We often see stray cats hanging around our homes and wonder how we can make their life easier.
Stray cats need our help because they’re domesticated animals without the skills of wild cats, so they can’t survive on the streets alone for too long.
Most stray cats stay hungry for days, catch deadly diseases, or get injured by speeding vehicles, other animals, and bad people.
If you’re interested in adopting a stray kitten or helping the ones in your neighborhood, first, you must learn how to get a stray cat to come to you.
Typical ways of earning a stray cat’s trust include providing food at the same spot daily, building a feeding station at your property, etc.
Below, I will discuss these ways in detail and share helpful tips, so let’s hop right in.
First, Learn the Difference Between Feral and Stray Cats
Feral and stray cats aren’t the same. Feral cats were born and live outdoors. These cats survive on their own in feral cat colonies and aren’t socialized with people.
Therefore, getting close to feral cats isn’t a walk in the park, as they’re afraid of people, so you can’t make them come to you easily.
On the other hand, strays were home cats who socialized with people but somehow lost their homes or were abandoned and left to live on the street. You can learn more about where stray cats live during the daytime.
The first time you meet a stray cat, they can avoid you. However, if you’re patient, you can earn their trust by providing food and making this cat your friend.
If the stray cat is afraid of you and doesn’t want to come near you and eat the food, then maybe the stray cat is feral.
In this case, it’s best to leave the food and walk away. You will feed a stray cat or a feral cat even if they don’t want to come near you and help them survive outdoors. Additionally, you can contact animal control and ask for advice.
Local animal control or humane society can tell you if you have a stray or feral cat on your hands and offer helpful tips on how to set up a cat trap for the one feral cat you see around, etc.
If stray cats live longer outdoors without interacting with humans, they can become less socialized and afraid of people. However, stray kittens can become home cats and best friends under the right conditions and with the proper treatment.
How Do You Get a Stray Cat to Trust You Fast?
Stray cats don’t trust people, so they’re very careful when they get in touch with humans because they don’t know what to expect.
You may wonder how someone can hurt or despise something innocent, like a kitty, but some people don’t like animals.
If you’re a cat lover and want to help cats you meet on the street, you should be patient and earn their trust step by step. Furthermore, it would help if you display calm behavior when near stray cats.
1. Let the Stray Cat Come to You First
Let the stray cat come to you first. It may take days or weeks, but be patient and don’t try to pet the cat.
If a stray cat comes to your house every night, that’s a good sign.
You can try to extend your hand to let the cat know that you have good intentions and want to cuddle. The stray cat will come to your hand, sniff it, and then maybe rub it with their head. That’s your green light for petting.
Speak to the stray cat softly and pet them gently and make sure you know the best spots to pet a cat. But if none of this happens, don’t be disappointed and give up immediately.
You can try the next time and give the kitten a new chance to come to you. The cat will eventually bond with you if you’re patient and spend time together.
After the petting, you can also let the cat enter your home to explore the area. If the cat leaves, proceed with the following steps.
2. Leave Food and Water Daily in the Same Place
Stray cats are usually hungry, so giving them food and water every time you see them is best. That way, they will come to you knowing they will get food and water.
You can start by leaving them food and water at the same place and time every day and watch them from a distance for a while.
If it’s cold outside, you can use special bowls to keep the food and water warm and stop them from freezing. You only need to have where to plug them in.
That way, the stray cat will have a portion of warm wet food and water at any time.
3. Don’t Disturb the Stray Cat While Eating
When you give food to the stray cat at the start, try not to disturb them while eating, as they get frightened and escape.
Stay still, watch the kitty eat, and avoid eye contact. Otherwise, the kitten might escape out of fear.
When the cat gets used to your presence, they trust you more and let you come closer. Until then, be patient and don’t come too close to the kitty. Otherwise, the cat might not return because of fear.
