How do you know if it's a feral cat?"

[gibbly]

You would not even be able to get within sight of a truely feral cat, they'll see/smell you before you ever even know they are there.

additionally truely feral cats are also nearly impossible to completely tame, as they are as they are, a wild animal, you may get one to the point of allowing you to see it, and even coming out when you have food, but in terms of touching, nearly impossible.

glad you found the kitties real home =)

A male cat is called a tom, whether he is neutered or not, just like a female is a queen whether or not she is spayed

 

[feralvr]

You would not even be able to get within sight of a truely feral cat, they'll see/smell you before you ever even know they are there.

additionally truely feral cats are also nearly impossible to completely tame, as they are as they are, a wild animal, you may get one to the point of allowing you to see it, and even coming out when you have food, but in terms of touching, nearly impossible.

Sorry, but I don't believe what you say about feral cats. They will come within sight of a human from a distance for food. They can also be socialized and it all depends on the feral cat's innate personality and that will lend itself in determining how far they will come along feeling comfortable in the presence of a human. Any feral cat can learn to trust a human but it can take a very, very long time for some cats.

 

[jcribbs]

You would not even be able to get within sight of a truely feral cat, they'll see/smell you before you ever even know they are there. 

additionally truely feral cats are also nearly impossible to completely tame, as they are as they are, a wild animal, you may get one to the point of allowing you to see it, and even coming out when you have food, but in terms of touching, nearly impossible.
 

Sorry, but I don't believe what you say about feral cats. They will come within sight of a human from a distance for food. They can also be socialized and it all depends on the feral cat's innate personality and that will lend itself in determining how far they will come along feeling comfortable in the presence of a human. Any feral cat can learn to trust a human but it can take a very, very long time for some cats.

I have two feral cats that came to be in my care as adults.  I can handle both of them "if I don't surprise them".  I am not saying I don't run around them, because I do.  I am saying that they always will have the flight instinct if startled.  This took many years for them to reach the point they are at now.  They will always have that jittery edge to them, but that's what makes them special.  Another special quality about socializing a feral, is that the relationship is for life.  If you are the ONE, then you are the ONE...  Not sure how to explain it, but that's the best I can do. 

Socialization with a feral is different as well.  They will never be a cat that likes everyone and is this great social creature.  They will always, in my experience, be the cat on the fringes of humanity, when humans they don't know are around.  Their human relationship is very individual with a human that they trust.  As years pass, they get more and more comfortable with that person.  

Then I also have other cats that were young ferals when they came to be in my care (under a year old).  These cats are completely loving to me -- just like any other domesticated cat.  Rubbing, loving, and getting held -- they love it all, HOWEVER, when humans they don't know are around, they are exactly like the older ferals that trust me.   They hide.  I truly believe it is innate in them and they remember this learned behavior from their feral moms.

Ferals are ferals.   Their human relationships is what it is and their is nothing like the trust of a feral.  It is unique and individual according to the cat, but they will never be "like a young kitten that was socialized at a young age that was handled right after birth.

One more thing.   A term that bothers me is "taming a feral".  I do not believe you tame a feral.  You socialize a feral to trust only you.  You alter your behavior, you change who you are, you become more, you become less, you do weird things trying to talk in cat language, and hope that something you are doing will make the feral understand that you are not a threat so that you can help them..