In article >, gravesend10
@verizon.net says...
>
> On Sat, 20 Aug 2016 12:23:10 -0400, Gary > wrote:
>
> >Brooklyn1 wrote:
> >>
> >> That's Scraggly the first time I spotted him about four years ago, in
> >> the forest path near my barn:
> >> http://i63.tinypic.com/14no3ug.jpg
> >> Forest path:
> >> http://i67.tinypic.com/rc9b4l.jpg
> >
> >A real question for you, Sheldon. So you have all these feral barn cats,
> >etc. You see them in your yard everyday and you do take care of them.
> >Are they friendly to you like pet cats? Do they come up to you and let
> >you pet them, etc? Or do they keep their distance from you?
> >
> >I'm asking about the difference between the ferals outside and your
> >house cats inside.
>
> Some ferals will very occasionally permit one quick pet but they
> quickly back off. To survive outdoors it's best they remain totally
> feral. I don't encourage petting them. What some call indoor-outdoor
> cats have lost their survival skills and won't last long outdoors.

It took around six months to persuade our savage feral cat (lives and
fed outside) to let me scritch the top of his head. I persisted because
I wanted to apply a drops-behind-the-neck flea treatment. Finally I
managed to drip it on while he was eating and his big bald patches grew
back in. Also wormed him (in his food). Unfortunately our latest dog
spooked the cat which took off for several months; but he's started
turning up again for a meal (very wary and nervous) and now I can't get
near enough for a follow up flea dose.

Janet UK