should a "new" feral be introduced to colony

hi everyone...

I mentioned weeks ago a cat living across the street. 3nights ago I saw him on my side and started feeding him.

He basically eats and then goes back.

I want to know if I should just continue in this way - or move the food (slowly) to where the other cats are and see if he will be accepted.

My other question is (if you DO suggest moving him with teh others) - because he comes over late - there is barely any traffic so I dont worry TOO much about him crossing at his own pace. HOWEVER Im wondering - because he is very skiddish - if i move the food to the back of the building and something scares him - will he just run for his safe place (across st) and not judge the danger of teh street?

What im thinking is hard to explain - but is that when cats get hit - when they are panicked and just run? Where he is eating now - he has a clear view of the st so if he gets scared - Im thinking he is close enough to quickly judge teh direction he needs to go to avoid the danger of a car (hopefully). If he has no initial view of the st. and just runs in a panick - will he "know" to vere from a car fast enough?

thanks for any help (sorry for the weird question but my ADD head needed to ask)

My opinion is this. His territory is currently across the street. Unless you can physically restrain him on your property, he's always going to cross the street if you feed him on your side of it. Cats can have huge territories, and feral cats roam based on their desires, not your own. So even if this boy is accepted by your cats and eats with them, he has a territory across the street. Can you feed him there, and work on trapping him to have him spayed there?

thanks for that info...

yes, trapping is my next concern. because he only comes over at night - I cant see whether his ear is clipped (thru my binoculars) .... so i just may have to pick up a trap and try to catch him just in case.

my problem NOW is that one of "my" ferals is eating the food - this cat likes to eat alone - so i feed him in my backyard - but he'll come up front now as well. My bf saw him hanging out front this morning which I DONT WANT.

So this is now another problem....

IF i leave enough food for him out back - and he gets his fill - should he not be interested in coming up front? (i know i ask difficult questions - but just trying to figure these guys out if possible)

thanks again

Yes, you ask difficult questions! If only those condo people would leave you alone! (Is that the problem with up front? Or are other cats being fed there?)

Even if he gets his fill out back, if there's food out front, he may go over there. Or if it smells like other cats, he may just be checking out. It could be he's not as much of a loner as you think - just low man on the totem pole so eats last - which is why he eats alone. Or he's checking out other cat smells? Problem is with ferals, territories will overlap.

Are other cats fed in the front?

Hes the only one eating the food up front... now (beside the one across the street). 2 more will come up and wait for me if I get out there too late for dinner.

Yes it is the condo tenants I worry about. I saw a neighbor scare him off. Which I know Im not hte only one living here - BUT im doing what I can and dont need other people involved OR making comments to the board.

Of course the food up front is solely for the cat across the street. BUT you know what... since I was told that will always be his territory - i guess i COULD leave food there. Not my property but it gets dark enough I could be walking my dog and drop some food.
I hope this other cat wont cross though.

What about water though???? I have a small cup for him - i cant really leave that on someone's property... and carry my water bottle over every night.

THanks LDG - youre always helpful

Yeah, water in the winter is important. Dehydration is actually a bigger worry than calories. I guess just put the food and water out in your back yard and hope for the best?

OR... can you squish a pouch of wet food out in your neighbor's yard on your walk?

Do you have to pass by that way to feed the other cats? Maybe put food and water down, feed the other cats, then pick up the water on your way back?