I'm going to try and keep this as short and simple as possible!
A little back ground: I live in NYC, Queens, in a somewhat suburban/urban neighborhood. The block where I live and the surrounding blocks are all houses houses and houses. and then literally 2 blocks away from my house is urban NYC, Trains, Buses, Stores, People, etc. The house I live in, is a private two family home. A family lives downstairs, and I live on the 2nd floor (w/ roommates). I moved in June of 2013, so I haven't been there that long. Ever since I did move in I've always noticed Stray or Feral cats in the neighborhood. My bedroom window gives me a view of my neighbor's barely used and trashed up backyard. And i ALWAYS see these cats. They may have been from the same litter, 2 of them are Black and White, Another one is Orange and white and they are always together, rarely I see a Dark brown and black Tabby with a limp (one of his front paws is injured I think, or was injured...). They're always back there. and then there are more that i don't see back there, but i'll see them at night. And sometimes at night if I step out to smoke i see them walk past my house..and if they sense me standing on my stoop they run. So i assume they're feral. They're also very HUGE!! big and chunky. All of them. So i assume someone feeds them, or they have a buffet available to them via ways of garbage and stores in the area.
I've adopted my kitties from a shelter, and its been roughly 3 months since I've had them. recently I purchased a cat post/perch/scratching post/condo type deal-y that's actually big enough for them to sit on it and look out the window.like its the PERFECT height. They just lay there and look out the window or nap by the sunlight. And this is what they do all day. My kitties love the thing and i'm happy they're taking to it so well! okay back to the point, recently i've noticed these feral/stray cats trying to get into my house...
for example, when i'm leaving for work, or my roommates are, or when we're coming home, i see this cats sitting in the front of my door, and they don't get scared, they try to come in when i open the door. almost EVERY time. And last night when my sister came to visit me, she said she saw one of the cats come to the door and paw at it...trying to get in....and then she shooed the cat away, but after i came downstairs and we both started to head out, the cat came back again.
I know for certain that I'm not feeding any of them, and My roommates are not either, and I dont think the first floor family is (although I'm not sure). They're always around in the neighborhood, and its not a big deal. They're not harmful to anyone. They dont mess up my trash or garbage so I dont really mind them. But them trying to get in is something new, and kind of freaks me out a bit, because they're supposed to be scared of humans, as Ferals, but these cats are brave! they try to come in when we open the door to go in and out of the house. My room mates think its because of my two cats, Charlie (6 mo. old, male, neutered) and Jet (4 mo. old, female, spayed). Could that be the reason?? One of my room mates thinks, that because my cats are always sitting by the window, maybe those cats saw my cats and now they're trying to get in??? I'm thinking maybe they got into our trash and sifted through the garbage and found some kitty litter and they smelled charlie and jet? I mean...I don't know.
Does all this make sense??? I have nothing against ferals, but i dont want there to be a situation where one of them gets into the house and freaks out and then there is a situation....and I want to try and figure out WHY they're trying to get into the house, other than the food factor...but say if...and IF the first floor family gives them food, they would leave it out...there would be no need for them to try and get in for food..from what I read Ferals or Strays dont do this...but I've seen these cats just sitting and waiting around on my stoop, and when i try to go in, they try to come in with me I have to shoo them away....Could they be trying to come in because of my cats??
Any insight would be VERY helpful, and maybe some tips to try and keep them from trying to come into the house.... sorry for the really long post...
A little back ground: I live in NYC, Queens, in a somewhat suburban/urban neighborhood. The block where I live and the surrounding blocks are all houses houses and houses. and then literally 2 blocks away from my house is urban NYC, Trains, Buses, Stores, People, etc. The house I live in, is a private two family home. A family lives downstairs, and I live on the 2nd floor (w/ roommates). I moved in June of 2013, so I haven't been there that long. Ever since I did move in I've always noticed Stray or Feral cats in the neighborhood. My bedroom window gives me a view of my neighbor's barely used and trashed up backyard. And i ALWAYS see these cats. They may have been from the same litter, 2 of them are Black and White, Another one is Orange and white and they are always together, rarely I see a Dark brown and black Tabby with a limp (one of his front paws is injured I think, or was injured...). They're always back there. and then there are more that i don't see back there, but i'll see them at night. And sometimes at night if I step out to smoke i see them walk past my house..and if they sense me standing on my stoop they run. So i assume they're feral. They're also very HUGE!! big and chunky. All of them. So i assume someone feeds them, or they have a buffet available to them via ways of garbage and stores in the area.
I've adopted my kitties from a shelter, and its been roughly 3 months since I've had them. recently I purchased a cat post/perch/scratching post/condo type deal-y that's actually big enough for them to sit on it and look out the window.like its the PERFECT height. They just lay there and look out the window or nap by the sunlight. And this is what they do all day. My kitties love the thing and i'm happy they're taking to it so well! okay back to the point, recently i've noticed these feral/stray cats trying to get into my house...
for example, when i'm leaving for work, or my roommates are, or when we're coming home, i see this cats sitting in the front of my door, and they don't get scared, they try to come in when i open the door. almost EVERY time. And last night when my sister came to visit me, she said she saw one of the cats come to the door and paw at it...trying to get in....and then she shooed the cat away, but after i came downstairs and we both started to head out, the cat came back again.
I know for certain that I'm not feeding any of them, and My roommates are not either, and I dont think the first floor family is (although I'm not sure). They're always around in the neighborhood, and its not a big deal. They're not harmful to anyone. They dont mess up my trash or garbage so I dont really mind them. But them trying to get in is something new, and kind of freaks me out a bit, because they're supposed to be scared of humans, as Ferals, but these cats are brave! they try to come in when we open the door to go in and out of the house. My room mates think its because of my two cats, Charlie (6 mo. old, male, neutered) and Jet (4 mo. old, female, spayed). Could that be the reason?? One of my room mates thinks, that because my cats are always sitting by the window, maybe those cats saw my cats and now they're trying to get in??? I'm thinking maybe they got into our trash and sifted through the garbage and found some kitty litter and they smelled charlie and jet? I mean...I don't know.
Does all this make sense??? I have nothing against ferals, but i dont want there to be a situation where one of them gets into the house and freaks out and then there is a situation....and I want to try and figure out WHY they're trying to get into the house, other than the food factor...but say if...and IF the first floor family gives them food, they would leave it out...there would be no need for them to try and get in for food..from what I read Ferals or Strays dont do this...but I've seen these cats just sitting and waiting around on my stoop, and when i try to go in, they try to come in with me I have to shoo them away....Could they be trying to come in because of my cats??
Any insight would be VERY helpful, and maybe some tips to try and keep them from trying to come into the house.... sorry for the really long post...