Call me dumb...but I have to ask.I have never, until I joined TCS afew weeks ago, heard the word "feral". What does it mean? How is it different than a "stray" cat?
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What`s the difference?
- Thread starter stampit3d
- Start Date
I might be wrong but isn't feral a cat that is non domesticated, like a wild cat...while stray is one that just ran away but has been in contact with humans? This is what I always though
Oh this is what i found on the internet: "Feral:
The correct meaning of feral is a domestic cat that has reverted to the wild state and the offspring of such cats. The term "feral" is incorrectly used by some breeders is to denote a wild (non-domesticated) species. "Feral blood" refers to wild species blood in a hybrid species."
Oh this is what i found on the internet: "Feral:
The correct meaning of feral is a domestic cat that has reverted to the wild state and the offspring of such cats. The term "feral" is incorrectly used by some breeders is to denote a wild (non-domesticated) species. "Feral blood" refers to wild species blood in a hybrid species."
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- #3
Hummmm....that helps...I think.
I had 3 kittens (could NOT have been even been 6 weeks old!)dropped off near our home one time years ago.
They were scared to death of me..and hungrier than all get out. I warmed some milk and set it out in a saucer....and they came to inspect it when i stood back. They apparently were drawn to the smell, but when they started to drink they were sputtering and had it even coming out their noses. It was obvious that they had never even been dish fed before. As they were drinking I was able to walk right up to them, but when I reached out to stroke one of them it attacked me ...socking it`s needle teeth and claws into my finger and would`nt let go. I had to shake my hand to make the kitten release it`s grip on my finger. (I felt terrible about it afterwards, but it was an instant reaction to the pain) I never knew a kitten so small could hurt someone so bad.
Needless to say I LEARNED my lesson!
Within a couple of days I was able to pet all 3 and they ended up being the nicest cats. We kept 1 (actually it was the one who had attacked me!) and found good homes for the other 2 when they were old enough to be apart from their siblings.
Would these be considered "feral" kittens?
I`ve never to this day been able to understand why anybody in their right mind would drop off 3 little kittens like that. There is no way they would have been able to survive alone! REALLY P***ed me off BIG TIME!
I had 3 kittens (could NOT have been even been 6 weeks old!)dropped off near our home one time years ago.
They were scared to death of me..and hungrier than all get out. I warmed some milk and set it out in a saucer....and they came to inspect it when i stood back. They apparently were drawn to the smell, but when they started to drink they were sputtering and had it even coming out their noses. It was obvious that they had never even been dish fed before. As they were drinking I was able to walk right up to them, but when I reached out to stroke one of them it attacked me ...socking it`s needle teeth and claws into my finger and would`nt let go. I had to shake my hand to make the kitten release it`s grip on my finger. (I felt terrible about it afterwards, but it was an instant reaction to the pain) I never knew a kitten so small could hurt someone so bad.
Needless to say I LEARNED my lesson!
Within a couple of days I was able to pet all 3 and they ended up being the nicest cats. We kept 1 (actually it was the one who had attacked me!) and found good homes for the other 2 when they were old enough to be apart from their siblings.
Would these be considered "feral" kittens?
I`ve never to this day been able to understand why anybody in their right mind would drop off 3 little kittens like that. There is no way they would have been able to survive alone! REALLY P***ed me off BIG TIME!
Yeah, from the way those kittens reacted, sounds like they might have been feral. Except that it's odd that someone would have dropped them off. Usually people don't even know about feral kittens until they are old enough to fend for themselves. It might be that they were just normal kittens that were terrified.
Luckily, you had them during the age when they can be socialized. One of our cats was a feral kitten, found when she was about three months old. She's still afraid of people, even us.
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- #5
AWWWW....how awful to have to go through your whole life being afraid.
I`m glad you kept her anyway. A lot of people would`nt have ....and then she`d probably have ended up a mess...and with tons of wild kittens over the years too.(Not that I don`t love kittens...but you know what I mean)
I`m glad you kept her anyway. A lot of people would`nt have ....and then she`d probably have ended up a mess...and with tons of wild kittens over the years too.(Not that I don`t love kittens...but you know what I mean)
Yeah, we'll always keep her. She's the sweetest thing, doesn't have a mean bone in her body. She's just afraid of everyone.
I found a kitten outside, and she was very sweet from the start. I never considered her (Scout) to be feral, as she acted tame. I currently have a truly feral boy. You can't say he is wild, because he is not a lion or tiger, and he (Tommy) looks just like a brown tabby cat. But the only contact I have ever had was to trap him so he could be neutered. Even the vet commented on how feral he was. He is a boy who is terrified of humans, and IMO would never tame. He can stay at our farm as long as he wants, and I'm sure considers himself to be happy, although the only human contact he had was to be knocked out for surgery. I rarely see him.
I have adopted several ferals. All lived with people, who tried unsuccessfully to tame them. Two survive, rarely seen. If they see me looking out the window at them, they sneak away. One is lost, possibly killed by a fight with a raccoon. She was best buddy with Tommy, and she got hurt the night he was trapped.
