Taming a stray cat

[Foj]

There's a stray cat at my apartment complex and I've been leaving out food for her(I'm guessing it's a she) for the past few months. She will come out and meow at me when she sees me and I can get somewhat close to her, if I put my hand out she will sniff at it but she won't let me pet her yet.

I borrowed my dad's digital camera and took some pictures.


http://www.davidlegatt.com/images/albums/userpics/10002/normal_CIMG0113.JPG


http://www.davidlegatt.com/images/albums/userpics/10002/normal_CIMG0109.JPG


http://www.davidlegatt.com/images/albums/userpics/10002/normal_CIMG0108.JPG


Anyone else have any expirience trying to tame a stray??

[Dave]

The cat at my parents' house was a stray as well. It used to be that she wouldn't let anyone (any guys, at least) pick her up, but once you got a hold of her, she'd calm down and start purring. Now she's used to me cuddling her whenever I visit and she doesn't protest at all. That said, some cats just don't like being petted or held.

[turtle]

Each cat is different.

If you decide to tame the can and keep it, have it spayed or neutered. This will make the challenge easier on you and keep it from bringing home new kittens.

[billybobsky]

The cat isn't in a defensive position, and also isn't in a submissive position... So it clearly trusts that you aren't trying to kill it...

More than likely it is tame -- feral cats wouldn't come near you even if you had food, they are actually creepy and behave like wild animals attacking and defending their territory in which they feel you are an intruder...

It may never want to be touched. Some cats don't like to be pet. MOST cats don't like to be held. The rule with cats is to let them come to you -- and even then, don't trust them... I have had a cat marking, if you will, my legs turn around and jump at my face claws out... It may let you pet it if it has made the first approach...

In essence, cats are like women...

[Wyatt]

The cat isn't in a defensive position, and also isn't in a submissive position... So it clearly trusts that you aren't trying to kill it...

More than likely it is tame -- feral cats wouldn't come near you even if you had food, they are actually creepy and behave like wild animals attacking and defending their territory in which they feel you are an intruder...

It may never want to be touched. Some cats don't like to be pet. MOST cats don't like to be held. The rule with cats is to let them come to you -- and even then, don't trust them... I have had a cat marking, if you will, my legs turn around and jump at my face claws out... It may let you pet it if it has made the first approach...

In essence, cats are like women...
:lol:

When I was in middle school, one of my cats "marked" an electrical outlet. Of course, the outlet burst into flames. The cat, totally uninjured, just kind of stood back and watched as the outlet flamed out and the wall around it began to burn. He seemed pretty proud of himself, really. This was almost eight years ago now, and he's still alive and kicking. :D

The fire turned out to be very minor, and it had gone out on its own by the time the fire department got there. Of course, I grew up in a small town, and there weren't many fires that weekday evening, so we had three trucks and 12-15 guys show up for our self-extinguishing fire. They got a good laugh out of it, but my Mom is horribly embarassed by the story to this day. As a result, I try to tell it as often as possible. :p

[Windswept]

...my Mom is horribly embarassed by the story to this day. As a result, I try to tell it as often as possible. :p
Clearly the sign of a loving son. :) ;)

[World Leader Pretend]

We found a cat that someone had dumped along the street in a box, so we took it home and fed it and let it roam around. He was pretty entertaining, but we didn't want to keep it. Luckily our neighbors had friends from out of state in town who were looking for a cat, and so they wanted to keep it. We gladly let them have it, and they were very happy.


Here he is playing with some string:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/147/355483199_ae8df8ca7a.jpg?v=0