ASBO Cats….

I have a fair few friends in feline rescue, and recently, I seem to be hearing about a rise in feral colonies in this country. One of the main things regularly remarked upon, is that it’s impossible to tame a feral.

I know that’s not true.  Yes, with adults it is infinitely harder and sometimes I’ll admit that the cat is so used to being left to their own devices that the kindest way to help them is to trap, neuter and release ensuring there is a regular food and water source with accessible shelter should it be needed.

But if it’s possible, feral cats caught as kittens can most certainly adapt to living in a home environment.

Cats born in the wild are more likely to be less trusting of humans. And so, catching ferals as kittens and socialising them in a patient fashion is key to turning around their lives and giving them a better chance of being in a home where they’ll receive the love and warmth they deserve.

Feral cats have got rather a bad reputation (hence the title) and the reason for this is that because they aren’t given neutering operations which would adapt their behaviour to their surroundings; their instincts are infinitely stronger and they have to act on them.

When someone complains about a lot of cats messing in their garden, it’s highly likely the area is a built up section with many entire cats sharing the space. This means their programming tells them to scent mark their territory in the strongest way possible; so they resort to middening and spraying.

Again, when people talk about the amount of noise made by a feral cat; be it noise produced from mating or fighting behaviour, it’s all to do with them working predominantly on their instincts. Without people performing TNR, the situation gets worse for not just the cats, but also for the people that they share their space with.

Returning back to my earlier point, given the chance a feral kitten can happily become a very definite member of the family if care is given to help them adapt.  So the next time you notice a lot of cats locally to you, consider the best way to initiate a TNR scheme – everyone benefits in the long run.

Bobby, a young man caught from a feral colony

dispelling the myth that ferals can’t adapt….

(Bobby’s fosterer is covered by Lina’s Derby Cat Rescue who ensured all appropriate checks and veterinary requirements were met before he went to his new home. To learn more about the colony he came from, check out The Holmewood Hobos on Facebook.)