Feral cats are the result of female domestic cats that are either lost or abandoned mating with unneutered male cats, when the kittens are born they don't get handled and socialised so are very nervous of human contact. This situation is usually the start of another feral cat colony.

The best way of controlling the number of cats in a feral colony is to trap the cats and neuter them, they can them be returned to the colony. They are "ear-tipped" during the neutering which is the removal of the very tip of usually the left ear so the cat can easily be identified as having been neutered. The colony numbers are then controlled and will eventually reduce in size. The cats will be healthier and can then be fed and monitored.

If the kittens are trapped they can be tamed but the younger the kittens start to be socialised the easier the process is. Adult feral cats can sometimes be tamed but this can be a very slow process and they usually remain very timid. Another option is to rehome them to farms, stables and smallholdings etc.


For more information please visit the following sites:

Cats Protection
Celia Hammond Animal Trust
Feral Cat Care
Feral Cats
Cat77