Feral cat issue

[Geri SSI]

I know cats well I have 7 in my family all indoors.
The last two were abandoned after one elderly owner passed and one went to assisted living. They were both free roaming cats. I brought both indoors. The first Harpo eas wild I had to lstice my entire screened in porch and keep him in forb8 weeks. He eventually befriended me and came indoors. He died three months ago st age 20. The cat I took in several months ago Pookie was an easier fix and she loves being indoors she is 10.
My problem is a neighborhood feral who always ate the leftover food put out for Pookie so when I took Pookie home I just continued to feed the feral I call Grey. I with the help of a Expert in TNR tried daily for two months to trap Grey. Kindness trap and drop down put all sorts of stinky food in it. The TNR expert said this cat knows a trap and must have been trapped before. I purchased a covered feeding station from Ferelville and asked permission of the homeowner where Grey hid to put it in a bushy area. I painted it green to match the landscape.
Here is my problem the owner of the house is going to assisted living and house will be sold so I need to move feeding station to my house in same neighborhood. It is at #2 now and I need to move it to #22 on other side of street.
TNR person told me to start moving bowl of food towards my house. We have a center Island in our neighborhood that has some clumps of brush. She said to move it daily closer to my house and also put a bowl of foodout at my house and Grey will eventually find its way. She said it should take two weeks and than Zi can move feeding station to my house.
If anyone has ever encountered this type of issue can you please respond. Basically best times to put food down and pick up if not eaten.
I am installing an outside day/ night vision camera in the area at my house where I intend on putting feeding station.
Thank you kindly for any help you can pass along.




Sorry for any typos!

 

[fionasmom]

Thank you for all that you have done for these cats. Grey is the one in question who needs to move as I am reading this?

I have done this more than once, including with my avatar who is now an indoor only pet. What the TRN expert told you is essentially what has to be done. You move the food gradually so that Grey will understand that there is food, that his food has not been taken away, and that it is safe to proceed to the new food location. The last time I did this, it did take about 2 weeks, moving the family from one backyard to another, which meant getting them to come through a wooden fence which had an opening in it.

It does sound as if you have this under control, but some parts of the plan are dependent on the actual terrain which Grey has to cover. Is the island safe, or is it the kind that is in the middle of a road? Try to walk the route that you want him to take and see if it is safe from immediate danger and make any adjustment that you need to.

When does he eat and how often? I would try to keep up his regular feeding schedule as much as possible. Is he used to food being picked up at night? Having the camera is a good idea.

Bottom line is that Grey has to know what you are doing, that he has food, and that he can find his food without confusion.

What is the general distance from #2 to #22?

 

[Jcatbird]

All the previous info is on the mark. I just wanted to add that as you walk the path you want Grey to take, you will be leaving a scent trail so, keep that in mind when you are blazing the trail the final trail you want kitty to use. I would take that exact path at each feeding time.

 

[Furballsmom]

How are things progressing?