Are you wondering whether or not the cat residing in your alley is feral? The following article will discuss some of the finer points about a feral cat’s behavior.
Feral cats are descendants of domestic cats that live without any kind of human contact. They are not similar to wild cats or stray cats. Wild cats are descendants of the wild feline species and stray cats have had some kind of human contact and have a temperament similar to domestic cats.
Feral cats commonly live alone, but it is not surprising to find a large group of feral colonies. These colonies can be found in abandoned buildings, small woody areas, even in old cars. They are extremely adaptable and can live in conditions of extreme cold and heat.
Behavior
Their behavior is elusive as they do not trust humans. They are mostly descendants of cats that were once domesticated and were non-neutered and abandoned. These left alone cats bred uncontrollably and their progeny turned into feral cats.
They prey on rabbits, house mice, and even marsupials. They even eat birds, reptiles, and rodents. They are often preyed upon by feral dogs, coyotes, wolves, cougars, foxes, feral pigs, crocodiles, snakes, and birds of prey.
The feral cats develop aggressive behavior as they are non-sprayed or non-neutered. The males become more aggressive and hostile after attaining maturity. They can have two or more litters per year. The feral colonies are very vulnerable as diseases are rampant. These diseases can spread to domesticated cats, if they come in contact with a feral cat. These cats can transfer rabies to humans by biting and scratching.
Taming Ferel Cats
Ferel cats can be tamed by specialized training professionals. These need to be reintroduced to domestic cat behavior through a program that helps determine which of the feral cats will be the easiest to train. They need to be adopted and helped to socialize at an early stage.
Feral cats once domesticated, suffer from less incidences of diseases just like a domestic cat. The cat’s behavior after domestication is just as content as a house cat and they prefer living in the outdoors most of the time. An adult feral cat that has never ever been in human contact is unreliable. Taming it is a bit difficult. With a persistent training program, one can gradually make them used to indoor life.
The process of taming ferel cats is long and hard. However, if you are prepared to bring home one and dedicate your time in taming it, it will prove to be a worthwhile experience. However, if the feral cat has no behavioral progress in 5 to 6 months, you need to take it back to its colony. You should release it as it will remain under stress indoors and show aggression towards humans. And if the stress takes it toll, it may even result in death of the feline. If you find a slow and steady progress, continue with your experiment. The cat may like you and decide to stay as your pet.
Feral cats are not wild cats, but have a temperament similar to them. With love and care, you will surely be able to introduce the feral cats to proper cat behavior.
