[snip]

I'd test him out before trapping him -- see if you can entice him closer
to you (nice stinky food is useful for this), see how he reacts to you
while he's still free to make choices.  If he shows signs of warming up
to you, he may be a stray or socializable.  If not, you may need to just
neuter and release him for this winter at least.

Priscilla

It's not always possible to tell, without bringing the animal inside and
getting acquainted.  Some of the sweetest cats "feral" we've rescued were
discovered to be tame after they had been caged for a while (the two I
have in mind were both injured and required cage rest).  Other guys we
thought were abandoned pets let us know that they were born to be wild.

In your place, I would trap him, take him straight to the vet for checkup,
shots and surgery and then isolate him from your cats for at least 2 weeks
(to rule out impending illness/contagion) and wait and see.  With just a
little time a patience, he may own up to being tame or just may decide to
at least give domestication a chance.  Even if he is feral, he may be a
sweetie with your indoor cats and will make a nice under-the-bed house
feral.

Be sure to combo-test him for FIV/FeLV; toms are likely carriers.  If he
tests positive, have a talk with your vet about how to proceed.

There are lots of articles out there on socializing a cat.  Mine is
"Taming the Tiger," posted to the Campus Cats website.

Good luck with this guy.  Good for you, giving him a chance.

Sharon Talbert
Friends of Campus Cats
www.campuscats.org

/snip/

I wonder how portable the microchip scanner is. Something that could save
everyone stress might be to borrow a microchip scanner from your vet or from
some rescue operation. You could move the food to somewhere in your garage
where you could be out of his sight but nearby with the scanner. If by
chance he has a chip and you can contact the owner, they can come and get
him themselves.

It might take a week or so to get him used to coming to the new food place;
then you could get the scanner.

Margaret
who also wonders how much a scanner costs, and would be considering buying
one and then donating it to some worthy organization afterwards

I can understand your worys i my self 4 months ago adopted a stray from my neighbourhood it was only 3 months old running infront of traffic and i know you dont want to issolate appologies for the spelling yet my vet confirmed my cat is ferral i issolated it for two weeks so it new it had love and constantly told him i was afraid of loosing him and talked to him kindley and reasured him. After two weeks of being fed and no longer eating from dustbins he became extreamly affetionate so when i let him out side he then sat out side no matter what the weather i sat with him because after two weeks issolation they forget easyly that out side is dangerous.  

I lost my cat before to the attack of a large dog i was devistated. Her name was layla.

The cat i found that was ferral is a gingger tom with a white socks and belly it has gold eyes at first i used to give it kisses so as it could see i loved it at first i talked and still talk to my cat with lots of babyish jestures ferral can become the most lovable cats because they not only want to be fed my cat is from a litter of ferral the vet says it has ginivitus and must eat biscutes only or i must brush hi8s teath ferral usualy have bad gums so be sure to keep an eye on his gums. i make it playful yet i have only just manage to brush one side i know what a surviver he is yet i got him neutered 2 weeks after i let him out side i made him forget most of his ferral ways yet unlike cats from a shop he thinks of me as his mother. if you have lots of time like me unfortunately i am on long term sick im 29 lots of energy for my little cat so far it has been the most beautiful experience i say smother your ferral with lits of love and bite the back of the neck of your cat simulating gently that motherly love i dont play often with him because ferral like to be in charge yet i kiss and cuddle him because in the begining if you constantly after issolation if he is not out side with out you and bring him back in doors with you each time even if runs chase him this makes them feel like your giving them akind of obedience training then extend it to walking with him even like a dog calling his name frequant a name you have chosen he will forget his homlessness and protect him by carrying him arround in your arms i beleive they need protecting from dogs yet must also protect them selves as they did as ferral so i train him for danger.

My neighbours cat is from a shop yet because she is useless and thinks a cat would be a nice toy for her child i have found my self addopting a 8 month badly in need of neutering not ferral yet could have been the begining of many generations neutering is important as 2 million cats can come in one year from one male.

It was only today that i let the cat make its choice with my neighbour it never got from them the same love it saw me give to myn. And after one day of love it has issolated it self and refuses to go out yet i have been for a walk with my cat befor this letter i got a cat box which befor i had two used to take it along to friends houses and it is used to its box and ferral can be just with love yet you will never stop it from eating human food like chips piza and it will fight for you to feed it because they always like human food yet i try and feed smaller portions more offten and it is good hope you reply to my measage and remenber even though your rescueing a cat it will not stay unless you love it and any obidence you show it like issolation as long as you show it love and dont tel it off two often clear spaces so it does not destroy any thing you value so limits how upset you get my home is cat friendly i have removable sofa covers and washable material it pulls out my phone yet i have to go now yet i am able to leave my cat overnight and am spending the night away leaving both cats issolated together yet you may think this wrong yet they a snug and offten play and cuddle each other and snarling is just talking and now you have one maybe two so you can have a life and they can occupy each other

yours sincerley

Heather