How do they know?

My sil has a new stray kitten at her house. About four days ago, she had to stop her car to avoid a small black kitten that was eating something out of the road in her neighborhood. Last night, the kitten found its way to sil's house. Sil has two indoor cats that go outside on leads, but I don't think she leaves food out. The kitten is now staying in an outdoor doghouse on sil's back porch, but runs whenever anyone goes outside. Sil is planning to keep it. We were talking last night and wondering why the kitten chose her house out of all the houses in the neighborhood. I think that cats go where they know other cats live (and presumably eat), whether someone leaves food out or not. Sil thinks they can sense the home of a cat lover. What do you think?

It makes sense that they would gravitate towards there own... we had a drop-off stray (best guess) that showed up under our deck this spring & it had know idea what it was getting into as we have zero pets right now (now we have 4!)... but we do have a big stray Tom who works our property for rodents & has been here for almost 10 years but never approached our house until they showed up (I think hes' the Dad & he now comes for food semi regularly & will accept a pet on occasion when eating!)...

I think not having loud dogs around is huge...

Originally Posted by catmanmew

It makes sense that they would gravitate towards there own... we had a drop-off stray (best guess) that showed up under our deck this spring & it had know idea what it was getting into as we have zero pets right now (now we have 4!)... but we do have a big stray Tom who works our property for rodents & has been here for almost 10 years but never approached our house until they showed up (I think hes' the Dad & he now comes for food semi regularly & will accept a pet on occasion when eating!)...

I think not having loud dogs around is huge...

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I hadn't even thought about the dog aspect. Sil has one, but he's small and is fine with cats.

I don't know about animal lovers that don't have cats, but I suspect those of us who do smell like cats. There's probably a body language factor, too. Which may be why dogs and cats really gravitate to some people.
Of course we've all heard that usually the person visiting who doesn't like or is afraid of cats will be the first one a cat goes to - because the person is generally not staring at the cat and trying to force themselves on it.

Maybe, for some, that animal smell is around the house even if their cats are indoor only? I know if windows were open it would be.

Originally Posted by catmanmew

I think not having loud dogs around is huge...

Click to expand...

This is an essential factor, but not even this is always true. A fellow forumist on a history-forum told: "Im no cat person. I am a dog lover and dog owner, several at a time. Yet, usually I do have at least one cat living with us. They are all ex strays. They do suddenly appear, and make everything to please themselves in with the dogs. And if they do manage with that - yes, I allow them to stay and live here as my own."


I remember this almost word for word, as it was a huge eye opener for me: this ability and strategy of cats, and especielly many strays, to please themselves in. To humans, other cats - and even to dogs. In any case, to friendly dogs.

Hey Stef... very interesting... thanks for sharin... in our situation it may have had a lot to do with whom she was with as we have had a stray Tom working our property for rodents for years... maybe she was dropped & he started "dating" her & she took the closest house to his territory cuz he NEVER came to the house in all the years until she showed up...

90% of the houses on our street have dogs - we don't (we have birds though). We found kittens in our window well in June. Makes sense momma cat would hide them in a dog free zone opposed to another yard. (Or fate that we needed kitties in our lives.) However she's not terrified of dogs. We have a German shepherd next door that has a very distinct bark for when our stray Momma cat is outside - it's my cue that she is here and waiting for her dinner. He'll bark his head off and she just ignores it but I will jump at the sound of his alarming back when I'm not expecting it!

I think the cats just show up when it's safe and when there's a food source and since we're feeding Patches, I'm sure other cats would see the happy getting-fat kitty and think 'hmmm people here must feed her.. I'll hang out here too!'

When you feed outside, the strays that eat there will spray the bushes, walls and grasses around your home. This is a friendly smell and it acts like a telegram. The cats come running. They know from the scent that the home is safe and they won't be hurt. If you don't want the strays to come, then stop feeding them and they will move off to another location that is also safe.

I didnt know that cats sprayed like that with a telegram of sorts. Thats amazing!

I thought if they would pee, it would be a territorial thing and let other kitties know the house was claimed as theirs? Or is that just an un-neutered tomcat thing?

This has turned out to be quite educational. Thank you for sharing.

An update on Sil's stray kitten. The very next morning after the kitten came to stay, Sil was walking her dog and her meowing. The kitten came right to her. She has kept her inside since then, but has to keep her separated from her two neutered males. The kitten is solid black except for a tiny white spot on her chest. Sil named her Lacy. Lacy is due to be spayed in the next week or two.