Exactly what is a 'ferral' cat?

Question

I have heard this term many times on this board but I haven't quite worked out it's meaning. I assume it is a common term in the USA, (i'm in the UK) and i am assuming it bares relation to a 'wild cat'?

I understand there is a large overpopulation of wild cats in the USA, but from what I can make out a 'wild cat' and a 'feral cat' are not quite the same thing are they? Could somebody please enlighten me? with many thanks!

Answer 1

A feral animal is a domestic animal that was born away from the care of people (e.g. in the woods, under the house), and grows up without being socialized to humans.  There are feral dogs, feral cats, feral pigeons, feral horses, feral pigs, etc.  It's not too unusual for a female cat belonging to humans to have kittens outside somewhere, and the owners don't see the kittens until they are already feeding themselves; it is very difficult to tame them then, though it can be done.  Feral cats truly act like wild animals, for the most part, though they will often interact with pets when the humans are not around.  Sometimes pet or farm cats will leave home and join the feral cat community; these can become pretty wild also, though they are somewhat less afraid of people.  There was one in my neighborhood: she would look at me when I spoke to her, but would not allow me to approach.  Her kittens were entirely feral.  You seldom see a feral cat, because it avoids humans like any wild animal.

A wild cat (at least in the US) refers to a cat species that is not domesticated, like bobcat, mountain lion, etc.  

But some people refer to feral animals as wild animals.  When people talk about wild horses, they are usually referring to feral horses, as there are very few truly wild horses in the world.

Answer 2

A feral cat is a household breed cat that has lived out in the wild without human contact.

Answer 3

A feral cat. A cat that has been abandoned, and gone wild, or a cat born in the wild to a feral mother cat.  

Answer 4

When they are feral they are homeless in a sense, they are wild but not jungle wild, it just means that they are not too friendly to humans

Answer 5

I am in canada, and here is means the same thing. its a cat that has been born in the outside and never owned by people.

Answer 6

A feral cat is a cat that is untamed, homeless, the size of a regular house cat,  and is, essentially a wild cat.

Answer 7

A cat that has no human interaction and is wild... Unable to be domesticated...

That is a ferral cat in the way that it was explained to me.

Answer 8

I would say they are one and the same thing as they don't belong to anyone and are on their own and just get food and shelter whereever they can.

Answer 9

a wild cat and a ferral cat are the same.

Answer 10

a feral cat is a orphan cat who has no mom and dad and no human contact,and lives in the wild scavenging for food.poor souls who nobody loves or wants.

Answer 11

A cat that is not domesti.  This can be any breet, but one that has over genrerations become wild and not tame.

Answer 12

A feral cat (or stray cat, alley cat) is a cat which has been separated from domestication, whether through abandonment, loss, or running away, and becomes wild. The term may also refer to descendants of such cats, but not to wild cats, whose ancestors were never domesticated.