Stray vs Feral Cats – What you Need to Know

3/10/2016

Kitten season is my favorite time of year. Furever Home typically helps 75 new kittens find their loving furever homes and, while most of the kittens are being cared for by our generous foster families (and a big thank you to them – we couldn’t do it without your support!), many kittens aren’t as lucky. Lancaster County’s feral cat population was up 60% last year, with estimates showing that there could be 84,000 feral cats in the county.

It is a big issue. Here are some guidelines on how you can help.

The difference between stray and feral cats
While stray and feral cats share some commonalities there is a big difference. Stray cats are socialized to humans – in most cases they were once pets who have either become lost or were, unfortunately, abandoned, while feral cats have had very limited (or no) interactions with humans and have reverted to a wild state. Stray cats may become feral as their contact with humans dwindles or, in a happier scenario, become loving pets again if they are taken in.

Feral cats typically fear humans. In most cases, unless they are very young at the time of adoption, they do not enjoy living indoors if someone were to take them in. They do, however, bond with their colony. Although you might wish to rehabilitate a feral cat, if they are not socialized by about 5 month of age, it is almost impossible to turn them around. They are best left to live their lives outside.

How to tell the difference – a few signs

Strays may approach people, houses or cars while feral cats will likely seek a hiding place.
Strays will most likely be alone while feral cats may live in colonies.
Stray cats may walk and move like a house cat with its tail in the air and he might make eye contact with you while feral cats could crouch and protect its tail and avoid eye contact.
Stray cats could be vocal – you could hear them meowing and could respond to your voice while feral cats won’t meow, beg or respond.
Stray cats are active during the day while feral cats are primarily nocturnal.
Stray cats could look dirty and disheveled but feral cats could have a clean, well-kept coat.
Many cats you find may have one of their ears cut or tipped. This is a universal sign that the animal has been spayed or neutered through a feral surgical clinic. This does not necessarily mean that the cat is feral, however. Unfortunately, because it is very cheap surgery, many people abuse the system by taking their cats to these clinics while not disclosing that they own the cat or that it is tame.

One of the most important things for you to remember is that feral is a designation of behavior, not location.

Should I approach a cat if I see one outside?
If you are thinking about approaching an unknown cat you find outside, be cautious. Cat bites and scratches can be harmful. Follow the lead of the cat and if it is friendly to you, take your time and get to know it to build up trust. Stray cats may tolerate touching while feral cats will not – not even by a caretaker who feeds it. As you get to know a stray it will relax over time while a feral cat will remain tense. If they feel threatened, a stray will hiss while a feral cat could lash out aggressively.

As stated above, feral cats tend to live in colonies and, together, they will defend their territory. They typically live where they can find food and shelter – such as an abandoned building near a restaurant dumpster or under the porch of someone who feeds them even though there is no other interaction.

So how can I help?
With a stray, begin by leaving food out for it at the same time each day. As it comes around more, slowly get to know it until the trust is there and you can pet it. If you’re thinking about taking it into your home, be sure to take it to a vet first for shots, neutering, flea treatment and a health checkup – especially if you have other pets. A trip to the groomer will probably also be in order.

Whether or not you take the cat in, the first thing you should do is to have the animal scanned for a microchip. Many animals are given away or sent to shelters while their owners are frantically looking for them. Call the local vets and give a description of the animal, take a picture and make a flyer and post it in local vet offices, supermarkets and public places. Ask around the neighborhood. Facebook is an excellent way to advertise a found animal. Craigslist has a very active lost and found pet section in Lancaster. FIND TOBY in PA, lancaster county pa lost found & rehoming cats and Lost Pets of PA are excellent Facebook resources dedicated to posting lost and found animals.

If you are unsuccessful finding an owner, you may want to attempt to contact a no-kill shelter to see if they are taking in animals. Be aware that most rescues are very overwhelmed over kitten season and cannot accept the high number of requests that they get to take in animals. Furever Home gets about 30 calls and email per week from people asking them to take in cats.

Feral cats, on the other hand, should not be approached. If you have feral cats in your neighborhood, the responsible thing to do is to contact a local feral clinic such as Pet Pantry of Lancaster County and ask to rent a "have-a-heart" trap, which humanely traps the cats. This is a complicated process because you must trap the animal the night before the surgery and take away its food. Call first and Pet Pantry will give you instructions on what is involved in trapping and having an animal spayed/neutered.

