What does "feral" mean.
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What is a feral?
- Thread starter kinsey's pet
- Start Date
From Alley Cat Allies:
Feral cats. They sleep in our parks, military bases, alleyways, farmyards, barns, college campuses, and deserted buildings. Abandoned by their human families or simply lost, unsterilized housecats eventually band together in groups called colonies. Without human contact for a prolonged period, the colonies become feral. They make homes wherever they can find food, be it in dumpsters or under a boardwalk. Mothers teach their kittens to avoid humans and to defend themselves. And their numbers steadily increase, even if meager scraps are all the food to be had.
No one knows exactly how many feral cats live in the United States, but the number is estimated in the tens of millions. They are often wrongly portrayed as disease-ridden nuisances living tragic lives and responsible for endangering native species. As a consequence, feral feline communities too frequently are rounded up and because they have had little or no human contact and are thus unadoptable they are killed.
But removing and killing feral cats does not reduce feral cat populations. It only provides space for more cats to move in and start the breeding process again. Unspayed, feral female cats spend most of their lives pregnant and hungry, as will the female kittens that survive. Unneutered tomcats roam to find, and fight to win, mates, and often suffer debilitating wounds in the process. Half of all kittens born in feral colonies die within their first year.
Alley Cat Allies has a solution that not only reduces feral cat populations, but also improves and extends the lives of colony members: Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR).
To learn more about TNR, go here:
http://www.alleycat.org/index.html
My definition of feral is basically wild, not just a stray that may let you pet it and seems friendly, but a cat that is terrified of humans and won't let you come within 20 feet.
Yes. Definition of feral is wild. Ie born homeless. perhaps even born by a homeless mom self born homeless.
Yet the european wildcat, our cats near cusin and look alike, cant be domesticed.
But most ferals CAN be domesticed to a little shy but happy homecat. It takes some skill, a lot of patience, work and usually takes a lot of time, but - usually can be done...
Therefore these we call for ferals should very often be called for semiferal, or even stray or homeless or abandoned. (ie if they were homecats).
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #5
How do people catch them. We have mean scary cats living on our college campus and i feel bad for them but i cant imagine being able to get ahold of one of those suckers. not that i have the funds to foster cats anyway. But one day i would like to.
You would need to get a humane trap and trap these cats to take them to the vet so they can be spayed/neutered. There are currently 2 TNR groups listed in your state...you may want to contact one and find out how they got started:
http://www.alleycat.org/orgs.html#ar
Katie
If you arent experienced at this dont even try with the mean ones. But a shy feral is something else. And if you have own friendly homecat to help it isnt that difficult either. THIS is well worth a try if you do dream about fostering a feral/semiferal.
Even the shy non aggressive one are usually aggressive at the catching - one of reasons why you do need a humane trap. But once you let them get out in your quarantene room (simply open the door of the trap and leave them alone), and see nobody is mean to them or threating and thus they calm down - it is a long - but downhill way.
Even the mean ones will be (little) easier to handle once they are neutered.
Or make a TNR on them, and we will have ferals much easier to live with at the campus area... And they will also have easier to live with each either in their colonies.
It is really sad to see how some of these kitties live.
Batgirl...I used to feel the same way...I wanted all kitties in homes. But I have learned that a true "feral" would prefer life outside than to be confined inside a home. The bottom line is...we need to treat these cats humanely, whether it be TNR where the cat is returned after spaying/neutering or placed up for adoption once socialized.Originally Posted by batgirl2good
It is really sad to see how some of these kitties live.
As individuals who are dedicated to helping ferals....we need to understand the damage that can be caused by 1. not spending the proper time socializing a feral 2. attempting to socialize a feral who would be better off being returned to his/her colony 3. placing ferals into inappropriate homes.
I can appreciate when people want to help feral cats/kittens..but the decision on whether to return (once spayed/neutered) or whether to socialize is one that must be undertaken with care. Ferals really do not belong in our shelter system.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #10
I just feel like something should be done about the cats on our campus. I used to put food outside my door for them (i lived in an on-campus apartment) and I had to refill that bowl several times a day. I know they dont get enough food. I guess they forage through the dumpsters.
Best thing is to contact Alley Cat Allies and explain the situation and see if they know any organizations that can assist with these cats:
http://www.alleycat.org/index.html
Katie
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #12
Also people are scared of them (the cats). I am afraid that someone may try to hurt one of them.
