Feral Kitten Behaving Strangely

There is a colony of of feral kittens that I feed on my back porch. Five kittens total; an orange and white one, another one is like tan or beige and white, a smokey grey kitty, the fourth one is grey with black stripes tabby and the fifth kitty is a tuxedo.

Earlier today the orange and white kitten showed up at my back door by itself as it often does. Usually, I will give it some food and water and it will go ahead and eat. Well it didn't do that today and I don't know why. It showed up at my back door, I make it's food and bowl of fresh water and sat them on my back porch as I always do. It ignored the food and just sat at the foot of my door looking at me as if it wanted something else other than food.

I cracked my kitchen door open wide enough for it to come through (it's been in my house before but never further than my kitchen). It came in, sniffed around and started rubbing against things (perhaps to mark my kitchen with it's scent?). Then it would sit down and just stare at me. It wouldn't run at all whenever I made any movement but it wouldn't come to either or smell my hand when I put it out for it to sniff. Then it left my kitchen, went back out to my back porch and sat down looking at me again and let a couple of those soft adorable meows kittens have.

My next door neighbor came outside to put his garbage and by him doing so the kitten ran off. Just a few minutes ago I looked outside to see if it came back. The food is still sitting on my back porch untouched and the kitten is in my backyard frolicking about and chasing the butterflies.

I have no idea what this is. I'm hoping someone here much more educated on feral cat and kitten behavior can clue me in and help me to understand what I am missing.

Something I wish to add is that I can remember maybe three or four occasions when the tan and white kitten showed up by himself to be fed, but this orange and white one does all the time. It has done so countless times. I don't know how significant that information is but I thought I'd mention for consideration of the overall situation.

EDIT:

LOL. Never mind guys. I just now found out what the deal is. The deal is that this little kitty is already spoiled.

It didn't want the food that I put out for it (9 Lives seafood platter meaty pate which I have given it before). It wanted something else that I have given it before and I just remembered how it demonstrated a really big liking for it; it's Tuna Feast in Gravy made by Fancy Feast. It came back. I put some Tuna Feast in Gravy on a small paper plate to test my theory and Lo and Behold, that's what it was. So I have spoiled feral kitty on my hands.  

They train you fast, don't they?  

Ondine said:

 
They train you fast, don't they?  

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Yes, they do. And I fell right in line like a perfect sucker too.

Mr Wendall said:

 

Yes, they do. And I fell right in line like a perfect sucker too.

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Yes, and here you do have your given candidate for fostering.   

Also, while its difficult to foster a heap of 5 shy kittens, where everyone is afraid of you and they  mutually spread the fear on each other, it becomes immediately easier if you do have one or two of them more daring, more curious, who DO attach to you. Them becoming the ambassadeurs, the positive example to the others.

If you you notice somebody of them seems to be an absolute no no - you CAN contend yoursel to TNR with that "impossible" individual.  As you do have a feasible alternative.

But awoid the pitfall, of trying to foster them a long time - several months, and not succeeding, let them out...  Because during the time they have lost a long time of learning the ropes of being outside cats.   That may be done with an adult cat, who IS experienced with managing outside, and simply returns to it.  But a kitten taking inside, missing the best time for learning - and let out again, its dangerous for it, even cruel.

Even if you do have this mini colony in your backyard.

But this is really the only drawback of tryint to foster older kittens.  If you dont succeed, the situation becomes worse. Unless you adopt them as  inhouse ferales.  Accepting they coexist in your home, without ever being a pet.

StefanZ said:

 
Yes, and here you do have your given candidate for fostering.   

Also, while its difficult to foster a heap of 5 shy kittens, where everyone is afraid of you and they  mutually spread the fear on each other, it becomes immediately easier if you do have one or two of them more daring, more curious, who DO attach to you. Them becoming the ambassadeurs, the positive example to the others.

If you you notice somebody of them seems to be an absolute no no - you CAN contend yoursel to TNR with that "impossible" individual.  As you do have a feasible alternative.

But awoid the pitfall, of trying to foster them a long time - several months, and not succeeding, let them out...  Because during the time they have lost a long time of learning the ropes of being outside cats.   That may be done with an adult cat, who IS experienced with managing outside, and simply returns to it.  But a kitten taking inside, missing the best time for learning - and let out again, its dangerous for it, even cruel.

Even if you do have this mini colony in your backyard.

But this is really the only drawback of tryint to foster older kittens.  If you dont succeed, the situation becomes worse. Unless you adopt them as  inhouse ferales.  Accepting they coexist in your home, without ever being a pet.

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Stefan this is really great advice (and insight). I find your posts and advice to be very, very helpful. Thank You.