Cody Saltsman has rescued many abandoned cats and had pets of his own. The document discusses the differences between stray and feral cats. Stray cats were once pets and are more likely to approach humans, while feral cats avoid humans and do not behave like house cats. Stray cats may act wary when captured but can resocialize to humans over time, whereas adult feral cats will never acclimate to humans.

1. By Cody Saltsman

2.  A dedicated animal advocate, Cody Saltsman has rescued
many abandoned cats in and around his neighborhood.
Cody Saltsman has also had many pets of his own,
including a cat who became his childhood companion.
Many cats may live outdoors, but not all are strays. There
are many outdoor cats who have no human families and
are perfectly happy in such a condition. Known as feral
cats, these animals have not socialized to humans and
instead have lived their entire lives as wild animals. A feral
cat's behavior typically contrasts dramatically with that of
a stray cat, who was once a pet but has lost his or her
family.
Because they were once pets, stray cats are more likely to
approach a person or human dwelling.

3.  This animal will have the body language of a house
cat, which includes expressing friendliness by
walking near a human being with its tail raised. A
feral cat has no inclination toward bonding with
humans and is more likely to creep close to the
ground, wrap its body with its tail, or run away to
avoid sight by humans. It does not meow or purr to
communicate with a human, as these are pet
behaviors.
Stray cats may act wary, anxious, or upset when
cornered or captured. However, these animals are
more likely to revert back to pet behaviors over time,
while adult feral cats are likely to never acclimate to
humans.

4.  They do not typically accept affection or form
relationships with caregivers. For this reason,
it is often best to vaccinate and sterilize such
a cat before returning it to the environment
where it feels comfortable. Stray cats,
however, often make loving and playful pets
once they have resocialized.