...that cat loved your mum dude...and cats don't do that easy lol...must have been an amazing bond they had...LOL! Not my first run with feral cats. I think the highest farm cat population was around 30+ one Spring.
I had no rodent or snake problem. I killed one adult and one baby copperheads and two rattlesnakes in 30yrs. For my area, that was VERY good. I figure it was mainly due to low rodent population. ALL rodents! The first Momma cat taught her litters how to hunt those damned gofers and moles! I with I had just one of those cats now with my new place. I've killed them off and then they invade from the surrounding property..
I'm kinda hoping for an interesting kitten that I can socialize well. The last cat I had, I gave to my Mom to help with stimulation. I put quite the effort into her training, well above what I'd done in the past. They both bonded well, with the cat switching well from me to my Mom. When Mom went to the hospital and then to hospice, it really screwed up the cat. She would meow and cry for her. Poor thing just gave up and refused to eat. I had to have her put down. I couldn't let her keep on suffering. I've seen dogs doing that after an owner dies, but never a cat.