On 23 Apr 2005 23:05:46 -0700, "-L." wrote:


Charlie Wilkes wrote:
Coyotes, dogs, traffic or people with chickens or outdoor pet cats
can
bring immediate death at any time. Skirmishes take a toll as well.
I
think it is common for a feral cat to eventually pick up an injury
that turns into a festering wound, which either kills the animal or
makes it an easy target for predators. I have some anecdotal
evidence
for this.

If she is spayed her life *should* be longer than if she was intact.
It's a lot harder if they are fighting with mates, competing for food
while pregnant, etc.

Yes, she'll do better than a breeding female by far, but still it's a
rough world out there for cats. She is as wild as any cat I have been
around, and I doubt if she has had any close-up contact with people
until now. I'm doing what I can to build her trust, and she can come
to me if she needs help.


So, the answer is no, the cat won't be at all safe. Her life is
likely to be short, but with more good days than bad, given the mild
climate and a year-round abundance of prey.

Charlie

Are you coastal? I love that area of the country. I live in Portland,
currently.

-L.

I live north of Bellingham about 10 miles inland. I have 5 somewhat
boggy acres with a singlewide trailer and a tenant who brings in every
freaking junked-out car you can imagine. Here are some pictures:

www.geocities.com/wallofgrays/gems.htm

Pretty sad, eh?

Charlie