New face at the door

[zcb]

Tonight I looked out the front door and there was a beautiful pale yellow cat with the prettiest face. It was eating the dry food that the other 2 had left and when it saw me it bolted. I stepped back so as to not scare it anymore and eventually it came back and finished what was left in the dish. I've never seen this one before but it's certainly welcome here.

[Heidi n Q]

Best of luck!

I just broke up a cat-fight in our driveway a couple nights ago. Mr. Gray was fighting with a pale orange kitty. My husband also said he'd seen a calico on our back porch about a week ago. Neighbors don't appear to be claiming either of these cats, so if I can catch them, I'll get them TNR'd, at least. Find them homes, at best.

I doubt Gray or BB will allow them to stay in 'their' territory.

[zcb]

I thought there was going to be a showdown on the front porch earlier between Mamma Cat and new guy yellow cat. Lots of staring and posturing, but Mamma gave up and yellow cat moved in to eat. It is very scared of anyone and has a terrified look in it's eyes when it sees me. Makes me sad to think the poor cat is so frightened of people.

[Cats&Plants]

That's the way Tux was, it took several months and a can of wet food for him to figure out we're not out to hurt him. He's come around, but I don't dare pick him up.

[Mitts & Tess]

Sounds like an abandoned cat thats been out there awhile. If your up to it you could bring it around and find it an indoor home. Im so gald your feeding it.

[zcb]

Here's an update on the new cat.....not much progress had been achieved. He still is terrified of me and waits until the blinds are drawn and he feels no one is around before he will come and eat. The other day my female feral was eating her morning wet food and Golden (my name for new cat) came up the walk. He didn't see me so I watched him approach the female very carefully but she can be a stinker and she hissed at him so he backed off. Once she was finished he licked up the rest and then ate some dry food. I don't know what more to do to get him, I've decided it's a him, to trust me. Very sad. He is a beautiful cat, just beautiful.

[Whaler]

do you put out numerous bowls of food?

i give all my crew their own bowl of food as opposed to a group bowl/bowls. i do this for a couple of reasons. first it is a way that i can control (to a degree) who eats what, i have a female (mommie) that every once in a while throws up so i try to give her gluten free food. also, she is somewhat of a glutton so i can give her a little less than one of the large (+/- 15 lb) boys. the separate bowls also helps to keep the peace, although now my crew has been together long enough that that is not really an issue. another reason for separate bowls is that in the warmer weather i can de-worm them and know that everybody is getting their meds.

as far as trust, mommie was sort of relocated to my colony (long story) and has been feral a lot longer than the rest. it took probably 6 months before she would go to the food if i was within 100 feet. i would just walk away after putting the food down but still keep looking at her. once she went to the food i would stop and just watch her eat and slowly take a small step back towards her. as time went by she would come to the food when i was closer to her. now, she comes and sits right outside of my back door waiting for me and even lets me pet her and rub her chin on occasion.

keep at it, patience is a virtue and feral cats are virtuous.

[zcb]

I have always used separate dishes for my original 2 cats. They, however, don't always show up at the same time to eat. Problem with new cat is that he lurks in the bushes and I hardly ever know he's there until I close the door and peek out the window to see him come up the walk. He now bullies the female away from her dish so I set another out for her and he bullied her away that one too. Whenever new cat is in the area I don't see my Blackie. I guess he's scared of new cat. Anyway he is making things very difficult for everyone. He eats everything in sight. He's not starving, he looks very fit. I still wonder if he belongs to someone in the neighborhood. I've asked around but no one seems to know.

[Whaler]

i wish i had some advice for you other than try to keep working towards them having more trust in you.


good luck and please let me know if you make any headway.