Help With A Wild Stay Cat.

[Jennajo123]

Hi everyone. New to the group so it may take me awhile to figure this out. Anyhow. About 3 years ago my husband now and I bought a house. The man that lived here said that he would feed the cats that would pass by here and there. That lived in town. Witch pretty sure they have homes. He then said that there is a smaller orange and white male that hangs around more often then the others. So me being me yay I get to have a cat. I started leaving food out. And all I fed was the cats that obviously had homes. They were fat and in good shape. Until one day the skinny little orange and white guy came around. From that day 3 years ago I fell in love with this rough looking tom cat.( which now he looks like a great big boy) I buy good dry cat food and wet food. There is always dry food in the "feed" box and the wet cat food goes out once a day. When I know he's out there. Witch is between 4:30 and 5 pm. Anyhow... I also put fresh water out everyday. He will not come near me and runs. But after 3 years I can stand close to him. He layes eyes on my husband he's gone. Hates my husband.! Deals with me I'm sure cause he knows I feed him?!? Anyhow we not only built a feed box but also a nice size box that could fit up to three cats. With a nice cozy blanket. I'll be adding straw to both the sleeping box and the feed box. Anyhow I'm sorry I'm just going on and on. My question is. How do I get him to understand that the box with the blanket is a nice place to be out of the cold and rain. It's starting to get cold out and before we know it snow will be here. I just want him to stay here lol. Witxhbi know he wont cause he likes to wonder. I believe he lives on a farm that's 4 blocks from my house. We live in a small town so that's why we are so close to a farm. Do I add can tuna in there? I've tried the wet cat food and he's gone in it. But don't sleep in it. Do I take it away? Use it as a feed box? Or keep it where it's at just in case he decides he wants to sleep in it. It's been there for a year and still nothing. Help! I want meow meow to know that's a safe and warm welcoming place for him

 

[jcat]

Leave the box out for him. He'll shelter in it if and when he needs it, especially if it's in a protected location.

 

[StefanZ]

His shelter box shoul have an emergency exit - if a predator comes in he doesnt want to be trapped inside... cornered...

 

[tabbytom]

Hello Jennajo123, welcome to TCS

I agree with what the above posters mentioned and also the next time when you feed him, place a towel on the ground and leave the food on top of it. When he eats, he'll stay on it and leave his scents on it and after a few feeds, place the towel in the box so that it has his scents on it and he'll feel more comfortable using it.

Since he's used to you, keep doing what you are doing and continue to win his trust. As for your husband, I think it could be his stare into the kitty's eyes that makes kitty run away when he sees him. Ask your husband to do make himself small and do the the slow blink at the kitty and look away. This shows that he's submissive to the kitty. Also get him to feed the kitty and associate him with food. Do it slow as you don't want to really scare the kitty away.

Do keep us posted please

 

[orange&white]

Hi, and welcome to TCS!

You can't make a cat take advantage of the things we provide for them, but they do know that the shelter is there for them if they want to use it.

My backyard feral kept disappearing during the worst of the two-day heavy rains and strong winds which alternated during Hurricane Harvey and she kept coming back to my safe dry patio during breaks in the storm. I did find her one morning sitting in a folding camp chair under a painter's drop cloth I had clothespinned to the chair to keep it dry. She never has used the Igloo cooler I converted into a shelter for her.

Leave the shelter and feeding boxes...they'll use them if they want. I'm going to order a warming disc for my "wild one" that @shadowsrescue recommended. She might like it...or she might not.

 

[StefanZ]

I notice this heater does ships also to Sweden. US-Amazon usually doesnt...