■ The country property my husband and I purchased in northeast Washington came with a 1935 farmhouse, several rustic barns, and a pack of feral cats. Most of these critters were just passing through, but five decided to take up residence in an old cow barn. We didn’t mind the arrival of these felines, because within a short time, the destructive rodents near our barns, fields, and garden plots were history. A neighbor from a nearby farm, however, warned us that feral kittens would be the next arrival—one abundant batch after another.
Estimates for the number of feral cats in the United States vary drastically, but the Humane Society suggests there are 30 to 40 million. Unspayed cats can produce 2 to 3 litters a year. In agricultural areas, the offspring can be found in barns, henhouses, haylofts, tool sheds, and livestock shelters—just about anywhere a
