Help: How To Win Cats Trust

[kittiekate89]

Looking for some advice/help
I have been feeding a cat since March outside. It shows up every night to eat and now has been showing up in the mornings to eat as well.
This cat is extremely skiddish and won't come near me.
This isn't the first stray I have fed and one we even took in a few years ago but this cat just isn't having it.
There is another cat that will occasionally show up as well (they don't fight when they are together oddly enough) and she will come near and will let me pet her, but nothing with the other.
The closest we have gotten was the other night when I was petting the white cat, Moonie (the skiddish cat) actually came on the stoop to eat but ran off when I moved.
Also I have sat on the other side of a screen/glass for visible while she is eating on the stoop to try and get Moonie used to me but still no luck.
It's started to get cold here. Really want to gain Moonie' s trust so we can possibly get her to stay in a cat house in the back yard or even out garage for the winter.
Will take any advice (as long as positive)

 

[shadowsrescue]

Thank you for caring for these two cats. Living outside is a very hard place to be without the kind help of humans.

First off, I would trap both of these cats and get them spayed/neutered. If they are female, you will soon have kittens everywhere. If the cats are male and not neutered, they will most likely get into fights, wander far and wide and with fighting comes the possibility of wounds. I would buy or borrow a humane trap and get them fixed.

Once fixed, they will be much easier to socialize. Without hormones ruling their bodies, the cats may soften. Recovery from a neuter is very very easy. Females do take a day or two. Please check your area for low cost spay/neuter clinics.

As for the working with the cats, I would sit on the deck at their level. You don't want to loom over them. I like to bring a tasty treat along. Plain cooked chicken or canned tuna works well. I would start by tossing a piece of chicken/tuna their way and then each toss bring it a bit closer to you. Watch eye contact. It spooks most strays/ferals. Keep your gaze down or over the top of their head.

As for shelters, you can make something very simple such as a rubbermaid tote stuffed with straw or something more fancy if your budget allows and you have an electricity source. Do an internet search on feral cat shelters. You will find lots and lots. I just put up my winter shelters for my 3 feral boys last weekend. You can see pictures of my setup on my blog. There is a link in my signature.

 

[kittiekate89]

Thank you for the response!
Oh, not 100% sure Moonie is a "she". I say "she" because the other strays in the past that earned up to me were both males.

I have already tried tossing food and moving closer with no success. Moonie hides under my car but makes sure she can see me and won't come out until I go back inside.
TPR is going to be difficult on my end for a few reasons. We have a local pet fix which is great because it's inexpensive, but I am not sure if she is a feral / stray or if she is indeed someone's pet that just likes to wander. Also to trap her we would have to bring her Inside our home or the garage to keep her overnight to bring her to pet fix in the morning and my boyfriend has already said that she is not allowed in the house. We also have four other kitties in the home so she would have to be flea treated and I can't do that if she won't come anywhere near me. And finally the thought that breaks my heart the most is bringing Mooney in our home and offering a warm room and a place to sleep and food just to toss her back outside when she is healed. Personally I believe that's worst part. When we neutered are male who was a stray, we tried to put him back outside but he did not want to go so we ended up keeping him. I would love nothing more to keep Mooney but unfortunately the stray we did take in is very aggressive towards other cats that he is not familiar with.
We did make a tote with straw but Moonie won't go in unless we out the food in there, then once she is done eating she won't go back in.

I will give moving the food closer to me another try and hope it works.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Most TNR spay/neuter clinics will take any cat that is in a humane trap. Yes, you would need a place to keep the cat over night. The cat would remain in the trap so a garage would work just fine. The spay/neuter clinic would give a topical flea treatment if fleas were spotted.

By feeding the cats and not spaying/neutering them you are making them stronger and healthier so they continue to breed. Our world is overrun with stray and feral cats that are unwanted. Please consider getting both of the cats fixed.

If you believe they can be socialized, you can ask a rescue group to help and maybe they could find homes for the cats. Just do not take them to a shelter without knowing if they are no kill or not.

If you made a shelter, be sure it has an exit and an entrance. Cats do not want to feel trapped. Also putting food inside is not a good idea as it will attract other unwanted critters like raccoons, skunks and possums.

It is also fine to just sit outside and talk with the cats. Just sit on the ground and talk with them. You can have something yummy and delicious with you, but just getting them used to your presence is good too.