How to distinguish between feral cats and stray cats?
How to distinguish between feral cats and stray cats?
Wild cats and stray cats have different life experiences and are very different in terms of habits and behavior, appearance and physique, relationship with humans and ability to adapt to the environment. Stray cats usually refer to those cats that have had domestic experience but are forced to stray for various reasons, and they are usually more willing to actively approach humans. Wild cats, on the other hand, have lived in the wild since childhood and have little contact with humans, and they tend to stay away from human settlements and rely on the natural environment for self-sufficiency.
Many people will confuse feral cats with stray cats, and some people even think that stray cats are feral cats, but in fact, stray cats and feral cats are different in many ways. Let’s learn how to distinguish between wild cats and stray cats.
Difference between wild cats and stray cats
To distinguish wild cats from stray cats, we can observe and analyze from the following aspects:
I. Life experience and background.
Feral cats grow up in the wild and have no or very little contact with humans. They usually live in uninhabited places such as grasslands, swamps, and lowland mountain forests.
Stray cats were originally domestic cats fostered by families, but due to various reasons (e.g. abandoned, lost, etc.) they leave the family and live independently. Most of the places where they stray are areas with frequent human activities such as residential buildings and neighborhoods. In contrast, feral cats mainly inhabit the wilderness or rural areas, far from human settlements, relying on the natural environment for self-sufficiency.
II. Habits and Behavior.
Wildcats are more aggressive and wild, usually alone at night or in the morning and evening, hiding in tree hollows or bushes during the day. They specialize in hunting small mammals, birds or other small animals of similar size. Feral cats, on the other hand, are more independent and fearful by nature, and are wary of human proximity, making it difficult to establish a close relationship with them. They are usually wary of humans and keep a distance from them, seldom approaching them or accepting feeding from them.
Stray cats may develop a certain trust and dependence on humans because they once lived with humans and had contact with them. They may actively approach humans for food or comfort. And stray cats are less aggressive and less able to live independently, and although they may cluster in the wild, they generally do not cooperate in rounding up prey like herd animals. They usually do not hunt, but rely on human food sources.
III. Appearance and physique.
In terms of appearance, there is no obvious difference between stray cats and feral cats, and they may be similar in size and fur color. However, stray cats may appear thinner or have unkempt fur due to long-term wandering. Their ears may also be slightly bent or broken due to long-term exposure to the wild environment.
IV. Ability to adapt to the environment.
Wildcats are highly adaptable to the environment and are able to survive and reproduce independently in the wild.
Although stray cats can also survive in the wild, they may be more eager to return to human society and regain the warmth of their families because they have lived with humans.
In summary, we can distinguish wild cats and stray cats more accurately by observing the cat’s life experience, habits and behaviors, appearance and body posture, relationship with humans and ability to adapt to the environment. When making the distinction, we need to consider a number of factors and pay attention to observing the detailed characteristics of the cat’s behavior and body shape. In comparison, wild cats are relatively difficult to tame and have a certain degree of aggressiveness, so for wild cats, it is recommended to approach or adopt with caution.