Getting Your Pet Through An Animal Rescue Group--Can Feral Cats Be Tamed

Getting Your Pet Through An Animal Rescue Group

Animal rescue organizations or groups offer you a great place to get your next family pet. These groups are all different, but they do have frequent goals. These groups work hard to locate a irreversible loving house for unwanted or misplaced cats and dogs. Many of these rescue groups rely on volunteers and donations to care for these pets while they are between homes.


When you begin looking for a rescue group to work with, you'll find that most of these groups do rely on their hard working volunteers and back up from the local community to operate. You will also find a wide variety of animals accessible through these rescue groups. Many of these groups handle all types of animals and you will find kittens, puppies, and even older pets available for adoption. You might be surprised to learn that several groups even offer exotic pets such as reptiles, pot bellied pigs and even guinea pigs.

As you begin looking at pets available through rescue groups, keep in mind a little of of these animals have had very hard lives. You may find a dog that was abused by its owner. You may find a female cat that has just given birth. Their owners have relinquished numerous of the animals offered by rescue groups because they are moving or could no longer care for them. In addition, many of these groups take animals that live in kill shelters or as strays living on the streets. Some programs also offer spay and neuter release program for feral cats.

Rescue groups do a good job of screening animals before adopting them out to early homes. They also screen achievable pet owners. IF you find a pet offered through a pet rescue group, you will be asked to sign a contract saying that you agree to care for the pet long term. You will also be asked several questions about your home, your kids and other pets you may have. This's not to be nosey—it is just to support match an owner with the right pet. If the animal suffers from a medical condition, such as diabetes, the new owners cognize this up front before adopting. Having the animal’s health history at the time of adoption helps the animal find a permanent home.

You can increase a lot of personal satisfaction by adopting your next pet through an animal rescue organization. You know you have done something to help and your new pet will show its appreciation. If you are interested in adopting through one of the many rescue organization, it is easy to find one in your area. Your vet can give you the contact information for organizations near you. Most of the time, these pets are kept in private homes (foster homes) until they are adopted. This gives the animal time to be socialized with other pets, children and time to get used to living in a home. Sometimes, animal rescue groups will bring their animals that need homes to pet stores or other locations for interested people to look and meet the animals on definite weekends.

When you choose a pet in a rescue program, be prepared to go through an interview and application process. The organization wants to know these pets will be well cared for the long term. You will probably be asked about other pets you may have, the age of your children, the size of your yard and your thoughts on a cat with claws if you are looking at a cat. This is to help match the pet with the right owner. Adoption fees vary by every organization, but you can expect to pay $100-$200 for a rescued animal. These groups do not make a profit. These fees cover the cost of the animal while it was in the care of the organization. This adoption fee usually covers vaccinations, medical exams, spaying, and neutering.

Getting your next pet through an animal rescue organization is a responsible way to get your next family member. You can also find many volunteer opportunities through these organizations.

Can Feral Cats Be Tamed

Feral cats are different from stray cats. Stray cats are usually the product of a person’s irresponsibility. Irresponsibility could be defined in two ways when it comes to strays: dumping a cat to fend for itself and/or neglecting to spay and neuter their cats. Stray cats could be timid, but are often easily tamed. Feral cats are cats that were probably born to wild parents and are wild themselves. Feral cats have had no human interaction and are difficult to tame.


Because feral cats are difficult to tame, thus producing them undesirable indoor pets, here are many rescue organizations that are dedicated to the trapping and spaying and neutering of feral cat colonies. Many times, these organizations trap the cats, have them spayed and neutered and then release them near where they were originally found. Then, they dedicate themselves to providing food to these colonies.

Feral cats are everywhere. You can find feral cats in rural or farm areas, abandoned buildings and even parks and alleyways. You might catch a glimpse of them, but chances are that you would not be able to catch them easily. After all, they have not been around humans so any speak to would make them shy away from you. If you have feral cats in your neighborhood, you may wonder whether these animals can be kept as pets.

Taming a feral cat can be a difficult proposition just due to they are not accustomed to humans. Depending on the level of their interactions with humans, many cats might be classified as semi-feral, total feral or even a converted feral cat. Depending on what your cat is classified dictates your achievable success in socializing it. In addition, it takes a lot of time, love and patience to tame these cats.

If you find a cat that is has been feral for a years, chances are that there is little to no chance of socializing it. With no human contact at all, these cats are overly independent and would never depend on a human for food or companionship. You might have better success with a cat that is semi-feral. In these instances, they have had a little of limited human contact. A converted feral cat would probably have the best chance at a normal life as someone’s pet. These cats were once domesticated, meaning that they probably started life as a pet and then was abandoned. The converted feral cat'll more than likely eventually respond to human interactions such as love and affection.

If you want to attempt to tame a feral cat, remember that it can be hard work reaching out to the feral cat and getting them to trust you after being on their own. Sometimes, your efforts will not pay off for months, especially with older cats. If your attempts are a success, the rewards are well worth it because a strong bond can develop and loyalty and love is the reward.

If you believe you have the time and the love to attempt to tame a feral, there are many things to remember. First, these cats look you as an intruder and are very likely to spit, hiss, bite and claw. This is a normal response as they are defending themselves against a perceived predator – you. If they manage to get in a few bites or scratches, you should apply first aid immediately. After you have successfully trapped a feral cat, your very first step is to get it to the vet for spay or neuter and to check for any diseases it may carry. This is a necessary step and an absolute must if you have other pets in the house. After you have arrived home with your cat, you need to let it adjust to you and the surroundings by giving it a small, risk less place to stay. Allow the cat to stay in a small bathroom or laundry room, where it does not feel overwhelmed. You will need to take time every day to spend time with the cat and allow the cat to adjust to you.

Remember, not all feral cats can be socialized; however with love and patience, your time and efforts may be worthwhile.