Lol! Another one!

What is it with me and stray black cats?!? My two cats are both black strays that I found, Sambuca in an alley outside my job one summer about 4 years ago, and Licorice right outside my apartment building on a -15 Celcius night last winter. Last night it was about the same temperature and as I was walking home from the bus stop I found ANOTHER starved black cat meowing outside my building! My heart broke on the spot for the poor thing, yes I'm a softie lol. When I stopped and walked towards it, it ran under the steps of the building next door, and I stopped again and stood there for a minute or two debating whether or not to try to go after it and catch it or harden my heart and keep on walking. I didn't want to start feeding it outdoors because I had done that the year before with other strays and never managed to catch them so I gave up after a while because it was costing too much in cat food.

I noticed that it was still under the steps a few yards away, meowing, so I took that as a good sign and slowly started to walk towards the corner between the steps and the wall. When I got there it retreated further under the steps, still meowing. I started talking to it, took off a glove and stretched out a hand to try to beckon it towards me. It started creeping forwards to my delight, and finally came to sniff at my hand, and finally my nose. It didn't seem afraid so I stroked it's back a bit and then gently picked it up and brought it home. It struggled a bit out of fear, and got loose in the lobby and started meowing loudly, but it let me pick it up again and I brought it into my apartment to Sambuca's great surprise and consternation. I immediately brought it into my bedroom and closed the door after shooing Licorice out.

When I got Licorice last winter I just dumped her on the floor as soon as I got in, and later the vet told me it's important to keep strays separate from my other cats because some diseases are transmittable. It was just skin and bones, and wolfed down half the food I gave it on the spot. I was so happy to have brought the poor thing out of the cold I called my mom right away and told her "Guess what!?!" and after a few guesses I finally told her I had picked up a third black stray cat lol. She said I really am turning into a cat lady now loll. But I'm undecided what to do with it... I'm not sure I want to keep it because I already have two to feed, and Sambuca HATES other cats, she was hissing at my bedroom door all evening, and sniffed my hands and glared angrily when I tried to pat her. It took her 6 months to get used to Licorice, and they still fight sometimes. It took her a few months as well before she stopped being mad at me too, she wouldn't let me pat her, stopped sleeping in my bed, and got mad whenever I prevented her from beating Licorice up. It's always a contest between them for my attention, so I can't imagine what it would be with a third cat.

I think I'll try to give it to someone with a kind heart if not I might have it euthanized. Imo it's still better than letting it starve/freeze to death, be mistreated or hit by a car. I just really hope it doesn't have fleas... I don't feel like cleaning everything in my apartment with flea killer! I didn't take the time to check properly yet. Every time I'd walk into my bedroom it would curl around my legs incessantly, purring loudly. I checked and as far as I can tell it's a female. She's very sweet and affectionate, and she didn't meow during the night. I showed her the litter box in which I had put some used litter from the other box to make it clear what it was for, at which she sniffed intently, and even gently took her paw and made scratching movements to make it clear. She obviously didn't have anything in her stomach but I hope she'll use the box instead of underneath the bed when she does have to go. I'll wait to know what I'm doing with her before I name her.

And get this, once I had brought it in, gave it food and water, gone to the store to get a litter pan, I came back and was looking out my livingroom window with Sambuca in my arms when she spotted something, it was yet another black/dark colored (I couldn't tell by the light of the moon) cat in the alley outside! So I opened my balcony door and called to it, it didn't run away, so I got dressed and went outside with a handful of cat food in a baggie in my pocket. I went to the ally, but when it saw me it promptly slunk away behind the building next door, so I called to it and followed it slowly for a while, but then I lost it and gave up. I left the food in a hollow in the snow at the corner of the building next to mine, across the alley from my balcony. I forgot to check if it was gone this morning, hopefully it won't snow before tomorrow night when I get back.