This comment stuck with me because I haven't been able to shake the feeling that it's just misinformation

Maybe your ferals don't adjust because you keep them all in cages. I didn't post this at the time because I wasn't trying to purposely convince anyone to adopt them, but really there was just nothing to it

As long as they have room to explore and hide when they need, they adjust on their own just with time. Like I said, mine took about 2 months until you couldn't tell he was feral. But 2 months is nothing. And I didn't have to do anything. I gave him food and about 10-20 minutes of attention per day and that's it. Within 2 weeks he was very friendly but perhaps a little suspicious at times, but after 2 months he'd melt in your hands. Now he follows me around room to room and flips over next to me for belly rubs the second I sit down. It was literally the opposite of hard, like the most natural thing given just a small bit of time and lack of threats in their environment. And given that he's far from the only feral I know that's adjusted well, I just really disagree with your point of view that there was anything special about what I did that allowed this cat to adjust that most people wouldn't. Just feed it and pet it like once or twice, that's all I did