Challenges with feral cats spans centuries. Estimates on their numbers range from about half as many as there are owned-cats to one and a half times as many owned cats. With 74 million owned-cats, there could be 32 million to 106 million feral cats.
Feral cats are both beneficial and problematic. Historically, they were tied to superstitions in medieval Europe when the Great Plague occurred. People responded by killing the cats. It was eventually determined that fleas that traveled on rats were actually responsible for the bubonic plague. Killing cats only allowed the rat population to explode. Ultimately, feral cats helped to save the day, as they were allowed to prosper, and controlled rat numbers. However, feral cats can carry disease to other cats, and toxoplasmosis to people. Also, feral cats have been identified with rabies–it’s not common; it does happen.
Source: Steve Dale Pet World, October 13, 2016.
There is one method that does work to control feral cat population numbers: It’s called trap-neuter-return, or TNR. The method doesn’t eradicate cats overnight, but it works over time, and does so humanely (which, according to surveys, most people want). So, TNR means that cats are humanely trapped, spay/neutered, and hopefully vaccinated for rabies.
INSIGHTS: Feral cats are a much different challenge in rural areas. They can often be found in the same areas where raccoons and skunks nest or hibernate. Plus, they can kill game birds.