# Feral



## 22Raiynee22 (Aug 13, 2004)

What is a feral cat? i've heard of it but i just can't figure out what it is?


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## emrldsky (Aug 31, 2004)

dictionary.com: 

fe·ral (fîrl, fr-)
adj.

1.
1. Existing in a wild or untamed state.
2. Having returned to an untamed state from domestication.
2. Of or suggestive of a wild animal; savage: a feral grin.


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## 22Raiynee22 (Aug 13, 2004)

*.*

ooohhhhhhhhh, thankz so much! lol now i get it :lol:


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## rosalie (Oct 9, 2003)

Also erroneusly called stray cat 
A stray cat is not a feral cat..they are very different; a stray cat is a cat that belonged to somebody once and for any reason got lost 
They are much easier to adopt because they are looking for a home and they'll recognize people's ways; although it might take sometime to remember.
I learnt that last year when the white kitty in my avatar "adopted" us..I used to think she was a feral, now I believe she was an stray.

A feral on the other hand was born in the wild, ie; a stray or a feral had kittens in your backyard..mama will teach them to fend for themselves and distrust humans, if they don't come into contact with people, not just seeing them but being handled, fed, etc by the time they are 4 months they'll be very difficult to tame..a 6 mo. old still can be tamed, just takes a lot of time, patience and TLC.


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## lotocats (May 5, 2003)

*Thanks*

Thanks Rosalie for explaining the difference between stray and feral. Most people think they are one in the same. Sometimes I'll be talking to someone about a feral and they say "oh, you mean a stray," and then I have to correct them or I should say, educate them.


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## rosalie (Oct 9, 2003)

You're welcome lotsocats  ..yes, many people think they are the same. Another myth is that farm or rather barn cats are housecats, outdoor tame cats. Technically they are owned ferals or ferals that live in somebody's property. Also called working cats (keep the place rodent free)
Store cats (same job sometimes) are ussually tame cats; some places use ferals but not often. And they are fewer than the cats kept in a barn
Alley cats are both stray and feral.
From them on the distinction between feral and tame cat gets blurry;
semi feral, semi tame, etc.


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## 22Raiynee22 (Aug 13, 2004)

*.*

Wow, Rosalie that's great info, i never knew half of that 8O Thankz!


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## rosalie (Oct 9, 2003)

..keep educating people 22Raynee22, that 'll help the kitties and all of us.
I take it you run into confusing people too_the ones that later will call a stray a feral, etc..I do all the time :roll: oh-well, as long as the word gets out.
Did I post a site that has a feral cat brochure to give out? I think so, if not I will..
Take care,


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## 22Raiynee22 (Aug 13, 2004)

*.*

I run into a whole lotta people who confuse "wild cats" with strays. all of my family calls an u owned cat a wild cat that can't be tamed, which isn't true and frustrates the heck outta me because there's a difference! 8O I'm going to print the brochure out and see if i can't post it up in some places to help out. At least it'll help a lil :wink:


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