This post may contain affiliate links. Please check out my privacy policy and disclosure policy.

I see you peeking through the shrubs.

Silently you check me out from the distance. Full of tension, curiosity, high energy.

Fear.

Serious fear.

One tiny move on my part and you evaporate into the air, with speed and lightness.

Were you really there? Or just my imagination?

This is the feral cat.

The feral cat is a domestic cat that is wild and lives on the edge of human society. Born and raised without human contact these cats are unsocialized, highly cautious and untrusting of humans. Like pet and stray cats feral cats are part of the domestic cat family, but have lost their ability to live with humans. Stray cats are either lost, have escaped or been abandoned by their owners and have had human intereaction and can possibly  return into a home. Feral cats won’t. They can’t. They are not used to humans, do not want human contact and live a life in the wild hunting for food and fighting for territory living in colonies.

Feral cats occur when a stray cat has a litter of kittens that are born in the wild. Without human contact these kittens are feral. If caught while still young (as in  tiny) they can be socialized,  otherwise the kittens grow up fearful and wild and avoid human contact. If feral cats encounter a human they hiss, growl and run away. Exceptionally good at hiding they are not often easily seen near human activity, or in the daytime. Under the cover of night they often will be found near potential sources of food like garbage containers or food storage areas, or places where rodents are in good supply. Despite lives of considerable hardship many feral cats live for many years, and with continual litters of kittens keep the feral community populated.

Most humans are unaware of feral cats that exist in close proximity. Go around the back of the grocery store, near the loading docks, near the dumpsters, when there is little human activity. You may find them there.

Feral cats are found globally, on every continent except Antarctica, and their numbers are estimated about 100 million. Depending on where they live have harsher or kinder lives. Some countries, such as Japan, Turkey and Greece, are know to love cats and their feral colonies live in much closer proximity to humans who feed them tidbits and actively provide food and safety for them. Possibly these aren’t true ferals but they are wild, live outside and forage.

In the United States the feral cat population is estimated to be 60 million(!). Feral cats are often overseen by humans who provide food, shelter and occasional medical care. Some of these communities employ spay and neuter trapping to try and limit the number of kittens. A clipped ear is the sign that the cat has been caught and taken care of.

Should you find a feral cat(s) living in your proximity food, water and shelter is the best way to go. Despite the harsh lives they lead many feral cats live to very long ages and with a little attention these silent creatures will peacefully coexist alongside you, keep your rodent population down and be the quietest neighbor you will ever have.