What constitutes "feral"?

**sirrahved** · 11-01-2005, 11:16 AM

We've got this beautiful American Curl that has been lurking in our neighborhood.
I've heard he "belongs" to one of the neighbors. He freaks out whenever people are near and often will start spraying if I get too close.

Is it that he is not taken care of? Is that what causes this? Or could he just "go wild" when outside. Is there such a thing as semi-feral?

This cat is GORGEOUS! I wouldn't let him roam the streets if he were mine.

I will post pics as soon as I can get him to pose without running away!

**K & L** · 11-01-2005, 11:44 AM

Feral means "gone wild." Feral cats can be the offspring of stray or abandoned domestic cats who have reverted to a wild state. They can also be the offspring of feral cats who have lived in a wild state for some generations. Finally, they can be domestic cats that have run off, or have been abandoned, or have "gone feral" meaning "gone wild." Sometimes a domesticated cat seems feral until it learns to trust you.

**Jessika** · 11-01-2005, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by K & L

Feral means "gone wild." Feral cats can be the offspring of stray or abandoned domestic cats who have reverted to a wild state. They can also be the offspring of feral cats who have lived in a wild state for some generations. Finally, they can be domestic cats that have run off, or have been abandoned, or have "gone feral" meaning "gone wild." Sometimes a domesticated cat seems feral until it learns to trust you.

Also they have had extremely little to NO human contact their entire lives. Some have never even SEEN a human before.. right?

**catmandu** · 11-01-2005, 01:23 PM

You have to be careful,as there are Feral Cats who come up and eat,and there are Cats that techically are someones,but are let loose to roam.
Or leave the House when things get too noisy,and cant stand thier people.
I would leave food,for the Curl,just in case he truly needs the food,and is an abandoned Pet.

**Catsnclay** · 11-01-2005, 01:47 PM

I can't believe someone would let a Pedigree cat roam wild

But then again "some people....."

My understanding of "feral" meant they were born in the wild (or in a park, abandon house, etc.) and have had little or no human contact.

Now, as we all know from Lisa on this board, not all feral's are *wild* and afraid of humans

And not everyone knows this, sometimes at shelters if a cat is tagged "feral" they usually give up on them

and are put down because they are feral.

Hope this answers your question.

If this were me, I would find a way to trap this guy and make him my own!!

**sirrahved** · 11-01-2005, 02:00 PM

It just seems to me that if he were someone's that he would not be so afraid. If I talk to him from fifty feet away he will stop to talk to me. Any closer and he runs away, spraying objects he comes to. Is this an unfair assumption?

Lol mom, if you're out there, didn't you want a curl?

**K & L** · 11-01-2005, 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by sirrahved

It just seems to me that if he were someone's that he would not be so afraid. If I talk to him from fifty feet away he will stop to talk to me. Any closer and he runs away, spraying objects he comes to. Is this an unfair assumption?

Lol mom, if you're out there, didn't you want a curl?

Some cats will avoid you, even if they are domesticated, until you've earned their trust. Just like when you get company and some cats run and hide from them, and some will socialize with them. Start giving this cat wet food treats and if it's tame you'll have his trust in no time. This should tell you.

**Soapets** · 11-01-2005, 11:04 PM

If he's spraying, and running wild, it seems to me that maybe he hasn't been neutered, and that may have something to do with his actions. Does his "owner" use him for breeding purposes? Do you know who his "owners" are? This sounds like a good candidate to just go "POOF" some night, and then his "owners" will never have to know what happened!

Deb