Feral Paws Rescue

History

The domestic cat evolved from the African wild cat, Felis libyca.

 Feral cats are offspring of stray or abandoned domestic cats that

 revert to a wild state. Having been raised without any human contact, they have a natural fear

 of humans. The domestic cat was introduced throughout the world by explorers and scientists,

in an effort to control the rodent populations. Being predators and scavengers, feral cats have become successful survivors.

Why Are There Feral Cats?

Feral cats live in streets, alleys, and parks because of human neglect of their unaltered domestic

 cats, allowing them to roan and reproduce. A California study revealed that about 60 percent of

unaltered household cats become feral within three years. Many people abandon or

dump unwanted, unaltered cats, and these often end up in feral colonies.

Stray and lost cats congregate near food sources such as garbage dumpsters where

rodents collect to feed. The cats start breeding and form colonies. An estimated 60

 million feral cats live in the U.S., and worldwide are part of the urban ecology in virtually

 every city. They live in deserts near human settlements as well as on islands near Antarctica.

Classes of Feral Cats

There are three classes of feral cats. This classification was initiated in an effort to know

how to approach these cats and which cats would be the easiest to re-domesticate for

companion animals. It has been proven that any feral cat can be re-domesticated,

 given the right circumstances and enough time.

Class one is a true feral cat or kitten, which means born to a cat that was born of

a feral (i.e. second generation). These cats are very afraid of humans. They will

 run from you. If you get too close, they may hiss, growl, scratch, and even

bite you if they are cornered. It is very difficult to socialize adults of this class.

Yet it can and has been done. Don't ever give up on a feral cat.

Class two are cats or kittens that have recently been abandoned by owners

 and live on the streets. These cats will run from you at first, but not too far.

They are jumpy and scare easily at sounds. If you have food with you and

 feed them regularly, they are easy to get close to. After a short time, these

cats will run to you when you come to bring them food and may even rub

 against your legs. These cats are more easily socialized than either of

 the other two classes.

Class three are cats or kittens that have been abused and run away

 from the abusive owner. These are the saddest of all. They are terrified of humans,

 yet lack the knowledge of how to survive on their own. They are often rejected by

 established colonies. Of these cats, some may be able to be socialized and some

not. It depends a great deal on the level of abuse they sustained from their owners

 and whether they can ever trust a human again. These cats are the ones you

don't generally see. They come out late at night to forage for food

and will run at the slightest sound.

The average life span of a feral cat is less than two years on their own.

 If they are lucky enough to be in a colony that has a caretaker to feed them

and see that they are spayed or neutered, the life span may reach five years.

 Very few live longer. It's a tough life out on the streets.

Sources of information:

Lost or abandoned domestic female cats teach their offspring to be

"feral." These latent instincts, acquired from their African Wildcat ancestors, help them to survive

 in nature. Feral cats are elusive, often nocturnal, and usually fearful of humans. Like most wild

 animals, they will not attack if unprovoked, but will defend themselves if threatened or cornered.

Their strongest instinct is to run. If they feel trapped and escape is blocked, they will bit or scratch.

 Never try to catch a feral by hand. Always use a humane trap. I suggest a semi-heavy long

sleeved shirt, jeans, and thick gloves for your protection, depending on the age of the feral.

There are two methods that I know of for socializing ferals. The one detailed below is the

most commonly used. The other is somewhat new, called "the TTouch." I have heard

some very positive comments about it, but have not attempted it myself yet.

Any person attempting to tame kittens should be totally committed and patient.

The taming process is certainly worthwhile. You are saving lives and producing

 affectionate, loving companions. The keyword is patience. That is something

that cannot be stressed enough. I will go as far as to say almost any feral can

 be socialized to some degree. Some may never be cuddly lap cats, just as

 some may become completely domestic. Commitment, time, patience

and love will tell the tale.

Feral kittens should not be taken from their mothers before they are four

 weeks old if this is possible, five to eight weeks being optimum. Their

 chances for survival are lowered if taken sooner. You can work with up

 to six kittens at one time if you have a willing partner in your effort and

some experience. I would recommend one kitten for your first attempt

at socializing. How long will it take? Ideally, with everything going for

 you, plus a pit of luck, with a kitten five to eight weeks old, two to

 four weeks would be an average.

Assuming you already have the kitten,

 I'll break the socializing process into five stages:

1. Confinement in a cage or carrier.
2. Repeated and brief handling with a

 protective cloth, such as a heavy towel

 or small blanket.
3. Confinement in a small room that is escape proof.
4. Exposure to other humans.
5. Adoption in suitable home.

1. Confinement

Remember, this kitten now sees you as a threat. It is terrified almost

 to the point of shock in some cases. Feral kittens should be checked

out by a veterinarian and tested for diseases contagious to other cats

 before you bring them home. Keep them isolated from your pet cats,

wash your hands and wear a smock (or change clothes between

 handling visits) to protect against the spread of disease from the kittens to pets.

If a trap was used to capture the kitten, transfer the kitten to a cage or a pet

carrier large enough for a small litter box and bedding for the kitten. This

carrier should be kept in a quiet room, where there is not a lot of traffic.

 You want the kitten to calm down. You must also provide water and food.

 Some carriers have bowels that you can fill without opening the carrier.

For the next three to four days, visit the kitten often. Sit on the floor, talk

very softly and do not touch the kitten. Hint for bedding: use some

 piece of your clothing that has your scent on it.

2. Handling

After two or three days, place a towel over the kitten and pick it up in the towel.

If the kitten stays calm, pet it gently on the head from behind. Never approach

 them from the front. A hand coming at the kitten frightens them, which may

cause them to hiss or bite. If the kitten remains calm, grip it securely by the

 nape of the neck, put the towel on your lap and set it on the towel. Stroke

the kitten's body while speaking in soft reassuring tones, then release. Make

this first physical contact brief. Now for a treat, like baby food off a spoon.

