How To Live With Feral Cats?
Many people mistake feral cats for kittens that have been abandoned by their guardians and need a home. However, it is important to understand that they are different animals, especially regarding their sociability with humans.
Next, we will discuss what feral cats are and why we should not adopt them as pets.
How are feral cats?
Feral or feral cats are those that have returned to the wild and relearned how to survive on their own in the wild. Logically, they no longer behave in the same way as domestic kitties, but they do not return to being wild cats, such as tigers or leopards.
Basically, these are felines that descend from domestic cats, but have not had direct contact with humans and had to be reintroduced into nature, living in the wild. Their behavior is much more reserved and surly than that of domestic kittens.
The presence of human beings in their environment tends to cause feral cats a lot of distrust, and they will hardly allow themselves to be touched. Although puppies may be more sociable, adults tend to take a defensive posture.
Where do feral cats live?
Feral cats generally find their habitat in fields and forests that are near cities or towns. As they do not have natural predators in these areas, they tend to generate a significant environmental imbalance in these ecosystems.
Much of the regions inhabited by feral cats suffer a radical reduction in the population of birds, rodents and small lizards or lizards.
At the same time that their possible prey is scarce, the cats continue to reproduce and, when the food is no longer enough, they migrate to new areas. In this way, the imbalance spreads to new ecosystems and some species may become extinct.
An unfortunate example has occurred in Australia, where the damage to indigenous fauna was so great that extreme measures had to be taken. In 2016, a massive strategy of extermination of feral cats was carried out in Australian territory.
In practice, more than 20 unique and native species have been extinct or are threatened in Australia. The cause of this is the overpopulation of feral cats.
How do feral cats arise and why are there so many?
Feral cats are generally descendants (children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren) of domestic felines that have been abandoned by their guardians. In addition, there is also a lower percentage of felines that run away from their homes voluntarily.
When these abandoned kitties are not spayed or neutered, they begin to generate numerous offspring with other stray cats. In some cases, they can also be crossed with feral cats that live near urbanized areas.
Females have the ability to go into heat several times a year; for this reason, the street and feral population tends to grow indefinitely.
The best way to avoid overpopulation is to adopt an effective reproductive control in our kittens. In addition, there are specific campaigns for the spaying and neutering of feral cats.
This type of method tries to sterilize the females and castrate the males to control the feral population. First, they trap the animal to spay or neuter it and then return it exactly to its original habitat. In these actions, cages and systems suitable for this purpose are used.
Can you have a feral cat as a pet?
Although their ancestors have lived with people, feral cats are not used to our presence. Their way of life is more like that of a wild cat than that of their grandparents or domestic parents.
For these cats, daily contact with humans can generate fear, anxiety and nervousness. Consequently, they tend to adopt defensive postures and may attack if they feel threatened.
By confining one of these cats, we also expose them to a high level of stress, and this will be reflected in their behavior. In addition to the risk of an attack, we also harm your mental health.
Many feral animals in captivity suffer from symptoms of depression, aggressiveness or hyperactivity, among others. Therefore, the adoption of a feral cat is dangerous and inadvisable.
Of course, feral cats also deserve to live in a positive environment, where they feel comfortable and safe. Confinement and home life do not offer him the optimal conditions for his physical and mental development.
It is best to let these animals live in a wild habitat where they can enjoy their freedom and we become aware of the importance of reproductive control in these felines.
