[Casey76]

Well, it looks like I am now feeding 3 strays as well as my own 2 indoor/outdoor cats!

It started off in the middle of winter when a semi-long hair kitkat started to sleep in the box I have on my terrace.  He meaws at me sooo plainitivly so I always gave in and gave him some biscuits.  If I leave the terrace door open he takes advantage and comes in to steam my kits food, and have on more than one occasion come in to find him slinking down staris after spending an unknown amount of time dozing on my bed!

He is a proper stray though, you can feel he is just skin and bone, though he calls often, he will sometimes stick around for a few days but then disappear for days too, but more recently he has been at my door morning and evening waiting for food.

Then... within the last couple of weeks I've also been feeding a couple of proper feral half grown kittens.  They must have been from a very late litter last year.  Beautiful markings, and look amazingly well kept, but totally afraid of people.  The closest I've managed to get is about 9 feet, and that is with throwing biscuits down for them.  I can put a bowl down, but they wont come any where near it until I go inside, close the door and pull the blind down!

Fortunately I don't mind feeding them, as long as they don't take up residence inside!  I can provide food and shelter (in the form of boxes, or a nest area in the wood store) for them, but unfortunately I don't have the time to try and domesticate them (even though my two cats seem very tolerant of them in the garden).

[madcat]

I think they will domesticate themselves!  Cats are smart operators.  They will check you out, figure out that you are a nice person, don't have anything horrid living with you (rough toddler, nasty dog etc) and quietly introduce themselves into your life.  By next winter you will have 5 cuddly house cats...   

[Caralou]

In six months time they will have moved in and be coming up for cuddles  My two ex-ferals were totally terrified of humans and would only eat if I wasn't in sight. Now Martha curls up on my knee and Rufus, although he wont come too close to me, curls up with the other cats and hassles for food in the morning. I'm sure they can spot a soft touch from miles away (I now have two new ferals who keep appearing and crying for food  ) - I just hope you don't wake up one morning to a dozen of them all with their own food bowls waiting outside for you