# should i feed this stray cat?



## sephi (May 9, 2010)

i moved to my new place 6 months ago hopping that there won't be any stray cats since both of mine are rescued and i am so soft hearted i would adopt all of them if i could but i just can't. so for the 1st month everything was great in new place no sign of stray cats, thing changed after that, found a grey tabby ( mean one) that neighbors said that the people lived there they left him and moved out!! some one is feeding him because he is in good shape, a little later i saw a orange tabby roaming around, this one looks like could be someone's too. well just 2 weeks ago you know about the kitten that was thrown out of the car and i rescued and she is adopted by my neighbor.
it has been few weeks that i see another grey tabby skinny and belly flaping( seems that she might have been a big healthy cat and lost weight) roaming around and going to garbage dumpster to eat all the time which means no one feeding her. he is not domestic and runs off when i get close to him.
i am wondering should i feed him outside my patio so at least he get fed and don't eat out of dumpster? my only worries is that he then will hang around my patio and drive my cats crazy.
any suggestion?


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

You could leave food out (in the morning) for him at a distance, behind your house. Poor baby. : ( You would be such a blessing to him.


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## beamjoy (Nov 6, 2010)

Yes, always feed the stray cats! Like Jeanie said, just put it away from the house a bit. Really, there's never a good reason not to feed a stray cat or dog, is there? But I understand what you're saying. Only so much space in the house and you gotta leave some for the humans. If you're like most, there's only so much space in the budget for cat food as well. But yeah, feed the kitty and make things a little nicer for him.


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## sephi (May 9, 2010)

beamjoy said:


> Yes, always feed the stray cats! Like Jeanie said, just put it away from the house a bit. Really, there's never a good reason not to feed a stray cat or dog, is there? But I understand what you're saying. Only so much space in the house and you gotta leave some for the humans. If you're like most, there's only so much space in the budget for cat food as well. But yeah, feed the kitty and make things a little nicer for him.


I will do.. I just hope he gets his share since there are few other ones roaming around, the last time I did that while back caused few cats fighting out where I use to live either over food or territory.


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## beamjoy (Nov 6, 2010)

sephi said:


> I will do.. I just hope he gets his share since there are few other ones roaming around, the last time I did that while back caused few cats fighting out where I use to live either over food or territory.


That's always a problem. Local strays are probably fighting each other in different places all the time any way. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like you can't really make them fight any more than they already do.


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## sephi (May 9, 2010)

well i left some food last nite in my patio expecting to see it empty in the morning, that was not the case. it was not touched at all! i guess no hungry kitty last nite! i still left it there this morning see what happens.


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## catlady2010 (Feb 4, 2010)

Yes, there's nothing wrong with feeding a poor hungry cat. But beware, once you feed a cat...it will always come back


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## kittywitty (Jun 19, 2010)

In regards to the cat not eating the food that you put out for him, it could be that the cat did not like the food you put out. They may be so used to dumpster food that they don't appreciate the good canned food. Good Luck!


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## Alpaca (Dec 21, 2009)

Oh I agree with catlady....I fed one and now..it's not a stray anymore, it's living in my house as a 2nd indoor cat....


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## sephi (May 9, 2010)

I came home for lunch and I checked on the bowl of cat food and every bit of it was gone! Not sure which one ate it! Hope the right one!!! We have about 15 ducks running around too! Hope not the ducks!!! Lol


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## Alpaca (Dec 21, 2009)

Sephi, you sound just like I did last month! I'd come home to check every day to see if the stray ate it. Some days, it was all gone and others, it was still there.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

You can get outdoor cats on a schedule of when your going to have the food out and when it isnt. 

A friend of mine has been feeding ferals in her backyard for 3 years now. For some strange reason they wont show up for several day and then they will show up every night for months! Go figure!

The most compassionate thing you could do is to feed a stray cat or dog. Bless you!


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## sephi (May 9, 2010)

The new cat that I left the food out for her came out and eat but I notice gray tabby kitten about 6 weeks old with Her and she was getting some milk from mommy, I went out and mom vat not friendly bit the kitten did not escape just went to busches, what is going on in my place.. What should I do with situation? Should I leave the kitten alone with momm?


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## sephi (May 9, 2010)

sephi said:


> The new cat that I left the food out for her came out and eat but I notice gray tabby kitten about 6 weeks old with Her and she was getting some milk from mommy, I went out and mom vat not friendly bit the kitten did not escape just went to busches, what is going on in my place.. What should I do with situation? Should I leave the kitten alone with momm?


 
sorry for spelling problem, i was out with my iphone when sent the message and just does not do the same for me as my pc and big screen!!


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## dweamgoil (Feb 3, 2010)

Sounds like you may have a secret kitty colony nearby.


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## Claiken (Dec 18, 2007)

Jeanie said:


> You could leave food out (in the morning) for him at a distance, behind your house. Poor baby. : ( You would be such a blessing to him.


just curious, why in the morning? any specific reason?


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## NikkoJS (Nov 2, 2010)

You are a cat magnet. :kittyturn


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## sephi (May 9, 2010)

NikkoJS said:


> You are a cat magnet. :kittyturn


You are right!!!


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## beamjoy (Nov 6, 2010)

Claiken said:


> just curious, why in the morning? any specific reason?


If you leave it out in the morning, you're less likely to attract wildlife.

Jeanie might have another reason to say that, but that would be mine.


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## Claiken (Dec 18, 2007)

Good point. We have enough skunks as it is. we usually dont see anyone around to feed, but if we do ill keep that in mind.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

sephi said:


> The new cat that I left the food out for her came out and eat but I notice gray tabby kitten about 6 weeks old with Her and she was getting some milk from mommy, I went out and mom vat not friendly bit the kitten did not escape just went to busches, what is going on in my place.. What should I do with situation? Should I leave the kitten alone with momm?


If your asking what you should do about the kitten I would say it is still young enough to be socialized. If you don't want to socialize her I would atleast get the mother & the kitten spayed / neutered/vaccinated and release them back into your backyard when they have recovered.

Have you TNR before? Or do you know of a TNR group in your town who could walk you thru it and tell you where the low cost clinics for feral cats are? I really hope you are able to help this mother stop reproducing. It so hard on their health to have litter of kittens after litter of kittens.


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