Hi, okay so I have been reading everything I can to find out the difference between strays and ferals but I would love some expert opinions, Im in Australia so the problem with calling a shelter is that they euthanise ferals hear So I'd prefer not too.
Okay so I moved hear in April, the house had been vacant for over 12 months and the house next door aswell. When I moved in I noticed When I would go out into the back yard their would be a few different cats in it until I came out and scared them and they would all scatter away. One night I was sleeping and I could hear cats fighting so I went out the front (they where in the front yard of the vacant house next door) and along with scaring me shitless With them all scattering away (clearly scaring them too) I started to realise they possibly are feral. So I started leaving food, water and a bed in my front yard for them. Slowly over the past 3 months I have gotten to see who I am feeding, their is a black adult, a white adult and what looks to be maybe a 6-12 month old kitten. Now these cats wouldn't come near me but are starting to not run from me and let me put food in their bowls for them aslong as I stay in my spot and leave them alone while they eat, but when they approach the bowl it is with great caution. I mostly only see them at night when they come to eat, with some exceptions during the day as they seem to start being comfortable sometimes napping in my front yard but as soon as I come out to go to my car or get mail etc the white one always runs for a drain accross the road and hides in their, and the kitten runs off somewhere.
The black one sleeps in my back yard on a seat when it's raining (it's under shelter) all night. I started to notice when they would wait for me at night to put the food out in my front yard (if I was late leaving food out) that their was another one with them. I have seen it run off into the drain with the white one before.
This one has started to let me pat it, every night around 5pm he waits for me to come out and feed and pat him/her, it was very cautious at first and as soon as it hears a noise it runs off but then comes back when realises it's not at risk. It won't let my partner pet it at first and took a few goes of him being with me to finally let him pat it. I have started to let him/her in the house (with the door open) and he/her likes to investigate it and then run back out then back in and out continuously for awhile. It's started to get more comfortable where he/her will sit on the couch with me (it's winter hear at the moment).
I noticed a cat (someone's pet) tried to come in and it wouldn't let it come in and tried to fight it (so I had to shoo the pet cat off to prevent a fight). I only see it at night like the white one and when it eats it eats a lot as if it hasn't eaten all day. So my question is, do you think this cat is a stray, feral or someone's pet? I'm sorry for the long question but I figure every detail counts and I don't want to risk calling and asking a shelter hear incase it is a stray.
Any input would be great, thank you so much
Laura
Okay so I moved hear in April, the house had been vacant for over 12 months and the house next door aswell. When I moved in I noticed When I would go out into the back yard their would be a few different cats in it until I came out and scared them and they would all scatter away. One night I was sleeping and I could hear cats fighting so I went out the front (they where in the front yard of the vacant house next door) and along with scaring me shitless With them all scattering away (clearly scaring them too) I started to realise they possibly are feral. So I started leaving food, water and a bed in my front yard for them. Slowly over the past 3 months I have gotten to see who I am feeding, their is a black adult, a white adult and what looks to be maybe a 6-12 month old kitten. Now these cats wouldn't come near me but are starting to not run from me and let me put food in their bowls for them aslong as I stay in my spot and leave them alone while they eat, but when they approach the bowl it is with great caution. I mostly only see them at night when they come to eat, with some exceptions during the day as they seem to start being comfortable sometimes napping in my front yard but as soon as I come out to go to my car or get mail etc the white one always runs for a drain accross the road and hides in their, and the kitten runs off somewhere.
The black one sleeps in my back yard on a seat when it's raining (it's under shelter) all night. I started to notice when they would wait for me at night to put the food out in my front yard (if I was late leaving food out) that their was another one with them. I have seen it run off into the drain with the white one before.
This one has started to let me pat it, every night around 5pm he waits for me to come out and feed and pat him/her, it was very cautious at first and as soon as it hears a noise it runs off but then comes back when realises it's not at risk. It won't let my partner pet it at first and took a few goes of him being with me to finally let him pat it. I have started to let him/her in the house (with the door open) and he/her likes to investigate it and then run back out then back in and out continuously for awhile. It's started to get more comfortable where he/her will sit on the couch with me (it's winter hear at the moment).
I noticed a cat (someone's pet) tried to come in and it wouldn't let it come in and tried to fight it (so I had to shoo the pet cat off to prevent a fight). I only see it at night like the white one and when it eats it eats a lot as if it hasn't eaten all day. So my question is, do you think this cat is a stray, feral or someone's pet? I'm sorry for the long question but I figure every detail counts and I don't want to risk calling and asking a shelter hear incase it is a stray.
Any input would be great, thank you so much
Laura