Feral Cat Survival?

Question

I just wanted to know what you guys know about this because there is a feral cat in my area.
How do feral cats survive in the wild? Where do they get their food and water? Where do they find shelter in the winter? And what is your advice as to how to care for them (i.e. should I be feeding it?)
Thanks!

I live in a college dorm so I can't keep it. It's just a kitten and I have seen the mother around, but the kitten is the only one that eats the food I give. I live right by a major street so I want it to be safe and the only shelter in town euthanizes cats so....

Answer 1

Surprising as many people find it, cats used to be wild. They live off bords, rats, mice and what people leave out for them in kindness. Being feral they will sek shelter where they can find it.
Why not (if you can afford it) catch the cat, have it spayed or fixed, and release it so it cannot breed more ferals? They also do not have shots against various things so they normally catch diseases from each other so their lifespan is dramatically reduced.
If all you can do is to feed it, and cannot afford to have anything else done, I would say feed it. If it gets used to you and starts coming to you, why not consider taking over ownership of it, take it off to the vet and getting it sorted, out? That way there is one less feral, and they would live a longer life.

Answer 2

One of my cats that I have now was boderline feral when I adopted him. He came from a cat hoarder, that had dozens of cats running around. They were not use to humans, and when I came to pick him up, he literally had to be trapped.

I couldn't-not adopt him, as it was sad he had to live that way. He was a kitten then, and now he is 3. He is extremely scared of anything and everything, but turned out to be a very sweet cat. In the beginning I got a few scratches from him, being I was someone who he could not trust. But now I am the only person he is comfortable around.

Outdoor feral cats get food and water from rain, and other moist weather. They eat either what they can find rummaging through garbages, or by hunting other smaller animals.

In the winter, it is possible for feral homeless cats to survive, but it is not likely if it is in a colder area, ie; california would be o.k. but a snowy place like minnesota could be deadly, as they may not be able to substain enough body heat to survive, even with minimal shelter, such as a crawlspace under someone's porch.

If the cat is caught, it's likely to be put to sleep if it seems aggressive. I disagree with most shelters choices, and believe time and care will and can change a cat. If you're a cat lover at heart, and have a warm spot and also room in your home, I say try to rescue it. You can take it in to get it's vital shots. There are low-cost clinics that provide cheap vaccinations, and even places that will charge depending on your income. Meaning, you'll pay a fraction of the price is you don't have a lot of funds.

Good luck though, and I hope the kitty finds a warm place this winter. :)

Answer 3

Although great hunters, feral cats survive more so on scavenging in suburban areas, IE dumpsters, trashcans etc, and if they are fortunate, kind hearted people who put out food to feed them. I think its wonderful that you want to care for this feral and feed them, but as others have mentioned, you REALLY need to find out if there are any groups around your way that perform TNR, or maybe you could humanely trap and have the cat fixed yourself. The only problem with feeding the feral cat is that you soon create a perfect breeding area for this feral cat. I know first hand what happens when you start feeding one intact feral. (long story short, I had to TNR four cats, the mother and her grown litter, then luckily was able to catch 3 kittens while they were baby's and took them to a no kill shelter for adoption).
Feeding the feral is a very kind thing to do, but having the cat fixed first, then always feed it is probably the kindest thing anyone can do for a wild feral cat.
Lastly, even though this cat may appear to be wild and feral, no matter what others may say, there is always the possibility that they can be tamed and make a domesticated house pet. Ive had success with one so far. If you consistently feed this feral on a regular basis, they will quickly start to trust you and depend on you!! Good luck and bless you for your kindness.

Answer 4

They survive by getting into garbage cans/bags & eating the food, or someone is feeding them. Their water could come from puddles or nearby streams. I'm not sure where they take shelter at. My guess is somewhere that's closed in. Like under a porch, a car port or under bushes. You could put food and water out if you'd like, it would be nice =O) And could save you the aggravation of cleaning up a torn up garbage bag and it's contents. Feral cats can be domesticated if you're looking into doing that, but adult ones could be hard to do. It's alot easier when their pretty young. That's how we got our kitty. She's the sweetest. If all else fails, and you really want to help, try and trap it then call animal control. They'll clean it up, spay neuter it, then find it a real home. But be sure to call an organization that doesn't euthenize! (I think Animal Friends is one of those)

Good luck!

Answer 5

Cats quickly revert to their "pre installed" wild instincts if they are left unattended for to long. The are very adaptable creatures and will survive quite well in the wild, they have keen hunting abilities not unlike the larger cats such as lions too, a feral cat is more likely to get shot at or hit by a car than starve or die from lack of food and water. I read somewhere that domestic cats are classed as wild animals, there is a lot of truth in this, they are the most independent of all the household pets.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

Where they get their food and shelter depends on the resources available in your area. Some hunt but I think mostly they scavenge.

If you feed them, they will congregate around your house. You can get a pretty large cat colony fairly quickly just by feeding them.. Personally, I would see if there are any groups in the area who do trap and release programs. What these do is trap the cats humanely, spay or neuter them, and return the healthy cats back where they came from. Ferals rarely make good pets but any kittens who are trapped are often put into foster homes and any very ill cats are usually put to sleep so they don't suffer.

Answer 8

Ditto on fluffy_a answer. I used to carry mail for a living and have seen a number of feral cats in the area. The tragic thing about it is that they often become targets of abuse (much like homeless people do). Once trapped and spayed or neutered, they can become a colorful addition to the neighorhood w/o adding to the problem. Thet're great at keeping the rodent population in control.

Answer 9

You can feed it if you like... it's your choice.

Feral cats survive by searching in garbage, catching rodents and also birds. Same thing a person would likely do if they had no other alternative.

P.S. Feral cats do not "Often" have rabies....

Answer 10

Do NOT feed the feral cats. They carry diseases and also infect other household cats. Feral cats survive by
*people feeding them
*garbage
*food thrown out
*whatever they can find

Shelter: wherever they can go and get in/under to stay warm.

When you see them, you should call the local Humane society or the local animal patrol and have them trapped and removed.

Oftern they have rabies. You don't want that- it is ususallly fatal.