask them about TNVR services - if you can bring the cat in for spaying/neutering and to get vaccinated. Many public shelters perform these services for outdoor cats.

It's a good idea to reach out to rescues. Does the cat show any interest in coming inside? [/quote]

Standard where?  I've never heard of county shelters not taking in cats like this.  That's part of what animal control does--responds to calls about strays.  My local shelter actually adopts out TNR animals (I can tell because they have the ear notch)--I'm not saying I agree with this, but I do find it odd that this shelter is only taking in surrendered pets.  Or even stranger--only sick animals.  What's concerning about this is the animal OP has could be someone's pet.  The animal might be spayed; unless OP shaves her abdomen, she won't know until a vet checks her out.  So the shelter isn't doing one of its main functions in reuniting pets with their owners.  Just because the owner hasn't come forward, doesn't mean they aren't looking.  I wouldn't know where to look other than my county shelter if my pet went missing. 
[/quote]

It's standard at most shelters now - this is a really critical lifesaving practice. Outdoor cats tend to deteriorate in shelters, putting them even more at risk of euthanasia. The notched cats you see are probably pets who got TNRed, but then couldn't stay outside or were friendly enough that the shelter thought they could adopt them out. Shelters in places where TNR isn't legal will often take in the unsocialized outdoor cats and place them in "working cat" programs - barns, breweries, etc.

The gray area is what happens with friendly outdoor cats. Some shelters may not even take those in. The good reasons is that often these cats are indoor/outdoor cats who are owned and being cared for and bringing them to the shelter is essentially kidnapping someone's cat. Also, often these cats are doing just fine in their outdoor homes and there is no reason for them to come into the shelter. On top of that, it is one way to manage overcrowding at shelters - a very very serious issue.

If this is a cat who has truly been abandoned and isn't being taken care of, that is a different story. Or if the cat is injured or sick, or is lost - these are different situations. The problem is that it's not always easy to tell with a cat, which circumstance they are in - unfortunately they can't just tell us. So you do exactly what OP has been doing - you try to find out, and you try to figure out what this cat needs.

Ideally the shelter will be offering support - education, supplies, vet care - regardless of what the circumstance is for the cat.[/quote]

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