Why do some cat rescues try to rehome feral and semi-feral cats?

HeatherintheHills

pawsies wrote: »

Cats are constantly stressed about being around humans which can't be good? Some volunteers will try to get them used to a home environment but I don't understand why- why not leave them be?

Catch them, neuter them and release them back where they were?

Also stray cats being captured- how do you know they are stray? With the amount of people keeping outdoor cats, anyone could report a 'stray' cat and said cat is taken away. Surely it would be better to neuter and release to same area where the cat is familiar with it's surroundings, knows where to get food etc- if it is a stray.
Unless the cat is a nuisance I don't see why rehoming is best?

If a cat is microchipped it is easy for a re-homing organisation to trace and reunite a stray cat with its owners. I can't think of a good reason why someone who loves their cat wouldn't get it chipped.

Some feral cats don't want to be feral. They want regular food, warmth and comfort but their previous experiences with humans make them to nervous to approach humans to take them in. These cats usually respond well once identified and matched with a patient human they can learn to trust.

Ferals often lose their homes to development. As an example, hundreds of cats were displaced when the Olympic stadium was built, many of them had previously been trapped, neutered and released but their home became a demolition site.

Celia Hammond trapped and rehomed almost 200 cats from the site, but even before she started her rescue campaign dozens of cats (and for the record, thousands of fish!) could be seen heading along the canals leading away from the Olympic site. Many of the friendlier cats found homes with local people (I have one). Read about the Olympic cats HERE. Blackjack, the most elusive of the "feral" Olympic cats turned out to be tame and has a home now.

So the term "feral" doesn't just include cats born wild. Many have started life as pets but had bad experiences and learnt not to trust humans. Some ferals will always be untameable but others, given the chance, are happy being homed, although often on their own terms. It is hard to tell which they are when they are first brought in and only time and patiences identifies which are which. I have an ex feral who could, if she wanted to, live wild again. She has plenty of opportunity and a suitable and safe environment to live in, but happily for me she doesn't much like going beyond the garden. She stays with me on her terms and I accept that. Right now she is fed, flea free, worm free, injury and disease free and is currently demanding that her slave gives her a tummy tickle

bluebeary

semi ferals are the best, our last cat was semi feral and it was hard work at first, but he was a nine week old kitten as well

he grew into the most amazing loving and obedient cat ive ever had, when you called him in of an evening, he used to run faster than a grey hound to come back inside

other cats have paled in comparison to him and given the correct circumstances to rehome another semi feral i would jump at the chance

KateLiana27

My aunt has "adopted" three feral cats who hung around near her house. She trapped them, got them neutered/vaccinated/health checked, then returned them to the outdoors but feeds them daily, has bought them a cat house for shelter, and cares for them when they are sick. So she is to all intents and purposes their owner, but she doesn't try to "domesticate" them (eg cuddle them or bring them inside which they don't like). It's all about providing care on their own terms, which is much better than just leaving them to fend for themselves IMO.

lostinrates

KateLiana27 wrote: »

My aunt has "adopted" three feral cats who hung around near her house. She trapped them, got them neutered/vaccinated/health checked, then returned them to the outdoors but feeds them daily, has bought them a cat house for shelter, and cares for them when they are sick. So she is to all intents and purposes their owner, but she doesn't try to "domesticate" them (eg cuddle them or bring them inside which they don't like). It's all about providing care on their own terms, which is much better than just leaving them to fend for themselves IMO.

The problem is some are too wisem to be trapped, ceratinly a second time. The one wehad pts took ages to cath, ignoring the baited trap, and eventually i caught her because she was so ill she could not move quickly enough. Its a horrid, horrid thing to watch an animal slowly fade away in pain and immense suffering.

Its on their own terms but its not 'kind' even if it is 'natural'

spike7451

HeatherintheHills wrote: »

If a cat is microchipped it is easy for a re-homing organisation to trace and reunite a stray cat with its owners. I can't think of a good reason why someone who loves their cat wouldn't get it chipped.

Some feral cats don't want to be feral. They want regular food, warmth and comfort but their previous experiences with humans make them to nervous to approach humans to take them in. These cats usually respond well once identified and matched with a patient human they can learn to trust.

Ferals often lose their homes to development. As an example, hundreds of cats were displaced when the Olympic stadium was built, many of them had previously been trapped, neutered and released but their home became a demolition site.

Celia Hammond trapped and rehomed almost 200 cats from the site, but even before she started her rescue campaign dozens of cats (and for the record, thousands of fish!) could be seen heading along the canals leading away from the Olympic site. Many of the friendlier cats found homes with local people (I have one). Read about the Olympic cats HERE. Blackjack, the most elusive of the "feral" Olympic cats turned out to be tame and has a home now.

So the term "feral" doesn't just include cats born wild. Many have started life as pets but had bad experiences and learnt not to trust humans. Some ferals will always be untameable but others, given the chance, are happy being homed, although often on their own terms. It is hard to tell which they are when they are first brought in and only time and patiences identifies which are which. I have an ex feral who could, if she wanted to, live wild again. She has plenty of opportunity and a suitable and safe environment to live in, but happily for me she doesn't much like going beyond the garden. She stays with me on her terms and I accept that. Right now she is fed, flea free, worm free, injury and disease free and is currently demanding that her slave gives her a tummy tickle

Exactly the same as ASSISI ferals.We worked with Flossie,the one I mentioned above that was kept in a garage,every day but to no avail,sad as she's such a loverly cat.Edmund,the long haired B&W one,took ages for him to let me stroke him,thing that done it was a feed of some greasy fresh roast chicken.:D
A couple of the cats,like Dorothy (the one with the folded ear) is 15 years old & been there since she was 5 months.They are all well looked after,they have plenty of human contact with myself & other volunteers & they want for nothing.






