We have a colony of feral cats at the horse barn. They
are the outgrowth of someone having fed the colony, and having
not done any vetting or fixing. Then they decided to stop feeding,
so it became our problem.

Two of the kittens have become house pets--- by dint of some
early handling and by dint of their having 'chose' us. They are
wonderful pets. Ferals are not wild by nature--- it's all by
'nurture.'

Some kittens have gone to the SPCA, again after planning and
handling, and will make good pets.

We took some to our regular vet to be fixed, but he was
pretty uncooperative and not very understanding that it was a
question of 'we have to do it when we can catch them.'

We have since found a group, Forgotten Cats, that operates a
$25.00 spay/neuter clinic in the area. We took three adolescent
females there last year. There web-site is excellent and educational:
see www.forgottencats.org They are somewhat more understanding
of the 'get them while you can' problem. They also lend humane
traps. The $25.00 also includes basic inoculations and worming.

Two of the cats we have neutered have disappeared in the last
few months. Such are the risks of life in the rough. There are two
more young kittens from a mother who is un-catchable, and they will
likely be given a reprieve as a result. We need the barn cats as
service animals.

We have two resident toms, and that seems to be okay. If one wandered
into a trap, we'd neuter him.

The youngsters are easy to catch by hand when adolescent--- they
haven't gotten too canny yet. Leather gloves are sometimes a good
idea.

We do feed the population. Cheap hard and soft food. And we
slip wormer in.

Sometimes, to get a colony under control, you have to 'dispatch'
a cat, particularly an un-catchable breeding female. That isn't
much fun, but is a fact of farm life. Of course if you live in
city limits, your options there are somewhat limiting. Not having
to do that is why we're making every effort spay the 'kitten
machines.'