Expert: Jessica - 1/8/2012

Question
I've seen a stray cat (or at least I think it's a stray, I've seen it twice now, and I've never seen it before)  hanging around my street. I want to be able to get to know it and bring it into my home, but I don't have any cat experience. I had a dog, who recently passed away due to age, so I know how to take care of a pet. I tried approaching the cat, but it would just stare at me and run off if I got too close. How can I gain it's trust so that it'll at least let me feed it? Are there certain table scraps I shouldn't give him? I plan on buying food for it later, but are weenies/hotdogs okay for a treat or get his attention? Is there a way to figure out it's age? When I was close to it the other day I noticed gray hairs in his otherwise black coat, does that mean he's an old cat? His fur looks medium length, not to long not to short, I tried looking under to check it's gender, but I couldn't tell. Are you usually able to tell right of the back if it's a girl or a boy? I hope that's not to many questions, I think every sentence in there ended with a question mark!
Thanks,
Madelyn

Answer
Hi Madelyn,

First, I would try to be sure he IS a stray by asking neighbors if they know who the cat belongs to and contacting your local shelter to see if anyone has reported him missing. Many times, a cat who wanders ends up having multiple owners because several people believe they are doing a good deed by taking in a stray. If no one claims the cat once you have done due diligence, then the best way to earn the cat's trust is to try leaving food out for him.

Most nervous cats won’t come to eat while you’re in their presence right away, but you can leave the food and where he can see it and good indoors or maybe observe from afar. If he has been taken care of by people, he may recognize the sound of dry food being shaken or a can of food being popped open, and this might get his attention. Feeding him consistently at the same time each day will help to establish you as his caretaker in his mind, and this will build his trust. Depending on how socialized he is, he may allow you to touch him in a matter of a couple of days, or it may take weeks or longer.

You can generally feed cats any kind of meat, but be stingy with fish. More than a few servings a week can cause a Vitamin E depletion. Also, meat should not be marinated, heavily salted or cooked with any onions or garlic, which are toxic to cats. Meats alone are not balanced, though, and they should be used sparingly as treat foods. To discourage bad habits, never share table scraps from your own plate – always feed them separately from your meal time. There are some vegetables that are okay for cats to nibble on if they like. For instance, corn, peas, cucumbers, melon and parsley are not toxic. However, feed these on a case-by-case basis. If they don’t seem to sit well, don’t allow your kitty to eat them. But there are a number of fruits and vegetables that can be harmful, including grapes (and raisins), avocado, and all vegetables related to onions. Regarding hotdogs, they won’t kill him if you feed them for a few days, but I strongly encourage you to feed him canned food beyond this.

Telling the gender of a cat is difficult unless you are quite experienced, especially if a male has been neutered. With females, the anal opening and the vaginal opening are very close, and the vaginal opening is shaped like a slit. With males, there is more room between the anus and the urethral opening, and the urethral opening is rounder. In adult males that are in tact, the scrotum in pronounced, but in some neutered males, it nearly disappears. These pictures are of unneutered kittens, but it may help you out. The male has not matured and looks similar to a neutered adult. Ultimately, a vet might need to help you determine the sex.

http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/cliented/kittengender.aspx

For the age, a vet is the best one to say. In adult cats, vets usually can give you a good estimate based on the state of the cat’s teeth and eyes. But it’s not possible for the average person to take a guess at how old a cat is in general.

Good luck!
Jessica