Years ago, my aunt, a great animal lover, began receiving nightly visits from a beautiful ginger-colored stray cat. Due to the disgusting abuse of his previous owners, he had no teeth or claws left and he was severely malnourished and extremely frightened. My aunt, being very sensitive to animals, saw that she was so hungry that her fear was overridden by a desperate need for food. She wouldn’t let anyone else get close to him except her and if anyone else left food behind, he would know about it and let it spoil. She really had an amazing gift with animals.
He eventually trusted her enough to allow her to pet him, but nothing more. He was content to live a more wild life if it meant he was safe from humans. We really are an embarrassment to this planet.
So how do you help stray cats? How do you earn their trust?
First of all, you need to know the difference between a stray cat and a feral cat. It’s not always easy to tell because over time a stray cat will revert to its natural instincts, which is the same as a feral cat’s behavior.
Obviously, a stray cat will have been abandoned by its owners or lost. They may have a collar, but if not, you should be able to tell by the quality of their coats if they’ve recently gone stray, rather than a feral cat. If you can, take a photo and check with your local vets if someone has lost their cat. Don’t assume you can take someone else’s cat, in many areas it is illegal. There could also be a very good reason for them to be lost and there may be a family trying to find them. You can usually take responsibility and become a stray cat owner after about two weeks of notifying local animal shelters, vets, etc.
A feral cat will be much less inclined to engage with you and more likely to show you wild and aggressive behavior. You’re also less likely to see them for an extended period of time, as any sign of a human and they’re turned off. I can’t blame them for that!
Feral cats have been born in the wild to feral parents or feral cats that have become pregnant. They tend to live together in occasional family colonies and can survive in both urban and rural areas. They are not always popular as, like other wildlife, they will rummage through your containers looking for food. So be careful, your neighbors may not like you starting a feeding program for them.
So if you want to help a stray cat, the first thing to do, of course, is to feed it.
An adult mutt that is malnourished will quickly pile on kitten food. However, go back to adult food as soon as you see improvement. They will need the nutrients from adult foods once they have initially recovered.
Try wet and dry foods. See what your preferences are.
Buy new cat feeders, as they won’t like the smell of other pets.
Always provide fresh water every day.
Feed them at night at first, but leave dry food out during the day in case they start to gain courage and come to your garden more often. They need to feel like they have a safe place to go.
After a while, try to be present when you know the stray is going to show up. Put the food on the floor, step back, and speak in a soothing tone. Do not try to pet the cat. Let him feed and go if he wants. The main point is to gain confidence slowly. You know you can never rush a cat.
Next time offer some food from your hand. They can take it or not, persevere and try again next time.
If no one claims the cat and you decide to relocate this stray dog, then capturing it in the most humane way is your next step. You may not be able to do this, so it’s a good idea to contact your local animal shelter and they may be able to send someone to help you.
Once you’ve done that, go straight to the vets for a full checkup. It is necessary to perform deworming, flea and ear mite treatment and castration.
If you have other pets, keep the new cat in one room until she has calmed down and introduce her slowly.
Once you’ve taken responsibility for a stray cat and brought it into your home, be prepared for the adjustment period to take some time. You do not know what they have suffered, be patient. They will probably want to be by your side as much as possible. Over time this should calm down, but remember that they may be a bit worried about this new home.
Pamper them with new cat toys, cat bed and stand. You may want to try using a feline facial pheromone spray or diffuser to help calm her nerves.
