Feral and Stray Cat Suggestions

Thank you for caring about these cats. Unfortunately, Pet Friends of Duplin County no longer has the resources to help with trapping feral cats and facilitating them being neutered and released. Please see our Spay/Neuter Program page on our website petfriendsonline.org for resources for getting the cats fixed. Below find some helpful information:

Feral and Stray Cats - An Important Difference

Quick Facts:

“Community cat” is an umbrella term that refers to any member of the Felis catus species who is un-owned and lives outdoors. Both feral and stray cats are community cats.

Community cats have a wide range of behaviors and degrees of socialization. Observing a cat’s behavior, including their body language, can help you assess their level of socialization.

Understanding a cat’s level of socialization can help you act in their best interest.

Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) protects and improves the lives of all community cats, regardless of their level of socialization.

Whether you are a shelter worker, veterinarian, or cat advocate or you just share your neighborhood with community cats, knowing how to tell the difference can help inform how best to interact with a cat or what, if any, intervention would be in each cat’s best interest.

What is socialization?

When we say a cat is “socialized”, we mean she is accustomed to and enjoys companionship with people. To socialize a cat means to acclimate her to human touch, human spaces, and human sights, smells, and sounds. It’s a process that’s influenced by many factors of a cat’s life and takes time and effort from compassionate people.

Kittens becomes socialized by interacting with people, being held, spoken to, and played with from an early age. If a kitten does not become accustomed to people holding her and petting her within this crucial window, she will grow up apprehensive of humans and will not be suited to or happy living in homes.

What is the difference between a stray cat and a feral cat?

Pet and stray cats are socialized to people.

Feral cats are not socialized to people. While they are socialized to their feline family members and bonded to each other, they do not have that same relationship with people.

Community Cats

“Community cat” is an umbrella term that refers to any member of the Felis catus species who is unowned and lives outdoors. Both feral and stray cats are community cats. Community cats have a wide range of behaviors and degrees of socialization, but they generally do not want to live indoors and are unadoptable.

Stray:

A stray cat is a cat who lived indoors and was socialized to people at some point in her life, but has left or lost her home, or was abandoned, and no longer has regular human contact.

Over time, a stray cat can become feral as her contact with humans dwindles.

A stray cat may be socialized enough to allow people to touch her, but she will become less socialized or even feral if she spends too much time without positive interaction with humans.

Under the right circumstances, a stray cat can also become a pet cat once again. Stray cats that are re-introduced to an indoor home after after spending time outside away from people. living outdoors may require a period of time to re-acclimate; they may be frightened and wary

Feral:

A feral cat is an un-socialized outdoor cat who has either never had any physical contact with humans, or human contact has diminished over enough time that she is no longer accustomed to it. Most feral cats are fearful or people and are not likely to ever become a lap cat or enjoy living indoors.

Kittens born to feral cats can be socialized at an early age and adopted into indoor homes.

In general, it is not recommended trying to socialize a feral kitten over 4 months of age. Socializing is time consuming, especially for older kittens, and results are not guaranteed.

Why does it matter?

Understanding the many degrees of socialization cats can exhibit will help you determine the best way to care for, help, and protect them.

Stray cats can readjust to living with people and may be good candidates for adoption into indoor homes if people have the time and means to foster and adopt.

Stray and feral cats can be difficult to tell apart, especially when they are trapped or frightened. Scared stray cats often need time to relax and show their level of socialization.

Adult feral cats are not socialized to people, which means they cannot be adopted to indoor homes. As a result, they are likely to be killed if picked up by animal control or brought to shelters, so it is in their best interest to continue living outdoors.

Trap-Neuter-Return saves feral cats’ lives, and benefits all community cats, regardless of their level of socialization. Cats who are part of TNR programs are humanely trapped, scanned for microchips, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, eartipped and microchipped (if they don’t already have one). Stray cats who are thriving and don’t have microchips indicating they are lost can be returned to their outdoor home or fostered and adopted.