It’s important to note that you must call the clinic for an appointment before trapping the cat as you can’t leave the cat in the trap longer than 12-18 hours.

After surgery, it is a wonderful help if you provide shelters for the feral cats. For great suggestions, see the website of Alley Cat Allies for ideas on how to build outdoor shelters. Furever Home is also happy to assist you to build an outdoor shelter. The final step is providing regular food and water for your outdoor friends.

Furever Home has five colonies of feral cats that we feed, helping over 100 cats. And we greatly appreciate any dry cat food donations to help us with this cause. To see our full wish list, click here.

To donate and help us with this county-wide issue, please visit http://www.fureverhomeadoptioncenter.com/donate.html.

Questions? Let us know in the comments section.

68 Comments

Jewel Haines

7/29/2017 11:50:18 pm

Hi, could you please help me with how to take in a feral kitten!? I feed a colony of about 20. The kitten is much smaller than her siblings, and she is about 1 month old. I can get about 1 foot away from her. I have made progress. We have 1 Husky dog who is good with cats and 1 indoor cat who has never been around other cats or outside. Any advice you could please give would be greatly appreciated! 😊

JOPESTKIL KENYA link

10/11/2018 03:28:56 am

Feral cats, wild cats, stray cats and many others we have many names for the mysterious felines we sometimes see peeking out from under our porch or darting into abandoned buildings. Yet most of them share a single destiny short, difficult lives.Fortunately, helping feral or abandoned cats isn’t difficult.
Feral cats often live in vacant lots, dodge cars, and eat from trash cans; face infection, disease, and an endless cycle of pregnancy; and suffer extremes in treatment and weather. The life of a feral, stray, or abandoned cat is often short, sometimes lasting for just two or three years.
Of course, feral cats also leave issues on the human doorstep including noisy fights, fleas, mites, odor, urinating to mark territory, and the inevitable breeding that creates even more unwanted cats.
Many experts agree that one of the best ways to help feral cats and cat groups called colonies is through neutering programs and other chemical control measures by professional pest control operators.

10/11/2018 03:37:42 am

Star

6/7/2020 05:59:53 am

Chemical control, pest control? You are talking about killing them????? That is inhumane, unacceptable, and in many states now criminal.

Julie Smith

10/21/2020 04:57:27 am

What a stupid thing to post about chemical programs. Ban this idiot from making posts on this site!!

Catman

4/6/2022 05:20:38 pm

I'm not 100% but I'm pretty sure when he's talking about chemicals he means as far as the pests. to kill the fleas and ticks in the environment, not to kill the cats. So generally I'm not a fan of any sort of chemicals. Some of my neighbors have used these types of products or even some sort of pesticide on their plants that supposed to be animal-friendly and then the cats eat the grass and then some of the cats died. My neighborhood has a very large stray and some feral cat population colony. Some of the people do not like them but I think they're good to have around because they hunt a lot of things like bugs and we never ever have any rats around here. Well there might be a couple but they're the kind that walk around on two legs and like spying on neighbors

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Pam

12/22/2018 02:05:22 am

Thank you for sharing this valuable information!! I care for several ferals in their respective colonies. It's very rewarding as they grow to trust you, welcoming you with chatter as you arrive to feed them. I'm poor because of them but I love doing it!! :)

Diana

1/17/2019 10:37:42 pm

I took in what I believe is a feral cat. He seems healthy I am gathering the money to take him to a vet. He hides during the day but stays with me at night and plays. He is about one. I have been feeding him for 7 months and couldn’t leave him as I moved. Do I have to give him away now?

Angie

3/1/2019 09:34:51 am

I recently started feeding a cat that seems very afraid. He is very vocal ( meows lot ), especially so I can leave it to eat, but I do not think he is feral. He comes alone to eat, but is not very friendly with me, and does not come near me unless I have food. I made an appointment to get him neutered, and I would love to keep him inside with my other cat if he is not microchipped, but I am not sure if he would like that. How can I gain his trust to possibly give him the option of becoming an indoor kitty?

