Confused about feral cats?
I just adopted a 4 month old kitten from someone who found her outside somewhere. She seems clean, clean ears, soft coat – and the person who found that cat took her to the vet for shots/spay and then gave me. He made a comment that the cat may be feral since she was found outside. I didnt think much of it until I got home to do research about caring for my new cat that a website said this:
"A feral cat is a free-roaming outdoor cat that has never been socialized around humans. Most feral cats live in bonded groups or colonies. They gather where they can find shelter and a reliable food source. As they have always lived outside they cannot be tamed and cannot be adopted into homes."
I noticed she growls whenever I touch her and I didnt know a cat could do that. However, Im a bit concerned now because if the above is true – that means the kitten and I will never bond. How can you tell a feral cat?
Filed under: Cat Behavior
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Don’t over stress on it–ferals can be tamed, and the younger they are the easier it is. She just needs more calm socialization with you.
We have ferals here. It took 3 years to be able to walk within 15 feet of several of them, they were all adults when we first saw them. All of them now allow a person to touch them. It just hinges on a trust issue.
Since yours was able to be handled, you’re already over the major hurdle. Figure a ‘lap cat’ isn’t going to happen this year but can in the future, and just be calm and routine around her. She’ll adapt fine.
The ‘cannot be tamed’ is not true. Anyone taking care of a feral cat colony knows this. The trust issue just takes time, they CAN be trained, even if born wild outdoors.
she may always be a bit timid maybe even grumpy but i doubt that at her age she wont make a nice pet give her time to adjust to her new home and shower her with love,i think they are referring to full grown feral cats i have fostered feral kittens before and they turned out to be very nice well adjusted house cats
People get stray and feral cats confused. All ferals are strays, but not every stray cat is feral! Feral cats have reverted to the wild, and strays are just homeless cats that had a home at one time. More likely yours is a stray, and once she learns to trust you she’ll be find. If she were feral, she’d be quite wild and wouldn’t even want to be in the same room with you.
The grawl maybe a purr. Cats do that when ttheir happy and content. As far as feral cats go you can tame some ferals but it can take a long time. I would consider her to be just a stray. She probably belonged to some or has had enough contact with someone to be tame enough to be a house cat.
This would be considered a stray cat (not all strays are feral as mentioned above). There is a period of bonding that needs to happen, and it sounds like you have a nice, clean, friendly animal. If she is not used to people, this bonding may take a while, but will definitely be worth it~you will have a wonderful friend at the end of it!
Remember to set ground rules for your new addition though. The growling is a warning of sorts, but at 4 months, not to be heeded seriously, after all, who is larger? You or the kitty? She seeds to realise that growling at people is unacceptable behaviour. Keep attempting to pet her all over, ears and feet especially! and talk to her in a calm soothing voice. Give her a special treat whilst you pat her if she is reluctant at first.
Above all, use patience and go slow. If she seems stressed by the attention, back off and give her some space. She will come to appreciate your affections if it is not forced on her.
Good luck with your new furball!
if she was feral, you would be dead by now. or, at least your house would be trashed.
if you let a lion loose in your house, what would happen? same thing with a feral cat, except a smaller version.
feral is wild, they fear humans. once a kitten reaches adulthood, it cant usually be made into a pet, you will never tame it. yours is still young enough to adjust to a human. even if it was feral.
feed it, you will bond. when she growls, offer meat as a treat. she will stop growling. they love meat.
Hi when i got two kittens they were both feral, they would not let us near them, slowly we gained their trust Sooty was killed when he was 10 months old….Sweep lived to be 11 years old he was the best cat i have ever owned, he was lovely he mothered every other kitten i brought home. He was soft, daft and lovable. He died of cancer and it broke our hearts.
We have a rehabilitated feral office cat at the shelter I work at."Peaches" Ugh! She is very temperamental.She use to be as wild as wild can get. She came to the shelter 2 yrs ago. She was hit by a car so it took time for her to heal. During that time she came to accept humans. I guess a better word is tolerate humans. One day she can be the most social cat ever then next mean as ever.I think she will always have a distant relationship with us humans. She gets what she wants from us food and shelter so she has learned to accept a occasional pet without to much upset. As long as everyone in the office understands that’s just Peaches then life is good . She will never be a cat that snuggles up in your lap or rubs up against your leg.