How to coax a stray cat

Goldenegg

Hi

In my parents house, they have started to get a new little visitor to the garden..a beautiful black cat with the most amazing eyes! She looks very young, maybe just under the 1 year mark. Our own cat doesn't mind her coming into the garden, in fact they have become pals. Just the other day, my cat was sitting on the windowsill of the kitchen and the black cat came and sat right behind her.

They lie together on the grass and when we take her in for bed at night, the black cat came into the garden had a look up and down for our cat and left.

We assume she is a stray as her coat is not in the best of conditions so we have started to feed her. Leaving food out for her at night while our cat is in bed. But what we would love to stop is her running away when we come out. I know she is nervous of us but would love advice as to how to make her less afraid so I could take her to the vet and see if she has injections etc to maybe adopt her...

Thanks a mill

babychuckles

during the day or evening when she is around when you put out food for her sit nearby but not so near that she cant eat and just talk softly to her and as she already associates you with food she should get more confident with you being there.
getting her neutered should make her a calmer cat also. but if she is timid you probably should look at trying to get a loan of a humane trap and getting her to the vet before she has kittens.
if she is a lost cat and is already neutered the only way to tell is if her left ear is tipped but this is rarely done unless it was part of a trap neuter return scheme it wont have bben tipped.
otherwise the only way is to trap her and take her to the vet to be neutered which should help with the nervousness that and lots of treats and food.

Elmidena

Buy a box of Temptations or something and make a trail of breadcrumbs of sorts for it....leave some down when it's there and back away til it gets closer and nibbles them. Leave more down but with less of a gap until kitty's in stroking range and slowly let it sniff your hand. Do this a number of times (though you mightn't get to petting range first night) and should work

homerhop

I have 4 that were like that, time and patience. Let them get used to you and do not be too anxious to get close enough to rub them. Took a few weeks of feeding morning and evening for them to get used to me and now they got the run of the house. I cant walk up the road with out looking like the pied pieper with the cats all in a row behind me.

Gremlin

Goldenegg, you're very good to go to all that effort. She'll get used to you soon enough especially if she knows there's food involved. Like others said, if you can get her speyed that would ideal. Thumbs up to you.

Heroditas

THIS THREAD may offer you a few pointers!