Anne Seymour Brentworth

1/23/2020 07:05:13 pm

I have rescued eleven cats (seven were abandoned kittens), two were self invited guests who never left, one abandoned at Vet’s back door, Several months ago I awoke to my. cats growling. Surprised, I noticed a very skinny smoke color ‘cat’. Forgot to mention, I had been leaving a large bowl of dry cat food/water outside for one of my grown males who started to stray from home for weeks. I also left the front door cracked open, hoping he would retune. He eventually came home to stay. I continued to leave food outside because I could hear several cat’s fighting at night. I still left the door cracked open. I had NEVER heard of feral cats. Now to continue; The# Eleven was eating dry food which I started leaving in the hallway because the outside food was always empty by morning. When I looked at he , he immediately ran away. When he returned, I spoke softy to him to reassure him he was safe. Nowadays he come directly to my hospital bed where I feed him albacore tune, canned salmon, and dry food which is what I feed all my babies. He is very tense, and alert, his meow is different from my cats, and his face is very thin and sharply triangular. My other cats have learned to give him a wide brith. His name is now Smokey. Peace be with you CAT LOVERS. I will build a Colony Home in the wooded area near me; thank you for the enlightenment, Anne

De Clasen

3/23/2020 09:09:09 pm

I am 66 years old and have been taking care of stray and Ferrell 🐈 since I was approximately 50 when over a few days I had 2 🐈 die on my porch and yard. I found out through neighbors there was an elderly lady who had been feeding approximately 10 to 20 cats not always showing up daily had passed away and nobody was feeding them anymore so I who always had dogs and knew nothing about cats and had 2 50 lb. Bags of dog food left from my Bassett Hound who at 21 had passed away 2 months earlier and was going to donate to the shelter, not knowing that dog food wasn't the best for 🐈 started putting it out for them 2 times a day in 3 locations. The 100 pounds lasted me about 4 months. I started buying catfood made for outside cats and put out a
3/4 cup per day for each cat I counted divided over 2 feedings because they didn't always come for both.I started saving money to have sterril Ferrell 🐈 trap and take to the University Vet School to have them clipped and fixed which took over a year to do and before finished had a total of 25 new kittens all to take care of. I brought all of the kittens into my house and raised and tamed them until they were 6 to 12 (when the last found homes) weeks of age. I work with the public and there is over 400 employees where I am as well as a lot of my regular customers and found good homes for all but one who when I went to check on was not happy and I took him back and now I have him in the house, he is now about 16 years old, as well as 2 others that have been added, the max allowed by the city. I do have 7 others that live in my yard full time in their outdoor housing. Over the years my cats I take care of now total 43 full time and an extra one every now and then. I have had to relocate groups of them to other places and change the feedings to once a day for the ones away from my house due to time and cost in taking care of them, especially with the 3,600 I still owe the vet for taking care of sick and injured ones.....all of my Ferrell cats are tame for me which took years to accomplish. They all also come to me when I call them easy enough be ause they are all Kitty Kitty except for the ones in my house, but except for Lucy even they only answer to Kitty Kitty and not their names. When you go into Walmart in my town most of them know about all the 🐈 I have, especially when they see me leaving with a minimum of 2 carts full of nothing but cans and bags of cat food, flea meds ect.....I have had to take a second job starting 3 years ago to take care of them which I can't stop doing eventually I thought they would think out to death by age but that's not happening yet because one seems to replace one that I loose..........Now with the Corrina Virus my income is reduced and I am having trouble taking care of them and not only because of my advanced years I can't find another job to help because everything is closed with the State quarantine. I have maxed out all of my cards and food able to get from banks for them. The pet stores that gave me damaged food are closed and I have already lost @ least 3 of them to coyotes I am assuming because they were weak........I need help feeding them from anyone who can. I figure that purchases could be made for me online and sent to the Walmart I work at with the purchases prepaid. I use Purina One urinary tract control for my males that have or have had stones. Purina One adult and kitten formulas. Regular Purina indoor and outdoor green and blue bags...mix the indoor in with it to take care of furballs. Same with Special Kitty the blue bag and the green indoor chicken and pea . Pate only for canned food and any kind flavor is fine but only the 3 to 5 1/2 ounce size because I can never get them to all eat the same flavor...here I have spoiled them and made them picky. I buy no other brands of dry food other than brands listed, flavors can change .In 2018 my cats were poisoned with Friskies dry cat food. Eleven died and one survived at great medical cost still on my cards and working on getting it paid for. Purina said they would take care of the costs but their insurance never did and when I kept trying to contact them I got shuffled around to different people and could never get calls returned. So I don't feed Friskies or any other that they haven't been constantly fed. Notify me by making comments to this post about how I can contact you if you wish to help until I can work enough again to take care of them on my own. I also need Cats Pride scented litter white container with hot pink lid for all of the cats at house so the landlord will let me keep them and they don't year up the yard. This is the best Kitty litter made if you have it in a tub to keep it deep enough about 1 and 1/2 containers to start and add to it as you scoop out...my 🏠 never smells like cat unless they left poop uncovered and it is also flushable. Thank you in advance for your help if you are able.......De

