What are ferals?

Kittens born to an abandoned domestic cat will become wild if not rescued before 8 weeks old. These are then known as feral cats.

The streets of North London, like most other cities in the world, are still too full of ferals.

They live short and brutal lives: the average live expectancy for a feral is only 5 years. The toms compete for females, fighting their rivals, and as a result often contracting infections such as FIV and feline AIDs from their wounds. The females lead exhausting lives of perpetual pregnancies, births and lactation. Most kittens, left in the wild, do not survive.

Our policy is to break this cycle by neutering as many ferals as possible. In general, we then return them to their site of origin - ensuring that they are fed and monitored from then on (usually by kind local residents).

Hotspur & Braveheart

Hotspur and Braveheart were two feral toms competing for females in the Broadwater Farm area of Tottenham. One resident there, fed up with "stray cats crapping all over my garden" alerted us to the situation. The AHT then spent several weeks clearing up this colony of ferals: some of whom were in a very poor state of health: providing medication, neutering the adults, and homing the kittens.

Hotspur and Braveheart both turned out to have feline AIDS - something quite common in feral fighting toms.

Fortunately there are sanctuaries which will accept such cats, and we were very grateful to find a place in one for both Braveheart and Hotspur. They share a large outdoor compound now with six other neutered toms, all sadly infected with the disease and isolated from other cats, where they can live out their days in peace and comfort.

Holly and Queenie

Holly and Queenie were two of Braveheart's many "wives".

When we trapped them, Holly had just given birth to a litter of 6 kittens - all of who were in a poor state of health. We were pleased to save all of them, and also found them all homes.

Queenie turned out to be heavily pregnant - as we had expected: feral females spend exhausting lives either nursing one family or pregnant with another.

As usual, we waited until she had given birth at the AHT and finished nursing before having her neutered. We had no trouble homing her five kittens.

Fortunately neither of these two females had feline AIDS.

After a couple of months at the AHT we returned both Holly and Queenie to Broadwater Farm, after ensuring that there was a local feeder in place to look after them.

In every street in North London where there are strays, there are also people who put out food for them. Fortunately! This makes our job a lot easier, as we can simply formalise existing arrangements: returning the neutered cat to its original location, and ensuring that the feeder knows they can always turn to us for help, backup and advice.

Mitzi and Fuggles and Fergus and Freddie and.....

Cats can become a real problem if left to breed. Just one un-neutered female can produce 150 kittens in her lifetime, and if her kittens are left to breed, it can result in 20,000 offspring.

Cats can become pregnant from as early as 6 months old - and can come into season again immediately after giving birth.

These two were lucky: when we got to them they were in a reasonable condition, and once taken in by us they thrived.

We had no trouble finding good homes for them both.