The Cat Continuum - from Lap Cat to Feral Cat and everything in between! –

The cat’s life depends on her label.   "Wild’ may mean death.   A shelter cannot adopt it out.  Mislabeling as tame could result in a bite to a veterinarian or shelter worker.  Reporting the bite means euthanasia, although any cat under stress can bite. The sweetest housecat can become frantic when visiting the veterinarian.  We need to know some cat psychology, but recognize that we cannot read their minds.  We need to take caution, even with lap cats. They're independent and sometimes unpredictable. They have complex personalities no matter where they fall in the Continuum.

In going from tame to wild or vice versa, cats become less socialized and more afraid as they adapt to life on their own; or they go from independent and afraid to trusting and dependent.

As a foster care provider and part-time cat trapper, I've developed a system to categorize cats. The category determines a program for them--ultimately their fate.  Too wild?  I need to find a place to release them. Tame and loving? They can be adopted.  In between? There’s the hitch! In between cuddly and wild are “others”.   In the “middle” are slightly shy, very shy, or semi-feral. For these, I use what I call the ‘Foot Rule’.

Right now there's a semi-feral cat under my bed.  She arrived here as a tiny kitten with three siblings when I couldn't find time to socialize them.  Sadly, I wasn't successful working with them.

That was 2001.  I can’t get near Sera.  Granted she's under the bed.  She enjoys my voice and the sound of television.  But I cannot get within 6 feet of her!  With Sasha, the 12-foot rule applies.  As for Sally and Alex, after many years, I can approach them but only with extreme quiet and serenity do they allow me to touch them.

Peter Pan, who I found at the bottom of an 80 foot pit, was a “20 feet-and-run guy”.  I can, after 3 years in my home, approach him slowly and pet him till he drools with joy and purrs. If he was my only cat, he'd be a lap cat now. At this point he has graduated to “super shy”.

I see both processes with the semi-ferals. Those that I can’t get to will slowly expand their "foot range" distance between me and them. Those that I spend time with will move in on the foot range rule.

Wanda is on the far end of the scale – feral.  If I were to find myself in a confined space with Wanda, it would be me that bolted bloodied and shaken.  Wanda is probably a ‘3 generation from tame 30 foot-and-bolt’ feral.  She is a wild animal and needs to be respected as such for she is dangerous if cornered - no different than trying to grab a skunk or squirrel.

These cats, with the exception of Wanda, are in limbo. They're not good candidates for release and they'll likely never be adopted.  So, I live with limbo cats. Imagine how difficult it is to treat them when sick or apply flea control products!  If I cannot treat them for parasites which, left untreated, will spread to the rest, it may be time to revamp the plan for those in the middle.  The far ends are easy.  Wanda needs to be released. The tame ones need to be adopted.  

A definition of the “lap cat to wild cat continuum” is helpful to the professionals and important to those bothered with cats in their backyard fighting or mating at 2 a.m.  They should know what they are dealing with before they take action. Is it the neighbor’s dear pet or a stray that may be almost home or a feral cat that could be trapped, neutered and returned or relocated?   For the safety of our domestic cats and our children, we need to know which cats are feral and more likely than our vaccinated house cats, to be diseased.

If a person walks into a clinic with a cat and doesn’t at least try to explain its behavior or where it may be in the range of wild to tame, then animal handlers can be at risk.  The same applies to animal control officers who respond to a cat call. 

Ah, the Confessions of a Cat Lady who watches cats more than TV and who shares her home with dozens of cats, loves them unconditionally and has devoted her entire life’s energy to their betterment.