I have read many of these posts concerning feral cats, and obviously it is a problem in many places. However, I don't know that I have ever seen a feral cat here (northwest Mississippi). I spend many days a month/year outdoors in rural areas, and I see plenty of other animals, but never any cats. Any thoughts?

Go see your ophthalmologist.

Oh, wait, I meant.....

Go see your ophthalmologist. That better?

Look no farther than your neighbors house. If he has a cat it roams in the wild. Cats use all types of buildings, abandoned and occupied for shelter and cover. A cat raised indoors will immediately begin to hunt and scavenge as soon as it is allowed to roam freely. If abandoned, cats will readily "take up" near humans, sometimes becomming pets and at other times staying on the edge of domestication. I know a lady that live in the country that just couldn't stand the thought of a cat starving in the woods so she left food out for it. In four months she had 16 cats (fully grown) and her cat food bill was 45 dollars a month. Also, cats that range far from human protection become dinner for coyotes and other large predators. It is a trade, humans like the mouse and rat control and cats like the protection and shelter. It just happens that cats, like all other predators take what is available. Song birds, upland game birds, rats and mice are all the same to the cat. Just dinner.

Feral cats will be a good one if it can do chores diligently like it's rival enemy ... the dog.