Cat wont leave dog alone

Question
A cat has been coming around my house. He won't let me pet him or get very close but he stands at my back door and meows all the time. I have been feeding him and he will let me get closer but still will not let me touch him. My problem is when I let my poodle out to use the bathroom, this cat will not leave her alone. He will constantly be rubbing up against my dog and following him until my dog will just give up and come back up the steps to come inside to get away from the cat. I have never seen a cat do this and just wondered  why he would want to be so close to my dog but still so fearful of me. Does anyone have any insight?

Answer
Kim,

He is loving on the dog. He probably is lonely and affectionate. He sounds like a typical feral cat. They have an inbred and inherited distrust of humans, but it doesn't apply to animals. They are trusting of dogs for some reason.

I have a cat from feral parents and she too loves dogs and will follow them. I have had her since birth and she prefers neighbor's dogs (I don't have a dog) to people still.

It may take months for the cat to learn to trust you enough to touch him. You need to have a lot of patience. He may be meowing for food AND for the company of your poodle. He will also learn from the poodle to trust you more when he sees that the poodle isn't scared of you and that you don't hurt it.