# Put a handful of kibbles out for a stray



## Claiken (Dec 18, 2007)

I hope he/she comes back to find it!!

I didnt want to open the door when it was too closeby and scare it away. so I waited a bit. I hope their sense of smell will bring them back!!

with my luck a skunk or something will come by and eat it... but i intended it for that little guy or gal.

it looked young-ish and on the skinny side so, i felt bad for the little thing.

Just by watching it those couple of minutes, it seemed very aware of absolutely everything (looking around with sudden jerky movements, kind of like what Simba does when we make unusual noises). You can tell it isnt relaxed at all. 

I hope i just made its life a bit easier anyway.


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## TinyPaws (Jun 23, 2013)

Hope the little one comes back for the food and you can build his trust in you.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

Awww so nice of you to try to feed this kitty! He is probably doing rounds of your neighborhood. He will come back by. Have it waiting. 

You can get him on a schedule once he knows food is available. That way you don't have to leave it out for the skunks or raccoon's!


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

Hopefully this will work. I was going to suggest a live trap with yummy smelly food in it, but that could just as easily trap a skunk - not a pleasant thought!


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## dt8thd (Jan 7, 2013)

Marcia said:


> Hopefully this will work. I was going to suggest a live trap with yummy smelly food in it, but that could just as easily trap a skunk - not a pleasant thought!


Lol! I laugh because I haven't been so lucky yet, but it's only a matter of time. I regularly trap raccoons and I got my first possum back in May. I've gone so far as to think out my plan for releasing a skunk from the trap without getting sprayed; it involves approaching the trap holding a plastic tarp up in front of my body, head and all, and laying the tarp over the trap when I get close enough. Hopefully the tarp will be the only thing that gets "skunked".

You're not technically supposed to leave the live cat traps unattended anyway; although, you can for short periods of time, depending on the conditions and where you're trapping. There are numerous reasons why you should keep an eye on any set traps, such as being around to promptly cover the trap if a cat freaks out or to prevent people and other animals from harming or causing unnecessary stress to a trapped cat, but any trapper will tell you that you also have to be on the lookout for wildlife bycatch.  Raccoons are usually quite easy to release, although I wouldn't want to trap a baby if mom was around, but _no one_ wants to accidentally trap a skunk!

Interestingly enough, I opened my front door last night to take the garbage out, and there was a skunk waddling around on my front porch. Needless to say, I won't be doing any night time trapping in my own yard anytime soon.

Claiken, it's very kind of you to leave some food out for the hungry kitty.  I hope he/she comes back for it!


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## Claiken (Dec 18, 2007)

Well, something ate the kibbles!!

I dont know if it was that kitty or not but i hope so. It was after I was in bed (i got up to pee and peeked to see if the kibble was still there.).

Havent seen him around tonight though, but its the first time i had left food out for it, so him coming by isnt a pattern yet. if i see him again tomorrow night ill put some more out, and maybe a pattern will start.

I didnt think while i was out today, i should have gotten some non-vet food for them as its SO expensive already. 

What do you guys feed your strays? I used what i had in a pinch, but what wont break the bank but will keep them fed? basically any food at that point (being skinny)?


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

We feed anything that is donated to us for ferals! If Im buying its chicken soup or purina. If a cat looks injured or really bad I put out soft Evo. But now Im disappointed in Evos issues so will use Wellness or another good brand.


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## Claiken (Dec 18, 2007)

So basically at the point theyre at, any food is good food?


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

What ever is your budget. Some of our caretakers can't afford to feed the ferals but have the time so we provide the food. Were grateful for the help. We provide chicken soup or taste of the wild for our fosterers if they don't have the funds too.


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## cinderflower (Apr 22, 2012)

my sister TNR's any stray cats around her house and leaves a trap out. the other day she caught a possum. she also saw a coyote come all the way up to her yard and lots of foxes. she went to pick up a cat whose owner died and the woman had a couple of those plastic jugs of Delicat dry food. she picked them up and took them home but left them out on her front porch because she was going to take them to the shelter. later that evening, she heard all kinds of noise and something whizzing through the air. a raccoon had found the jugs but couldn't get them open. he threw one across the yard, then got on top of it and tried to bite it open, it did everything you could do to it except for turn a screw-on lid. lol

any food is better than no food when it comes to strays but there's no guarantee they'll be the ones to eat it. I wouldn't leave anything really expensive out until you can be relatively sure the cat is getting it. raccoons, skunks and possums don't care what it is, they just like cat food.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

If you leave food out on a schedule they will learn to come at that time. I would leave it out during the day if skunks and raccoons dont come then or it can be watched during the day? Taking it up at night if skunks or coons are getting it.