Kathy Arreola

9/28/2021 01:53:52 am

Are you doing okay with the cats?

Tia Richard

11/17/2022 04:06:47 am

Don’t use purina cat litter esp the lightweight tidy cats litter. I’ll send you photos of my two cats skin infections that they got from this toxic stuff. They almost died and needed steroid injections every 4 weeks to keep skin infection at bay. Then We realized, after thousand dollars spent at vet, vet had no idea to suggest the litter…always food. And every other test known to the vet to see what was causing these awful skin infections. It didn’t make sense for two cats to be allergic to the same food, the same week?? After eating it for months and months, if not years. I can send you photos. Look up testimonies from people that have had bad reactions or death of cats, using that toxic litter. Just a tip because you use so many of purina’s products esp litter. Scented litter is so bad for cats too. Causes cancer and other ailments. Trust me I’ve spent so much money trying to get to the bottom of cat health issues and that’s one thing I came across when researching my own cats, is that scented litter is terrible for cats to ingest, when licking their nether regions and fur.

Barbara

4/6/2020 09:28:07 pm

I have two cats a indoor and a out door one goes out all the timre buts loves to come back home to eat and sleep he talks to me he lays on me and lets me brush him he is loveable is he feral

Christin

5/28/2020 04:44:31 am

So before last week, had cats that hung around and I've fed and been fine. One of them then had kittens and I think she hid them in the trashcan of my enclosed patio because she's very protective around that area (won't let me on my patio) and I hear kitty noises.

I've tried calling about 12 shelters so far, but due to a free cat roaming law, I haven't found anyone to take them so far and I'm broke and can't buy them any cat food until the 5th. Does anyone know of any resources of places that will take them or for them to leave my patio without getting scratched? I have a guest that goes to the patio anyways and I'm afraid they'll get injured out of this too which is why I prefer not to wait for 1-2 months

tanya

6/6/2020 06:42:50 pm

I hate saying this but its the truth. The odds of getting help from animal control of even a shelter is remote. I've been in a few similar situations myself I ended up becoming a volunteer, and fostering 2 litters, who I turned over to the 10 lives club.They were adopted out when they were old enough.

My best recommendation is to attempt catching the mother with a humane trap then, approach the area with gloves and remove the kittens.

Set up a dog crate indoors large enough to house them, if your willing to take this route.

Before taking this step I suggest doing some digging, odds are there are other volunteers in your area that can assist you and find a suitable foster parent. I'm in buffalo ny, otherwise Id have volunteered to assist you.

Just go online and do a search for places like the 10 lives club. there's a good chance you will find help that way in your area.

Julie

6/8/2020 02:57:21 am

Try doing a Google search for ”cat rescue" and the name of your county. I've had a momcat with 4 kittens living under my house...the local SPCA was no help because of COVID, even though they would never have to get near me. I was desperate because there are owls and foxes where I live that could eat the cats, or they might get hit by a car. So I did the search I mentioned above and found a local cat rescue! I've lived here for 60 years and never knew about it, even though they've been doing this for over 20 years! They helped me trap ALL the cats today (with a humane trap), including the momcat. I caught the final kitten at 11pm, and since the rescue people can't come back until morning, I brought the entire trap and kitten in the house for the night (I didn't want her to be left out cold and alone all night). It was actually quite easy! It probably helped that I had been putting food and water out for momcat every night for the last three weeks so she kinda got used to me being around. Also, I don't think she was feral... When I caught her with two of the kittens, she didn't growl or hiss at all, but those kittens would definitely have grown up to be feral...they were terrified, and throwing themselves against the door of the trap so I quickly covered it.
I'm so glad the rescue was able to help me. Tomorrow the last kitten will be reunited with her mommy and siblings and will hopefully find forever homes. 😻 Hope I never have to go through this again! 🥺

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6/18/2020 09:48:18 am

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Lynda Hamblen link

10/2/2020 05:58:10 pm

Cats love to share their hunting success with their members and owners. So, if you ever find an unwanted gift on your doorstep, do not fret. Your cat just basically wants to thank you for taking care of him or her.

