What do you think about feral cats?
What is your view on them, what do you think should be done to/about them?
I get the idea that where you are from changes this, was just wondering if I’m right, so include … where you are, what pets you have, experience/knowledge with feral cats, why you think what you do, etc.
Hmm, I think this is interesting, here in Australia we think of feral cats as a whole differently I think, but I also think what we call a feral cat you might not even have over there. What you are talking about sounds like a stray, which I think there is a fine line between, that blurs, but a stray would be one that depends on humans at least partially and quite close in their geneline were pets. Here we have feral cats that live in the outback and all over where there are no humans and because there are few natural predators, they are completely imbalancing the food web and endangering all our little animals. These are far from being able to be tamed or even fed by humans, they’ve lived in the wild for hundreds of years, and neutering them wouldn’t help with the 20+ native creatures they kill every night. I dunno, I was hoping someone from Australia might answer to see if it’s only people that I know that think of them in terms of wildlife-killers rather than pets run-amok.
Dan, I suppose if all the cats were sterilized and fed, then the issue would be resolved, but as others pointed out .. if only a few were missed the population could bounce back. However, it would be completely impossible. I’m not sure of the exact numbers, but I knwo there is at least 1 feral cat per square km in Australia, and there are a LOT of square kms. Which means a LOT of cats, and do you realise what it takes to sterilize a cat? You have the cost of the medicines, equipment, and staff, and any older cat risks dieing from the anasthesia already. It just isn’t an option (same with feeding them).
BUT, that being said, I love cats and it’s horrible to think of these cats as different to our own, but is the life of one cat more important than the lives of the thousands of native animals each one hunts to the brink of extinction? I don’t know it’s a tough question, I can’t figure out exactly where I stand.
P.S. I have one ex-stray cat and an abandoned dog and cat.
Filed under: Cat Behavior
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Feral cat communities are a lost hope as long as people keep breeding and releasing new animals.
Even though they are treated and fed, cats in these communities don’t live long…about 2 years. They are spayed/neutered, vaccinated and have one ear tip clipped or notched – then re-released to the community. Most feral cat populations are infected with feline leukemia…making them a huge threat to pet cats who are kept outdoors.
I have participated in feral cat communities, with trapping and building enclosures. In retrospect, it all became very pointless. The very animals we sought to save died or disappeared, many were hit on roadways. The amount of cats added to the population was unending. New healthy kittens would be dumped, only to die shortly afterwards from leukemia (FeLv), or peritonitis (FIP).
While they are alive they are spreading disease and killing wildlife, even though fed, and have "no reason" to wander or kill.
While I pity the animals, most of my thoughts are about the irresponsible owners who leave their cats outdoors.
Feral cats are the result of human ignorance. Domestic cats who have become feral, and/or produced feral offspring are not "natural" to most of the environments where they live.
Personally I see no difference between feral cats and cats who are owned, but left outdoors. Neither one is getting the proper care that our pets deserve.
People who say that they let their cat out because they feel the cat won’t be happy can think again. Indoor cats are not only happy, but they live longer.
Pet owners are responsible for everything that their cats do, and for what happens to them. If your cats are outdoors unsupervised, you can’t possibly be responsible.
Domestic cats, including ferals, don’t belong outdoors in our native environments.
I’m amazed by all of the people who think it’s good that their outdoor cats are killing birds and small animals. They are disruptive and highly destructive to the native environments to which they are introduced.
Cats aren’t particular about what they kill. That gift on the doorstep may be an endangered species, protected by law – but not from your cat.
Letting your cat outdoors is mean. It’s mean to your cat, who will be exposed to parasites, disease, limitless attacks and injuries, getting lost or stolen.
It’s mean to drivers who have to swerve to avoid your cat on the road, if they swerve at all.
It’s mean to neighbors who have to deal with cat feces and urine in their yard, garden or children’s sandboxes. Cat feces carry toxoplasmosis, which is very dangerous to pregnant women, and others with suppressed immune systems, including children, the elderly and sick people.
But when it gets right down to our world, the biggest threat is to the environment. As our population grows, so does the pet population. Eventually, cats will inhabit all areas, jeopardizing wildlfe populations everywhere.
Their kittens can be found and treated exactly like regular kittens.
