What is a feral cat? Can they be tamed?	Feral cats are cats born and raised in the wild, or domesticated cats (whose irresponsible owners have dumped or abandoned them) that have managed to survive in the wild. Despite popular belief, animals that are dumped do not resort to their instincts to survive--often times these animals have never learned to hunt or defend themselves, and they live horrible lives with even worse deaths. The ones that survive learn to be distrustful and very scared of humans. Feral cats aren't approachable; to catch them you usually need a trap and some sort of protective wear, like gloves or a towel. They may hiss or spit, strike out with sharp claws or even bite. These bites are serious, and you should seek medical attention if you've been bitten. Looking at them directly is aggressive behaviour to them, so when dealing with feral cats and kittens, keep that in mind. Cats in the wild will group together and form colonies, making it harder for humans to approach unnoticed. A breeding female will keep her kittens hidden from human eyes until they are old enough to venture out on their own. Feral kittens are sometimes easier to tame, because the younger they are, the more impressionable they are. With a lot of patience and love and the right atmosphere, though, some people have tamed feral cats over 5 years old.
What if I manage to catch a feral kitty? What should I do?	Feral kittens should not be taken from the mother until they are at least 6 weeks old, and once they are trapped, they should be fostered in a quiet household with people who have the patience and time to socialize them. Shelters sometimes don't have the room or the time to deal with feral kittens, so if you can't take them, try to find a feral cat organisation or foster programme that's used to dealing with these animals. If you decide to foster them yourself, it will be an amazing experience you'll never forget.
How do I go about taming a feral cat/kitten?	The best way to go about socialization is to keep them in a cage, like a rabbit hutch or other enclosure where you can get to them easily, with a litter box and bedding (and food and water dishes, of course) for the first few days. They'll learn to feel safe and come to know the rhythms of your household. Keep them away from family pets or children, or busy areas of the household (noise will frighten them, so quiet, relatively unused rooms are best). Speak to them softly and gently, and move slowly. Try petting their head, behind their ears, under the chin, or the side of the cheek. Stay away fromt he belly or paws at first: these are sensitive spots for many kitties. After they become somewhat comfortable with your touch, start taking them out one at a time and handle them with a towel, or with gloves and a towel on your lap. Make sure the door to the room is shut! They'll be frightened and jumpy, so make sure you can hang onto them; you don't want them loose in the house. A good way to handle them is to put they're feet on your lap, one hand holding on lightly to the scruff of their neck (some people say this calms them down a bit, and it's nature's handle for kittens), and gently pet them in their favourite spot (you'll usually know this by now). Kittens approached from the front are more likely to hiss and swat, so if they try to duck wildly away from your hand, try petting them softly on their back. Handle them briefly at first but often. Once they've reached a point where the towel and gloves aren't necessary, bring friends in (not too many at one time, though) and encourage them to handle the kittens. This would also be a good time to bring them out of their "quiet room" and into a busier area of the house for short periods, while in their cage so they feel safe. It will help them get used to the noise and activity of the average home. Feral kittens often attach to one human, so the more people they are exposed to, the better it becomes for them and their new family once they're adopted. Eight weeks (or roughly two pounds) is a good age to find them homes, then they can handle the stress of moving more readily. Some may take longer than others to tame, though, so be patient--your actions will speak louder than anything. When you're ready to place them in a new home, be sure to "screen" for a good home--you don't want to adopt a newly tamed feral kitty to a household with lots of children; normal kid activity and chaos might undo all you've accomplished. Feral kitties, once tamed, tend to be extremely loyal to their human and in some cases, more affectionate than the average domestic cat.
What's TNR (trap-neuter-release)? Can anyone do it?	Trap-neuter-release is the concept of thinning down feral colonies in the most humane way possible. Most wild cats can't be assimilated into homes or shipped off to live on ranches, and trapping them just to euthanise them isn't fair. So rescue groups came up with the idea of trapping them, taking them into the vet's to be neutered, and releasing them later the same day (or the next day if possible) into the same area they were taken from. The cat is now sterile and won't produce any offspring, and it gets to live out its days as it pleases. Anyone can take charge of a colony and practice TNR, as long as they let the vet know what they're planning. Check with local rescue groups: they might be able to help out with expenses, or setting and checking traps, or taxi-ing animals to-and-from the vet's office. They might also be able to tell you where you can find a trap, usually for rent or a small deposit. Make sure the vet nicks the cat's ear, too. This means a small triangle cut into the side of the ear. That way you'll be able to tell right away if you've caught a cat that's already been neutered.