- Joined
- Dec 14, 2016
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Don't know if anyone here can help with this... I've done a little research regarding distinguishing a stray or feral and I still can't 100% say. There has been a medium sized black and white cat in my neighbourhood for almost 2 years now. He has always been VERY scared of people and never used to let me or anyone I personally know within 10 to 15 feet of him/her. Now about a year ago, perhaps the winter prior even, I put food out for this wee one. It did end up eating it, and the next night, exactly where I'd left the food, the cat had 'gifted' a killed and half-eaten rabbit on my doorstep. I stopped feeding him/her after that, assuming that the cat was capable enough fending for itself.
Now it's at least a year later, not entirely sure of the exact time-line here. And my cat passed. I now have two kittens and they have made friends with the black and white cat through our back window. The black and white cat began coming around the same few nights I was tossing mice bodies (yes, sorry for this - I had mice and had to use kill traps, instead of putting them to rot in the garbage I put them in the opening to the forest behind my house) out by my property line/forest. Now the black and white cat comes to the house every night and stays almost until 11 pm or 12 am. He/she is still very scared of me, but doesn't insist on running quite as far now that he/she has seen me interacting with my kittens at the window.
I have a couple worries. I am moving in a few weeks and I don't want this poor thing stuck out all winter long. It's already negative 20 Celsius out there tonight with the wind chill. I put a box out there and stuffed it with some hand warmers tonight in hopes of giving him/her a warm place to nap but I worry what will happen if I leave. I feel responsible for the little guy now. I've kept my eye out for him ever since the bunny incident. And though I don't KNOW it's a stray or feral it certainly appears to act like one. He also has a snipped ear, perfectly matching what catch and release programs do with cats they fix. I mean... he could belong to someone... but then -- should I even truly care if the owner is leaving him/her out in -20 fully overnight?? Part of me says even if the cat does belong to someone they don't deserve to own it as the poor thing shivers at my door for hours on end every night.
The cat doesn't look any worse for the wear, a little older maybe? And the snipped ear. Fairly puffy coat and not overly messy looking, nor too skinny looking, or overweight. I thought about asking around my neighbourhood but I honestly just don't have time to go door to door when I'm trying to move in two weeks. :/
Any advice would be helpful.
Oh! I also cracked the window and stuck a glove out that held the shape of my hand, to test the cat's reaction to touch. He/she smacked it and high tailed it off behind my deck for at least 10 minutes before calming down to return to staring into my house while lifting their paws intermittently to get them off the snow. I feel awful for this poor soul and any advice or help would be greatly appreciated!
Now it's at least a year later, not entirely sure of the exact time-line here. And my cat passed. I now have two kittens and they have made friends with the black and white cat through our back window. The black and white cat began coming around the same few nights I was tossing mice bodies (yes, sorry for this - I had mice and had to use kill traps, instead of putting them to rot in the garbage I put them in the opening to the forest behind my house) out by my property line/forest. Now the black and white cat comes to the house every night and stays almost until 11 pm or 12 am. He/she is still very scared of me, but doesn't insist on running quite as far now that he/she has seen me interacting with my kittens at the window.
I have a couple worries. I am moving in a few weeks and I don't want this poor thing stuck out all winter long. It's already negative 20 Celsius out there tonight with the wind chill. I put a box out there and stuffed it with some hand warmers tonight in hopes of giving him/her a warm place to nap but I worry what will happen if I leave. I feel responsible for the little guy now. I've kept my eye out for him ever since the bunny incident. And though I don't KNOW it's a stray or feral it certainly appears to act like one. He also has a snipped ear, perfectly matching what catch and release programs do with cats they fix. I mean... he could belong to someone... but then -- should I even truly care if the owner is leaving him/her out in -20 fully overnight?? Part of me says even if the cat does belong to someone they don't deserve to own it as the poor thing shivers at my door for hours on end every night.
The cat doesn't look any worse for the wear, a little older maybe? And the snipped ear. Fairly puffy coat and not overly messy looking, nor too skinny looking, or overweight. I thought about asking around my neighbourhood but I honestly just don't have time to go door to door when I'm trying to move in two weeks. :/
Any advice would be helpful.
Oh! I also cracked the window and stuck a glove out that held the shape of my hand, to test the cat's reaction to touch. He/she smacked it and high tailed it off behind my deck for at least 10 minutes before calming down to return to staring into my house while lifting their paws intermittently to get them off the snow. I feel awful for this poor soul and any advice or help would be greatly appreciated!