4. Make the Stray Cat Come Back Again
Another thing you can do to get a stray cat to come to you is to provide a relaxed and non-threatening environment.
If the stray cat enjoys spending time with you, they will return.
The best time to bond with the stray cat is during meal times. You can also try to give the cat a toy or treat. If the cat likes your gifts and feels safe, they will return.
5. Desensitize the Stray Cat to Life With People
Stray cats fear various sounds like music, people’s voices, vacuum cleaner sounds, or doors opening and closing. These sounds can make them run away and are afraid to come back again.
Therefore, you have to use the feeding times to speak softly to the kitten, move slowly, and do ordinary things to desensitize the cat and show them that those sounds aren’t a threat.
That way, after some time, the stray cat will get used to the sounds and act normal when it hears them.
6. Respect the Stray Cats Space
Once the stray cat stays in your home, don’t relax because your job isn’t done yet.
There’s a wide range of things you must do. For instance, you should provide the stray cat–now your home cat a place to sleep, eat, play, hide, and a litterbox.
During the first days in your home, the kitten will probably be a little nervous and need a place to hide when overwhelmed.
You can place the food, water, bed, and litterbox in a smaller room. Also, remove all the fragile and potentially harmful things before you let the cat into this room.
Your cat will be curious and explore the room to find something to climb on or chew. Respect the cat’s space in your home and let them get used to the new area.
7. Set up a Napping Area for Your New Cat
The bed you have inside your house isn’t enough for your new kitten. Cats usually want to sleep in the sun or the shade if the weather is too hot.
To please your cat, you can set up a cat napping area and make a comfortable but safe bed. Your new cat will be grateful. Set the bed on the kitten’s favorite sleeping spot and watch them enjoy themselves.
When the cat is satisfied and happy, they will play more with you and give you a chance to pet and spend time together.
You can install a waterproof and heated outdoor house or cat shelter if the cat stays outdoors. These things will keep your cat warm and safe if they want to sleep outside.
If the feline likes to sleep indoors in the comfy bed you made, make a small opening so your cat can get inside when the weather is cold or rainy.
8. Provide Entertainment for Your New Pet
Activities such as scratching, digging, and playing with toys play a key role in a cat’s life. These things help your kitten lead a better and healthier life.
So, if you want your new cat to enjoy your home, you can place soil in your yard, as cats love to dig in the dirt and roll over to the dust bath.
You can also make a grooming space with rocks or sticks bundled together where the cat will rub against them and shed their fur.
For scratching, you can use large branches with bark or store-bought posts made from moisture-proof material to avoid mold forming.
You can also give your outdoor cat various chairs, benches, pinwheels, pinecones, ribbons on poles, hollow logs, kitty jungle gym, or store-bought toys.
All this entertainment will keep the stray cat in your yard, making them less likely to escape.
9. Plant Plants for Your New Furry Friend
Cats love catnip. So, if you have a free outdoor space, plant catnip or other plants that cats love, such as wheatgrass, catmint, valerian, lemongrass, or chamomile.
Catnip is easy to plant and grow, and cats love to sniff, rub, chew or lick catnip because the aromatic oils in this plant affect their behavior. Some kitties become chill and happy, while others get more active and want to hunt and play.
However, some cats don’t like catnip.
You can see if your cat eats this plant by providing a pinch of dried or fresh catnip. If your cat doesn’t like catnip, you can plant some of the plants mentioned above.
A bush is another good choice, as cats love bushes where they can hide and sleep.
Petunias make a safe choice for indoor and outdoor cats. They also look beautiful and repel fleas. Before you plant any of these plants, ensure they’re safe for cats.
10. Get the Stray Cat Into a Carrier
Don’t try to get your cat into a carrier the first few days they live at your house.
It’s best to wait a few weeks until the feline gets used to your presence. Otherwise, your feline might get scared and can run away.
After a few weeks, you can safely get the cat into a carrier.
