Feral cats were once domestic cats or the descendants of domestic cats who are now feral. These cats often form colonies wherever shelter and a ready food supply is available, e.g. farms, industrial estates, hospitals, abandoned buildings, landfill sites, etc. Urban feral cats can usually be seen congregating near dustbins, markets, or anywhere there is a ready source of food. Where there is one feral cat, there are sure to be others.

Damage caused by Feral Cats

Feral cats create a mess around rubbish bins, scrape lawn surfaces, kill plants, defecate and create noise at night, especially at breeding time – which is constantly with feral cats. If they take up residence under your house, decking or shed, they can cause a horrendous smell.

Feral colonies act as reservoirs of diseases that can be transmitted to domestic cats as well as to humans. These include Toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii), Tapeworm infection (Pipylidium coninum), Salmonellosis (Salmonella spp), Camplylobacterioses (Campulobacter spp), Cat Scratch Fever (Bartonella henelae), Roundworm (T cati) and Yersiniosis (Yersinia enterocolitica

If left uncontrolled, feral cat numbers can increase to such a degree that they the whole colony can become unhealthy through continual breeding, interbreeding, disease, poor nutrition and habitual fighting.

They can also be very aggressive if cornered. In order to protect both yourself and the cat, any management control should be carried out by experienced specialists.

Status

Feral cats are not a protected species in Ireland and may be controlled in order to prevent a health and safety hazard.