We have some feral cats in the neighborhood I want to adopt and have
> tried over the years to lure them with food and kindness. They always
> kept their distance (although they would eagerly take the food if I
> stayed far away). I described their behavior to my vet and he said
> they were feral and that they could not be domesticated. One has been
> around for seven years, which isn't bad for feral.
You might see if your area has a "Friends of Ferals" or similar organization. They catch, spay, neuter, vaccinate, and release feral cats. This keeps the population down and prevents them from spreading diseases to pets.
Ben Schilling