100% of them sent to shelters are euthanized. 100% of them are the result and responsibility of HUMAN BEINGS abandoning their pets and/or refusing to neuter and spay their pets. They're dumped, they breed, and a feral colony has begun.

They have nothing to eat. Less than half of kittens born feral survive. They're often anemic from fleas and weakened by intestinal worms. They are cold in the winter, wet when it rains, hit by cars chasing females and fight with each other for mating privileges and scraps of food. They are prey for coyotes and some dogs and are even abused by misguided or cruel human beings. The life expectancy of a feral cat is three years of brutal existence. It's sadistic to abandon a pet.

They can live decent lives through the Trap/Neuter/Return program available in most cities through various Feral Cat organizations if they have a care-giver to feed them once they're fixed.  Feral kittens, if caught before  or around 6 weeks can be socialized, fixed, and given to good homes.  The population then stabilizes.

I know many people who give up their free time to help ferals. You'll find them in alleys at midnight, trapping and feeding colonies. Often neighbors or landlords misunderstand and blame the caregivers for the feral population. This is a misunderstanding. The cats were already there, born on the property. Cats are territorial. They won't leave if you don't feed them; they'll only starve, fight, and carry diseases. If you have Animal Control round them up and kill them, more will move into that opened niche. There are simply too many ferals to solve the problem by having them euthanized. The most humane and the LEAST EXPENSIVE (for taxpayers) method of dealing with ferals is Trap/Neuter/Return.

There is an army of generous souls patrolling our alleyways and abandoned structures, feeding, caring for, and above all trapping and fixing the millions of feral cats in our cities. We should all thank them. The cats certainly do.  

FACT: There's a feral cat for every man, woman, and child living in America. Cats are NOT an indigenous species. They have been domesticated since Egyptian civilization and need homes.

If you have a loving home for a pet, please think RESCUE. Rescued cats are GRATEFUL. They will love you forever for giving them a home. Cats are intuitive. They know who is kind to them and repay that love tenfold.