Mary Allen
Cats are skilled hunters, that much is clear. Domestic cats also occasionally delight their humans with a piece of prey from the wild. But could a cat used to human contact actually survive permanently in the wild?
The outdoor life of a wild cat or feral cat is very different from the sheltered life of domestic cats. Both experience different socialization and adapt their behavior accordingly. While cats born and raised in the wild are dependent on obtaining their own food and the rearing is taken over by their own conspecifics, the domestic cat can usually always rely on human attention and care.
So if you’re wondering whether your house cat, which occasionally puts mice in front of your door and otherwise likes to be outside, would survive in the wild, the short answer is yes. There are many things that can be fatal to cats in the wild – especially if they are not aware of the dangers.
Cats: Survival in the Wild
First of all, cats are very cautious animals. They explore their surroundings carefully and would rather take too few risks than too many. In addition, they know very well where, in case of doubt or in an emergency, there is shelter and food for them: namely with people. If you deprive normal house cats of their accustomed security, they will in all likelihood initially hide somewhere until hunger drives them in search of food.
If she is not lucky enough to come across enough small animals that she can easily capture, she will soon expand her territory and presumably soon occupy herself with human leftovers. In other words, she starts digging through the garbage, since she already knows this type of food of human origin by the smell. The house cat, which is not used to living outdoors and being self-sufficient, is quickly confronted with a whole range of problems:
● The consumption of waste causes illnesses for which no veterinarian is on hand.
● It gets very cold at night, especially in winter, and it is difficult to find warm shelter.
● Domestic cats are used to social contact with people and miss it in the wild.
● The unfamiliar car traffic is particularly dangerous, the risk of accidents is high.
● Dogs, birds of prey, and other predators can sometimes fatally injure the cat.
Outdoor Cats Are Also House Cats
As you can see, surviving outdoors is a tough task for indoor cats. Your cat could be hit by a car, die from malnutrition, an untreated illness, or injury. In contrast, true wild cats and feral cats are used to living in nature. They usually live in packs, have a maximum life expectancy of 5 years, and, above all, grow up directly in the wild right from the start.
This is also the essential difference between domestic cats and wild cats: the latter learn the most important survival strategies and hunting techniques as babies. While kittens raised in a human home also learn to hunt and have instincts that warn them of danger, their survival skills are much weaker.
When Domestic Cats Become Feral: Adaptation to the Wild
Domestic cats, if they survive the dangers mentioned in the wild, can become feral and their offspring will then grow into this life. They then have a life expectancy similar to wild cats. It’s not nice though. Conversely, kittens from strays are more easily adapted to life as family members in a human home than adult strays who have only known the outdoors. It is not impossible to get feral cats used to a life of security and human attention when they are adults, but it is difficult and requires a lot of patience and love.