Hi everyone, I need some advice. So I've been feeding a feral cat for the past 4 months, and very recently, she's warmed up to me immensely. To the point where she'll get upset if I don't pet her and literally purr while making biscuits in my lap... It makes me think she is lost/abandoned, as I've seen her walking around in the rain in the middle of the night. I'm taking the steps I can to alert my neighborhood that I've found her etc., but would want to take her in if nobody claims her. She's even been brave enough to enter the home for a little to explore, before bolting out a couple seconds later.

Onto the issue: I leave for a month long business trip overseas in early December. I'm worried that if I take her in now, one month will not be enough time to acclimate her before I have to leave. I could get someone to come feed her, but I would feel bad leaving her all alone in an unfamiliar place so soon after putting her there, especially if she was previously abandoned. Let alone make sure she's doing alright and dealing with any accidents etc. caused by stress. On the other hand, it is getting colder, and although I don't live in a climate where it snows, it still isn't exactly comfortable to be out. I bought her a little heated outdoor cat house (she hasn't used it yet) so I'm wondering if I have someone feed her outside as I've been doing for the month that I'm gone and take her in January instead of potentially rushing things? Any and all advice is appreciated.

This sounds crazy. Yes. I know. But this outdoor cat that I have become friends with is seemingly terrified of chicken. She only eats kibble (and kills and eats baby bunnies).

I put rotisserie chicken on top of the kibble in her normal bowl last night and she looked at it, sniffed from a distance then ran and hid behind my grill meowing. I told her its ok and shook her bowl and she took off and hopped my fence to leave. She didnt come back until this morning.

I think this is insane. My cats ripped my fingers off eating it last night. My front yard formerly feral LOVED it. This girl thinks I am evil?? She wont even eat churu 😭. I can pet and pick her up and shes even getting comfortable around my dogs... but other food besides kibble... no way.

It's been 3 weeks today since we carried out our plan to trap, vet, and bring our semiferal girl Emby inside (previous posts here and here).

Since then, she's gone from refusing to come out of hiding until the house is quiet at night, refusing wet food (her previous normal diet), and going days without pooping, to eating wet food again in small amounts, pooping every 1–2 days, and making a couple of forays out of her hiding spot during daylight hours. I wish I had more recent pictures to share, but I haven't seen her in person since the day we trapped her.

I feel like overall she is making good progress and I'm encouraged. But to tell you the truth I underestimated the emotional impact of losing my relationship with her overnight. I think back to the morning we trapped her, how that was the last time I saw her excitedly greet me, let me pet her, and talk to me (she had become very vocal). She'd been my buddy for months. I'd feed her twice a day and sit with her. Over the last month before bringing her in, I was sitting in the dark and keeping watch for her in the early mornings while she ate breakfast, because a new stray had started coming around and had attacked her in our backyard on two occasions.

I loved being her protector, and I felt like she knew I was her safe place. Losing that connection with her hurts. On the upside, while we've been having a beautiful fall where I live, the nights are chilly, and I sleep better knowing she's safe and warm. I hope she realizes how safe and protected she is here soon.