Nhala carroll

10/11/2020 10:47:57 am

Hello, I found an unnuetered and sick looking cat who had signs of past ear infection that had not been treated, I took him to my job where we work to get cats adopted. I was contacted that night I found him by a women that feeds him and wants him back on the street. I told her I would see what I can do. I don't want the cat back on the busy street mating and we can't do treatment for free if I could give him back. The decision was not up to me, I told my boss and he basically said no we can't give the cat back. What should I tell her?

10/21/2020 05:06:50 am

Tell her too bad, that you are rehoming him and that no cat should be living on the "streets" fending for themselves from cars and coyotes!

12/14/2021 10:09:22 am

Thank you, I live in NYC, so there are no coyotes but lots of cars and people. She eventually understood and was able to see him before he got adopted. He was fully treated and went to a really great home where his mother occasionally brings him back for treatment.

Louise

11/15/2020 05:35:23 pm

Is it bad to touch a feeding dish for a feral cat? Can one catch a disease?

Makayla

11/26/2020 10:36:43 am

Hello and Happy thanksgiving friends! After reading the article and many comments I am hoping someone can help me with my situation? This morning my mother caught a (I believe) stray kitten on her morning walk with my dog. She had been seeing this kitten for months now and we believe it is 5 months old. My dog heard it crying and laying in the snow so my mom finally caught it and took it in. Shocker, my dad isn’t pleased with her findings and wants it gone. They have asked me to take it until it find a a home or somewhere safe however my issue is; I have 2 cats myself and am very worried about them catching something from it, even if I wash after touching it. With it being thanksgiving, are there any places I can take it to get tested and make sure it is safe before I take my next step? I hate not being able to help an animal but cannot put my loves at risk. They are my sun in the mornings! I appreciate any help!!

Stef

11/30/2020 11:46:57 am

Ummmm...was looking for info about feral (not Ferrell, he's a comedian) cats and came across this. The comments are killing me. I'm afraid if I keep reading I may become a crazy cat lady. Can this happen if I talk about cats? Can I build a sanctuary near my home and save the world, or should I become a vampire? So many decisions...meow

Bethany

1/5/2021 03:50:53 am

Best. Comment. Ever!

Jennifer Patrick link

12/2/2020 08:50:37 am

In fact, homeless cats suffer a lot. We will always be aware of our cats. I will ensure that their abode is a safe haven.

Dorian Ford

12/14/2020 06:38:19 pm

Rachel link

12/15/2020 12:47:15 am

Hey, Such an excellent article..! I really loved to reach you and read this amazing content. I enjoyed reading this after I saw this article because you have presented some good points here. Your enough information and guides definitely help me to learn some new points and tricks Thanks a lot for sharing. Keep it up..!

Bob link

12/28/2020 06:37:22 pm

I like your neutering tips. My cat isn't neutered. I'll have to take them to the vet.

Rebecca Gellars link

1/12/2021 08:27:15 pm

Very creative post.

1/25/2021 05:45:00 pm

I have been reading posts regarding this topic and this post is one of the most interesting and informative one I have read. Thank you for this!
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Rebecca Gardner link

1/28/2021 03:30:23 pm

Thanks for explaining that stray cats will have one of their ears cut if they're spayed or neutered at a clinic. My sister and her husband found a stray cat that they're going to adopt since it wasn't microchipped. Maybe I'll suggest they take the cat in for an ultrasound since on the off-chance it's pregnant from not being spayed.

Peterboyce link

3/1/2021 07:15:11 am

Your very own commitment to getting the message throughout came to be rather powerful and have consistently enabled employees just like me to arrive at their desired goals.

Taylor Hicken link

4/7/2021 03:57:35 am

I appreciated it when you shared that it is great to begin by leaving food out for stray cats at the same time each day. In this way, you can ensure that they know where to find food whenever they are hungry. I would like to think if someone wants to help stray animals, he should consider donating some pet foods at the shelters.

