The Feral Cats In My Backyard

I have a secound home that I often visit on an island on the South Carolina coast. Last year, around Thanksgiving, I aquatinted myself to a huge, white, longhaired cat whom I later named Dutchess(she looks just like the cat from Aristocats). This cat, who I can imagine was feral her whole life, clung to me. As I began to come outside multiple times a day to see her, another cat started to observer us from a far. I named him Clyde for no reason and later assumed that Clyde was accutually Clydette. She began to come very close and even let me pet her. I regularly fed them leftover turkey and they both would let me pet them and Dutchess let me hold her.
Flash forward to spring break time. We returned to our condo and to my surprise, both cats came when I called their names! This truly surprised me since it had been months since I'd seen them. Unfortunately, both cats looked very unhealthy. Dutchess looked like she possibly got into a fight since her ear was virtually torn off. They both appeared to be pregnant or nursing, because of low hanging stomachs. I continued to socialize them and became even closer. Due to my circumstances, I was unable to take them home with me.
I am returning next week to the condo. If they are still coming to my calls and being as affectionate as they once were, I hope to be able to take them home with me. Expenses aren't a problem and I'd do anything to take them home with me as they are very sweet cats. I was wondering what other people thought on the situation since their behavior was so obscure for feral cats. Thank you for your time and I hope that I can get some feed back before our next trip.

ChloeH said:

I have a secound home that I often visit on an island on the South Carolina coast. Last year, around Thanksgiving, I aquatinted myself to a huge, white, longhaired cat whom I later named Dutchess(she looks just like the cat from Aristocats). This cat, who I can imagine was feral her whole life, clung to me. As I began to come outside multiple times a day to see her, another cat started to observer us from a far. I named him Clyde for no reason and later assumed that Clyde was accutually Clydette. She began to come very close and even let me pet her. I regularly fed them leftover turkey and they both would let me pet them and Dutchess let me hold her.
Flash forward to spring break time. We returned to our condo and to my surprise, both cats came when I called their names! This truly surprised me since it had been months since I'd seen them. Unfortunately, both cats looked very unhealthy. Dutchess looked like she possibly got into a fight since her ear was virtually torn off. They both appeared to be pregnant or nursing, because of low hanging stomachs. I continued to socialize them and became even closer. Due to my circumstances, I was unable to take them home with me.
I am returning next week to the condo. If they are still coming to my calls and being as affectionate as they once were, I hope to be able to take them home with me. Expenses aren't a problem and I'd do anything to take them home with me as they are very sweet cats. I was wondering what other people thought on the situation since their behavior was so obscure for feral cats. Thank you for your time and I hope that I can get some feed back before our next trip.

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They could have met friendly people now and then...   And thus, learned to recognize such people.   Another possibility, they arent perhaps not young any more, and feel they need to get a more safe place to be...

Anyway, if adopting them is an option for you, go on, you do have my blessing.

If its not an option, please help them at least with spaying them.  This is a nice gift to every  semi-feral and homeless cat, also  diminishing the number of future homeless cats...

They don't sound truly feral to me but it does sound as if they may be part of someone's colony.  Have you checked with the neighbor's?  It may be someone is feeding them but hasn't taken them for spays or other vet needs.

If you can take them home, you have my blessings.  They certainly need more attention than they are currently getting.

I agree. My best guess is that they probably were born as ferals and with so many people who are willing to feed them, they built trust and allowed contact. I should be able to take them home and I can imagine that they will a little easier to capture and my biggest concern is a long car drive home. They often come to my door and meow and on time, tried to come in! Thank you for your reply and I'll try to update!

I do hope you can take these two home.  I'm sure they would absolutely love you for it.

Please do keep us updated!