Feral cats are domestic cats and their offspring living in the wild.  Originally they may have been pets which have been abandoned by uncaring owners, or have simply wandered away from home and got lost.  Any kittens born into the wild will be unaccustomed to human contact and will become feral. There is a common misconception that cats can look after themselves.  But without human intervention, feral cats commonly suffer malnutrition and disease, and even starvation.  It is estimated that up to 80% of feral kittens die in their first year through accident or disease.  Pure ferals will NEVER be happy in a family home, and are best left 'in the wild' with adequate support.  Hounslow Animal Welfare (HAWS) is one of the few animal welfare organisations which helps to provide this support for ferals. We always need new locations to place feral cats.  Can you help by offering a place to one or more of them?  You would simply need to provide the three things that ferals need to survive: food, water and shelter.  There would be very little expense or trouble involved, as HAWS will assist with any veterinary treatment required, and can also help with food if necessary.  We can advise you about a suitable shelter - probably an outbuilding such as a barn or a large shed, or alternatively a specially constructed shelter. What you would need to do: For the first three weeks the cat(s) must be confined to their outbuilding, so that they can grow accustomed to their new location.  Feed them in the shelter twice a day - once they know that food is regularly supplied they are less likely to leave. After three weeks you simply need to continue twice-daily feeding, and allow them to 'free range' between the shelter and the outside world as they wish.  The only thing that you need to do is to keep an eye on them to make sure that they remain healthy. These cats will depend on you only for their food and shelter.  As such they would be ideal for country dwellers wishing to establish or enlarge a feral colony to control mice etc., or for town dwellers who like cats but are unable for one reason or another to keep them indoors.  Although they will initially fear human contact, over time you should be able to earn their trust to some extent. IF YOU SEE a pregnant cat or mother and kittens living in your garden or surrounding area, call us immediately on 020 8560 5443. Do remember though that we are a LOCAL charity - we can only handle feral cases that are local to ourselves (within the vicinity of the London Borough of Hounslow). If kittens are taken in young enough they can be tamed and good homes found for them. We keep the mother with her kittens until they are old enough to be homed, spay the mother and find a suitable place for her. But PLEASE get in touch with us immediately you see them - DON'T LEAVE IT TOO LATE. ALL OUR FERAL CATS ARE NEUTERED TO PREVENT THEM FROM BREEDING.