If you are a cat lover, your heart will melt when you see the solitary stray cat that seems to linger around your home looking for some food. Stray cats may have been born in the wild, can be previous pets that may be lost for some time, or abandoned pets, a sad reality. A stray may be aloof and weary of human contact. It will keep its distance and run when you try to approach it. If you want to adopt the stray, there are steps that you can take to get him to trust you. The time that it will take will vary depending on the circumstances that have surrounded the animal, such as abuse, or no human contact for long. However, it can be done.
Start leaving food and water in a safe area of your backyard or around your home, away from other people who may disturb the cat. Let him observe you while putting the food and stay at a distance when the cat is eating. The stray will glance at you a couple of times while eating, to make sure it is safe. Keep your distance. Do this every day at feeding time (usually twice a day). Soon the cat will learn that if he keeps coming you will feed him. Do not attempt to get near for some time, let him observe you and gain trust.
Eventually, the cat will start coming closer to you when you bring the food. In the beginning, it will stay at a short distance, until one day it will get next to you, waiting for the bowl of food. When you see that you just placed the food and the cat does not care if you are still standing next to the food, it is time to attempt addressing him – do not pet yet. Just talk softly to the animal, smile and call him. Do this from now on at every feeding. Soon the cat will rub his head on your legs, now it is time to pet. Gently pet the head, no sudden movements, and slowly progress to other parts – like scratching the back. Repeat this for a while at every feeding until you see that you have gain more trust. Move the bowl of food during this process closer and closer to your home, or to the entrance. The next step is to pick the cat up, but not completely up in the air, just lift the front paws and leave the back legs touching ground. In the beginning you will see some resistance or freeze, but this is just because the cat does not know what to expect; he has learn to trust you, and knows you are harmless; most likely he will not run away. Do this more often. At every step let him eat and retreat to your home and stay watching. There will come a time when you will be able to pick him up, and the next step will be to invite the stray inside your home.
Since you have been moving the bowl closer, now it is time to let your door open but the bowl still outside. If lucky, the cat will be curious about your home and will go in but will come out right away. Do this a couple of times. This is assuming that you do not have other pets that may get out. The next couple of feedings, move the bowl inside, and let him eat inside, but with the door open. Keep petting. Your goal is to get to close that door, so practice and see the reaction, if he panics and attempts to get out climbing everywhere maybe you need more time. Sometimes it is just an initial reaction and it will stop. If he is going to be an in-out pet, then you will have accomplished your goal. If you want the cat to be an inside pet, then you need to work a bit more, but you are almost there. Petting is key here, spend time with the cat on your lap and eventually you will be able to close that door.
Once the stray is inside, let him know the surroundings well, provide a litter box, and show him where it is. In addition, where the food and water will be from now on. Wait a week or two, and schedule a visit with a veterinarian to make sure the cat is in good health and to treat for fleas. Remember to mention to your veterinarian that the animal was a stray, so the necessary precautions are taken during the examination.
If you have other pets this process will vary as you need to get your pets to know and accept the cat slowly. Also, do not let them near each other until the veterinarian has examined the cat, in case there are any illnesses you may not be aware.
So there you have it, a step-by-step process to get that stray safe inside your home. Now, it is just a matter of providing tons of loving and good care, and do not forget things to entertain him, as he won’t be chasing birds and mice anymore.
One of my cats was a stray and adopting him was a bit easier. He just came in one day looking miserable. I gave him some food and he never left. I think it’s been more than a year now. Now there is another stray cat that keeps coming by my house who doesn’t have a caller. These tips might help.