GENERAL

Catch, fix (spay or neuter) and release. I heard some talk about it again on the radio. Take 40 cats all 1 year in age. Give them their shots, fix them and make sure they are completely healthy. Place 20 in a house that they can't get out of and nothing can get in. Place the other 20 with tracking devices outside. Give both groups food and water. Within 5 years most if not all the outside cats will be dead. Meanwhile most if not all the inside cats will be alive and healthy. Catch, fix and release is like giving someone on death row a heart transplant. At least on death row they die quick. Cats are not rabbits. They are in the same animal group but cats can defend themselves. This allows them to sometimes get away. They don't come out of these battles unscaved. The cat may heal but often times die several painful days later. Diseases are another major killer for outside cats. Look up the facts. Most outside cats live only for a few years. Its their ability to breed that keeps outside cat populations so high.
What should be done? In my opinion and not shared by most is this. STOP feeding outside cats. The more food feral cats get the more healthier which means the more and larger litters they will have which just adds to the problem. Look at it through a sinics eyes. You feed 1 cat that within 2 years has a litter of 4, then 5, then 3, then just 2 kittens for a total of 14 cats. Then that cat dies. Meanwhile those 14 are producing kittens that will also add to the problem. So why if they breed so fast are we not over run with cats. BECAUSE THEY DIE THAT FAST! Think if that one cat had died humanely all the generations that would never had been born to suffer and die horribly.
What about leaving cats out? Totally against it. We have had several rehab-ed feral cats and they never wanted back outside. I believe you should look at your home environment. What does that cat want to escape from? Are you using a litter it likes? Is the box clean? If you have more then one cat do you have a box for each one? Some cats need 2 boxes just for themselves. Is there a place it feels safe? Are you paying attention to your cat? "Cats need to hunt", no they don't! Get some toys that can help entertain them. Animals are like children they need companionship. Pets are not accessories like jewelry. Pets need more then a home. Pets need to interact with you.