So the first day I moved into my new apartment, I looked out my window and saw a cat wandering down the hill and along the fence that borders the complex. I wondered what a cat was doing in such a strange place because we are on top of an even bigger hill with no houses or restaurants around. Not really any good places for mice or rats either.
Over the next couple months, I've seen him/her walk down the same hill, always away from the apartment across the way from me, so I think someone is letting their cat out to roam.
I'm usually not too harsh about stuff like this because we did it back home and you can't convince everyone to keep their cats indoors. However.. We are right next to a busy 6 lane main street. There are also people who walk their dogs off leash on that hill. This is NO place for a cat to be running around..
So when I saw the kitty walking along the edge of the parking lot, I decided to see if it was friendly. I called to it and it stopped immediately in its tracks and stared at me. It didn't look like it was going to approach. I went back to my apartment and grabbed a can of food and came back calling for it. I accidentally startled it in the bushes and it ran down along the hedges. When I called to it again, it stopped and turned its head to look back at me. It stayed in that position, watching me as I opened the can and continuously called out and meowed. It eventually sat down where it was and continued to watch me. When I turned my head for a second, it disappeared into the bushes. I casually followed after it a few minutes later, and surprised it in another bush. It stared straight at me and I tried to make myself small and go around the bush to get closer to me, but once again, as soon as I looked down, it ran away.
I saw it again today as I was coming home. It was crossing the parking lot (which it never does) but i decided not to chase after it; I just called repeatedly as I walked by.
I don't think its a feral, I think its just like Grim, very hesitant around strangers. If it does belong to someone, I plan on putting a collar around it with a note asking the owner to keep their cat indoors. If it is a feral or a stray, I'm going to try to befriend it and eventually if I have to, trap it.
I think its way too early to tell what direction this is going to go in, but I plan to make it right.
Over the next couple months, I've seen him/her walk down the same hill, always away from the apartment across the way from me, so I think someone is letting their cat out to roam.
I'm usually not too harsh about stuff like this because we did it back home and you can't convince everyone to keep their cats indoors. However.. We are right next to a busy 6 lane main street. There are also people who walk their dogs off leash on that hill. This is NO place for a cat to be running around..
So when I saw the kitty walking along the edge of the parking lot, I decided to see if it was friendly. I called to it and it stopped immediately in its tracks and stared at me. It didn't look like it was going to approach. I went back to my apartment and grabbed a can of food and came back calling for it. I accidentally startled it in the bushes and it ran down along the hedges. When I called to it again, it stopped and turned its head to look back at me. It stayed in that position, watching me as I opened the can and continuously called out and meowed. It eventually sat down where it was and continued to watch me. When I turned my head for a second, it disappeared into the bushes. I casually followed after it a few minutes later, and surprised it in another bush. It stared straight at me and I tried to make myself small and go around the bush to get closer to me, but once again, as soon as I looked down, it ran away.
I saw it again today as I was coming home. It was crossing the parking lot (which it never does) but i decided not to chase after it; I just called repeatedly as I walked by.
I don't think its a feral, I think its just like Grim, very hesitant around strangers. If it does belong to someone, I plan on putting a collar around it with a note asking the owner to keep their cat indoors. If it is a feral or a stray, I'm going to try to befriend it and eventually if I have to, trap it.
I think its way too early to tell what direction this is going to go in, but I plan to make it right.