Silly question, but what is the difference between a feral and a stray?

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

I think our experiences show that you can't write off or categorise any cat completely, as they will always surprise and confound us.   

Anyone remember The General - the cat Shonagh's friend helped to reform from a beaten up old tom with a hatred of people, to a cosy and much loved house cat?  What a transformation in his life, bless his paws. 

Barley, one of our semi-ferals, spent the night curled up in between me and OH, her paws just touching my hand.     Still couldn't get her in a cat box though.   

[DaveD]

I don't have any trouble getting Bramble in, unless it's nearly dark outside, but Lily is a minx who stays out for ages then she'll come in, and run out as soon as I make a move to close the door. I've just found something that helps - a laser pen. She's fascinated by it, and it keeps her distracted long enough for me to shut the door.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

SASA MUST HAVE BEEN TRAPPED WITH THE FERAL COLONY WHEN SHE WAS ABOUT 3 OR 4 YRS OLD AND APPARENTLY HAD HAD KITTENS SO ASSUME SHE MUST HAVE BEEN UNNEUTERED.

BEING A TORTIE I STILL THINK SHE WAS BORN A FERAL ALTHOUGH THE OTHER SIDE IS THAT SHE PROBERLY WOULD HAVE HAD MORE THEN ONE LITTER BUT OF COURSE I DIONT KNOW THAT AND DONT KNOW IF CO WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TELL.

I JUST KNOW THAT THE CP LADY WAS SCARED OF HER AND ASKED SOMEONE ELSE FROM THE KENNELS TO GET HER INTO HER CARRIER TO COME TO ME.

SHE HAD BEEN THERE SO LONG THEY WERE SAD TO SEE HER LEAVE.

PAULA YOURS ALL SOUND ADORABLE,

DAVE BRAMBLE SOUNDS LOVELY AND SASA WILL STILL RUN AWAY FROM ME IF I WALK TOWARDS HER AND ITS VERY HARD IN SUMMER TO GET HER INTO THE HOUSE WHEN SHE WANTS TO COME IN COS I HAVE TO GET TO THE DOOR TO OPEN IT, MUSICAL DOOR LOL.

SOME CATS ARE A REAL CHALLENGE AND SHE RAN AWAY AFTER ABOUT 3 MINTHS COS SHE WAS UPSET BUT HER MATE MISA BROUGHT HER HOME AND ONCE BACK IT WAS CLEAR SHE PREFERRED HER CREATURE COMFORTS INDOORS.

SADLY FOR NO REASON I KNOW SHE WENT MISSING ONE WINTER AND STAYED OURSIDE RIGHT THROUGH MOST OF WINTER INCLUDING SNOW...............I DONT KNOW WHERE SHE ATE, CANT REMEMBER WHETHERBTHECAT FLAP WAS OPEN COS I HAD LUPIN.............MUST HAVE BEEN 6 YEARS AGO AT END OF THSI NYEAR. THINK THE FLAP WAS OPEN SO SHE PROBABLY SNUCK BACK TO EAT.

I SAW ALL THE NEIGHBOURS AND SHOWED THEN HER PHOTO AND THE LAST HOUSE SAID YES THEIR LITTLE BOY WATCHES HER FROM THE WINDOW BUT DIDNTKNOW WHERE SHE WENT AFTER.  ABOUT 3 DOORS CLOSER TO ME ALSO HAD SEEN HER BUT AGAIN NO IDEA WHERE SHE WENT.

SHE IS NEARLY ALL WHITE AND WHEN SHE DECIDED TO RETURN SHE WAS ORANGE!  SOMTHING TO DO WITH THE RAIN AND THE GROUND BUT SHE ALSO LOST ALL HER TEETH EXCEPT 2 COS TOOK HER FOR A CHECK UP AND THEY HAD TO GO...VERY SAD COS THEY WERE FINE BEFORE.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH ITS A GOOD JOB WE ALL LOVE CATS

[Judecat (Paula)]

Merlin is funny, sometimes when I bend down to him he flinches, other times not, Pirate is just a complete sweetie although sometimes a bit nervy, took him ages to realise he was allowed on our bed with the others, Pippa is to the Manor Born, maybe because she was so near to death when Sheila picked her up, the sweetest, most affectionate little girl you could ever wish for. Bob wasn't properly socialised as a kitten, my workmate had to leave her house due to domestic violence when her cat gave birth, the cats were fed but little else, and she is the most like a feral that I have, very shy, very nervy, but so rewarding, she washes me awake most mornings. They are completely different personalities, Emo was properly socialised and invites cuddles from people by sitting at the end of the drive, she is the only 'normal' cat that I have.

I was looking out of the window today and a young Mum stopped, undid her baby Boy from his buggy and let him pet her, very closely supervised by me , and she was loving the attention, Mum was making sure that he was very gentle. Bless!

[DaveD]

Sasa sounds a lot like Bramble. She was found when she was about 10 weeks old, with her mother and 2 brothers. It might have been the slightly late socialisation that made her very nervous about people. She still runs off if I walk towards her, but often gives my hand a nip when she wants attention.
I don't know the details, but I was told that one of Bramble's brothers had to be returned to the rescue because he'd "disgraced himself"! I like a challenge, so Bramble stayed with me. Every small advance is a little victory.

I think that between ferals and strays there's a spectrum of cats that don't quite fit in either group.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

YES YOU AR RIGHT, FERALS ARE BORN IN THE WILD AND STRAYS ARE CATS WHO GOT SEPERATED FROM OWNERS, LOST, DUMPED ETC.

THEN THERE ARE SEMI FERALS WHO WERE DOMESTICATED BUT LIVED WITH FERAL COLONIES OR MAYBE FOR A VERY LONG TIME IN THE WILD..

SASA IS SUPPOSED TO BE ONE OF THE LATTER BUT SHE EITHER WAS ONLY DOMESTICATED FOR A VERY SHORT TIME OR A FERAL THAT BECAME SLIGHTLY DOMESTICATED COS SHE LIVED AT A RESCUE FOR A FEW YEARS.

SHE DIDNT GET ON WHEN EVER SHE WAS REHOMED AND TAKEN BACK TO THE RESCUE AND THEN SHE CAME HERE WITH MISA WHO WAS A DADLY TREATED DOMESTIC.

IT TOOK HER MANY YEARS TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE NOW, WANTING TO BE STROKED BUT STILL ON HER TERMS ONLY. IN LAST FEW MONTHS SHE HAS LET ME WALK PAST BEHIND HER WHILE SHE IS EATING!

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Basically ferals have little or no human contact, which is not the case  with strays who h ave often known a proper home.  Ferals have great difficulty adapting to a "home" but it's not to say they can't.

[Judecat (Paula)]

I should know, but I am not sure, our Sheila said that Pi was a stray, but later on she mentioned on here that she had trapped his Mum who was a feral. I always thought that strays were previously owned cats and that ferals were born wild?