The Tuxedo kitten is now spending stretches of 'solo time' in the back yard

[Siwsan]

But, there's still no way for me to approach without triggering a speedy departure. I'm just going to continue to be seen, at a distance, and hope they get habituated to my presence, like their mama has.

[KT2000]

1. Love those tuxedos

Hope he/she decides to be your friend!

[dawg day]

2. Such a cutie

He/she has great markings. I wonder if there's white on the chest and paws?

[Siwsan]

3. Yes - there definitely are

Tuxedo, through and through.

[dawg day]

4. I love it when three paws are white and the other black

or vice versa.

[Peregrine Took]

5. Adorable. Food is the best lure

Cook up a little bit of liver and place it near the kitty's hideout place.

I adopted a mom and a few homeless kittens years ago with classical music and food.

[hlthe2b]

6. Maybe if you sit outside on the ground ignoring it, their natural curiosity may make them approach.

Cutie!

[csziggy]

11. That works with horse foals

Back before we started imprinting our foals at birth (and before we had mares that would let us) to get the foals close enough to us in the pastures so they would let us touch them, we'd use their curiosity.

We'd sit or squat down and examine something on the ground intently. Eventually the mares and/or the foals just couldn't stand it any more and they would come over to see what we were looking at. Since we'd be below their line of sight, they felt less intimidated and we could work up to reaching over to scratch them under their chins - a place most horses love to be scratched.

Once they let us scratch them, we'd stop before they got tired of being scratched. That way they were left with the memory that the human was doing something they liked and they waned more of it. It worked better than bribing them with food! They would end up coming to us, letting us scratch them, then letting us put halters on, over the course of a couple of weeks.

[happybird]

7. What a little sweetpea!

[I_UndergroundPanther]

8. What a beautiful little baby❤️

[wryter2000]

9. If mama has become your friend

I imagine kitten will, too. I hope so. I love tuxedo cats.

[Siwsan]

10. Well, mama has become my acquaintance. She's still keeping a little bit of distance

I have been able to crawl (literally - crawl) a little closer to the Tuxedo kitten. I'm going to put together a chase toy and see if that interests either mama or the kittens.

The instant I see a chance to grab one, I'll do it. They look like they are old enough to take in and, hopefully, habituate. I know if I can capture mama and get her spayed, she'll remain an outdoor cat.

[wryter2000]

14. The toy is a great idea

Good luck.

[Marthe48]

12. we bought a farm and moved in there Oct.

we didn't know the previous owner had left her cats. We found out when our dogs chased them. There were outbuildings and I think at least one of the young cats sheltered in one of them.

Fall and winter were cold. One night we saw a black cat outside. We put food out and started trying to lure her. It took a long time. My husband could make the sound a mama cat makes to call her kittens, and he lured her to the porch and the food. He'd talk to her while she ate. He named her Pilgrim. The first time we got her to come in the house, it was harrowing. She made a circuit of the old farm kitchen, mostly bouncing off the walls and went back out the door. She must have seen possibilities because she came in again. We were taking it very slow and let her in and out each time. We had a basement, so we opened the door, she disappeared into the darkness and we basically didn't see her until spring. She darted out the basement door, and out into the spring sunshine. We didn't see her again until the end of Oct. I think we saw her outside, and put food out, and after she got reacquainted, she darted into the house and down the basement. This 2nd winter, she had a litter of kittens in the basement and left them with us when she left in the spring. I think Pilgrim came and went about 5 years. She got tame enough inside that we could pet her. She wasn't a lap cat at all, but we thought it was cool that this wild creature had come to trust us. She generally had a litter of kittens and left them when spring came. The last Spring we saw her, we were sitting on the ground in the yard. She walked over near me and I reached out to pet her. She scratched my wrist so bad, I still have a scar 40 years later. We looked forward to seeing her that fall, but she never came back. We have had other strays as pets over the years, and each one is unique, and makes a deal with us on their terms. I am reading your posts, and can't wait to see how it goes! Thanks for sharing your story

[Skittles]

13. be careful or you will end up with something like this