I think it is sad. Cats are very susceptible to disease and starvation when they are feral, not to mention that they are nearly defenseless against predators. I think it is a major problem, however it is one that is fixable. Education to the public is a big part of the solution, people need to understand how big this problem is.
One female cat and her first litter of kittens over a seven year period can produce over 400,000 more cats.
Every day 10,000 human babies are born, everyday 70,000 puppies and kittens are born. Do the math.
Around 4-7 million animals die in shelters every year because there simply is not enough homes.
By spaying and neutering your animals you can greatly reduce the numbers of feral cats and ease the suffering or our furry friends.
I live in the Mid west of the USA. I own three indoor cats.
I have three cats. two are ferral cats. Actually, almost all my cats I have had the pleasure to own I found out in my back yard. We had a female in my area that was reproducing with a couple of toms I worked with the animal control officer to trap her. and, we did, but it took a long time. When I successful trapped her. she had a liter of kittens with her. the kittens were taken away, and given to nice homes. the mother is a barn cat now. (she was fixed). I have one of her kittens (penny) she was about 5 weeks old, she thinks I am her real mom. anyways, I think ferral cats should be caught if possible, because it they are not, the harsh weather conditions (i live in 4 season area). could possibly have them starve to death or end up trying to stay warm on someones warm car engine. or wose, end up being ate by a coyote. If I had not caught the mom (4 years)ago, the population of cats would probably be 50 thousand or more.
I think they are sad. Their lives are often hard and short. Nevertheless they serve their community by keeping down the rodent population. The city of Venice Italy which is on a bunch of islands, use to have houses for their feral cats. But when people complained about them they caught them and moved them to the island of Lido. Surprise! They now have a much bigger problem of rats. Studies have shown that the best solution for feral cats is to catch them, spay or neuter them, give them shots, and release them. They return home. They don’t multiply. They keep other cats from moving in. And they continue their job of pest control. If they are in the wrong place there are solutions to that as well. I belong to an organization called Paw Pals. We were asked to remove feral cats from a construction site. My sister found a friendly farmer who was willing to find good farm homes for them. We neutered them and then I transported them the 200 miles to this farmer, who then distributed them to the other farmers. These are farmers who took care of their farm cats and who lived far enough off of the hardroads that the cats weren’t in too much danger of being run over. But in the meantime the kittens had gotten tamed and were able to go to inside homes. Live in IL along the Mississippi river in a small city that is the closest decent sized city for 90 miles. Grew up with cats, have 4 right now. Have a soft spot for the underdog. And, with my volunteer work with the Humane Society and PawPals have done a lot of studying of this particular problem over the years.
From Farmland -USA, home of the feral cat, dropped off dog, and crowing rooster. Our state has no laws concerning feral cats, free roaming dogs, etc. unless they are harming your livestock.
My view is, if a cat comes to my door that I don’t know I give him/her food and water. When they are tame enough I take them to my friendly vet for "reconstructive" surgery. They get a name and usually become an outdoor addition to the "Rat Patrol." If they are kittens, they come inside, get altered at the earliest possible age and are either placed in a good home we trust, or kept ourselves. All are taught that outdoors is the appropriate bathroom. If he previously belonged to my neighbor and they didn’t come looking for the cat, they obviously didn’t care enough for me to bother trying to find out who owned the cat.
It is my opinion that anyone who drops off an animal should be shot instead of the animal. Anyone who knowingly doesn’t spay or neuter should be responsible for the upkeep of the animals they are bringing into the world – no me! But, I love my animals, every stray one of them. I’m sure I’ll continue to be supplied with a great amount of them to be rescued, brought back to health, given to loving homes or kept for myself for a very long time.
Final note: Any vicious animal, whether cat or dog, dropped at our driveway will be shot. (Any neighbors’ dog not kept at home who wanders on our property will receive a warning, then a shot in the head to save our chickens.) Any neighbors’ cat that does the same will just be taken in cared for and found an appropriate home if necessary, unless said cat shows signs of ill behavior. Then, it too, will be shot. In our state that is legal as long as the purpose is to protect our stock.
We have at one point been up to 9 cats, all from strays who have not yet been able to be spayed, or from drop offs or rescues. We have never had to go to a pet store or shelter to pick a pet. They have all come to us. We have placed many cats and several dogs with good homes. We have had to shoot 2 cats for ill behavior and several dogs for livestock damage. Our experience on this farm is 10 years long, our previous experience was in another state on rural property for 15 years. With a busy road, many of the drop offs there, unfortunately, didn’t survive until they could be rescued.
