RRM conducted an experiment on cats in his immediate environment. He offered raw fish (or was it chicken?) to a thin(ner) cat (a fatter cat hadn't reacted), who ate a little of it. The next day the cat ate all of it. The days after ALL the cats in the neighborhood came for the raw food. He's been feeding them since.

I'm sure animals will come around after a little initial persuasion if needed.
Bruce Lee actually started his martial arts career under Yip Man. As the story goes Yip Man refused to teach him after a certain point, because Bruce had started to teach foreigners (gwailo) against his master's wishes. This is why he started to include techniques from other styles to the wing chun basics he had learned.