Terri

9/8/2021 04:34:03 pm

I’ve been feeding a feral for three years. She now comes on my porch and allows me to pet her. She even gives me her belly to rub.

Angel Robertson

10/5/2021 06:56:48 pm

I just adopted an elderly cat and her sister from a shelter and I think she is feral. She constantly attacks me, her sister and everybody else. She growls and attacks me just for popping my head round the door to check on her as I've had her 3 weeks and she hasn't come out of the room in that time and when I spoke to the vet, they said to just look at her, they would have to sedate her cos of aggression. I dont know what to do

Terry vezirian link

10/27/2021 02:32:32 am

Hi, I have been feeding a stray cat and won't to bring him in my house. After a vet visit, oh it's a Male. I already have a Male cat, age 8, with liver failure and hepatitis but still doing fine. Do you think this is a good idea? I am not worried about the stray cat but my cat. What are your thoughts. Also I live in ky . It's getting really cold here.thank you Terry

APoll

11/8/2021 07:15:14 pm

I found 2 feral kittens, I would say about 6 weeks old. Can i take them in, will they become trusting (i know we cant say for sure since all kittens are different but) and if i do take them in how do i go about getting them to be trusting of me?

Robin Cook link

11/15/2021 12:30:18 am

Hey, it’s a great write-up. In our country cat is the most popular domestic animal and the affection towards cat related post is common for us. The difference between stray and feral cats given here is mind blowing. However, when they both are kept within one door, the reality would come into fore 

Cristine Bhaiji

12/27/2021 07:40:13 pm

I trapped a beautiful, long haired cat that I had been feeding for a month. I put her in my daughters bathroom for a week, my daughter came home from college a few days ago and now leaves the bathroom door open so the cat can go in her bedroom also. He is very frightened and hides a lot. She eats, uses the litter box and meows to us when she sees us. We can not pet her, she will hiss and try to scratch. Progress has been slow but she appears a little more relaxed around us. We started giving her treats so she would realize our hands bring good things. Tomorrow will be two weeks and I believe she is a scared stray, that she did have a relationship with humans at some point. I had a friend who wanted her so my plan was to give her to my friend or TNR if she was feral. She is not friendly enough for my friend but I do not have the heart to put her back outside, it’s December and very cold where I live. I was waiting for her to settle down but I think that is going to take a long time. I am going to check for a microchip in a couple days and than neuter, vaccines, etc. next week. I can not permanently keep her, I have a cat that hates cat,it wouldn’t be fair to him. My plan is to tame her and find her a loving home. Wish me luck!

Soleil link

1/6/2022 06:39:10 pm

When walking home, a cat was laying in the middle of the road. I approached him (I believe it was a him), and he enjoyed being pet, particularly around the face. I think he was a stray, since he walked towards me and readily enjoyed petting. His coat was very well-groomed and he didn't look unhealthy, with a sleek (but not skinny) body, long and well-groomed fur, and bright eyes.
I believe he may have been abandoned / escaped from an indoor lifestyle, since he seemed well-accustomed to humans and exhibited very domestic behaviors (laid in the middle of the road; seemed calm around humans; vocalized readily and sniffed hands for food). I'm not sure if I'll see him again, but if I do, what should I do?

Loretta

1/6/2023 02:58:04 pm

I found a little kitty that no one claimed. Had him neutered took him in loved him then 3 months later he got sick and died here in my home. I feel bad . I tried to get him help then he was better then in the middle of the nite he just died. I feel like the place where I had his surgery done should've told me if he was sick . They didn't give me a clue on age or if he was well or dying . I enjoyed and loved him but I wish it was more clear communication that there was a problem . When I called to tell the he was sick rite away she told me to bring him for " humane euthanization" like they knew...I said I would get back to them and nursed him back to health but he died 4 days later . If they knew something they should have told me !! Anyway the time I spent with Shylo was worth it but I'm still broken up about his death !! I wish I could have done more !! Grieving☹️!!

Marie link

6/8/2023 04:50:45 am

Hi Loretta

I'm sorry about you little kitty dying. However, I can promise you that the people who sterilised your kitty would have told you if he was showing signs of being sick and would have declined to do the procedure and discussed options/diagnosing the problem with you.The rule is that no sick animal should undergo surgery (unless that surgery is to treat the illness).

