Stray and Feral Cats

I had a good day with Smoke today. After acting like I was about to kill him for a month or so, today I was working in the backyard when another of the outside cats came by. I asked her if she wanted something to eat, not expecting her to follow me. But since I knew there wasn't any wet food on the porch, I walked to the house to set some out, and Smoke, not the other cat, walked in practically on my heels. He acted like everything was back to normal, and let me reach down and pet him, although he made it clear that he wasn't ready for a whole lot of that mushy stuff.

Smoke has often shadowed me while I was working in the backyard. Being dark gray, he can blend into the shadows easily, and I used to watch for him, although I haven't lately because of the way he has been acting towards me. When I invited the other cat in, he probably thought I was talking to him, or perhaps he just decided he'd claim the moment.

I set some Blue Buffalo, which he usually likes, out for him, but he began eating kibble instead, so I brought him some Earthborn, being stoked because he was being nice to me again. He didn't want that either and ate kibble, which is fine.

A few minutes after he left, I went back to the backyard to pick up leaves and pull some weeds, and saw him sitting in one of my gardens. I talked to him for a while, and he seemed to like being talked to. Then another of the outside cats (the one I was actually talking to earlier) started walking over to Smoke. She seemed calm about it, so I think that she's normally comfortable approaching him,

But he chased her away. Actually, he only took a few fast steps towards her, and she retreated across the railroad bed and a fence, crossing into the next block, which is where she usually goes when she leaves my yard. Smoke walked over to the fence, so I thought he was going to camp out there to make sure she didn't come back.

However, after picking up a few more leaves, I saw that Smoke had come back into my yard and was sitting on the grass. I lay down on the grass about six feet away from him and talked to him some more. He lay down on his side, facing me. After a while, he did the slow eye-blink thing that cats do when they are feeling comfortable with someone, or with another cat. I did that back to him a few times, then when I opened my eyes one of those times, he was gone.

I later saw him in another of my gardens, so I figured he wanted to go back to stealth mode, so I pretended not to have seen him. Later, he disappeared again, and I don't know where he went, but I found that the Earthborn had been eaten later, so he probably decided to return to the porch for the Earthborn; or it could have been one of the other cats.

Nothing dramatic, I suppose, but it's nice that Smoke doesn't still think I'm a cat killer.
 
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Smoke hung out with me in the backyard again today. No petting allowed, but he walked alongside me as I weeded my gardens and picked up leaves and maple seeds, and listened to me talk about all sorts of things that he didn't understand, while pretending to listen to me for about an hour and a half.
 
Shortly after I started moving toward introducing Sobaka to Ella and getting him comfortable coming indoors, Smoke decided I'm not a murderer after all. Now, I don't know what to do. They are both beautiful cats. I've been feeding Smoke for about seven years now, while Sobaka is new to the outdoors, I think. From what little exposure she's had thus far, I think Ella might be okay with either of them. I'd love to take Smoke in, but Sobaka hasn't been on his own as often and will probably be easier. I'd be willing to take them both in, although three cats is my limit, but I don't know if Smoke and Sobaka will get along.
 
Today, I spent about three hours in the back yard and didn't see Smoke, but when I headed toward the house to use the bathroom, he came out of somewhere and followed me to the porch, where I fed him. He let me pet him again.

It's almost as if Smoke realized somehow that he was about to lose out on something, and now I haven't seen Sobaka in the past couple of days.
 
After dinner tonight the evening went downhill. A neighbor down the street advised us that it was reported on Facebook, that one of the stray cats that we have been feeding was hit by a car on the corner of our street. My daughter and my son-in-law, went to check it out, and found George dead. My grandkids, needless to say are very sad, we're all very sad actually. My son-in-law is digging a hole in the back yard to bury him. Fred his partner was allowed a final goodbye.

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R.I.P.
GEORGE
9/2026
 
Smoke is back, allowing me to handle him again, and he's coming often during the day. When he comes at night, he's more skittish. When it comes to the two cats, Smoke and Sobaka, another consideration is that it might take a while to get Smoke in while it won't take so long for Sobaka; plus, Smoke knows his way around the outdoors while Sobaka is afraid of everything except me. I don't think he's spent a winter on his own, so the winter will be tougher on him.
 
Ken Anderson said:
I am sorry to hear that, Tony.
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Fred the other stray cat that was friends with George we fixed an area in the basement where he will stay. So far he loves it, he's got toys, food, water, a bed, little box, and a scratching post.

Fred was always the friendlier of the two he actually allows us to pet him, my grandkids are very happy that he's available for them to pet.


It's a relief to all of us that he's out of the weather and protected.
 
When he is willing, which is most of the time lately, Sobaka has been eating inside, on the landing at the foot of the stairs, just inside the door. He has made a thorough inspection of my office, which is the first room one would enter on the first floor. Some of these times, Ella was in the library, but twice she was in my old office on the other side of the house, and she chose not to see what was going on. A couple of days ago, Ella was on the top of a cat tree in my office, within sight of the landing. On that occasion, she lifted her head and flicked her tail after seeing Sobaka, who had seen her instantly and looked away, which is respectful in cat culture. I would read Ella's lifting of her head and the tail flicks as an announcement that she is the real authority in this house, as far as cats go. Last night, Sobaka came in, and I called Ella to come meet him, and she came immediately. Given that Ella generally takes pride in ignoring me when I call her, I'd say she was eager for the introduction.

Both cats lowered their bodies near the floor, remaining at a distance where they could touch only by stretching, and they touched noses. Ella emitted an elongated meow that didn't sound entirely friendly, but not to the level of hostility, and Sobaka remained quiet, which also seemed respectful. He is a respectful cat. Initially, when he began visiting the porch, he wouldn't come in until I told him he could, and now he doesn't come into the house unless I invite him. When Ella was in the library one time, I left the door open while I went into the next room to open a can of cat food for him, and he was still outside waiting to be invited in.

After their meeting, Ella wanted treats, and didn't appear at all agitated. Sobaka went back to the porch. When I brought food to him, even before I opened the door, I could see that his tail was high in the air, which is what cats do when they are pleased with themselves. I think he knew the introduction to Ella went well. He ate and then hung around on the porch for quite a while, whereas he usually leaves as soon as he's done eating.
 
Our new barn cat had been basically locked inside the barnhouse for a month or so before he found a way out. We worried but he was right there when we came for evening chores and willingly went back inside. Now we leave the door ajar so he can come and go as he wants. We also worried if he would be a good mouser. I went into the duck yard to borrow a hose nozzle an he was right at my feet with every o, making walking on the uneven ground a bit difficult. There were several dead bodies in the grass. When I went to pick them up, he indicated that he wasn't done with them yet.
He is funny in that he sits and waits a bit, to start with, when someone approaches him so you have to talk to him before he will come. I don't think he needs glasses but just needs duplicate identification.
 
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