Socializing a feral cat is a huge challenge and anyone who accomplishes this task deserves a medal of valor.

In some urban centers feral cat populations are managed with trap/spay/neuter/vaccination and release programs. Dedicated and(fearless) men and women work tirelessly to care for animals that don't care for them. These folks beleive that feral cats deserve a life unencumbered with preventable pregnancies and proliferation of generations of feral litters of kittens. As some math genius once figured out, a fertile queen can produce hundreds of thousands of progeny during her reproductve years. That's a frightening stat isn't it. Imagine how many cats would die of inherited and acquired disease, or fall victim to dogs, coyotes, vehicles, extreme weather or sadistic people.

So instead of turning a blind eye to overpopulation of feral cats, some human communities are using a proactive approach to managing cat communities. It is possible to tame a wild cat, at least to some extent, but it takes a tremendous effort and extreme patience to win the trust of a frightened feral kitty. Not to mention a pair of gauntlets, a fishing net and a hockey mask!

Feral cats help to control rodents in many cities so they do earn their keep. Life on the mean streets of urban and suburban Anerica is not idyllic but it is the reality for countless feral cats. We can make adifference by supporting trap/treat and release programs in our own communities.