As you may know from another post, we have been adopted by a feral cat. She had been roaming the valley for a couple of years with her brother who sadly disappeared sometime last year. Since then, she has been on her own and is very self sufficient and wild. Though people sometimes fed her she never hung around for long and she would never allow herself to be touched.

She was very very shy when she first appeared at the stable. We fed her and gained her confidence enough to stroke her and now to pick her up. She now sits on my daughter's knee when she is cleaning tack, and interferes while I am trying to pull weeds. She stalks the dog - nice-but-dim Lurcher - which is hilarious.

Now she is super-super friendly and wants to come into the house - which is sadly impossible. She does, however, have access to a warm laundrey room and a comfy stable with lots of straw etc. Of course,she is horribly neglected when it is raining and no-one is outside much.

Every time we step out of the door she comes running along to speak with us - unless she is on a hunting expedition. She has started to bring us delightful presents of mangled mouse which is very touching, if a bit gross.

This is very nice, but I do now worry that she is desperately lonely.
I wonder if, like dogs, domestic cats - including ferals - are
genetically programmed to like people and are especially friendly
when they feel that they can be confident that they wont get hurt? Also, I have heard that feral cats don't really play the way she does now.
Does anyone know anything about this?

This isn't an urgent question or anything, just interesting and since you chaps know cats it seems that this would be the place to discuss it.

There used to be a group between 9-14 cats living feral on the railway line next to my old flat. I watched these cats for years, and although there was a lot of bickering, the worked together and would sleep together, or rather on each other, when it was cold or rainy. Whenver an intruding cat would appear i.e. the neighbours poor wee tabby, the would all go for it as a group.

From watching these cats and living with The Pud I can't help but think a lot of cats can see the benefits of living in a group, even though at times they may not always like it. I think your feral cat may have realised the benefits to being friendly with you and is letting you know this.

I don't know if they are predisposed to liking humans as such, but I think in the absence of another cat to team up with you make a very good and willing susbtitute.