Just because a cat or kitten is outside doesn't mean it is feral. Many outside barn cats are very tame. Or they may be slightly tame. A true feral is hard to tame, because we are the enemy. However, the time invested to turn a young cat from feral to tame, makes an amazing difference. And then there are "semi-ferals", who come to trust one or several humans. They may never be a cuddle-bug, but are beautiful animals that can be a joy to share your home with.
I had a semi-feral, Jill, who spent her first few days with us hiding behind the couch. If they don't tame beyond that, they are a little scary. How would you get them to the vet if needed? How can you monitor someone you don't see? Jill did tame up rather nicely, and was adopted out. Her new family only had her for a few days, when they opened her bedroom door while the outside door was open, and she ran outside, never to be seen again.
Now I wish I had kept her. Although she wasn't a pet to the humans while at my house, she loved my cats, and they loved her. While it wasn't the love of humans that I had hoped for her, she could have just stayed here for the rest of her life.
I have adopted several ferals. All lived with people, who tried unsuccessfully to tame them. Two survive, rarely seen. If they see me looking out the window at them, they sneak away. One is lost, possibly killed by a fight with a raccoon. She was best buddy with Tommy, and she got hurt the night he was trapped.
Just because a cat or kitten is outside doesn't mean it is feral. Many outside barn cats are very tame. Or they may be slightly tame. A true feral is hard to tame, because we are the enemy. However, the time invested to turn a young cat from feral to tame, makes an amazing difference. And then there are "semi-ferals", who come to trust one or several humans. They may never be a cuddle-bug, but are beautiful animals that can be a joy to share your home with.
I had a semi-feral, Jill, who spent her first few days with us hiding behind the couch. If they don't tame beyond that, they are a little scary. How would you get them to the vet if needed? How can you monitor someone you don't see? Jill did tame up rather nicely, and was adopted out. Her new family only had her for a few days, when they opened her bedroom door while the outside door was open, and she ran outside, never to be seen again.
I'll move this to Caring for Strays & Ferals for you.
Here's an article about the difference between Feral & Tame kitties: http://straypetadvocacy.org/html/feral_vs__tame.HTM
True ferals are never "tamed", but they can be socialized. All of Hissy's kitties are ferals. She has a fabulous gift of patience and knowledge to be able to socialize all but the hardest cases. My Ophelia is feral, but since we found her when she was a little kitten (~6 weeks old), she's very much socialized to us. She is now 6 years old, and I still continue to see progress in trusting us. It is a hard fought trust, but it is so rewarding to have that relationship with her. She is getting better about coming out when new people are around, but I don't think any of our friends have ever been allowed to touch her.
Here's an article about the difference between Feral & Tame kitties: http://straypetadvocacy.org/html/feral_vs__tame.HTM
True ferals are never "tamed", but they can be socialized. All of Hissy's kitties are ferals. She has a fabulous gift of patience and knowledge to be able to socialize all but the hardest cases. My Ophelia is feral, but since we found her when she was a little kitten (~6 weeks old), she's very much socialized to us. She is now 6 years old, and I still continue to see progress in trusting us. It is a hard fought trust, but it is so rewarding to have that relationship with her. She is getting better about coming out when new people are around, but I don't think any of our friends have ever been allowed to touch her.
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- #9
I wonder why a feral cat would`nt eventually become tame ...unless it had been abused by a human at sometime...or can cats revert back to wild like thier ancestors after a few-several generations?
And what if a feral momma cat died leaving kittens...would they remail feral if they were raised by humans...or not???
And what if a feral momma cat died leaving kittens...would they remail feral if they were raised by humans...or not???
I don't know if every cat could be "tamed". I know many are released where they were found, if it is a fairly safe area, and someone will feed them. For example, I could have tried to bring Tommy in to tame him, but as a full grown tomcat, I don't know how long it would take for him to feel comfortable inside. And no one wants to adopt a cat you can't pet, who is fearful of you. I am fortunate to be out in the country, where he can live his life pretty safely outside.
Of course, maybe Tommy was a pet once, and if I had brought him inside and given him a few weeks to see if he settled down, he may have tamed. You really can't always tell by looking at them.
Of course, maybe Tommy was a pet once, and if I had brought him inside and given him a few weeks to see if he settled down, he may have tamed. You really can't always tell by looking at them.
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I personally would break cats into three divisions: feral, domesticated, and tame. Feral being wild with no attachment to humans. Domesticated being cats that have been born in the wild and tamed or feral cats that have been acclimated to some human contact. Tame cats are ones born and raised in contact with humans who have parental examples to follow and form early human bonds.
My oldest cat, Peter, is from feral stock (He was taken from his nest before weaned, not by me), but has been domesticated. Meaning he has become accustomed to living with us in our home. He will let you pet him and tolerates people better now that he has a companion and is getting older, but there is still a difference.
