I was able to give Mittens the Kitten and Scooter MULTIPLE, long stroking pets, this morning

[Siwsan]

I wouldn't dare try to pick one of them up without wearing a shoulder length, Kevlar glove, but I'm pretty geeked about being able to be more and more tactile with them.

[Walleye]

1. Over the years my ferals have loved me to pet them but I can't pick them up

My indoor cat I adopted from outside. He wasn’t feral. He loves me to pet him, sleeps with me but he still doesn’t like to be picked up. He’s about the size of a horse though. Didn’t know he was going to go to be so big when I adopted him. His paws are about the size of my hand. Good thing he has a good disposition

[Siwsan]

2. These two, along with the other ferals, will likely remain outdoor cats

I want to recruit the guys to help me build a shelter for them. If they want scritches when I'm outside, I'll give them as many as the want.

Since my back yard is north facing, I'm going to put a snow shovel by the screened in porch door so I can keep that stoop clear enough for me to get food to them. I think this winter, dealing with the ferals will be a 'learn by doing' situation.

[Walleye]

3. Yes I dread the winter and hope it's mild again this year. Good luck. And thanks from all felines

[femmedem]

4. Great news, Siwsan.

You'll be able to trap, neuter, release without having to pick them up.

Do you have an outdoor outlet? There are some great cat shelters with pressure-activated electric heating pads. But they'll also be fine with a well-insulated, unheated shelter. Straw (not hay) is inexpensive and effective.

Thanks again for all your cat posts. I think a lot of us look for them every day, both because the kittens are all beautiful and because you are doing something so good.

[Rorey]

5. My daughter and I are also trying to brainstorm solutions for dealing with ferals

Hers are now all finally spayed and neutered, so that's good.

I've just got a couple that I feed outside. I know one cat is truly feral, but I think one is a cat that may have gotten left behind when someone moved away. Or maybe he got banned from his house because of his rude personality. I think he's hilarious. He's at my door every morning, and when I open it he hisses at me, and then I give him his food. I tried to give him a pet a couple of times, but he let me know it wasn't happening.

I also have my own four cats, three of which are also feral. They come and go through their cat doors as they please, but they can't be touched. They don't have any behavioral issues, so it all works out.

[femmedem]

8. I have one like your hissy cat that comes by. I named him Mr. Rogers as a joke.

But after a year he started letting me pet him, and now he flops at my feet for pets. I knew he wasn't truly feral because he was neutered. I figured he was a stray because he was out in all kinds of weather and would be sitting in his little heated cat house even in blizzards. But it turns out that he has an owner just up the street! She was surprised to drive by and see him hanging out with me on our front stoop.

[Rorey]

9. That's so funny!

Obviously he likes you better.

I used to wonder if I actually sort of stole the mama cat that showed up 3 1/2 years ago and had kittens on my back porch. She was wearing a collar with a tag. I called the number on the tag, and the guy wouldn't return our calls. There was also an address on the tag, so I found out who the guy was on the assessor's website. I found his FB account and there were pics of the cat with kittens from the previous summer, along with a message that he was getting rid of all of the cats. The guy's house was way across town, so I thought maybe he gave the cat to someone around here.

Whatever the case, she's mine now, and so are the three "kittens". She had hidden them right after having them, and I've never been able to tame them to the point of being able to touch them. I had to trap them to get them spayed/neutered and shots. They're actually pretty good cats. They don't destroy anything and prefer to use the great outdoors instead of their litter box in the garage. They're very entertaining.

It's a bit annoying to have them act like I'm a monster when I happen to get too close. Last night when I was ready to go to bed I discovered that one was soundly sleeping on my bed. So I went to my alternate bedroom and there was another "kitten" snuggled with the mama cat. There's another bedroom downstairs, but it's pretty much their room and I'd have to change the bedding because there was way more cat hair than I'd be able to tolerate. So I just went to my bed and the cat that was there ran frantically away.

I was joking with my daughter just yesterday about how pathetic I am. I actually try to be quiet when I wake up before the cats do so I won't disturb them. She laughed because she does the same thing.

So I truly am a Crazy Cat Lady.

[lark]

6. So much progress!

We've recently started feeding a new feral, and he's truly feral. He talks to me, and looks directly at me, but won't get within 3 ft of me and I have to be at the next yard before he'll eat his food. But he's getting closer! He's a beautiful cat, ivory with vivid brown circles on his sides & rings on his tail & legs. I know this one could take awhile before he comes up to my feet & lets me touch him willingly, but I am prepared for this and he could surprise me.

[Rorey]

10. He sounds beautiful!

But I think they're all beautiful!

[lark]

12. He really is striking.

But they all have their own particular endearing traits which ultimately make them beautiful. We loved the old feral we were feeding before, even though he was a terrible mess of a geriatric street cat.

[Ocelot II]

7. So far, so good.

I'm making progress with Mr. Cat, too. I still can't pet him, though he doesn't run away when I try; he just backs away a little bit. But now he meows to me when he sees me and will take bits of chicken directly from my fingers. He'll even pull my hand a little closer with his claws so he can chomp, and he'll touch my finger with his nose if I hold it out. Sometimes he decides he didn't get quite enough food, so instead of washing his face and slipping off under the shrubbery like he does when he's finished eating, he'll come closer to me, stare at me and meow. That's new behavior. He looks at me, meows, looks at the door, looks at me again and meows. It's like, "I know you've got more food in there, human, so go get it!"

I ordered a little heated cat shelter for him from Chewy's, and it arrived the other day. I don't know whether I'll be able to trap him before it gets cold, so I want to be sure he stays comfortable on my porch.

[Rorey]

11. I just ordered a couple of little cat houses from them too

I figured at the very least I could use them as a pattern to build my own.