Tree House Feral Friends Program
Feral Cat FAQ
What are feral cats?
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Feral cats look just like domesticated cats, only they are not tame; they are wild, or undomesticated.
Feral cats are commonly referred to as strays , tom cats or alley cats, although the terms are not really interchangeable.
Unlike a stray cat, a totally feral cat will not:
- let you touch her
- vocalize (purr or meow)
- come out to eat during the daylight hours, unless they are starving and foraging for food to survive
- mark objects by rubbing his nose or tail on them if you are watching
- roll around on the ground affectionately in front of you
- approach the food bowl until after you are out of sight
To further complicate things, ferals can be classified as totally feral, semi-feral or reverted feral. Tree House believes that just because feral cats will not socialize with humans does not meant that they should not be given a chance to lead the best life they can in their environment. Thanks you for learning more about feral cats and how you can help them!
How do I tell the difference between stray and feral cats?
This is can be difficult to determine. An easy place to start is to determine of you can pet the cat. If you can, she is not feral. But the opposite is not always true. A cat that does not allow human contact is not necessarily feral. She may be feral. She may also be a frightened domesticated cat that has recently become lost. Again, Alley Cat Allies addresses this issue on their FAQ page.
Can’t someone find feral cats a good home?
Wild, undomesticated animals are not suitable for adoption.
Imagine a raccoon loose in your home. He would be terrified, running from one end to the other trying to find a way out. That is exactly what would happen if an adult feral cat were let loose indoors.
Since ferals are not adoptable, feral cats taken to animal control facilities are generally euthanized within 24 hours, unless there is a law or ordinance requiring a holding period, which is usually 5-7 days.
Feral kittens over the age of 10 weeks brought indoors without a socialization plan usually hide under furniture, only coming out to eat and avoiding human contact, making most adopters very unhappy. Eventually, many will graduate to a "semi-feral" state, trusting only those who feed them.
If you have found kittens under the age of 10 weeks, you can help them find a home.
What if I don’t spay and neuter the cats I am feeding?
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You may not realize it but you are contributing to the death of tens or hundreds of thousands of kittens and cats in the Chicago area. The feral cat population swells exponentially, making it difficult or impossible to afford to feed the cats. Neighbors may become frustrated and call the police or animal control. Unpleasant behaviors associated with an unmanaged colony, such as spraying and fighting can become overwhelming and cruel people will employ illegal, inhumane and lethal methods to eradicate the cat population. Kittens and adult cats can be killed by cars, or by other predators. Cats and kittens can die from disease, normally treatable injuries & infections, malnutrition or starvation. You may even be issued a citation from condo or other neighborhood groups. Animal Control could be dispatched to trap the cats. Feral cats are ALWAYS euthanized at Animal Control, usually within 24 hours. In Chicago it costs an average of $75 to euthanize each feral cat. This does not include other costs like staff time or boarding, etc. Your feral cats are depending on you! Do the right thing -- TNR!
Can I relocate the cats to a safer place like a barn?
Many people new to the plight of feral cats believe removing the cats will solve the problem. The ineffective practice of "trap and kill" has proven over decades that new cats move in to occupy the property soon after it becomes available. The same goes for relocation. Relocation also requires a willing adopter and a 2 to 4 week “homing” period to get them accustomed to their new surroundings. Feral cats are territorial by nature, and without the confinement and homing phase, would immediately run away to try to find their way back home, and would likely die in the process. If you absolutely have to relocate some ferals due to construction or other threats, refer to Alley Cat Allies FAQ page. If you have sourced a willing person to take your feral cat(s), see Alley Cat Allies' Factsheet "Guidelines for Safe Relocation of Feral Cats" for details on the homing process.
Warning: Dumping cats in a barn, forest preserve or anywhere else is against the law in Illinois. It is also extremely cruel: Domesticated cats have never been taught to hunt by their mothers and CANNOT survive on their own. They will be absolutely terrified, and will almost certainly starve to death, die of dehydration or exposure, be eaten by predators, or be hit by a car. Unlike dogs, indoor domesticated cats will not come out for a stranger (or their owner) who calls to them if they are outside their home environment.
Can ferals be tamed first and then adopted out to good homes?
It is usually nearly impossible to tame a feral adult cat to get to the level where it is comfortable to be around humans other than his original caretaker(s). Even feral kittens older than 10 weeks can be very difficult to domesticate. It will require a sincere commitment of a few hours per day, for months or perhaps years for older kittens or young adults.
Even if a feral is predisposed to socialization, a feral cat tends to bond with their primary caregiver . Once placed in another home, the cat will revert to a feral state, making them unadoptable. Do not attempt to socialize a feral cat unless you plan to keep him/her.
Tree House has been a leader for decades by offering a socialization program for shy and feral cats. Even with the best efforts of dozens of staff and volunteers, only a small percentage of shy and feral cats get to the point where they can graduate to our adoption floor. This is why we are limiting our admissions to sick and injured strays who are not well enough to go back outside.
If you have made a commitment to socialize feral kittens, Alley Cat Allies Factsheet "Socializing Feral Kittens" will be very helpful.
I thought I could socialize a feral cat but he is not coming around. What should I do?
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If possible, put the cat back where you trapped him and provide shelter, water, food and veterinary care on an ongoing business. Remember, feral cats over 10 weeks of age are usually impossible to tame with some exceptions of course. All the same, bringing a feral cat inside is risky. This is what could happen:
The cat will be traumatized while kept in captivity. Just like people, a cat under severe stress is more likely to become ill. If you decide that the cat is too wild after a few months, and return him outdoors in winter, he will not have his full winter coat to provide warmth in addition to other health problems that could develop. If you keep the cat for too long, he might become too tame to survive on his own. You may be hurt. Remember, feral cats are wild animals!
We understand that cat-lovers would prefer to see all cats in good homes or in shelters. So would we. But you should consider all of the other cats that could be helped during the time that you are spending to socialize a feral cat. Again, ferals are not genetically pre-disposed to socialization and semi-ferals usually bond only with the person who feeds them. This is very important to understand. Do not plan to socialize a feral or semi-feral cat unless you plan to keep him forever. If you are prepared to do that, consider what happens if you become unable to care for the cat, or how it will upset the balance of your own household if you have other cats.
Another option would be to go through the entire TNR process, then continue to spend time with the cat in his outdoor environment on his own terms after he's been released. He might warm up to you over time and you can reconsider whether or not it might be worth the time and effort to continue socialization work inside. Just don't take it as a personal failure if he doesn't.
What about wildlife predation?
Tree House Animal Foundation is concerned about the welfare of all animals. While a search on the internet will lead you to differing opinions on feral cats and wildlife predation, the majority of scientific evidence points to environmental degradation such as pesticide use and depletion of natural habitats as the main culprit behind declining bird populations. The West Nile Virus wiped out nearly 90% of the blue jay population in Illinois two years ago. In any case, since TNR humanely reduces the number of feral cats, there will be less predation. Although, it is interesting to note that feral and domesticated cats hunt mice and rats, but there still isn't a shortage of them!
