Feral Or Stray?

[2azwildcats]

A cat has been in my mom's back yard. I was visiting her when I spotted this cat in her yard. It looks about one or two years old and I am not sure if it is a male or female. We put out some food and of course, my mom now has a new friend. The cat came up and ate while I was sitting on the patio. It was about 5 feet away from me but my back was to it. It now will come up and sit on the mat outside the sliding door and look at my mom inside. But it will run away when she opens the door. I would have thought that if it was totally feral, that it would not come up to the sliding door where it could see people. So do you think it is totally feral?

 

[shadowsrescue]

Most definitely a stray. Feral cats will hide from people and are often only seen out and about at dawn and dusk. A feral would most definitely not come up onto the deck and look inside the house.

If your Mom is going to feed the cat, please have the cat spayed/neutered. If not you will have more and more cats.

 

[2azwildcats]

Thanks! I was thinking that it was just a stray. My mom said that her cat saw it today through the window and there was no hissing but then again my mom's cat is 20 and probably can't see very well .

It looks like it's ear is tipped so perhaps it has been neutered already. I was a little surprised by that as my mom lives in a town where there are not many (if any) animal rescues and I don't think there are any TNR programs. I'll be visiting her for a few days at Christmas, so I'll see what progress has been made.

 

[bigbadbass]

The new guy just may make a great "project" for your Mom. Integration into a household takes some time, patience and major commitment.

Do you think your Mom is receptive and up to it?

 

[2azwildcats]

The cat has been visiting every day and it sits by the sliding door and watches my mom. I think it will take time and my mom knows that. She can’t let it in the house as she does not want to stress her 20 year old cat. But it is a good project for my mom.