Top down;

Dorothy,Edward,Edward & Edmund,Esther.

HeatherintheHills

Mayflower10cat wrote: »

In the six years we've lived in this cottage, we've been feeding (and watching over) a ginger 'feral' cat that appears in the garden at dinner time. At first he would vanish when we opened the back door with food but after about 6 months he'd wait nervously in the shrubbery until we went back inside. After a year, he'd wait for his dinner and not run away when we put the bowl down. Finally my husband couldn't resist giving him a tiny stroke..... which he just about allowed. After three years we could stroke him a little whilst he ate and if we were very quiet sitting out in the garden, he might approach us and sit not far from our feet. We also spotted he was neuteured. It's taken a long time and he's still not very tame! I have several friends who do rescue work and I've asked all of them what is the best thing to do - they all said; is he safe where he is, are you going to continue feeding him and if he needed veterinary attention would you be able to get him in a cage??? The answer to all these is, yes. For now. So, we've left things as they are for now. There's a large patch of waste ground behind our garden which then leads onto a farm with old barns etc. (The cat isn't a farm cat, though he might take shelter there). Outline planning permission has been granted to build on this land and it's only a matter of a year perhaps, before full consent is given and the land is built upon. This is what worries us - what will happen when this poor cats territory vanishes.

Only a few weeks ago, I was approached by a lady who used to live in our lane and she was asking about the ginger cat who used to sit in her garden? It turned out this poor old cat used to belong to a neighbour of hers - this neighbour moved house and left the ginger cat behind as 'he wasn't getting on with her other cats........'

Well, we worm him and de-flea him as and when we can/when he'll permit. I can only imagine him being happy as a farm cat and if/when the land at the back is built on (the barns are being knocked down), we'll try very hard to find a farm to take him on. A local tree surgeon just might, MIGHT, be persuaded to add him to his farm. It's just so sad to know he was abandoned deliberately. It hurts me to know that people can do that, quite easily.

Mayflower, I've been thinking about your ginger boy's situation. It is possible, just possible, that when the disruption starts and his den and hunting ground are destroyed he may head for where he feels next safest, and that could be with you.

If you are happy to offer him a home, if he so chooses, maybe put in a cat flap to the house or give him a box and blanket in a shed or something? Leave things be and see what he does and let him get on with it without interference, as long as he is safe. Cats do tend to be very aware of which side their bread is buttered and act accordingly.

It'd be great if you could let us know what happens.

Spike, those cats are little beauties. well done putting in so much time with them and ensuring they are safe and well :T

Mayflower10cat

HeatherintheHills wrote: »

Mayflower, I've been thinking about your ginger boy's situation. It is possible, just possible, that when the disruption starts and his den and hunting ground are destroyed he may head for where he feels next safest, and that could be with you.

If you are happy to offer him a home, if he so chooses, maybe put in a cat flap to the house or give him a box and blanket in a shed or something? Leave things be and see what he does and let him get on with it without interference, as long as he is safe. Cats do tend to be very aware of which side their bread is buttered and act accordingly.

It'd be great if you could let us know what happens.

Some years ago we put a catflap on one of our sheds and put boxes and blankets up on an old sideboard that lives in there - we showed it to the ginger boy (we call him Buster) but as far as I can tell he's not used it!!!! We have three cats (2 were rescues) and it's fair to say they just about 'tolerate' Buster being in their garden at feeding time - but they don't like him. I also think he's content with the way things are and at the moment he's safe. He can be unpredictable and will lash out if he thinks you've taken a liberty - and this is after six years of us being careful and gentle, not approaching him too quickly etc. He's come a long way, from the first time I spotted him late one night as the security light was triggered - jumping up onto the bird table to eat lumps of raw pastry and stale bits of bread , to his own (large!) bowl of cat food every evening with a few bits of fresh chicken on top.......! Thanks for asking about him - poor cat deserved a much better life than he's been forced into.

spike7451

This is Flossie,this is the closest we can get to her,she never comes out of the box when people are in the cage & huddles at the back if you approach her...

Flossie;


Daisy,the crazy one..


Edward,Edmund & Kayla.

Gloomendoom

I have a workshop on a farm populated by numerous rescued feral cats. I'm not sure where the farmer gets them from but they are all neutered or spayed. They prefer the company of the farm dogs to humans. I have only got near to two of them once. I was eating fish and chips in my workshop and the pair actually came inside. I can only assume that, in a past life, fish and chips was a part of their diet.

Sunnyday

Love your pics spike!

We have a semi feral that we adopted from a rescue a long time ago, she is twelve now and we've had her since she was around 6 months old.

She is a real character and an absolute varmint

She is nothing at all like our previous cats and we have had a few of those, all of them have been rescues too.

Now that she's ageing she will actually come and demand a fuss every now and again and will purr - the purring is a fairly recent thing but she has changed drastically over the years and is now very manageable.

She hates strangers in the house and will disappear for hours if we have visitors, she will not tolerate anyone apart from myself and hubs and she torments our hound on purpose :rotfl:

She has known all 7 of our rescue doggies and is easily the boss in our home lol, i don't know what i would do without her tbh she is such a little character. When we went to collect her she lived outside in a cage that had been built around a huge tree and it took quite a while for her to be caught, i have lots of good and amusing memories from the early years and would not hesitate to home another semi feral. She is a fantastic addition to our family.

I have recently found this and as i can't find a thread about it i will start a new one, i hope that people will sign the petition to stop this cruelty.

Thanks peeps

SD