It is only a guess, but your kitty may have had feline leukaemia of feline aids. Older kittens or young cats that get severely sick often have one or both of these disease (although there may be many other causes). The insensitive person over the phone likely made the same guess and that is why they recommended euthanasia - once such a cat gets sick they are almost impossible to get healthy and there is no cure. But I would never recommend euthanasia over the phone, without seeing the animal first and making at least a tentative diagnosis.

These viruses can show no symptoms for a long time before the cat becomes noticeably sick. Some feral cat colonies, but also pets, suffer from these viruses. It spreads through saliva (fighting, food bowls, mutual grooming), blood, from mother to baby and through sexual contact between cats. Humans and dogs cannot get these cat diseases.

It is important to always test a new kitten or cat (even one from a breeder) for these viruses, before starting vaccination or bringing them into contact with other cats in your household. However, people don't like tesing, because finding out your kitty has it has dire consequences - many people simply prefer not to know, or think it is a waste of money ("my cat won't have it... "). So some vets don't actively push people to test their cats when bringing them in for vaccinations. Many shelters/charities do test their cats before letting people adopt strays or sterilise ferals, but even some very prominent ones don't (always ask before adopting or sterilising).

When cats are brought in for neutering or spays, you only pay for the procedure. Some high brow places do blood work and tests for every animal and will discuss this with you beforehand. This is safer, but doubles or triples the cost of the procedure. Most vets only insist on blood work if there is an indication (the animal has some health issues or a genetic history of health conditions that can compromise the surgery), but most will only offer it as an optional extra service. You can see why - not everyone has money for testing and most of the time it is not needed. If a charity or low cost organisation did the procedure on your kitty they definitely did not test. In most cases the vet will only advise testing for feline leukaemia or feline aids at sterilisation if you tell them it is feral. If the cat is passibly tame they assume you had it vaccinated and tested already.

4/6/2022 05:27:47 pm

I was wondering something why do they say the stray cats may look disheveled but the feral cats may have a clean coat. I live in a place that has a large cat colony and I feed them. And the winter time when there is not many people around I can go through 30 lb of cat food in one week. That's 15 kg for the metric people. What I have noticed is that some of the cats I only see at night. I used to take in the food bowls in the night time but then I noticed that different cats were coming around in the night that I rarely ever see in the daytime. They must be the farewell ones because they're generally scared of me. Or somewhat skitish anyway, especially compared to the daytime cats. Some of the daytime cats will even jump in my lap when I'm sitting outside and lett me pet them. Of course they have different personalities some are friendlier than others. Also it's kind of strange for me that the feral cats can sleep in the daytime because it's somewhat noisy and there's birds flying around chirping and well of course it's bright and sunny. But I guess they find places to hide and sleep. I like cats a lot actually probably more than people. Especially the people that I've seen throwing stuff at the cats around here.

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9/6/2022 10:10:29 am

I found 2 stray/feral kittens up in Lake County, CA. I put water out for them every day, but never saw a mother. They stayed together the whole time. Temps were up to 118 degrees this weekend and we were leaving so I brought them with us because there are bears, coyotes, hawks, etc… and no water source that I could find. Where do I take them? I have them in a huge box with water, watered down kibble and toys. I have a adult cat who I dont want them to have contact with in case they are carrying any diseases.

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I posted earlier about a stray cat we found and trapped, December 2021. The cat was terrified and I couldn't handle him, he would hiss and spit and hide. I kept him in my daughters room. My daughter came home from college one week later and spent a lot of time with him and gained his trust. He did not have a microchip and we posted flyers but could not find an owner. He had worms and giardia, which we treated and we got him neutered and vaccinated. My daughter took him back to college and he is the sweetest, most friendly cat ever. We DNA tested him and he came back Persian and Maine Coon and he was only a year old. He is a gorgeous cat, with a big head like a Maine Coon and a slightly smooshed face like a baby doll Persian. He is now, a pampered and loved indoor cat and my daughter's best friend. He has a beautiful long coat that was originally matted and dull but is now healthy, shiny and gorgeous. It's amazing what good nutrition and TLC can do.
I just posted this to let everyone know sometimes a cat that appears feral can have wonderful pet potential but it takes time and patience.

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Stray vs Feral Cats – What you Need to Know

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Stray vs Feral Cats – What you Need to Know

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