What To Feed Stray Cats

You find a stay cat or kitty and go through your cupboards in a panic looking for food that will give them a balanced meal, and while you may have the best of intentions for this cat, the food you give them might not be what they need.

While there are a few options of what you can feed a stray cat, this is made easier if you already have a cat of your own, as you can start looking for food options from there.

Find out below more about what you can give a cat to keep it going and how you can appreciate these felines more, or if you simply love cats.
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WHAT DO STRAY CATS EAT?

If you live in a big city, there's a good chance that there are groups of stray or feral cats, and while there is a distinction between the two, it's the stray cats who are more likely to seek food and help from humans, and it's feral cats who look to whatever's convenient to survive.

While feral cats are those who are less sociable around humans and prefer to be active during the night, there are quite a few things they will eat, even garbage. Out of all the things you'll see cats hunting, the most common ones are:

• Hares and rabbits
• Squirrels, shrews, moles, rats, and mice
• Snakes, small lizards, and insects
• Birds, like songbirds and even woodpeckers in some cases.
•  Waste and litter from neighborhoods  
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Things You Can Feed Them 

With everything that you hear about stray cats and how they decimate populations, this may be an issue in some locations, but at the same time, it balances out the ecology of an environment.

Before you go pick one up and take it home, you should find out what foods are best for a cat when they are in real need of some nutrition, and these are:

• A small amount of cat food
• Fresh water
• Some tuna, as long as it's not in oil or brine, is not raw and is mixed with other protein sources if you feed them in the long term.
• Boneless and cooked meat like chicken, beef, and lamb
• Plain rice and some simple cooked scrambled eggs
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Things You Should Avoid Feeding Them

With this in mind, you might have an idea of what you want to feed a stray cat but not have any idea of what you think may be harmful to a stray. These are but are not limited to:

• Milk, dairy, or any product that contains lactose
• Dog food, but if in an emergency, a small amount could be given to a cat.
• Fruit or vegetables​
• Foods harmful to cats, such as grapes, raisins, raw dough, chocolate, raw eggs and meat, onions, and bones, could become a choking hazard. 
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How To Improve Your Bond With A Stray Cat​

You've seen a stray cat and are wondering how you should approach it, and while the cat seems harmless, there are many things you may not have considered. Below, we explore a few of these.

Look For Signs From The Cat

One sign that a cat trusts you is by meeting you at the same place to receive food, and another thing you might notice is that it follows you around or near your home and may even stop by your front or back door and wait to be fed.

If this sounds like your situation, you can leave food outside for the cat and even somewhere relax if you find they spend a while at your property, and they may even meow at you and brush up against you to gain your attention and care.

If You Can't Feed The Cat

You might be in a position where you cannot feed or have a cat come around to your property, and if the cat looks healthy, it's ok to leave it as it is.

If you think it looks underweight or in pain is a time when you should get advice from an animal welfare organization that can walk the area and find out where the cat is and whether it's part of a group or not, as cats aren't everyone's favorite.

Adopt One If Possible 
 
You might be able to take a stray cat in as long as it's healthy and is safe to be around people, and even if you don't let it indoors, you can feed it from a front porch area, and your cat will be just as thankful for your hospitality.

If you find a stray cat, be realistic and don't get your hopes too high with the idea of taking it in straight away, as the process for the cat to trust you can take a while. 
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The Bottom Line ​

With this advice, you can approach any cat while keeping yourself safe, and who knows, you may make a new friend who you can meet on occasion and feed, if possible, so as long as you are gentle and friendly, you shouldn't have any issues except if the cat is feral. ​