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The Feral Cat Cats are appearing more and more frequently on the radar of local officials. Is this because there are more cats around? The catís popularity has risen dramatically over the last few years. Unfortunately this can be bad as it allows for more human error such as letting them roam at will, abandoning them and permitting them to breed indiscriminately. However, there have also been positive changes in attitudes and opinions in society toward cats, disallowing for their being ignored and allowed to suffer due to human failings. Feral cats and stray cats are two separate issues. Feral cats are not strays and stray cats are not necessarily feral - though left to their own devices strays may eventually become feral. Simply put a feral cat is one that has lived on its own without human touch. A stray cat is one that once had a home, but has somehow found itself without one now. The stray cat is normally easy to spot and may appear unkempt because it is not used to being on its own without human care. It may be shy but is easily viewed and is frequently vocal as it attempts to elicit a positive response from you. Too often it has been chased away so it now may be frightened or not quite trusting at first. The stray cat is generally one that has been abandoned or dropped off. Generally speaking a cat will not leave its territory unless it has lost its food supply. The feral cat has been living by its own devices and does not want to be seen by the human predator. They tend to frequent the dusk or evening hours and are not normally seen by humans. They are silent around people, treating us as they would any other potentially dangerous predator. Stray cats are normally easily adopted into a home as they quickly revert back to their more domesticated days. There may be some minor behavior issues at first as they re-learn how to live with compassionate people. Feral cats generally do not like people. They have no reason to trust us. Even those that are cared for by a feral colony caretaker are not domesticated. Over time they may come to trust the caretaker to an extent, they still do not appreciate being approached. Can feral cats ever be ìtamedî? Some people have over time, and through extreme patience and persistence, been able to pet their feral cats. Were these true feral cats to begin with or former stray cats that were prone to remembering their time with humans? They can be either. It depends on each situation and the personalities of both the people and cats involved. What should you do about cats you believe are either stray or feral living in your area? First, try to find out if they belong to anyone in the neighborhood. They may simply be someoneís pets that are unfortunately allowed to roam at will. Should no one claim them then you should check with a local humane society, animal shelter, or Animal Control Officer to see what services they may have for these animals. Do not be surprised or disappointed if there are no services available to feral cats. Considering them to be a nuisance or a health hazard, people usually want the feral cats in their neighborhood to be destroyed. Lack of funding or true knowledge and understanding of feral cats usually leads to the killing approach. There are so many other animal issues needing attention that the feral cat issue is easily overlooked or avoided all together. The solution, however, is not difficult nor beyond reasonable means to handle. TNR is a more and more frequently used solution and it works. TNR means Trap, Neuter and Return. Nature abhors a vacuum and will fill it sooner or later. If not, the natural balance is thrown off. Time after time authorities or individuals have removed (usually by death) all feral cats from an area. Problem solved! Except that soon other cats start appearing in the same location. Simply removing the cats does not work unless the two factors that attracted them in the first place are removed ñ shelter and food. Killing is not an answer. Food & shelter are the reasons a colony exists where it does. Shelter is easy to find, though it may not be great. Food can be found in dumpsters, especially behind restaurants. Another steady food source is the compassionate individual that leaves cat food out knowing the felines are present and not wishing them to starve. Most neighborhoods have such kindhearted individuals. The big issues relating to feral cat colonies are reproduction and disease. Reproduction happens constantly unless humans intervene. Pregnant females are too often dropped off or abandoned. The litters grow up without human contact and become feral. As anyone who deals with feral cats can tell you ñ it is easy to domesticate the kittens. They respond well to quiet, persistent and compassionate attention. Disease is not the rampant issue many believe because nature weeds out the weak. Survivors tend to be very healthy and look wonderful. However, feral cats can be sick and may carry contagious feline diseases. The answer is Trap the cats, have them spayed or Neutered, vaccinated and Returned to their neighborhood where they know how to live. Caretakers will then assure that a good shelter exists and that food AND water are always plentiful. Then if newcomers show up they can be quickly identified and picked up. The newcomers are almost always strays attracted by the food and can be coaxed to the caretaker and removed for re-homing. If you want to learn more about starting a managed colony with feral cats in your area, refer to the Articles page of the Vermont Humane Federation website, or contact Alley Cat Allies in Bethesda, MD. www.alleycat.org The Vermont Humane Federation believes that all domestic cats should be kept indoors where they will be safe. Our support of TNR programs to deal with feral cats should not be perceived as an implicit endorsement of the notion that cats should lead essentially independent lives outdoors. |
