Feral Cats

Have anyone of you been involved with feral cats? I had never been involved until a few weeks ago. Our neighborhood has two feral cats. Both have been fixed and hang out and take care of unwanted mice. Twice a day we feed them some dry food. They are there everyday just like clockwork. We feed them at 8am and 6pm. They will allow you to pet them while they are eating, but are very nervous and a quick move will scare them off. I really enjoy getting to know these cats and are glad that we make their life a little better.

 

How do you know they have been fixed? That doesn't sound like "feral cats" so much as just strays or unwanted pets who have been gotten rid of.

Regardless, yes, I've dealt with both wild cats and stray cats. We currently have a stray who is camping out at our place and doesn't seem to be leaving any time soon.

 

It's great they are letting you pet them. Most feral cats won't let people anywhere near them. It sounds as if they are doing a great job with the mice.

 

Not to be unkind but I would suggest not feeding them too well. That would make them fat and lazy. Also unless you intend to look after them full-time, don't be too friendly with them. It will make them lose their fear of people and that can be a bad thing because not all people have got good intentions like you.

 

There is a retired vet in our area that rounds up stray cats and neuters them and trys to find homes for them. These two were trapped and neutered but were too wild for pets. I live in a condo complex and a couple of neighbors took these two cats as ferals. We do feed them and have a box with towels in a garage area for them. They are wild and the only time they can be touched is when we feed them by myself and the lady who rescued them. They are very skittish and run at the slightest noise.

 

I also forgot to mention that their ears were notched after they were neutered so people will know that it was done.

 

Oh. Hmm. Is this a common practice? I've never heard of that being done before.

 

In our area of the country(South Florida) this is the universal code for a neutered wild cat. That is notching their ear.

 

One of my cats had some kittens last year and we could never find where they were until they were much older and started coming out on their own. Needless to say, they were feral because they had never really been around people.

I almost have the female tamed though. She has gotten to where she will come around me and eat and she will let me pet her lightly on the head, but only while she is eating. She still prefers to keep her distance at other times.