You may come across what you suppose to be a ‘stray cat’ in your neighbourhood. It isn’t wearing a collar and from talking to your neighbours, you discover that the cat does not appear to be owned by anyone locally. The cat you’ve seen may indeed be a stray that has somehow become separated from its owner. On the other hand, it may be feral.
Understanding the difference between stray and feral cats can help you to work out the best way to interact with an ownerless cat and decide the kindest course of action for its wellbeing.
Between the ages of two and seven weeks, kittens have a crucial developmental window known as the ‘socialisation period’ when they can become used to humans. If they experience positive human contact during this time, they learn to bond with humans and enjoy being household pets. If they don’t, then the chances are they will struggle to successfully live with people.