Quote:
Originally Posted by scsigurl3000
and so I'm writing here, hoping someone will offer a good, workable solution.
|
First things first - REMOVE the notion of bringing this cat into your house. Erase it entirely. I don't mean to sound harsh or uncharitable or anything, but your commitment is to Edward. Full stop, end of story.
Any meeting between Edward and the stray would end very, very badly and Edward, being a big Momma's Boy, would most definitely come off worse for it. Over and above any contagious disease (for which the vaccinations do not offer 100% immunity) cat bites are notorious for forming into abscesses. Your duty is to Edward - his health and safety must come first.
While I understand how much it distresses you to see a hungry cat, if you continue to feed it, it WILL come back. You don't want it to come back. You want it to go away and hunt mice and leave Edward alone.
If the cat is truly "unowned" then your best bet is to see if there is any TNR group in your area. They will trap, neuter & release, which ultimately is about the best you can hope for. They might also vaccinate - much differs from group to group.
I know you mean well, but the fact of the matter is that if this cat is an adult and is either a feral or a semi-feral, and not just a scared stray, it may be impossible to tame it regardless of the will and effort you put into it. Again, you risk making Edward's life a misery in the meantime and that's not fair to Edward.
I do understand your situation - I'm not in a dissimilar one myself. We have a big powder puff of a cat, and while no person in his or her right mind could call him "gentle" (he's a monster actually
), he is one of our cats. We also get visited from time to time by a very large, very un-neutered feral (this one is a true feral) who would, if he could, shred the powder puff. Just his being around is enough to send our cat into a fit, so... he's not welcome. It's just the way it is.