Understanding Feral Cat Behavior & Habits

Let’s discuss understanding feral cat behavior…

Have you ever come across a feral cat and wondered why they behave the way they do?

Feral cats are a unique and fascinating part of the feline world, with their own set of behaviors and social structures.

Understanding feral cat behavior can help us better care for these cats and appreciate their place in the world.

In this blog post, we’ll explore what makes feral cats different from their domesticated counterparts and what we can do to help them thrive.

Table of Contents show

Understanding Feral Cat Behavior

A feral cat is a domestic cat that has gone feral or lives mostly in the wild, typically as a result of being born to stray or abandoned cats.

Unlike stray cats, which are accustomed to human interaction and may have been pets at some time, feral cats have had little or no socialization with humans and are often wary and unsociable.

Feral cats frequently establish colonies in cities, suburbs, and rural regions, where they scrounge for food and seek shelter.

They may seek safety in abandoned houses, alleyways, or other secluded areas. To live, these cats rely on instinctive activities such as hunting for food and establishing territories.

Because feral cats have not been socialized with humans, they are apprehensive of human interaction and may display defensive or aggressive behavior if approached.

They often shun direct human interaction and prefer to keep their distance.

Common Feral Cat Behavior

Here are the most common feral cat behaviors and their potential meanings:

Hissing – This is a sign of aggression, fear, or distress. A hissing cat is warning you to back off.
Growling – Like hissing, growling indicates that a cat is feeling threatened or angry.
Arching the back – An arched back is a defensive posture meant to make the cat look bigger and more threatening.

Swishing tail – A swishing tail usually indicates irritation or that a cat is preparing to attack.
Ears lying flat – Flattened ears indicate a defensive or aggressive mood.
Biting – Biting is a last resort for a frightened or aggressive cat. Try to avoid causing this reaction.

Spraying urine – Un-neutered tomcats and some females spray urine to mark territory.
Hiding – Hiding is a natural reaction for a frightened cat. Give them space and time to adjust.
Excessive grooming – Compulsive grooming can indicate stress, anxiety, or a medical issue.

Overly vocal – Incessant meowing could mean a cat is seeking attention, is in pain, or has developed a vocalization disorder.
Aggression toward other cats – Competition for resources and territoriality can lead to aggression between cats.
Anorexia – A loss of appetite can be an indication of stress, illness, or a depression-like state in cats.

Destructive behaviors – Chewing, clawing, over-grooming, and other destructive behaviors can be a symptom of anxiety or under-stimulation.
Lack of interaction – If a normally social cat becomes withdrawn, it could indicate illness (physical or behavioral).

Social Structure of Feral Cat Colonies

Feral cat colonies often exhibit complex social structures, female cats form the core of the colony, with complex matriarchal hierarchies based on age, reproductive status, and dominance.

Younger female cats tend to give way to older females or mothers, and dominant females tend to occupy central and optimal locations within the colony.

Male cats have more peripheral and transient roles, often forming looser subgroups.

The key factors maintaining social cohesion in colonies are mutual grooming, communal resting, and sleeping areas, and defense of territory.

Feral cat colonies tend to be female-centered, and cooperative, and serve functions like reproduction, predation, shelter, and socialization of kittens.

Reproduction and Mating Behavior of Feral Cats

Feral cats have similar reproductive and mating behaviors as domestic cats. Some key points:

Female cats become sexually mature at around 4-6 months old and enter heat cycles usually twice per year. They are receptive to mating during estrus which lasts around 4–10 days.

Male cats become sexually mature at around 6–9 months old and are ready to mate year-round. They are attracted to female cats in heat by pheromones and vocalizations.
Mating involves intense vocalizations, mounting, and copulation that can last up to 30 minutes. Feral females typically mate with multiple males.
After a gestation period of 63–65 days, feral queens give birth to litters of 2–5 kittens. They provide maternal care by nursing, grooming, and protecting the kittens.

Kittens become independent at around 3–6 months old. Feral queens have 2–3 litters per year, contributing to rapid population growth in non-managed colonies.

