# New Member with a stray problem



## shrow (Jan 30, 2013)

About 2 years ago, we had a stray cat that started hanging around our house. Long story short, my husband started feeding her, and now she's ours. After we gained her trust, we started inviting her inside. However, the cat we adopted from the Humane Society as a kitten is a bit of a jerk (that's a polite word for what we affectionately call her), so they've never figured out how to cohabitate. As a result, Kitty #2 lives outside. Unfortunately, other stray cats have started hanging around in recent months. They eat all her food and leave her acting skittish and nervous all the time. I can't afford to start feeding them all (because then they become our responsibility, and the vet bills would eat me alive...4 animals is more than enough!), and even if I could, they make our sweet angel kitty nervous. I hate that she can't relax at home. I called the animal shelter, and they were no help. They will allow me to rent some traps for the cats, but I'm guessing our kitty would wind up in them more than the strays, which would exponentially increase her stress. Do you guys have any suggestions that may help me get rid of the strays?


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## Nan (Oct 11, 2010)

How did you do the introduction of the "stray" #2 and your other cat #1? Look through the threads here on cat introduction. You might try to bring #2 in again, separate them and do a slow introduction again. & then you don't have to feed the others.


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

I've also been feeding a stray for 2 1/2 years. He's so sweet, but one of mine is still afraid of him, so I won't let him in. I consider him my outdoor cat. He's got a house on my deck and I feed him there. There are several neighborhood cats, not strays, who are indoor-outdoor. At least a couple of them started coming up on the deck and eating his food. Occasionally there's a raccoon or an opossum too, so not only is he not getting his food, he's spraying. Argh.

What I've ended up doing is sitting out there with him until he's done eating and then taking his food back inside. Sometimes, I'm at work for 8 or more hours, and I feel bad if he doesn't show up for his food. 

But he's now pretty well-trained and knows that unless he shows up and eats when I'm there, he may not be getting any food for several hours. He almost always comes when he hears the back door open. I do feel terrible if he doesn't and I have to leave and would love to be able to leave food out all the time, but that's what was attracting the other cats. 

This is the only solution I've found that works. Is this feasible for you?


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