Don’t fear the ferals – this is how you can help take care of them

Feral cats roam around in the streets, in neighbourhoods and parking lots in various town and cities in South Africa.

Most feral cats were born in the wild. Some search for any last scrap of food daily to survive. People’s perception of feral cats is that they are dangerous, and a pest that should be “taken care of”. This cannot be further from the truth; these felines are our friends, and need our assistance. According to one of Potchefstroom’s regular feral colony caretakers, Roxanne*, these feral cats have a basic need for food and water.

“It is a lifetime commitment to care for feral cats. I spend around an hour and a half daily to feed feral cats from various colonies around town. It’s really amazing to see how an extremely wild and feral group of cats get used to you over time. Now, their tails are up and they come to the feeding spot eagerly,” states Roxanne.

She also adds that neutering is the first step in controlling feral cat populations.

Feral cats are usually born and raised in a colony on their own. They can be tamed, but it takes real time and effort. Even if these cats differ from a domesticated house cat, it does not mean they don’t deserve attention. There have been countless stories of ferals who have warmed up to their caregivers.

“One of the most important aspects are not to separate the kittens from their mother. If you catch the mother, it’s important to catch all the kittens too.”

According to Roxanne*, it is important to call your nearest shelter or animal welfare clinic to help catch a feral cat with the correct equipment. “If you try to catch a feral cat, they will get away and this will make it that much harder to catch them the next time. They will just scatter,” she adds.

“People also need to realise that feral cats are more scared of us than we should be of then. They are not used to humans. They can get used to living with a family, but it takes a lot of time, patience, food and love.

Benefits of feral cats:

• Feral cats (sterilised) give people a sense of purpose, having to feed them daily.
• Cats help to decrease loneliness among people.
• TNR (trapping, neutering and returning) programmes helps to create community involvement and community-based activities.
• These cats also control rodent populations without using rat poison.
• A medically treated, healthy and sterilised feral cat will help to keep sick feral cats out of the colony.

How to assist feral cats in your area:

• One of the most important aspects to remember is the TNR acronym. TNR stands for trapping, neutering and returning.
• This TNR programme goes a long way in ensuring that feral cat populations are kept in check and the existing cats can be provided for. For instance, a colony of 20 cats can be cared for much easier than an ever-growing population.
• The most important aspect is to identify the female cats. They need to be trapped, neutered and released.
• One of the major problems of feral cats is the increase in numbers because they are not spayed and neutered.
• The public can help by supporting local shelters and caregivers who spend hours feeding feral cats and creating a loving atmosphere for these fur babies.

How to approach a feral cat:

• Feral cats are difficult to approach and trust will need to be gained.
• The best time to feed cats is from sundown and in the evenings. They are then more likely to be “on the hunt” for food.
• Place a bowl of food or water in the feral cats’ roaming area. It can be wet or dry food or a combination of both.
• Once the cats let their guard down, approach slowly and softly with no sudden movements. Use a soft voice to attract the cat’s attention. This could take a couple of days.
• Let the cat come to you – let it make the final approach.
• A cat that rubs against you will want to show their friendship and newly gained trust – this could take several weeks, though.
• Also know why you are helping feral cats. Is it to help the cat (neuter/spay), or to be a constant provider of food and water.
• The cats will eventually warm up to you as a caregiver. Cats work on a routine, and it is important to keep that routine. Your relationship with the cats will also grow.
• Depending on the level of trust, you can decide to take a cat home if they are comfortable being domesticated.

* Roxanne* is a pseudonym given to the feral cat carer interview for this article. The person chose not to be identified.