Feral cats

ESSENTIAL GUIDE 17
What are feral cats?
The term feral describes members of a domesticated species
that have reverted to living as wild animals. Feral cats have had
little or no contact with humans. They can never be tamed and
this should never be attempted because they are very fearful
of people and it would seriously compromise their welfare.
Feral cats live alone – or in groups called colonies – and are
found in towns, cities and rural areas. The best solution for
feral cats is for them to be neutered and returned to their
familiar environment.

What makes a cat feral?

Cats learn what is normal when they are very young kittens
and their brains are developing. The point in a kitten’s life
when it is aged between two and eight weeks old is known
as the ‘socialisation period.’ Young kittens which have had
positive contact with people and are handled during this
critical time form a bond with humans and enjoy living as pets.

Feral cats are the offspring of stray, feral or abandoned

domestic cats and have missed out on these early positive
experiences with people.

They should not be confused with stray cats which were raised
as pets but have since been lost or abandoned. Although stray
cats can be scared of people due to their experiences, they
can often be rehabilitated and go on to live life as a pet again.
Sometimes farm kittens will have been handled and treated
well by farm workers and children – enabling them to adapt
to life in the home. These kittens would also not generally be
considered feral.
This means that cats that haven’t become dependent on
people can live well in the wild, as long as they have all the
things they need. See Cats Protection’s Essential Guide: Cats
and peoplefor further information.

How do feral cats survive?

Cats are extremely resourceful creatures and can adapt to
many different habitats.

Unlike pet cats which often don’t get on with other felines,
feral colonies will often naturally develop. These are usually
made up of groups of related females and the size of the
colony is directly related to the availability of food, water
and shelter.

Cats within the colony recognise each other by sharing their

scent through rubbing against each other. Although they
appear close, they are not completely reliant upon each other
and will hunt and eat alone. If an unfamiliar cat intrudes on
their territory, they will soon see it off.

Feral cats are not always found in colonies – some will live a
solitary lifestyle.
Caring for feral cats
Some people view feral cats as pests. Thankfully, many more
– particularly farmers, stable owners and smallholders – value
them for their role as working mousers that protect grain and
feed. A healthy feral colony can really help to keep the vermin
levels down.

Despite their wild nature, feral cats still benefit from a certain
level of care, including:

Neutering
This has major health benefits and keeps the colony size under
control. Feral cats will need to be trapped in a humane cat-
trap before they are neutered because they are too wild to be
handled. Once a feral cat is sedated or under anaesthetic, the
vet can give it a health check and treat it for parasites. After
neutering the cat is released back into its territory as quickly as
possible – this is so the cat does not lose the communal scent
and end up being rejected by other cats in the colony.

Regular feeding
Many feral cats are very resourceful and find adequate food,
but it may be helpful to offer them extra help, especially in
winter. Only offer food if the feral cats have been neutered.
This is important because feeding unneutered cats increases
the number of kittens that are born. It is also not in any cat’s
interests to become fat and this is particularly true of feral
cats as it affects their agility and chance of survival – so avoid
overfeeding. Contrary to popular belief, regularly fed feral cats
are better hunters than hungry ones.
Observation
It is helpful to observe colonies, so that any new unneutered,
sick or injured cats can be promptly trapped and taken to
the vet. Only minor ailments can be treated in feral cats and
sometimes they have to be euthanased on welfare grounds if
they have significant illness or injury.

What about Toxoplasmosis?

Some farmers may be concerned that feral cats could be
the source of a parasite called Toxoplasma, which can cause
miscarriage in ewes. Although cats can catch Toxoplasmosis,
they quickly become immune, just two weeks after being
infected. Cats catch Toxoplasmosis from eating infected raw
meat or rodents. The only way the disease can be transmitted
is if the ewe takes in the infected cat’s faeces in its feed or
water – so the risk to sheep is very is extremely low. Vets agree
that there is no risk to non-pregnant, healthy sheep.

A healthy, stable colony of neutered cats is at much lower

risk of Toxoplasmosis than allowing a breeding colony which
continually produces vulnerable kittens.

