Millions of stray cats live hidden away in Germany. Left to fend for themselves, they go hungry and cold, and are often sick and injured. There are numerous misconceptions about the lives and needs of these animals, which contribute to their great suffering often being misunderstood and ignored. The German Animal Welfare Federation is therefore drawing attention to the top 5 misconceptions about stray cats and calling for greater awareness and responsibility in dealing with these animals. Those interested can find the biggest misconceptions about street cats on the website www.jetzt-katzen-helfen.de/strassenkatzen.
"Many people are unaware that there are street cats in Germany. Many believe that street cats are wild cats, do not need humans, and can cope well on their own in nature. These assumptions are wrong and have serious consequences," explains Dr. Dalia Zohni, specialist advisor for pets at the German Animal Welfare Federation.
In fact, street cats are free-roaming domestic cats that originally descended from unneutered cats from private households. Almost all of these animals are weakened by disease, parasites, injuries, and hunger. The chance of street cats living longer than a few months is slim.
These widespread misconceptions mean that necessary measures such as neutering, veterinary care, and animal welfare are not sufficiently supported or implemented. The German Animal Welfare Federation emphasizes that only through expert education and responsible cat ownership, which includes neutering your own outdoor cat, can the suffering of these animals be reduced in the long term.
With its information work and the campaign “Every cat's life counts,” the association aims to raise public awareness of the suffering of street cats and help correct misconceptions about them. The goal is to strengthen cat protection in Germany in the long term.
Note to editors
The German Animal Welfare Federation has compiled more information on the website of its campaign “Every cat's life counts”: www.jetzt-katzen-helfen.de. The top 5 misconceptions can be found via the direct link www.jetzt-katzen-helfen.de/strassenkatzen and below:
The top 5 misconceptions about stray cats
False: “There are stray cats abroad, but not in Germany.”
Especially in southern vacation destinations, stray cats can be found in
city centers or hotel complexes. These cats are usually very trusting and often even downright affectionate, as they are accustomed to the presence of humans. It is not uncommon for these cats to be fed by locals and tourists. These cats are therefore usually accustomed to the presence of humans from an early age.
There are also countless stray cats living in Germany. Unlike in southern countries, stray cats in this country are very shy and do not seek direct contact with humans. One reason for this is that there is no habitat for street cats in our cities. Although we also have tourists, they do not feed the animals. The street cats therefore retreat and remain shy, which they pass on to subsequent generations. As a result, the suffering of these animals remains invisible to many people.
False: “Street cats can be housed in animal shelters and rehomed.”
Catching street cats and taking them to animal shelters for rehoming is usually not an option—especially for adult cats. Young cats only have a very short period of a few weeks to get used to human contact. During the second to seventh week of life—the so-called socialization phase—cats become accustomed to living with humans. In the following weeks, it is still possible to a certain extent for them to get used to humans, but in many cases this is much more difficult.
If cats did not have sufficient positive contact with humans during these first weeks of life, which are important for their socialization, it is unlikely that they will be able to live stress-free in a domestic environment. They are shy, fearful, always looking for ways to escape, and feel permanently overwhelmed in the shelter. In addition, there is little hope of finding a home for these wild and shy animals, as their fearful behavior is hardly reversible. It is therefore important that stray cats are found during the imprinting phase. During this time, animal lovers can still get the cats used to contact with humans – this is the only way they have a chance of being placed in a loving home.
False: “Stray cats are wild cats.”
It is very easy to confuse wild cats and tabby stray cats because they look very similar. However, they are two different species of cat. Unlike stray cats, wild cats are not descended from domesticated cats and are therefore not dependent on human help. Stray cats are normal domestic cats, which means that humans have a duty of care towards these animals. Unlike wild cats, stray cats are not equipped for life in the wild.
False: “Cats belong in nature and can catch mice to survive.”
Many cats love being outdoors. However, this does not mean that cats can survive alone in nature for long periods of time. An example from Liesegang and Wanner illustrates this (quoted from Iben et al., 2021): A street cat (3.5 kg body weight) needs approximately 1250 kJ per day. If it feeds only on mice (125 kJ per mouse), it would have to catch about 10–12 mice per day. When prey is scarce, a vicious circle begins: cats find too little food, malnourished cats fall ill more quickly than well-fed animals, and this in turn limits their hunting success. Malnutrition is therefore inevitably the fate of many street cats.
False: “Cats don't need humans.”
The romantic idea that cats roam carefree through nature and do not need humans is a fallacy. All domestic cats are domesticated animals that depend on human help. This is because they lack the hunting skills of their wild ancestors. They cannot provide for themselves or their offspring in the long term on their own. It is also important to remember that simply feeding them is not enough. While this can help build a human-cat relationship, it is above all play, interaction, and affection that create a bond and strengthen an existing connection. In addition, veterinary care is essential for a healthy cat life.
