Species MammalsFeral Cat

Feral Cat

Felis catus

CommonMammal
Illustration of Feral Cat (Felis catus)

The Feral Cat is a domestic cat living and reproducing in the wild without human care, present on every continent and in virtually every habitat type in North America. Feral cats kill an estimated 1.3–4 billion birds and 6–22 billion mammals annually in the United States alone, making them among the most significant human-introduced threats to native wildlife. Trap-neuter-return programs are widely used but remain controversial among wildlife biologists.

Habitat
Urban areas, farmland, forests, and coastal islands
Diet
Small mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, and carrion
How common
Common

Best time to see a Feral Cat

The best time to see a Feral Cat is January–July, when about 62% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 34,445 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Not certain it is a Feral Cat? What animal is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.

Recent Feral Cat sightings near you

Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.

Spot a Feral Cat? Identify it instantly.

Point Huck at any plant, bird, or animal for an instant ID, its rarity, and a live map of where it is being seen near you.

Get Huck

Get an alert when a Feral Cat is spotted

Pick a park, state, or city and we’ll email you when one turns up there. One check a day, only when there’s something new.

Free. Unsubscribe from any email. See our Privacy Policy.

Love mammals? Get Huck field notes

Spotting tips, new species, and the best of what people are finding in the wild - straight to your inbox.

By subscribing you agree to receive Huck emails. No spam, unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

More mammals

Fin Whale
Fin Whale
Balaenoptera physalus
Fisher
Fisher
Pekania pennanti
Flores's Desert Shrew
Flores's Desert Shrew
Notiosorex villai
Florida Black Bear
Florida Black Bear
Ursus americanus floridanus
Florida Key Deer
Florida Key Deer
Odocoileus virginianus clavium
Florida Manatee
Florida Manatee
Trichechus manatus latirostris
Florida Mouse
Florida Mouse
Podomys floridanus
Florida Panther
Florida Panther
Puma concolor coryi