Feral Cats

If you have found cats living outside and you are concerned, the first thing to do is to determine whether the cat has a home. You can do this by asking around the neighbourhood and checking the cat for a collar. Also note whether the cat seems healthy and well fed.

If you have seen the cat on many occasions and have determined that it is currently homeless, the next thing to determine is whether the cat is feral or stray. Sometimes cats are mistakenly labeled as feral when they are actually a lost or abandoned pet. Below are some guidelines to help you with this:

Total feral: A cat that has been raised with no human contact. Will not eat in front of you, completely averse to human contact, may or may not hiss, spit, or lunge when cornered. Stays as far away from you as possible. Will bite, freeze, urinate or defecate if attempt to pick up. Cannot handle or touch at all.

Semi-feral: Semi-ferals are cats who were feral but have had some positive human contact. They may eat in front of you, and may react in a slightly positive way to human contact but still cannot be picked up or easily handled.

Stray: A stray cat once had a home but is now homeless for one reason or another. It will usually look disheveled as it is not used to caring for itself on the street. May have some aggression at first due to stress but will usually settle within a few days and enjoy human contact. Can be skittish and wary of strangers but will usually eat food right away when offered. If you find a stray cat you should bring it to the shelter so it can find a new home.

If you think the cat is feral:

• It is likely part of a colony in the area. Since adult ferals are not good candidates to be tamed and adopted into homes, the best thing for the cat is TTVARM (trap-test-vaccinate-alter-release-maintain). For this reason, we have a program at The Toronto Humane Society that offers free spay/neuter, vaccination, and FIV/FeLV testing for feral cats. All you have to do is make an appointment through our admissions department, please speak to the Society’s Operator at 416-392-2273. Use a humane trap to catch the cat and bring it to us, pick it up the next day, and re-release it to the area. Each cat must return to the exact same area it was found in because if the cat is released into another colony’s territory it may be attacked. Remember: Before working with any colony you must make sure your tetanus shot is up to date.

• If there are any kittens in the colony (less than 12 weeks old) they can be brought to the shelter for socialization and adoption. The best age to bring them in 5-8 weeks old since they are no longer dependant on mom, but are still young enough to be tamed.

• It is also helpful if you maintain the colony after you have had all the cats altered. The cats benefit greatly from having someone watch over them – they get food and shelter and care if they have any serious medical problems. These kitties also sometimes need protection from people who may try to harm them.

• The Toronto Humane Society has information available on many subjects including:

  • How to care for a feral cat colony.

  • How to talk to neighbours, or others who think the cats are a nuisance, solutions for common complaints.

  • Feral cat medical issues.

Please speak to the Society’s Operator at 416-392-2273 for information on booking a spay/neuter appointment for a feral cat.