Stray/Lost cats

This morning,I look out the window and in my frontyard is the prettiest youngish muted Orange kitty.
He has a face like Bunduk,huge green eyes and a big fluffy tail.
I came close to him,but then he ran in to my backyard,over the fence across the street to Fates house.
I had opened a can of food,hoping he would eat...but could not see him anymore.
He was very obviously in tact,if he has an owner,it's not a caring owner.
How do you know if a cat is in trouble??
He looked a little slim,but he was young.
If I see him again,I'll try to feed him and maybe get close to him...it bothers me to no end,that people let their cats roam,you cannot tell if they are strays or lost.

I'm afraid it seems to be the trend this summer Chico2. My mom has 10 strays, 4 adults and 6 kittens she's caring for right now:(. Trying to trap the 2 female adults so she can get them spayed and trying to entice their offspring into the house so she can get them fixed as well. I have 5 strays here this summer. All adults, all male and none appear to have their testicles which is a refreshing change. I too have an orange tabby that's appeared within the past 2 weeks. He was super skinny, but very friendly. He's taken up residence in the top bunk of the cat house and is filling out nicely now.
The way I normally tell if a cat is a stray or not.....they usually appear to be rather unkempt, very thin and persistantly present when I take the food and water out in the evening. The unkempt and thin looks improve greatly once they start getting proper food and shelter though.
I do have 2 other cats that come to eat, but they're not strays. They just like the food here and the other cat company.
Lots of people move in the summer and I'm afraid they just leave their cats sometimes. I'm afraid there are more of them doing that this year.:(


clm

clm,luckily I do not see many strays,one Tuxedo cat comes here almost every day,but I know where he lives,also a Calico is sometimes here,I know where she lives too.
The 2 of them have terrible fights,one day one of them will get really hurt:(

Other than "George" and "Tux",i have really not fed any others,but if I see this boy again,I will feed him and maybe trap him,borrow a trap from OHS.