How do I tell the difference when the cats are outdoors?

Since it is difficult to determine each cat’s socialization during a stressful event such as trapping, it’s a good idea to observe cats on their own outdoors using the guidelines below.

Socialization to Humans

Stray: May approach people, houses, porches, or cars

Feral: Will not approach and will likely seek hiding places to avoid people

Socialization to Other Cats

Stray: Will likely live alone, not part of a group

Feral: May belong to a colony

Body Language

Stray: Might walk and move like a house cat, such as walking with tail upa sign of friendliness. Will probably look at you, blink, or make eye contact.

Feral: May crawl, crouch, stay low to the ground, and protect body with tail. Unlikely to make eye contact.

Vocalization

Stray: May be vocal, meow, or “answer” your voice

Feral: Won’t meow, beg or purr

Schedule

Stray: Will be visible primarily during the daytime

Feral: More likely to be nocturnal; occasionally out during the day

Physical Appearance

Stray: Will probably be dirty or disheveled; will not have an eartip.

Feral: Will probably have a clean, well-kept coat. A male with a big head and thick neck, muscular body, and/or scars from fighting is more likely to be feral, since these are traits associated with intact males (and only 2% of feral cats are neutered in the U.S.) He may also have a spiky coat from high testosterone levels and less time spent grooming; may also have “stud tail”hair loss, greasiness, or bumps at the base of the tail due to hormones. Will likely have an eartip if neutered as part of a TNR program.

Pregnancy, Nursing, Kittens

Feral: A female who is pregnant or lactating is more likely to be feral, since only 2% of feral cats are neutered in the U.S.

Remember: A cat’s level of socialization and behavior is not always black and white, particularly for community cats who recognize their caregiver.

They may show signs of familiarity, such as a tail up or hanging out on a caregiver’s porch, but these behaviors are usually limited to the cat’s interaction with the caregiver and only develop after building a relationship over time. It’s important to note that this behavior does not mean that the cat is a good candidate for living indoors.

How do I tell feral and stray cats apart once I have trapped them?

When in a frightening or stressful environment such as a trap or a shelter a friendly stray cat may act like a feral cat, avoiding people and possibly even showing aggression to avoid being touched. Who can blame them? The cat is in a new and unfamiliar place.

Here are some ways that will help distinguish a feral cat from a scared stray cat when they are frightened, confined, or in a new place.

Touch Barrier

Stray: It may be possible to touch the cat eventually or she may tolerate a small amount of touching with an object.

Feral: Cannot be touched, even by a caregiver.

Cage Behavior

Stray: May come to the front of the cage. May eventually rub against the cage in a friendly way.

Feral: Will likely stay in the back of the cage and retreat as far back as possible. If jolted or frightened, may shake, rattle, or climb the cage, and could become injured banging into the cage.

Level of Relaxation

Stray: May relax over time.

Feral: Will remain tense and unsocial.

Responsiveness

Stray: May investigate toys or food placed near the cage. May respond to household sounds like cat food cans or bags being opened.

Feral: Will likely ignore all people and toys, and possibly even food. Will not show any familiarity or interest in household sounds.

Fear and Anxiety

Stray: May hiss or growl to show anxiety.

Feral: Will be aggressive and lash out if threatened or cornered (signs of aggression include ears back and eyes dilated).

Make sure you have all the information needed to make a good evaluation. Once you have evaluated a cat and feel like you have a sense of the cat’s level of socialization, the next step is to get the cat neutered. From there, use your evaluation to do what’s in the cat’s best interest, which may include:

Duplin County Animal Services can be reached at:

PHONE: (910) 296-2159

WEBSITE: https://www.duplincountync.com/animal-services/

EMAIL: dcanimals@duplincountync.com

ADDRESS: 117 Middleton Cemetery Lane

PO Box 950

Kenansville, NC 28349-0950

HOURS: Monday-Friday: 12:00 PM - 4:30 PM

Saturday & Sunday: CLOSED