Feral or Stray?

We have 4 or 5 different cats that come around daily, I keep bowls of food and water out for them, and there has been a couple times I have tried to just step outside while they are out there..not to even try to touch them, but they run like lightening away from me....I sit and talk to them through the screen window and they watch me n fear..these babies look soo scared and I want to help them..I have named one of them...I wish I had a picture of him...he is a DSH and all brown...like the color of a chocolate lab dog.....and the others are DLH and they look like tabbies I do believe,,,I am not sure, but I just wish I could get them and at least take them to checked out at the vet and make sure they are ok...the one that comes around more is the brown DSH...I already love him...he is the prettiest bright green eyes and just looks like he is longing to be loved, but is too afraid and doesn't trust humans......how can I tell if he is a feral or a stray??

also,,,one of the cats have left gifts on our doormat at certain times..yes, they poop right in the middle of our door mat.....do they think this is their territory now?? I don't mind them here but stepping in poop first thing in the morning to take my kids to school is not my ideal of a good morning..

Thay have obviosly claimed your porch as their territory.The cats are most likely stray/wild, a TRUE feral animal is not afraid of humans and will attack them as an intruder in their territory. It is best to start trying to get them used to humans as young as possible if you want them to be "pets". I did this with a young kitten who was a wild stray, he was near death when found in the parking lot and paralyzed in his hind end. It had a good ending, the pararlysis was only temporary and he got better, he preferred a quiet houshold, preferably with other cats, he had to be an indoor cat only due to some lasting knee damage in his hind leg. Your best bet would to get a live trap and get them checked out by a vet and move them indoor for awhile if you want them human friendly quickly, or just get them fixed to keep the population down.

Since your place is your territory they will chase other cats away. The University in Austin Texas has a stable wild cat population, they feed them and keep them up to date on their shots, all are fixed of course, and it keeps the stray population down to a minimum since they protect their territory. You could also try putting out a litter box for them? Make sure they don't "belong" to some neighbors who are letting them be "free and natural", I have run into those people before who don't get them shots or anything, "they can catch their own food right? they did well before humans interfered with them". People like that make me mad.:mad:

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TRUE feral animal is not afraid of humans

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If you are referring to cats, I beg to differ with you. I have worked with feral cats and every single one that I've come in contact with is terrified of humans. They will not let you near them, nor will they let you touch them. They may attack other CATS in an effort to protect their territory, but they will not attack humans.

I can definately tell he is a feral then.....what is soo neat and out of the ordinary is I always have my windows open, and my kitties sit out there and if this feral happens to be out there, they sit and look at each other in amazement, no growling, hissing or anything.......even if I happen to be sitting in the chair next to the window where I can see him, he will just sit and watch us..I talk sweetly, and soft to him, and he looks at me with his sweet loving green eyes, like he wants to be a part of us, but he is just too scared....he shows no signs of aggression like he would attack any of us..he just runs away and I mean fast, and that is only if I try to step outside while he is out there....unfortunately I have had no luck yet...
I would like to try to trap him, and take him to the vet and have him checked out nutered and all..........the kids and I are trying to think of a name for him..he is all brown..the color of a chocolate lab....maybe Rusty?? I just want to call him something...

Thanks for the replies....I am trying to learn about them as much as I can.....

Aww!!He sounds adorable. How about Hershey or Coco , Brownie, Java, Guiness.
Hope you can get him to trust you and maybe join your household.;)

A feral cat is silent, will not approach humans, and generally will be seen only from dusk to dawn, unless extraordinarily hungry and foraging for food. A feral cat has adapted to conditions and is likely to appear well groomed. If you put food down for a feral cat, he will wait until you move away from the area before approaching the food.

A stray cat is likely to approach you, although usually not close enough for you to touch him. If you put food down, a stray cat will likely start to eat it right away. A stray cat is often vocal, sometimes talking insistently, and may look disheveled, as if unused to dealing with conditions on the street. A stray cat may be seen at all hours of the day.

I have a large population of strays in my garden. I put out food and fresh water for them, and have been trapping them one at a time in a humane trap and getting them "fixed". One evening last week I had six here all at the same time - they were all so cute and friendly with each other, It's so sweet to see how they share the food and water - humans could learn a thing or two from them!

As far as socialising them - mine are from one extreme to the other - a couple of them I can actually pick up - others run a mile when I open the door. Although the really skittish ones tend to run a shorter distance away over a period of time, as they realise that when my door opens and I come outside I am bringing their food and water!

After I have trapped one of them, the rest of them seem quite nervous for a few days - they obviously feel the anxiety of the one who has been caught, and they are always very pleased when one of their brothers or sisters is returned - nose rubs and head-bumpies all round!

It's very rewarding to be able to make a small difference, but it's hard not to get emotionally attached to them
:(

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it's hard not to get emotionally attached to them

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Absolutely!!