Feral Cats: Predators And Prey

Feral cats come about by abandonment or unclaimed by their owners. These types of cats are classified as community cats. They become aggressive and antisocial to humans; however, some stray cats (formerly owned) may be friendly. Sure as Toms meet Queens, they'll be cats in the cradle. Fertile community female cats mate with free-roaming non-neutered males. They bare kittens in the wild making them naturally feral. According to the ASPCA, feral cats are cats who are poorly socialized to be placed as a typical pet. One may hear of cases of domesticating feral cats, but it takes a lot of patience to do so. Still, too many feral cats can't be tamed or are stuck at lower levels of domestication making them far less suited for adoption. Very young feral kittens may have a chance of being fully domesticated. As a consequence, there are 30 to 40 million community cats in the United States. 

I have observed and intervened feral cats in four neighborhoods and so far I have Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) 12 of them. I brought 1 abandoned kitten to a no-kill shelter, feed 4 neutered ones and own one. My feral cat came with me when I moved to the fourth neighborhood. After four years of trying to earn her trust, she will only allow me to pet her head, back and touch her tail. When needed, I have to pick her up by the scruff of the neck to place her in the carrier __ no harm no foul. She lives on my second floor, front screened-in covered porch because I'm very allergic to cats. Her porch has a heated cat house for the winter and fan for the summer along with other set-ups. I own 1 indoor, spayed domestic cat who is a Savannah/ Maine Coon mix. Before obtaining her, I had held her up to my face and petted her and then wiped my unwashed hands all over my eyes and nose to see if it would trigger my allergy. It hadn't, but my non-allergic reaction doesn't mean that mix of breed is hypoallergenic to people. 

I notice feral cats tend to mosey down their well-trodden paths as if making rounds in their cat world. If they should encounter a person outside a house, they stare at them longingly voicing nudging meows to feed them. Some of them appear normal weight and others under, I guess depending on how well they hunt and/or beg. By day, I had occasionally found around my yard heads of mice, rats, squirrels, lizard's hands or feet and bird feathers as inedible remnants of hunted food. By night, I had run out to the sound of screeching and yowling in hopes of breaking-up catfights before any major injuries would have had occurred. A scratched eye here, bitten ear there, bloody nose scratches and who knew about the damage done to the ones that had disbanded. 

Feral, stray and free-roaming owned cats cause a significant predation impact on the ecosystem, especially to birds.1. Besides preying on wildlife, they too can succumb to predators. To characterize what possums are capable of since they are one of cats' and especially kittens' predators. I have witnessed one rip the flesh out of the neck and chest of a full-grown live chicken. The chicken survived because the brave soul boyfriend of my nurse friend pulled the possum off, and then she and I treated its wounds. For a week or so, she nursed the chicken back to health. Again, to describe what other cats' and especially kittens' predators can do are raccoons. The same nurse friend told me she saw a large raccoon climb a tree with a live chicken and tear it apart to consume. Depending on where feral cats live, they are prey to possums, raccoons, coyotes, cougars, bobcats, alligators, constrictor snakes, or struck by motor vehicles; poisonous snakes and frogs, disease, human cruelty and euthanasia. The life span of feral cats, strays included, is on the average of 5 years versus 12-15 average years of an indoor cat. If the feral/stray lives alone in the wild, the average age is 2-3 years. Seventy-five percent of kittens die or disappear before six months of age.2. 

Feral and stray cats' death rate is high, but their reproductive rate far outweighs their short life span in lessening their population. Female cats can reproduce as young as 4 months old, but usually at 6 months of age. They can become pregnant every 2 to 3 weeks. Their pregnancy duration is 9 weeks or lasting as early as 8 1/2 weeks or as late as 9 1/2 weeks, so it is possible for her to deliver kittens 3 times a year throughout their lives.3. Approximately 3.2 million cats enter animal shelters annually in the United States. ASPCA Shelter Intake and Surrender reports 860,000 of unowned cats (feral included) and unclaimed lost cats enter kill shelters are euthanized per year due to aggressive unadoptable behavior, overcrowded shelters and disease. World Society for the Protection of Animals notes, they mostly use the acceptable use of injection to euthanize, but a few shelters use carbon monoxide poisoning. The symptoms of euthanizing concentrated carbon monoxide in a gas chamber cause suffocation that can induce pain and distress due to shortness of breath (oxygen insufficiency to organs.) Also, shortcuts used to euthanize by injection are inhumane. It is dangerous to put aggressive cats or dogs in a gas chamber together. Gas chambers are not recommended by humane organizations and are banned in certain states, but are still used in some states. 

Trap-Neuter-Return is economically available in reducing the number of community cats. An internet search or ask your veterinarian for local animal clinics that are supported by charities and private donors in making it feasible for low-cost neutering. They may dispatch mobile surgery vans, too, or may be another source to ask what clinic does so as befitting closer to your home. One can borrow a trap from neighbors or some clinics rent them for a fee which is refunded when returned. I didn't pay extra for the cats and kittens to have them vaccinated for rabies and feline distemper. I don't know if all neutering clinics include the vaccines with the neuter discounted fee. The veterinarian also clips the tip of one ear so that people can identify it as a neutered or spayed cat. It's best if the veterinarian at the clinic determine if the feral cat with an unclipped ear has been spayed or neutered because it involves a hands-on examination. Consider a feral cat's short life expectancy and add your actions of Trap-Neuter-Return, both will contribute to lowering the population which in turn lowers the numbers euthanized. Veterinarian studies and articles showed T-N-R and adoption significantly reduced the feral population by around 66 percent. Adoption of tame neutered cats and kittens from shelters and placement of neutered feral cats in barns and warehouses to kill rodents were included in the studies that declined the number of community cats. Shelters also have for adoption a selection of surrendered and unclaimed purebred cats. 

My indoor cat is microchipped due to the nature of cats watching for a security break to the outdoors.  By having an injectable identification microchip implanted under your cat's skin will be an effective way of finding your cat if it should get lost. Lost cats brought to shelters have scanners, also some veterinarian offices and pet supply shops have them, too. They will scan the lost cat for a chip. If so, then they will call the chip manufacturer to contact the owner. Make sure the manufacturer has your updated information on file. Check for your microchip lost cat at nearby shelters too, and post identification photos of your cat on social media and signposts. 

I commend the people who make it possible for owned and unowned cats to be spayed or neutered and/or adopted in the management of providing a humane existence for those who are prey and predators. Kind salutes to those who solely feed them, but remember this; snip the beast or more will come to feast. Still, there are 860,000 of unowned cats (feral cats included) euthanized every year. Thereby more people in the communities are needed to favorably act in reducing their population. 

REFERENCES 

1. Hildreth, Aaron et al, (2010), Feral Cats are a Threat to Native Fauna and Public Health. An Integrated Pest Management (IPM) will help control Feral Cat Populations, 12(April), https://extensionpubs.unl.edu/publication/9000016367320/feral-cats-and-their-management/

2. Indoor Outdoor Cat Life Expectancy, https://www.vetinfo.com/indoor-outdoor-cat-life-expectancy.html