Help with stray cat behavior - ?

[Flaxbee]

There's a stray, I believe a male (simply b/c he seemed to tangle a lot with the stray we've adopted who is a big (now neutered) male; the fighting has ebbed considerably since Ivan's defrocking, so to speak) who hangs out around our house and meows pitifully. He waits until you get about 50 feet away and then takes off so quickly I can't follow. We live close to a lake, and the backyard is pretty steeply sloped with high grass/weeds until you get to the road that runs alongside the lake, so I really can't follow. This isn't our home, we're just renting thru the winter and while I've seen this guy around ever since we moved in, I haven't noticed the meowing too much until recently (it's gotten cold here the last week or so, though no snow or ice so it can't be too hard to catch mice or other food).

So, I usually just try to put food out where I last saw him sitting as he meowed at me. Any other suggestions? I think he's feral, though when he sees me he starts meowing (he doesn't meow too much until he sees a person). We're only here two more months and i don't think I can catch and tame a feral by then (took me 18 months to get the feral baby back in Virginia - who I adopted out - to let me pick her up for 5 seconds).

I'd hate to think I was totally misinterpreting what he's trying to tell me. If it's a she, I hope at least I'm feeding her often enough so that she'll have strength for her babies.

[Astrochimp]

1. sounds like a cat that lost it's people...........

try putting the food by your door, same place everyday, and when it sees you and meows, dont go to it, just stand, to see if it comes to you.


Our outdoor (was wild) cat Todd, disapeared during the cold snap last week- he had gotten where he would come in and stay for a day, but would cry to go out from time to time. But I think (hope) he was also working the neighbors, so he may have found a good home.

Vote for Todd.

[iamjoy]

2. I Don't Know...

Place a box outside, in it put an old sweatshirt you've worn but not washed (it should smell like you). This will give the cat somewhere warm to go and hopefully get it more used to your scent. Also, if the sweatshirt smells like urine a few days later, you have a male stray, if not, probably female.

If you were going to stick around, I'd say ask the local Humane Society about a humane trap and the spay/release program, then you could continue to care for it while ensuring no progeny.

If you were in Florida, I'd say just name it Gator Chow & wait for the weather to warm up a little. Sad, but true.