You can use calming remedies or supplements to make this experience easier and less stressful for the stray cat.
You can use a wide range of calming remedies and supplements to make your new cat more relaxed when they start to live with you.
These products will help the cat relieve stress, anxiety, and environmental change. You can also use these remedies to take the stray cat to the vet for examination.
11. Take The Stray Cat To The Vet
Another key thing you need to do to ensure that the cat is healthy and doesn’t belong to someone else is to take them to the vet.
The vet will check for a microchip, examine, vaccinate and spay or neuter your new cat if necessary.
Stray cats get exposed to diseases, so whether you keep them at home or indoors, the vet must test and vaccinate the stray cat to ensure they’re healthy.
Spaying or neutering depends on the gender of your cat. There isn’t a shortage of stray cats, and you don’t want your kitten to be the reason for a few more homeless cats.
12. Provide a Healthy Environment for Your New Cat
We all need a healthy environment to live safely and happily. Therefore, ensure good living conditions if you plan to adopt a stray cat.
The main things you need to provide for the stray cats include food, water, a comfy bed, a playing area, a litter box, and, most importantly, love.
Animals feel our love and compassion and give love and cuddles in return.
Extra Tip: Patience is the Key!
The most important thing you must do when getting a stray cat to come to you is to be patient.
If you provide food, water, and a bed for the stray cat, interact with them daily and give them delicious treats, it’s just a matter of time before the stray cat will come to you.
Depending on the cat’s character and your behavior, it can take weeks or even months before the cat feels safe enough to come to you.
When that happens, follow the tips above. You can adopt the feline or make animal shelters near your home or on your property.
How Do You Make a Stray Cat Feel Welcome?
If you want your stray cat to feel welcome in your home, you must have all the supplies a cat needs, such as cat food, water bowls, food bowls, a litter box, cat litter, a comfy bed, toys, cat trees, and scratching posts before making them your pet.
Take Things Slowly
The transition from a stray cat to a home cat is easier if they previously had a home. You can put a bowl of cat food and watch the cat while they eat, moving it closer to you with every feeding.
After a few weeks, you can try to pet the stray cat while they eat.
You can also give various treats to the cat. When they get in your house, place a comfortable bed, litter box, and bowls full of cat food and fresh water.
Give your cat toys to keep them entertained, and play with them frequently to earn their trust. All these things will help the transition of the stray feline to a home cat.
Feral Cats Need More Time to Become Home Pets
However, transitioning from a feral cat to a home cat is harder and requires more time and effort.
Feral cats aren’t socialized like stray cats. They often hide and avoid people. Therefore, you must be patient and provide food and water daily until you earn their trust.
Don’t try to bring a feral cat inside your house at the beginning because this can be very stressful and frightening for the cat.
Give the feral cat food, water, and hope for the best. If the feral cat is younger than four months, it’s more likely to socialize with them than an older feral cat.
You will need a lot of time and patience, and the results aren’t always guaranteed.
How Long Does it Take for a Stray Cat to Get Used to You?
It usually takes about four weeks for a stray cat to get used to someone and feel relaxed and comfortable in your presence.
If the stray cat isn’t socialized, they will need more time to get used to you, while a more socialized stray kitty can become your home cat sooner.
How Do I Attract a Scared Stray Cat?
You can easily attract a stray kitty by providing food and water daily in the same place. I suggest using strong-smelling cat food to help draw the cat out of hiding.
Some people give stray cats human foods, such as ham, but it’s best to stick to regular cat foods to prevent health issues.
Final Thoughts
Millions of stray and feral cats live on the streets of the US.
Most cats on the streets usually avoid people, but some will come to you and ask for food, shelter, and love. If you’re a cat lover, ensure your community cats get your full attention and keep them satisfied, healthy, and happy in your neighborhood or home.
If the tips above don’t help you attract the outdoor cat, call a certified cat behavior consultant for help.
*image by 6bears/depositphotos
