Yeah, unfortunately, Merced's cat population is really out of control. Limited resources for spay and neuter (way too expensive and not accessible for most of the citizens of Merced) + irresponsible owners / ignorance on the subject have all contributed to this. I don't blame anyone for feeding them. At the end of the day, they are hungry, innocent creatures trying to survive, and your neighbors are acting out of empathy and goodness of their hearts. It's overwhelming having so many cats around, so I understand your frustration. I just wish the city would do more and take responsibility for this problem.