If you have a feral cat outside your home, here are some things that can help him live a better life. First, realize that most feral cats are wild animals. Don't expect them to behave like house cats. You wouldn't expect a raccoon to behave like a house cat, would you?

That being said, feral cats usually fear humans and hide from them. Some feral cats are escaped pets and know how to live with humans, but most aren't.

A feral cat can live a good life. But with a little help from you, his life can be so much better.

Spay or Neuter

This is the most important gift you can give to a feral cat. If you are a stranger to TNR (Trap Neuter Return), ask someone who is familiar with it to help. I spent one Saturday morning learning about ferals, and now the folks who sponsored the "class" will spay or neuter any feral cat I bring in, and give him a rabies shot, for $25 -- That's the price of one pizza.

Therefore, while the cat is in for the spay or neuter, have him get a three-year anti-rabies shot. Note: at the time of the linked article, only the one-year rabies vaccine was non-adjuvant. However, at the present time (2015), both the one-year and three-year, are non-adjuvant.

Do not declaw an outside cat! Life can be tough out there, and his claws are his main defense.

Advantages of Spay and Neuter:

To a male:  He won't fight other males for the right to mate with a female. His smaller territory will require him to cross fewer busy roads.

He will be able to sleep (and keep warm) with other neutered males

To a female:  She won't come into heat. She won't give birth until she is too exhausted to live. She won't die of giving birth or uterine cancer.

To you:  You'll get better sleep without howling cats keeping you awake. You'll be the reason that fewer kittens are going to starve to death. You'll get a warm feeling knowing you made someone's life better.

Shelter in a Warm Climate:

A dry cat can survive cold temperatures. A wet cat can't. Even feral cats in warm temperatures need shelter from the rain. If the spot for a feral cat shelter is dry (under a porch, inside a garage, etc.), you make a feral cat shelter by putting a cardboard box inside a plastic garbage bag.

Check online for lots of ideas for feral cat shelters. It all depends on how much money you want to spend.

Shelter in a Cold Climate:

If your area receives snow. make sure the bottom of the opening in your cat shelter is higher off the ground than the record snow fall. If the area is subject to drifts (or neighbors shoveling nearby driveways), make sure the opening is far enough from the ground. The standard opening is 6 inches across. The opening should be small-enough to exclude larger animals. You may want to shovel a path between your feral shelter and your feeding station.

Unfrozen Water:

If you have access to an electrical outlet, you can plug in a heated water dish that will keep the water from freezing. If the weather gets cold enough to freeze water, do not use metal bowls. In the winter, I use several plastic bowls (from cottage cheese) and set out unfrozen water three times a day: as I'm leaving for work, when I come home from work, and before I go to bed.

Food:

Dry food does not freeze in winter. You want to keep dry food out of the rain, but that's why man builds feeding stations

The idea is to have a place that is out of the rain where you can keep the food and water. A feeding station need not be elaborate. Mine is a recycling bin on its side.

If you feed regularly, the feral cat will learn to expect you. He may be hiding, but he's probably watching you. If you feed during the day, the other animals likely to eat the feral cat's food are birds, dogs and other cats. Opossums, rabbits, ground hogs, skunks and other wild animals are more active in the dark.

Observation:

Keep an eye on the feral cat. If you see that he's injured, you may need a drop trap to take him to a vet for treatment. The TNR folks probably can help.

Other Tips:

Don't plant,  or get rid of,  plants harmful to cats (daisies and lillies come to mind). Safely store poisons such as auto antifreeze, slug bait, ant killer. mosquito bombs, etc.

Finally:

Feral cats are not homeless. They just live outdoors. You can do very little to protect a feral cat from dangers such as speeding cars, hungry coyotes, accidental poisonings, intentional poisonings, angry dogs, shootings, catnappers, etc. Even if your feral cat disappears, you know that you made his life
better while you could.

Note: Barry Jensen, author of this article, is also a Host for the About.com Cats Forum. In the years I've known him he has used his editorial experience from time to time to point out errors, typos, and clumsily-written text in my articles. He does it from the kindness of his heart, and it is deeply appreciated.