The feral hog? Well, we just ate him. . .best wild meat I ever had.
ADDITION AFTER ASKERS ADDITION:
Bianca, Here in the USA the feral cat is usually a wild domesticated cat. Some are second, third, fouth generation ferel and hard to tame. Our vet suggests a pillow case capture to bring them to be altered, but we can usually just tame them over time. We also have wild cats – bobcats, panthers, etc., but they are never called feral that I know of – just by their type. They are not that prolific since there are plenty of predators, including the hunter. It does sound like the wild cats of Australia can be a problem though. Hope it gets under control!
Grapecountry USA- Bless the feral cats and keep them safe-they keep the rats from over-running the country-side and eating up the harvest!!! (all u wine lovers and jelly junkies out there should hug a feral cat today!!!)
I’m an American, but if you don’t mind I’ll offer up my thoughts:
Here we often use the term "Stray" and "Feral" interchangably, but some do recognize a difference. To me a "stray" is a domesticated cat who has become homeless and is likely wandering alone. Such cats can (with a little luck) be found, rescued and placed in good homes.
Feral cats on the otherhand are wild and most are beyond any possible socialization with humans. They tend to live in colonys with their own social structure, etc.
To me, the ideal method for handling this situation is to rescue the strays and to TNR (Trap, Neuter/Spay, Release) the true ferals. The cats are then returned to what they have adopted as their habitat, and since they are now unable to reproduce, the colony will simply die out over time.
What you describe brings a new element into the picture. The cats in question here are non-indigenous species affecting the ecosystem. Not a good thing! However as a cat lover and general animal lover I can’t condone the killing of these cats if there is another option. For what you describe I think the best thing might be widespread coordinated TNR, plus either relocation or feeding. The relocation would protect the indigenous populations, the feeding would let the feral cats fill up on an alternative food source and perhaps leave them less inclined to hunt. Either way over time the population would die out and the ecosystem would restore itself.
Oh, and I have two rescue cats. All of my animals have always been rescue cases of one sort of another.
*Notice edit below*
I’m in AZ, 3 cats and horses, see feral cats and strays all the time.
Now I know the term "feral" is a little different than "stray".
Feral cats are usually living in rural, wooded areas, and any wild area; pretty self-contained, and more like wild ancestors, am I right?
I believe that feral cats and strays have one thing in common, they would not be there were it not for the U.S. as a population. We brought them here, and due to a lack of responsibility of containing them and altering them to prevent over-population. Cats, especially, seem to be more "disposable" to individuals who find themselves in a bind and can’t keep them. They are way more likely to be dumped then puppies/dogs because they "can fend for themselves" inlike their canine counterparts. In AZ, in the desert, animals of all sorts suffer when left in the heat, and cats are dumped all the time, everywhere. I lived in an apartment for a short time and cats and kittens were dumped or left behind when tenants moved. That’s how I ended up with 3.
I think it is a sad state that crosses to a huge number of other species of course. Americans and people in general often think of animals as possessions not as life-souls. We people come first and who gives a **** about animals, are the thoughts "tendency" with some people and it infuriates me.
****Shooting whatever comes on your property seems harsh to some I’m sure, but, I can definitely see your side of that issue; so no thumbs down from me! We deal with coyotes and they are shot! I want to keep my chickens-eggs, cats and other animals and I wouldn’t tolerate some rotten dog or cat coming and messing with my critters!
I think ferals are great, full of character and show the true nature of the cat.
Caring for cats is a charity that specifically help feral cats. They trap them then treat any ailments they may have and then neuter them.
For some they can often find homes for them on farms and for the ones that can be released back to their colony a volunteer leaves food for them daily.
Those with disabilities and virus’s are looked after for life by the charity.
A wonderful caring charity.
I myself have taken in strays and rescue cats over many years and I currently have three great cats.
In my younger days I worked as a Veterinary Nurse, but sadly I had to turn to better paid employment. I do miss it and I can never turn my back on an animal in need.
That’s why I like answering these cat questions so much and reading the answers, it still keeps me in touch.
I think your right when you say where you are from affects your view. I believe peoples backgrounds have a lot to do with how they feel and treat animals.
Good question..