# Feral cats... dont think im stupid



## ~Kitty~ (Jan 2, 2005)

don't think im stupid...but is a feral cat a cat that has been spayed or neutered??


~Kitty~


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## Zalensia (Aug 25, 2003)

nope
Its a cat which has lived most ofits like/all outside with no human contact.
Many times feral cats are afraid of people and can do damage if you tried to handle them. Feral cats are usually unspayed/nutered because they have no owner, but in places are are spay/release programs. If you see a feral with the tip of one of its ear missing its usually a sign its been fixed and released again. Few ferals calm down to be pets, if they are rescued as kittens they have more chance of becoming handlable


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## ~Kitty~ (Jan 2, 2005)

oh, thanx! why would the tip of the cats ear be missing if the cat was fixed?


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## Zalensia (Aug 25, 2003)

Because with females there are no enternal signs that she has been spayed. Spay release programs do this so they can tell the cat has been spayed.
Once a cat has been spayed soon the scar heals and fur grows back over. I dont think males ears get tipped because when they are fixed it is external what is removed.


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## rosalie (Oct 9, 2003)

I might be wrong and probably it's different in the U.K. but in the States both male and female get ear tipped..it isn't always obvious that a male is neutered, both neutered males at the colony we manage look "all boy" even they though were fixed. One of my kitties looks intact but he isn't,
on the other hand I've had boykitties that were and looked neutered..I quess it's a physical trait.
Some ferals are ear notched instead, same idea but it doesn't work as well as tipping.


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## ~Kitty~ (Jan 2, 2005)

oh, ok, thanx! i must have sounded really stupid:roll: !


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## Purr... (Dec 31, 2004)

Nope you didn't sound stupid if you don't ask questions how are you ever supposed to know?


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