Do you know how many ‘feral’ cats are just strays, lost or dumped? Once out in the wild, most become very afraid and ppl think it’s totally wild. They are dependent on people...ALL OF THEM feral or not. MOST of the ‘so called ‘feral’ cats that I have fed in colonies over the last 20+ yrs turn out friendly..it’s just a matter of trust. They are all now known as COMMUNITY cats (stray, lost, homeless, feral, dumped) because they deserve a life too.
Look. I am an animal lover, to an extent. I like the zoo. I love to hunt. And many animals are delicious whether they are raised in someone's back yard or off the fat of the land. But your idea that cats can't exist in the wild is wrong.
Many farm cats are mean as can be but helpful with rodent control and they get little to no assistance from farmers. Sure they steal slop from the pigs now and then. But they have an appetite for mice and rats. I grew up in a neighborhood on the edge of civilization and we were surrounded by farms and fields. We had feral cats that lived in the storm sewers. They were constantly having kittens and they were pretty aggressive. It was a tight neighborhood and nobody was allowed to feed them. They attacked the neighborhood dogs and would chase small kids. I don't know if they were CRACK kitties or what. But we feared them.
My uncle had a farm with pigs, cows and chickens. There were always 4-8 wild cats living around the farm. My Aunt and Uncle strictly told us to not screw with the cats or the kittens. One of them only had 3 legs. Nobody knows why. Another one was missing an ear, also a mystery. They didn't feed those cats or give them water. But they did have a place in an old grain silo that they would deposit rodent remains.
So I am going to have to disagree with you that all cats are loving, adorable, needy, dependent, helpless pets.
Again, I do not advocate the abuse of any animal for entertainment. And feral cats (along with pythons, lizards, and all other former pets released into the wild) can become nuisance animals or pests. It's usually the fault of bad pet owners. So it's a shame. They should be dispatched humanely in my opinion.
My adorable little rescue cat Zizu is lounging near my feet right now. She likes to be near me wherever I am. She came from a feral colony until picked up off the streets of NJ by a rescue group. She came to me with ear mites, conjunctivitis, worms, bones showing, thin sparse fur---and a few vet visits and months later, she could grace the cover of any cat magazine. I saw that she was, underneath all those initial problems, a real beauty and a total sweetie, and I was right. Wouldn't take a million for this little girl. She is gorgeous, scary smart, and extremely affectionate--the total package.