Types of Cats
What is a Feral Cat? – The term “Feral Cat” describes a cat that has no owner or one that lives outdoor, particularly a non-domesticated cat or one that lives in the wild.
A feral cat is a once domesticated cat which had been abandoned and now left to fend for itself. The feral cat which could be the offspring of a domesticated cat has never been handled by humans and is now wild and terrified. Most time these cats hiss due to fear when humans get close to them and might run into hiding if allowed. This behavior is sometime considered to be vicious, however it is not true. Virtually all the trapped feral cats will shake in fear at the back of the trap. Inability to control this fear might even result to urinating. The feral cat will run to safety rather than attack if the trapped is opened.
About 10-15% of the trapped abandoned cats are tamed while some are even declawed. Some of them are even old and the only reason they became abandoned is because their owner had passed and the family members had no desire to retain them.
What is a Community Cat? A community cat is a cat that lives a community life or one that was raised in the wild. According to ASPCA, a stray cat is a cat that was once a pet but now abandoned or lost.
What is a stray Cat? Stray cats are tamed cats and they do not feel frightened around humans. Most times they meow or purr and are fond of rubbing against their legs. Stray cats are cats that were once domestic cats but are now left to fend for themselves due to certain reasons. They are either lost or abandoned cats. These cats can go through rehabilitation to become pets once more.
What is a Farm Cat? (AKA barn cats) these are cats in feral or semi-feral conditions that are found in agricultural properties. They live outdoor and take shelter in any available building. They feed on vermin like rodents and other small animals living around them.
Perhaps, the foremost reason why cats were domesticated was for the purpose of preventing rodents from feeding on and contaminating food stored for later use. However, cats are still kept for such purpose, to hunt down vermin that might contaminate food particularly grains or feed stock stored for future use.
Ship’s Cat – they are either feral or semi-feral and were previously used in naval, trading and exploration ships. The essence of having cats aboard was to hunt down mice and rats that might damage things like woodwork, ropes and electrical wiring as technology got better. These rodents can as well cause damage to cargoes and food stored for later use if their activities are unchecked. Aside causing damage to food and other materials, they also spread diseases which can be very harmful to sailors onboard for a long time on sea. Although usage of cats in commercial and military fleets has been officially banned, some sailors still take them aboard secretly.