Angel, my oldest kitten, was born to our feral female, Kit Kat. However, as soon as the kittens were old enough to move, Kit Kat brought them and left them on my back porch. The kittens were very wild, but we spent lots of time calming them and loving them. Angel is by far the most loving, tame cat I have had in a long time. She loves to come in the house and she adores being petted and talked to. She will follow you around the house when she isn't sleeping on my bed or in a sunny spot outside. She has been spayed and is about 1-1/2 yrs old now. She is very much tame.
Then there is Kit Kat. She is a feral female that appeared at our farm about 3 yrs ago. She was already grown. She would sneak up for food and just sort of hung about, but will allow no human contact. She growls, hissed, and strikes if you invade her personal space and she can't run away. I have tried talking to her. Coaxing her with food. Trapping her in a box. (Not a good idea, she goes ballistic and completely freaks out and had to be released before she hurt herself.) She continues to resist any personal contact with us after 3 years. She is content to come and eat and then she removes to the edge of the yard or to the top of one of the vehicles in the drive where she likes to sun herself. I did once lightly stroke the top of her back with my finger tips while she was eating with some of the other cats after standing perfectly still for about 30 minutes one day. She immediately looked up and hissed and ran off and wouldn't return until I left though. I need to have spayed as she has had two or three litters, but haven't been able to get her to the vet some 30 miles away yet.
Feral cats can make wonderful companions and great protectors. Peter is worth his weight in gold. He is a snake killer and has killed or stunned at least 8 or 10 to date. (One that got in our house!) Kit Kat is one of the best hunters that I have ever seen. It is nothing for her to catch mice and rats, but I have even seen her with a young squirrel. She always provides well for her kittens even though we supplement her diet. Angel inherited this excellent trait from Kit and may have watched Peter because she is a good hunter and has also caught helped kill two snakes. Stormy II, one of Kit's last kittens, seems to have also inherited the hunting skills from her mother. She had a rat the other morning.
God has a place and a purpose for all His creatures, tame and feral. Enjoy them all!
My oldest cat, Peter, is from feral stock (He was taken from his nest before weaned, not by me), but has been domesticated. Meaning he has become accustomed to living with us in our home. He will let you pet him and tolerates people better now that he has a companion and is getting older, but there is still a difference.
Angel, my oldest kitten, was born to our feral female, Kit Kat. However, as soon as the kittens were old enough to move, Kit Kat brought them and left them on my back porch. The kittens were very wild, but we spent lots of time calming them and loving them. Angel is by far the most loving, tame cat I have had in a long time. She loves to come in the house and she adores being petted and talked to. She will follow you around the house when she isn't sleeping on my bed or in a sunny spot outside. She has been spayed and is about 1-1/2 yrs old now. She is very much tame.
Then there is Kit Kat. She is a feral female that appeared at our farm about 3 yrs ago. She was already grown. She would sneak up for food and just sort of hung about, but will allow no human contact. She growls, hissed, and strikes if you invade her personal space and she can't run away. I have tried talking to her. Coaxing her with food. Trapping her in a box. (Not a good idea, she goes ballistic and completely freaks out and had to be released before she hurt herself.) She continues to resist any personal contact with us after 3 years. She is content to come and eat and then she removes to the edge of the yard or to the top of one of the vehicles in the drive where she likes to sun herself. I did once lightly stroke the top of her back with my finger tips while she was eating with some of the other cats after standing perfectly still for about 30 minutes one day. She immediately looked up and hissed and ran off and wouldn't return until I left though. I need to have spayed as she has had two or three litters, but haven't been able to get her to the vet some 30 miles away yet.
Feral cats can make wonderful companions and great protectors. Peter is worth his weight in gold. He is a snake killer and has killed or stunned at least 8 or 10 to date. (One that got in our house!) Kit Kat is one of the best hunters that I have ever seen. It is nothing for her to catch mice and rats, but I have even seen her with a young squirrel. She always provides well for her kittens even though we supplement her diet. Angel inherited this excellent trait from Kit and may have watched Peter because she is a good hunter and has also caught helped kill two snakes. Stormy II, one of Kit's last kittens, seems to have also inherited the hunting skills from her mother. She had a rat the other morning.
God has a place and a purpose for all His creatures, tame and feral. Enjoy them all!
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- #12
Thank you guys for all the info....at least now I will have a better understanding when I hear a thresd that speaks of a cat being a stray or a feral now.
Very well said, Aries. I would suggest that for your Kit Kat, you use a trap to catch her so she can be spayed. I had (friendly) barn cats years ago, and lost my best Momma cat by allowing her to have one last litter. She died two days after giving birth to two kittens, evidently there was another kitten inside her. The kittens also died.
It seems cruel and scary to trap, but it will get her spayed, and get her basic shots. Your vet may have a trap to loan you. I have volunteered at feral spay/neuter clinics, we just give the cat a shot while in the trap, to put it to sleep. Then they get rabies, etc, and spayed. By the time they start waking up, they are back in the trap, ready to go home. We do 60-80 cats in one Sunday clinic, and they all do just fine.
