I can’t have a cat at home (my husband is allergic), so when I noticed this stray wandering my backyard looking really skinny - her previous feeder had moved away - I decided to adopt her as my “backyard cat.”
For the past 2 months I’ve been feeding her 3-4 times a day. I keep portions small because if I put too much, she won’t finish and crows or the neighbor’s cat eat it. Sometimes I give her a little chicken breast or tuna if I had it for lunch. She’s filled out and looks so much healthier now.
She knows my schedule completely - she waits for me in the morning, at lunch, and at dinner. She doesn’t hiss, she doesn’t run, she even meows at me. But the moment I try to pet her, she steps back. I can see she’s uncomfortable with it and I back off immediately.
I’m never going to stop feeding her no matter what. But I would really love to one day be able to pet her, or at least get closer. Is there anything I can do to build that kind of trust? Or is it just about time?