Feral cats are the offspring of lost or abandoned pet cats or other feral cats that are not spayed or neutered.  Females can reproduce two to three times a year, and their kittens, if they survive, will become feral without early contact with people. Cats can become pregnant as early as 4 or 5 months of age, and the number of cats rapidly increases without intervention by caring people.

Feral cats may live alone but are usually found in large groups called feral colonies.  The colony occupies and defends a specific territory where food (a restaurant dumpster, a person who feeds them) and shelter (beneath a porch, in an abandoned building) are available.  Since feral cats typically fear strangers, it is likely that people may not realize that feral cats are living nearby because the cats are rarely seen. They are elusive and do not trust humans.

WCFA supports Trap, Neuter and Release (TNR).  It has feral cat traps to loan to feral cat caregivers. Feral colony members are trapped by the feral cat caregiver, taken to veterinarians in Mesquite and given a health evaluation; are spayed or neutered and vaccinated (including rabies vaccine); treated for parasites; ear-tipped for identification and then returned to the colony.  WCFA provides spay and neuter and rabies vaccination assistance for feral cats, provided the caregiver of the feral cat(s) applies for assistance.

A caretaker (probably the person who was already feeding the cats) makes sure that there is clean water, food and waterproof shelter for the cats.  The caretaker also monitors the colony for health problems, and keeps an eye out for the occasional new member, making sure it is spayed or neutered.  WCFA can assist with providing food to the caretaker who then feeds the cats.

Judy Oaks, WCFA member, is featured in a Best Friends article about her work with feral cats.  Read the article on the Best Friends Network at 
http://network.bestfriends.org/campaigns/felines/14395/news.aspx .

Two excellent resources on feral cats are  Alley Cat Allies and Neighborhood Cats.