The weather is nice here right now, but last week was near freezing overnight, which leads me to the problem with Stalker, the feral I feed. Stalker is bizarre (for many reasons) in that he/she will not set foot on any surface that isn't concrete or grass/dirt. I bought a heated mat and a warming disc and any time I put it out, Stalker showed zero interest. Same with blankets or regular mats. Because this frustrated me, my next step was to attempt to block the path to it's food with a heating element, and the levels that Stalker went to avoid setting foot on them was mind boggling. I think one time he/she basically balanced behind the railing on my front steps and ate through the bars. The next step was to put the food on a small elevated surface that couldn't be accessed without setting foot on a heating element. Stalker's response was to either avoid the table, try to eat standing up, or knock over the table (which sent him/her running off). If hungry enough, Stalker would reluctantly hop up and eat very briefly, but make as little contact as possible with the heating disc.
So, what the hell is this cat's problem? The pad isn't hot, and this was going on in temperatures that were 0-32 degrees F. My only speculation is that Stalker is afraid of leaving a scent. I'm so frustrated with the fact that even after 18+ months of feeding, this cat rejects any and all efforts to help make its life more comfortable. It goes without saying that the shelter I built last year went unused.
So, what the hell is this cat's problem? The pad isn't hot, and this was going on in temperatures that were 0-32 degrees F. My only speculation is that Stalker is afraid of leaving a scent. I'm so frustrated with the fact that even after 18+ months of feeding, this cat rejects any and all efforts to help make its life more comfortable. It goes without saying that the shelter I built last year went unused.