Q: A stray cat adopted us, but what do we need to do before we can let him into our house? We have two other cats who seem to get along with him.
A: Before adopting or allowing a stray cat into your house, it is important to ensure that it does not suffer from any conditions that might be transmitted to your other cats.
First, take the stray cat to your local veterinary clinic and ensure that your veterinarian fully examines the cat for any underlying transmittable conditions, like fungal infections, parasites or respiratory diseases.
It is also important that the cat is appropriately dewormed, as well as treated for ticks and fleas, as these parasites tend to spread between cats of the same household.
Ask your veterinarian to test the new cat for Feline Leukaemia Virus as well as Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. Both are deadly infectious conditions that might be underlying in any seemingly healthy cat and are common among feral and stray cats.
Dr Johan Jordaan, veterinarian
