[header] How to earn the trust of a stray cat [title] Know the difference between a stray and feral cat. [step] When you find a cat outdoors, it's either stray or feral. Dealing with feral cats is very different than dealing with strays, and their trust is sometimes impossible to earn. 
Before you proceed with approaching the cat, figure out if it's stray or feral. [substeps] Feral cats are born in the wild or outdoors.