 This has won over many ferals. Repeat this process as frequently as possible.

Brushing with a soft pet brush imitates the action of the mother grooming

 the kittens and will help the kitten start to transfer its need to you. It is

 also extremely important for the health of the kitten to remove fleas as

 soon as possible (most feral cats have fleas). Flea combs work great.

Kittens become anemic from flea infestation and can easily fall prey to

 illnesses in this condition. Combing also helps the bonding process.

Never stare at a kitten for a prolonged period. They may take this as

aggression. Try to be on the same level as they are on the floor.

 You look like a giant when you are standing. You might try a toy now.

Perhaps a knee sock tied into a ball or tied to a short stick, for interactive play.

 Remember, you want the kitten to bond with you. I have gone as far as sleeping

 close to the carrier on the floor for a night or two.

3. Confinement in a small room

within five to seven days, the kittens should have settled in, gotten past the

terror stage, and started to bond with you. Every kitten is different. Some come

 around quickly and some are shier. Nothing is set in stone when dealing with

a cat. Now you need to start building up the trust level. You do this by letting

the kitten out of the cat. You will need to confine the kitten to a small room.

This will allow him some freedom and he won't feel so trapped. Remembe

r that before you do this, you will need to kitten-proof the room. This is like

baby-proofing. Make sure it is escape proof, look for climbing hazards, cords

 that can be chewed on, that type of thing.

4. Exposure

As soon as the kitten is no longer responding to you by biting, scratching or hissing,

 it is time to start to expose him to other humans. Ferals tend to bond with one human.

This is fine if you are going to keep the kitten. If you want to adopt the kitten out, it's time

 to make new friends. Do this slowly, one new human at a time. Don't have a

party or you'll undo all the good you have done.

. Adoption

Many people make up applications or contracts for the process of adopting out

 a cat. This is a good idea. You may also want to inspect the home in which the

 kitten will live. Also, always ask for a donation for the kitten. People who get a kitten

 free may not value the kitten as much as they should, or they may want a free kitten

 to sell to a lab. Be careful. You are the only protection the kitten has against a bad owner.

Kittens can be placed at eight weeks if they have become socialized. Temporary

 vaccinations can be given at six weeks and permanent vaccinations from twelve

weeks. I feel strongly that all feral cats should be altered. My own preference is for

 this not to happen before four months. It is traumatic for any cat, but a feral needs

 a little more time to adjust to people before being anesthetized and left to

sleep it off in a strange cage at the vet's office.

When screening prospective new homes, you should look for several things.

Feral kittens will do better in a calm, secure environment where there

are no small children. The ideal home would be one in which you could

 place two kittens together and they would be indoor-only cats.

I have been working with feral cats for about ten

years. I have a colony that I tend to. It has ranged in size from ten to twenty

five cats, with the average being seventeen cats. I have had a few great

success stories, where the cat has found a home and lived happily ever after.

 Unfortunately, many more stories have not-so-happy endings. I call the colony,

 Forlorn Ferals. I built a web site for them, in order to help other feral cats and

 the humans that care about them. I am affiliated with Alliance for Stray

 Animals and People, Washington, DC. Joanna Harkin, the founder of ASAP,

 graciously extended the offer after reading a post I placed, concerning

obtaining nonprofit status for my colony.

The U.S. currently has a population of about sixty to one-hundred

 million feral cats and the shelters and animal control facilities are

 killing approximately six million domestic cats each year.

 A feral female is capable of producing twenty-four to thirty kittens a year.

 These three facts add up to a very large over population problem. Some

 communities have imposed strict laws covering licensing and breeding

of all pets. Some communities, which have done mass euthanasia, just

 find that in a short period, they have the same problem again.

I believe the only humane way of dealing with the problem of feral cat over

population is to establish trap, neuter/spay, release programs.

Non-lethal control is accepted by many well-respected institutions

 and organizations including the American Veterinary Medical Association,

 Cornell, and Tufts University veterinary schools, and the

 Doris Day Animal League. England and Denmark started much

of the work in this field in the early 1970s and where the organization

 Cat Action Trust established extensive spay/neuter services for

caretakers. Other countries, including South Africa and Australia

, have been using the trap-neuter-return (TNR) control method for

 many years. TNR has been implemented successfully time and

again in cities throughout the US.

One must take into account that it is not the cat's fault for all this over

 population. The fault lies with humans, the irresponsible owners,

people that want their children to witness the miracle of birth, the ones

 that think it's nature's way, breeders who are in it only for money, and

people who say, "it's only a cat." As you can no doubt tell, I have a hard

 time dealing with these types of people.

Alley Cat Allies, Washington, DC, and The Feral Cat Coalition, San Diego,

 CA are two of the forerunners in helping ferals. They have supplied much

of the information you have read in this series of articles.

Education, spay-and-neuter clinics, TNR programs for managing feral

 colonies are all ways to help ferals. There are rescue groups and colony

caretakers in all areas that are in need of help. They need people to volunteer

their time, food, supplies, and donations to continue their efforts. If you want

 to help, there are many ways, in which you may do this, including making

sure your own animals are altered and properly taken care of.

This is the last article of this series on feral cats and I'd like to leave you

 with something I hope you will like as much as I did.

A Prayer For All Animals
By Albert Schweitzer

Hear our humble prayer, O God, for our friends the animals,

 especially for animals who are suffering; for any that are hunted

or lost or deserted or frightened or hungry; for all that must be put

 to death. We entreat for them all Thy mercy and pity, and for all

 those who deal with them we ask a heart of compassion and gentle

 hands and kindly words. Make us, ourselves, to be true friends to

 animals and so to share the blessings of the merciful.

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