Hunting and Feeding Behavior of Feral Cats

Feral cats are skilled and adaptable hunters and hunt for around 12 hours per day to meet their food needs.

Their natural feeding behavior involves eating many small meals throughout the day by catching prey like rodents, birds, and insects.

Feral cats are the most active hunters at dawn and dusk when prey is most available.

Their diet typically consists of small mammals like mice, rats, squirrels, and rabbits weighing less than 100 grams.

They also prey on reptiles, amphibians, birds, and invertebrates. Cats are ambush predators that stalk and pounce on their prey. Once their hunger is satisfied, they stop hunting.

Some factors that drive and facilitate feral cats’ hunting behavior include the availability of food, appetite and hunger, environmental conditions, and previous hunting success.

Feral cats tend to be more efficient hunters than pet cats due to continuously hunting for food.

However, pet cats also exhibit similar predatory behaviors like hunting toys and actively pursuing prey.

Feral Cat Survival Behavior and Adaptability

Feral cats have adopted some survival behavior and strategies to live in the wild:

[1] They hunt a variety of small animals and birds for food to survive. Feral cats tend to hunt more at dawn and dusk when prey is most active.

[2] They make shelters in buildings, bushes, barns, and other protected areas. Feral cats create nests from rags, cardboard, and other material they find.

[3] They are secretive and territorial, avoiding confrontations with other feral cats. Feral cats mark their territories using scent glands and urine to avoid conflict over resources.

[4] They develop immunity to diseases over time through exposure. Many feral cats have a natural resistance to diseases and parasites common in their environment.

In summary, feral cats have adapted behaviors related to hunting, sheltering, territoriality, and disease resistance that allow them to survive without humans.

Their ability to exploit human habitats while avoiding much interaction has made them a successful invasive species in many parts of the world.

Approaches to Managing Feral Cat Behavior

Here are some common approaches to managing feral cat behavior:

Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR): This involves humanely trapping feral cats, getting them spayed or neutered, vaccinating them, and then returning them to their colony. This can help stabilize the population over time and reduce nuisance behaviors.
Feeding Management: Controlling and managing the feeding of feral cat colonies can influence their behavior. Feeding at set times and limiting the amount of food can make cats less aggressive.

Habitat Modification: Removing access to warm, sheltered areas can discourage feral cats from living in certain areas. Filling holes, removing debris, and trimming vegetation can make an area less appealing.
Deterrents and Barriers: Motion-activated sprinklers, ultrasonic devices, and physical barriers like fences can discourage cats from certain areas. However, these methods are not always effective long-term.
Relocation: Some advocate relocating feral cats far away, but this is considered inhumane by many as cats cannot adapt to new environments.

Euthanasia: As a last resort, some facilities will humanely euthanize feral cats that are highly aggressive or impossible to adopt out. But many view this as an unnecessary killing of healthy animals.
Outdoor Enclosures: Some facilities will contain feral cats in large outdoor enclosures where they have shelter, food, and water but are confined. This can reduce roaming and nuisance behaviors.
Behavior Modification: Techniques like citronella spray collars, pheromone diffusers, and behavior training can modify aggression and undesirable behaviors in some feral cats.

Adoption: Feral kittens and some socialized adult cats can be successfully adopted into homes, though for many ferals this is not a viable option.
Education: Raising awareness of responsible cat ownership and the impacts of feral cats can help reduce future populations. But it does not directly manage existing colonies.

Learn more about adopted stray cat behaviors.

Conclusion

In conclusion, feral cats are fascinating creatures that have adapted to survive in the wild without human intervention.

They have unique behaviors that are different from pet cats, and it’s important to understand these behaviors before attempting to manage feral cat populations.

While managing feral cats is a controversial topic, there are humane strategies such as trap-neuter-return (TNR) that can help control their populations.

By understanding feral cat behavior and implementing humane management strategies, we can help these cats live healthier and happier lives.

Learn more about why cats disappear without a trace.