Hiss, Spit, Scratch, Growl!

formerly feral....

During our unusually manic 'kitten season' in 2008, we took in several litters of feral kittens. It was my first encounter of caring for these very special characters and I found it so unexpectedly rewarding as well as exhausting and demading! Anyone considering adopting a kitten, or even fostering kittens, should not be reluctant to consider ferals or former ferals. At the end of the day, these kittens were just born away from human contact and are understandably fearful. They didn't ask for it to be that way and as an adopter of one former hissy, spitty, ball of rage - I can assure you that they often make the most loving and friendly young cats. This is what Wikipedia has to say about feral cats: 'A feral cat is an unowned and untamed cat separated from domestication. Feral cats are born in the wild and may take a long time to socialize or may be abandoned or lost pets that have become wild. A stray cat (or alley cat), though unowned, still exhibits temperament similar to that of a pet. In popular usage, these terms are sometimes used interchangeably. Adult feral cats that were never socialized with humans can rarely be socialized. Feral kittens can sometimes be socialized to live with humans. The ideal time for capture is between six and eight weeks of age. Taming at this age may take only a couple of days. Older kittens can be tamed, but it takes longer. Also, an older kitten may bond only with the person working with him or her, which can make adoption difficult but not impossible. Feral cats may live alone but are usually found in large groups called feral colonies. The average life span of a feral cat that survives beyond kittenhood is about two years, while an indoor domestic housecat lives an average of 14 to 20 years' That there is the science bit! I want to share some of my experiences, and that of my fellow fosterers, with you and also show you some testimonials from people who adopted former feral kittens. Sometimes you just have to say the word feral and people are instantly put off! I want to change that. Use the links below to go to the different pages

Contact us if you've taken on a formerly feral kitten/ cat and help us promote these underdogs (undercats?!)

Joanne fosterer and branch cat co-ordinator