Cat Species

Behavior Of A Feral Cat

Feral cats may have the appearance of a typical house cat, but their personality differs dramatically. They exhibit the wild personality of a lion. Feral cats are predators that have grown up without human contact. They survive by hunting and scavenging. Feral or Stray?

A wild animal, a feral cat may look like the typical house cat but they exhibit drastically different behaviors. Most feral cats have been born without human contact. They have lived the life of a untamed creature and they behave like any other wild Cat Species. Feral cat behavior can be unpredictable and even dangerous. They will not hesitate to bite or scratch if cornered.

Stray cats differ dramatically from feral cats because they once had a home but due to life's circumstances they find themselves homeless. The stray cat may adapt to living in the wild and they may even co-exist beside feral cats but they will not behave with wild tendencies and they are not vicious towards humans. Most will eventually approach a human with reservations but a feral cat will not approach no matter how much coaxing from the humans. Colonies Feral cats live in colonies. Some colonies are quite large and can average hundreds. Colonies tend to be made up of family members that interbreed. The colonies usually exist close to a food source and in an area where they can find shelter from inclement weather. The cats have a better chance of survival in a colony. Feral cats residing in a colony have an average lifespan of 5 years but a feral cat that is subsisting on his own will only average 2 years, according to Vet Info.

The colony works together to obtain food. They will raid dumpsters for food scraps, hunt mice, subsist on birds and even consume insects.

Female Ferals

Female feral cats begin to breed at four to five months old. They will reproduce a litter of approximately four to six kittens. Females have two to three litters per year. The kittens, if they survive, will remain with the colony and also begin to reproduce so the colony grows rapidly.

Dangers of a Cat Colony

A growing cat colony faces only heartache. The males continually fight and suffer vicious wounds. Most wounds abscess from infection and the male eventually dies. The males also mark their territory by constant urine spraying which can produce an unpleasant odor.

The mating behavior of the cats is loud and consists of constant meowing. The noise usually starts during the night hours. Feral cats rarely calm down or befriend humans. Often trapping the cat and having it neutered or spayed will help control the growth of the colony. Once the sterilization has taken place, the cat should be released by with its companions where it can happily live out its life.