Feral Cats Deserve Our Attention

 

North Shore Animal League America would like to shed some light on the difficult lives of feral cats. We feel it important to acknowledge these wild felines who live in the unforgiving outdoors. These warrior cats live without the safety of shelter or the promise of regular sustenance. It is not an easy life and often, not a long one either.

 

Feral cats – not to be confused with stray cats – are typically the “wild” offspring of domestic or stray cats whose owners failed to spay or neuter them. A feral cat is born in the wild while a stray cat was once socialized and has either been abandoned by its owner or has strayed away from home. Feral cats live in groups called “colonies” and can often be found behind public places such as shopping areas, business developments, alleys, parks, abandoned buildings, rural areas, or anyplace with a consistent food source. These unsocialized creatures are crafty and elusive and rarely trust people.

 

Fortunately, there are compassionate groups and individuals who do their part to help these disadvantaged cats who fall victim to harsh weather, traffic, and threats from predatory animals – including humans – who sadly, can be cruel to animals.

North Shore Animal League America supports Trap-Neuter-Return (or Release) (TNR), which is a full management plan in which stray and feral cats are humanely trapped, evaluated, vaccinated, spayed or neutered by Veterinarians, and then returned to their wilderness homes. Some TNR programs even recruit volunteers to deliver food to the colonies on a regular basis.

 

Here are some important facts you should know about feral cats:

 

• Feral cats are not generally social, so you probably won’t be able to get too close.
• Feral cats and stray cats are not the same. Feral cats are born in the wild, whereas “stray” cats are animals who have either been abandoned or who have strayed from home.
• It is unlikely that you will be able to socialize an adult feral cat.
• Feral cats may have temperament issues and may carry disease, so it’s best to avoid picking them up.
• Capturing a feral cat should be done with cages. To avoid the risk of injury, NEVER throw a towel or sheet over the cat or use tranquilizers.
• Ferals generally rely on humans for food and will congregate near dumpsters or in areas where people manage colonies.
• Feral colonies have communal nurseries to best sustain the litters.
• Ferals usually have significantly shorter life-spans than indoor vet-checked house cats, but may still live many years.
• A feral litter is dependant on a variety of factors such as environmental conditions and the condition of the mother.
• Feral kittens can be socialized, but it is difficult. They need to be taken from their mother at around 5-6 weeks and socialized by human hands in order to be successful. However, there is always the chance that they will remain only semi-social.
• A pair of feral cats that have not been spayed or neutered can produce up to 420,000 offspring over a seven year period.
• Trap-Neuter-Return programs result in reducing the overall cat population in addition to the euthanasia rates.

People have loving intentions when they feed a feral cat colony. However, there is so much more that needs to be done to ensure their safety and to help reduce their numbers. Feral cats need more than a food source; they need shelter from the elements and most importantly, they need to be spayed and neutered to prevent future countless litters of feral colonies. If you provide nourishment, they will flourish, so it is imperative to discontinue the feral cycle and provide spay/neuter. A feral life is a hard life.

For more information about NSALA’s feral spay/neuter program Click Here