When a Stray Steals Your Heart: Tips for Your Next Step

Sometimes, a stray kitty shows up on your doorstep. She has no collar, no color-coordinated Ralph Lauren luggage, and no references to speak of. Yet, oddly enough, you find your heart start to melt. She has soft, pleading eyes and rubs against your hand, purring warmly. What should you do?

1) Build the relationship slowly.

Start providing food outside your house. Over several weeks, move the food closer to your house, then in your garage, and just inside your front door. If she is willing to come inside and gradually becomes more friendly, then she is probably a stray cat, not a feral cat. Strays have been socialized to people.

But if she refuses to approach you and consistently shows fear, she is probably a feral cat. (Alley Cat Allies has a great article on the difference between feral and stray cats.^[1])

If she is feral, you can still provide food, but back off on human interaction.

2) Expect a few surprises.

Your kitty may exhibit feral behaviour but actually be a stray cat. She will come with some baggage—memories, associations, and preferences that may seem odd. Be patient as she grows to trust you.

3) Make a plan for providing shelter.

If your cat is a stray, you may be able to integrate her into your home.

If your cat is feral, you can get an outdoor cat house to keep her warm and dry.

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Stray kittens can walk into your life at the most unexpected of times. If you are willing to embrace them, they can bring a lot of happiness into your life! Have a feral cat question? Message us at our Facebook page, UnderCover Pet Houses! We’d love to answer your questions on the blog!

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1. Feral and Stray Cats: An Important Difference (Alley Cat Allies) Retrieved from https://www.alleycat.org/resources/feral-and-stray... on March 7, 2017.