If you’ve ever seen cats roaming your neighborhood, you may have heard them called feral cats, stray cats, or community cats. These terms are often used interchangeably, but they don’t have the same meanings. Understanding the difference is important so you can determine how best to help them.
What Is A Community Cat?
A community cat is any free-roaming cat that lives outdoors at least some of the time and isn’t owned by a single person. This includes cats who are friendly and cats who are unsocialized.
What Is A Feral Cat?
A feral cat is a type of community cat that has little to no socialization with humans. They are typically scared or wary of people and avoid human contact. They don’t initiate interactions with humans and do not meow for attention or food. Compared to domesticated cats, they may seem very quiet and reserved. Feral cats are more active in the early mornings or at nighttime when there are less people around. They are usually not comfortable living indoors as they have spent their lives outside fending for themselves. They are good at hunting for their meals. They often live in colonies, where they form strong bonds with other cats but remain distant from people. Since they were born and raised without human contact and can survive on their own, it is best to sterilize them and return them to their colony. The outdoors is their home and they have the right to live in the community just like squirrels, birds, and other wildlife.
What Is A Stray Cat?
A stray cat is a type of community cat that is socialized to people. They have had contact with people and enjoy being around people. They likely have lived in a home before and may have been abandoned or may be lost. They may approach people, meow for food or affection, and enjoy being pet. They seem more confident than feral cats and more relaxed and approachable. Stray cats can be rescued, fostered, and adopted.
How to Help Community Cats, Both Feral and Stray
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TNR (trap-neuter-return) to spay and neuter the community cats and prevent more kittens being born on the street
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Foster friendly strays and help them find loving homes
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Feed cat colonies and provide fresh water
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Make insulated winter shelters to keep cats cozy during the winter, using straw for insulation
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Donate money or supplies to rescues that provide TNR services
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If you find kittens, foster them or find a rescue who can care for them and find them homes
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Educate neighbors on TNR and the importance of spay/neuter
Understanding the difference between stray cats and feral cats is the first step toward creating safe, humane, long-term solutions for all community cats. All cats are deserving of care regardless of their level of socialization. As cat lovers, we should try to make the lives of all cats and kittens as comfortable as possible and help them as often as we can.
Love, Nala
