Feral and Stray Cats—An Important Difference (via Alley Cat Allies)

Stray in Malta (photo Gabriele Ruttloff-Bauer)

Alley Cat Allies: Feral, stray, and pet cats are all members of the same species; they are all domestic cats. But stray cats and feral cats are also different from each other in a very important way—in their relationship to and interactions with people.

Whether you are a shelter worker, veterinarian, or feral cat advocate—or you just share your neighborhood with feral cats—knowing how to tell the difference can help inform how best to interact with a cat or what, if any, intervention would be in each cat’s best interest.

• What is socialization?
• What is the difference between a stray cat and a feral cat?
• Why does it matter?
• How do I tell the difference when the cats are outdoors?
• How do I tell feral and stray cats apart once I have trapped them?
• What do I do next?

Read on and download documentation

Cat café controversy highlights challenges of doing business with cats (via CBC News)

CBC News 9 May 2016: "Having a coffee with a cat close by was once a privilege only cat-owners could enjoy.

 But today, cat cafés are offering that opportunity to all: order a hot beverage and enjoy it in the midst of adoptable cats in a cafe setting. There are currently 255 cat cafés in 37 countries and 143 cities, according to Coffee With Cats, a website that tracks cat cafés.

But a recent controversy in Toronto's only cat café, the TOT Café on College Street, has highlighted how difficult it is to run a business with..." read on.

Cats Possess Personality Traits Similar To Humans, Study Finds

Parent Herald 13 March 2016: A group of Australian scientists claimed that cats are just like humans. They discovered that felines possess personality traits that are remarkably alike to their owners.

The Daily Telegraph reported that the researchers formulated their conclusions by conducting almost 3,000 cat personality tests. They also partnered with psychologists to generate more reliable findings.
The researchers utilized a personality test questionnaire that was originally formulated outside Australia and used on both domestic cats and captive wildcats on shelters. It was the first time that the test was applied to a huge a number of domestic cats.

"People are fascinated by cats, they have really intriguing personalities," Dr. Philip Roetman, lead researcher, told The Advertiser. "From a research perspective, it's really interesting to...read on.