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## Claiken (Dec 18, 2007)

So even something like whiskas or meow mix would be alright for them??

Not the intenion to feed the racoons but, what can you do eh?? Even if i sort of hid it, raccoons just as well as cats would probably find it right?


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

Yes Whiskas or meow mix is fine. There is nothing you can do beside relocate the raccoons to get them to stop eating your food.


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## dt8thd (Jan 7, 2013)

There's not much you can do to dissuade the raccoons from eating cat food. Toronto is known as the raccoon capital of the world because of our huge population of urban raccoons, so pretty much every colony caretaker I know of encounters this problem. A lot of people choose to feed during the day when the raccoons aren't generally around. Not that daylight is always a deterrent; during the breeding season, there are often raccoons in my yard in the middle of the day. Pregnant and nursing females aren't always able to eat an adequate amount of food during the night, so they'll forage during the day as well.

There was a stray cat that was recently coming by my yard that I was hoping to trap, but my yard is frequented by so many critters that it was really difficult to keep the trap baited. I couldn't possibly trap at night in my yard unles I wanted to trap a squirrel, or a skunk, or a fox, or a mink, or one of the 20+ raccoons that frequents our bird feeders. About a month ago my mother even told me that she thought she saw a_ Fisher_ chase a rabbit across the road!


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## Claiken (Dec 18, 2007)

Arent the cats out more often at night though too? Thats why iw as thinking of feeding them (the cats) at night as apposed to during the day. i havent built up any trust iwth them so I know they wont just come to me as i bring out food. Would be nice one day! But definately not there yet.

But that specific one from the other night, i havent seen around again. I wonder if he was just passing through that day?


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

No they are up during the day and have about a 2 sq mile radius of their territory. If they find food at certain times they will reappear.


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## Claiken (Dec 18, 2007)

Well, I spotted that cat again tonight, but it was evening again though. unless theyre just more careful to hide during the day, i see them more in the evening.

I bought some whiskas meaty selections for them (as i didnt want to use my own expensive stuff). I avoided fishy flavours (which are in aLOT of grocery store brands) because i know fish allergies can happen. I am keeping it in my trunk right now as my "landlord" (mom) wouldnt be happy to know i want feed them. She figures we will have seventeen million cats coming for food if we do feed them. The other reason I was shooting for nighttime to put it out. 

The other night though i didnt use a dish or anything, i just put it right on the ground. is that alright?


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Maybe you can find a flat rock to serve as a dish? Still blends in, but is a little better than the ground!


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## fanwoodguy (Oct 14, 2011)

Good luck. I have been feeding Mooch for over a year. During that time I have captured a raccoon, several possums, my own cat (twice), some other cat, but never Mooch. I would not recommend leaving food out at all. We have seen in no particular order and all in one night, a possum, a pair of raccoon, two different skunks and a coyote. Mooch was smart enough to hide somewhere and appear after Noahs ark had pulled out. He will trill for his food and often hang out but has never entered an enclosed space or permitted a touch. If you do decide to feed the animal will be dependent so make every effort to trap and/or provide shelter. Failing that, be prepared to provide food for as long as possible. Mooch will have a home if we ever are able to fool him into a drop trap. Good luck.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

Many animals go by smell so not putting it in a dish wouldn't dissuade an animal from coming to eat it. 

We have ants really bad where we are. So in warmer weather they swarm the food and the cats won't eat it. We have to put the bowl in a shallow pan of water so ants can't reach it.


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## Claiken (Dec 18, 2007)

We havent been bad for ants this year... spiders though... holy crap! Lots of much larger than usual sized ones. I seriously bring a flashlight with me now if i need to go anywhere at night!! (including to my trunk to get the kibbles lol). I am suspicious of everywhere.... its kind of rediculous. its all around the city too though, we have checked with friends, they have them too outside. naaaaasty!! 

Didnt put any out tonight as its raining.. would just get all soggy and gross.


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