Help With Cat

[Issyhart]

Hi everyone.. I've been feeding a beautiful stray girl for approx 6 months. She comes around 2-3 times a day, always for breakfast and late lunch. She lets me get close to her when I feed her and sometimes lets me pets her. She doesn' really like to be petted much though. She follows me to the bottom of the steps of the front door to where I live. I would love to be able to bring her inside. She doesn' let me pick her up nor willshe follow me inside. I feel so terrible leaving her outside..

 

[Kittysodaa]

You can lure her in a carrier with food if she's not spayed/neutered to spay her and check her out at a vet or just bring her to a no kill shelter where she will get spayed/neutered. You need to earn her trust. Continue to feed her everyday, sitting by her.

 

[Kittysodaa]

You also don't want to corner her/Yell loudly at her. She'll think you are not trust-able and run away.

 

[Issyhart]

Thank you. I will continue to do that. No i definitely dont yell at her or corner her at all.. she often sits outside and waits for ke to come outside or open then door and stay with her.

 

[Kittysodaa]

You can leave food outside where she usually sits, incase if shes hungry and it's night time.

 

[Kittysodaa]

Does she ever like playing? If she doesn't like you near her for playing, you can buy a teaser and do it far away, of course it's not needed if she allows u to be near her for playing.

 

[Issyhart]

Yes I've actually bought one and she enjoys playing .. I leave food and water for her. She'll sit next to my car also. Sometimes I wonder if maybe she doesn't want to come in..

 

[Kittysodaa]

Is her ear tipped? You want to spay/neuter her because she might roam if you keep her in the future. (or finding a mate) Have you ever tried putting the treats at the steps(if you have some) of your house or near the door?

 

[orange&white]

You could start feeding her at the bottom of the steps, then move the food up one step at a time until she's eating close to your door. Then start opening the door and see if she'll come in to eat in your entryway.

I don't know if you're having a hard winter, but during the summer and fall, I started opening my patio door to the backyard to let my feral walk in and out without me standing there. She came in often enough when the weather was nice, that I have been able to bring her inside on these cold winter nights. She spends quite a lot of time in the house these days.

 

[Kittysodaa]

I assume you only fed her outside so she isn't familiar with your house.

 

[Issyhart]

I'm beginning to feed her in the front of the house now. I will do the steps as well. She does sometimes wait for at the top of the steps and then walks down when I come out. I'm hoping that she'll eat at the top of the steps so that way I can place the food inside the doorway. Thank you all for your great advice..

 

[orange&white]

I'm beginning to feed her in the front of the house now. I will do the steps as well. She does sometimes wait for at the top of the steps and then walks down when I come out. I'm hoping that she'll eat at the top of the steps so that way I can place the food inside the doorway. Thank you all for your great advice..

I got my feral closer and closer by slowly moving her food where I wanted her to eat while I sat very still in a folding lawn chair on the patio. It took a little while, but I eventually got her eating right next to the chair where I could reach down and pet the back of her head while she ate. That was during the warm months.

 

[tabbytom]

Issyhart , good to see you posting here as you’re getting great advice from the members here.

Don’t be shy, feel free to ask as much questions as you can. Remember, be patience and don’t rush through. Gain trust both ways.

 

[ashade1]

I was going to suggest start feeding her in a carrier... then you can close the door when she is in it. You could start by feeding her just in front of it then the next day put the food just inside it and the next day move it back a little more. Until she is all the way in!