Like so many before him, Daggie came to us unneutered, having lived on the streets and coming to the attention of a local resident who got in touch with Catcuddles. Daggie is estimated to be around three years’ old and his temperament suggests he was born on the streets and has had to fend for himself all this time; humans are not something he is at all used to. Daggie has FIV and is looking for a home in a rural area with no more than a small, friendly cat population. 

FIV, or Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, is a much-misunderstood virus believed to effect 2.5-4.4% of cats globally. In the past, cats that have tested positive for FIV have been euthanised, but the more we learn about this condition the more apparent it has become that FIV cats can live happy and comfortable lives. The virus has a very slow effect on a cat's immune system, potentially weakening it over several years, and sometimes making that cat more vulnerable to secondary infections in the long-term. Every cat's immune response is different however, and  the right environment is the key to maintaining good health in an FIV cat; a balanced diet and a happy and suitable home. Many FIV positive cats live into their senior years.

Felines need interaction with humans from the very beginning of their lives in order to develop into well socialised adult cats, who are comfortable with being touched and held by people. When this doesn't happen - when cats are born on the streets to stray mothers, or abandoned at a very young age, for example - they may grow into cats who are semi-feral or feral, willing to interact with people only at a distance and preferring to spend much of their time outside.

At CatCuddles we regularly encounter cats like these who have had tremendously difficult starts in life, and wish to offer them a chance at happiness, especially as they were deprived of it as kittens. It is possible to do so by finding them homes in rural and countryside locations, where they can spend much of their time outside but with the option of shelter available, be it a house with access via a cat-flap or a specially converted barn. Such homes are ideal because they are located away from busy roads and the many hazards of cities, allowing cats to roam freely and safely, to some extent reverting back to a natural state, and interacting with their human companions to whatever extent they are comfortable with.

Cats that exhibit feral behaviour tend to be fantastic companions for cats and other animals, and great at catching mice and other prey. This is because they are so in tune with their instincts. They also may gradually become less feral as they get to know the people around them, learning to trust those who feed them regularly and show them kindness, however they may never allow themselves to be touched or come too close, though over the years we have seen some near miraculous transformations.

If you live in a rural location, and would like to offer Daggie a chance of life on his own terms, please get in touch. You will need to be able to provide Daggie with a suitable, safe, secure, and comfortable space to adjust to his new home in, providing regular food and care from a distance, and offer him the option of coming inside if he chooses. In time this may well be something he wishes so this is also important for him to have this option.


In the event Daggie needs veterinary care, CatCuddles can assist with capture and transport. As with any cat adopted from us, Daggie is neutered and microchipped.

When cats develop feral behaviours, it's usually because they have been failed by people at the very start of their lives. If we do not find them homes because of this, then we are failing them again. If you can offer the right environment for Daggie, then please get in touch and change his life.