A further risk of Toxoplasma to sheep arises from other cats or

kittens moving in. A feral colony will guard their territory so
instead of maintaining a cat-free area, a healthy neutered feral
colony is more likely to naturally keep such outsiders away. See
Cats Protection Veterinary Guide: Cats and pregnant women –
Toxoplasmosisfor further information on this parasite.
Why not just remove feral cats?
Catching and removing feral cats may temporarily reduce
the numbers, but this leads to what is known as the ‘vacuum
effect.’ Any cats left behind will continue to breed and others
will move into the area which is clearly a good source of food
and shelter. The solution is to trap, neuter and return (TNR)
the cats. Over a period of years this will reduce the size of the
colony. A controlled, healthy and stable colony will deter other
feral cats from moving in and will keep vermin levels down.

In very rare instances, relocation may be necessary but should

generally be avoided. Relocation of feral cats is extremely
stressful for them, as they become very dependent on the
familiarity of their own environment. Feral cats should not
just be released elsewhere, an appropriate habitat needs to
be found and the cats need a period of adjustment while they
learn where they can find food and shelter.

Remember, cats are protected by law and killing a cat

constitutes an offence.

How can Cats Protection help?

Adult feral cats cannot be tamed or rehomed in the domestic
environment as they are wild animals.

Cats Protection may be able to set up humane traps – similar

to cages – and safely capture feral cats and take them to be
neutered. This is mainly done during the evening and the traps
are collected quickly to minimise stress to the cat.

The trapped cats are taken swiftly to a veterinary surgery to

be neutered, a straightforward procedure which will prevent
the cat from breeding. At the same time, they will also have
their ear ‘tipped’ – where between half and one cm of the tip
of the left ear is removed under anaesthetic. This serves as a
permanent visual mark from a distance to show the cat has
been neutered, to prevent the same cat being trapped for
neutering in future. After neutering, the cats will be returned
back to their territory.

Trapping and neutering a large feral colony can take weeks

and regular monitoring is needed to make sure that no cats
are missed. Ideally, any breeding females are trapped and
neutered first, to avoid growth in colony size while the process
is taking place.

Very young feral kittens can sometimes be socialised with

humans through gentle handling and positive experiences
before they become too fearful of people. However, genetics
also plays a role in the confidence and friendliness of cats, and
it can sometimes be better for the welfare of feral kittens for
them also to be neutered and returned to the wild.

Responsible ownership and timely neutering is important, as

feral colonies originate as the offspring of unneutered stray or
abandoned domestic pet cats. Financial assistance from Cats
Protection may be available to help with neutering. For more
information, see Cats Protection’s E ssential Guide: Neutering –
family planning for felines.

If you are a landowner seeking advice about feral cats on

your land, you are worried about the welfare of a feral
colony, or you have the ideal habitat to offer a feral cat an
outdoor home, please call Cats Protection’s National Helpline
on 03000 12 12 12 or get in touch with your local
Cats Protection branch.
 ESSENTIAL GUIDES VETERINARY GUIDES
1 Caring for your cat 84001 1 Arthritis 83201
2 Welcome home 84002 2 Feline Lower Urinary Tract
3 Moving house 84003 Disease (FLUTD) 83202
4 Feeding and obesity 84004 3 Diabetes 83203
5 Keeping your cat safe 84005 4 Itchy cats and skin disorders
83204
6 Neutering – family planning
for felines 84006 5 Feline Parvovirus (FPV) 83205
7 When to let go 84007 6 Kidney or renal disease 83206
8 Microchipping 84008 7 Cats with disabilities 83207
9 Understanding your cat’s 8 Hypertension 83208
behaviour 84009 9 Feline Immunodeficiency Virus
10 Managing your cat’s (FIV) and Feline Leukaemia
behaviour 84010 Virus (FeLV) 83209
11 Cats living together 84011 10 Feline Coronavirus (FCoV) and
Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)
12 Indoor and outdoor cats 84012 83210
13 Cats and the law 84013 11 Heart murmurs and heart
14 Cats and people 84014 disease 83211
15 Caring for your kitten 84015 12 Hyperthyroidism 83212
16 Elderly cats 84016 13 Feline asthma 83213
17 Feral cats 84017 14 Teeth and oral health 83214
18 Pregnant cats, birth and care 15 Fleas and other parasites
of young kittens 84018 83215
16 Cat flu 83216
17 Infectious disease and
vaccination 83217
18 Digestive disorders – vomiting
and diarrhoea 83218
19 You and your vet 83219
20 Cats and pregnant women –
Toxoplasmosis 83220

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