Stray cats are likely to be: without an ear tip - won't have their ear 'tipped', even if they have been neutered. appear near houses - either in people's gardens or near homes. microchipped - if they are a missing pet, they may have a microchip. recent in their appearance, looking lost and disorientated.
Cats that have a warm, dry home are more likely to be clean and well groomed, while disheveled fur or marks on the face are signs of a hard life. Meowing or following: Does the cat anxiously follow you or other people around. Does it meow as though it needs something?
Socialized cats are fully domesticated and comfortable around humans, while feral cats have had little to no human contact and are basically wild animals. Semi-feral cats fall somewhere in between. They tend to avoid being touched, but may vocalize when around humans or even make eye contact.
When Cats Roam, How Far Do They Go? The roaming territory of the average domestic cat can vary, with males tending to seek a larger territory than females. Male wanderers tend to stay within a territory of about 150 acres, while females stay closer to home, roaming only about 40 acres.
On average, it turned out that the cats spent a vast majority (79%) of their time outdoors while being just 50 meters or less away from home, with the maximum average distance being around 352 meters. There were exceptions, some of whom event traveled several kilometers away, but these were far outside the norm.
The word “feral” is used to define a cat that lives outdoors, is not socialized to people, and essentially does not belong to anyone. Feral cats are the result of a domestic cat being abandoned or lost and left to fend for itself.
Stray cats could be vocal – you could hear them meowing and could respond to your voice while feral cats won't meow, beg or respond. Stray cats are active during the day while feral cats are primarily nocturnal. Stray cats could look dirty and disheveled but feral cats could have a clean, well-kept coat.
Stray cats are often wary of human contact. They may hide from you, run away when you try to pet them, or bite if you're too rough. If your new cat is skittish or aggressive at first, allow him time to adjust by letting it sniff around the house before interacting.
Taking in a stray cat is a great way to adopt a new pet that otherwise may never have a good home. Before you decide to adopt the pet as your own, make sure that it doesn't have an owner. If the cat doesn't have a home, vaccinate it, treat any injuries or illnesses, and then slowly introduce it to your home.
The vet can then try to find an owner, or may have an arrangement with a local rehoming centre that can take the cat in after treatment. If the cat runs away, there's little you can do, other than keep an eye on out for lost cat posters and on social media in case someone is looking for their cat.
Indoor or outdoor cats can be found outside under decks, on rooves, under parked cars, in tall trees, dense bushes or in drains.
Their first instinct is to find a place to hide. If they have ever escaped before they will run the same direction and go the same place they did before (even if it was years ago). Cats will usually stay within a 3-4 house radius from where they went out as long as they can find a place to hide within that area.
Stray cats who are unafraid of humans tend to be much more visible and vocal than feral ones. Some strays seek companionship and shelter in a colony, but many will look to humans to provide for them. To eat, these outdoor cats will hunt small game, pick through garbage, raid dog food dishes, and beg from humans.
Community cats aren't homeless. Their home is the outdoors, and just like you, they don't want to be taken from their homes. While you might have the time and resources to dedicate to adopting out a socialized community cat, unsocialized cats, also called feral cats, never belong indoors.
However, most stray cats remember that humans feed them and try to stay near homes, carports, and other areas where people concentrate.
Cats are nocturnal, which means they are active at night. They like to hunt, eat and sleep during that time. Cats also have a strong sense of smell and can detect prey up to 4 miles away in the air! Cats have mighty jaws and sharp teeth when hunting their prey.
The Life Expectancy of an 'Outdoor Cat'
While cats kept safe inside generally live for about 12 to 20 years, cats left to fend for themselves outdoors are usually dead before they reach 5 years old. If they're not hit by vehicles—the most common cause of death for cats allowed outside—they succumb to other dangers.
A cat's desire to roam the “jungle” outside can be traced back to their distant ancestors. Whether strolling a fence line, lounging on a roof, hunting for birds or mice, or prowling their ever expanding territory, how safe is your feline friend when left outdoors?
Before you let your cat out, feed him at the same times every day and call to him when his dinner is ready. When you let him outside for the first time, let him out just before his meal time and use the same call to entice him back inside. He'll be keen to return if he's hungry.
Some people believe that letting cats go outside gives them a better quality of life. But most experts agree that staying indoors is the healthier choice for cats. If you want to give your cat the best of both worlds, you can try leash-training your kitty with a specially designed cat harness to help keep them safe.
For some cats, yes! As mentioned earlier, kittens need other kittens/cats to interact with and develop, cats in the wild find each other and often share resources. Cats are social creatures by nature. The reason we say only some cats get lonely is because many have solitary survival instincts that kick in as an adult.
Cats do often 'go walkabout' for days or even weeks at a time. They are incredibly good at looking after themselves and are more than capable of hunting, scavenging or otherwise getting hold of food. They frequently find shelter under buildings, in sheds, under cars or even in well meaning people's homes.