Help with skittish stray cat -- male

[randall]

Hi,

A beautiful stray cat has taken up residence in my garden. I am happy to feed him and care for him, but I would like to get him neutered! He is not totally frightened -- he will calmly sit near me and groom -- and he obviously adores my pet housecat (a spayed female), but he will not let me touch him. Even the slowest move in his direction on my part, he skips away, and watches me from 10 or 20 feet distance.

Any advice about how to earn his trust? He's a very young looking, unaggressive cat, and I don't know what happened to him to make him so wary of humans.

[Lilith]

Hi Randall and welcome.

Good on you for wanting to help this cat - but it could be a good idea to find out if he has an owner before you go to the trouble and expense of neutering him (been there done that myself; over 10 years ago a (thin dirty hungry) feral lad adopted me and I neutered him...only to find that he apparently had a 'sort of' home nearby although they never bothered to take him to the vet when he appeared with a giant abscess, if he'd gone home with it, they hadn't noticed...he did stay with me, but that is another story.) But in some cases it's amazing how possessive the most neglectful owner can be if they find their cat has selected another home or if you even feed or help it in any way so tread softly. I think there are online sites these days for advertising found cats too - other people on here will be able to advise further.

If you look at the section on 'Lost and Found' cats on here, there's some good advice.

As for socialisation, that is a matter of time. You just need to sit near them, talk quietly to them, maybe bribe them with tasty titbits, but patience is the keyword. If he belongs to nobody, the CP may help with trapping and neutering him, although I had 2 adult ferals I trapped myself (for neutering) simply by leaving a nice little dish of tuna in a cat carrier; the lads went in after the tuna, the door was closed and the vet did the deed!

Good luck with him and hope you manage to help him

[randall]

Thanks for the advice. I'll see if sardines might do the trick. I'm not in a rush, but I am thinking that by winter, he might be better off inside, but I can't invite him in without being able to neuter him and check him for parasites and apply some Frontline.

I am certain this cat is not wanted by anybody. He showed up dirty and slightly emaciated, and within a few feedings, has simply never left my garden except to occassionally slip into the bushes over the fence when he is spooked by dogs or lawn mowers. His favorite spot is my window sill, where he watches us all go about our business as if we were television, and also hopes we will let out the family cat so he can sit near her and exchange meows.

I live in Italy, in a rural area where plenty of people never neuter their cats, so there is an excess of strays that get by as best they can. The only animal control around here is for wild boars! So this cat and I are going to need to work it out on our own.

[Lilith]

Ah. Looks like he's chosen you and you're free to go ahead and adopt lol. Bless him!

Let us know how you go on with him. Very glad he's found you

[randall]

Very glad he's found you

I am glad too! Here's his pic.

(I call him Pazcki (the Polish word for donuts, pronounced Pwunch-kee))

[Lilith]

Aww bless him - love the name!

A while back I had a Russian next door neighbour who used to talk to one of my lot and call her 'Tryoshka' which as far as I can make out, means 'dolly' or 'cutie' ...Tryoshka is now a catty endearment in this house.

He's a gorgeous little guy

[randall]

--love the name!

I was planning a trip to Poland when he showed up in my garden, and I was practicing learning to say essential words. He would sit in my window and listen, and "paczki" always perked up his interest. Besides, he's as sweet as donuts.

[Lilith]

Aww he is sweet!

Now he needs to become a bit more of a 'dumpling' - which I'm sure he will with your help