Thank you so much for your replies. Freedom, your explanation makes sense, but then again, Jazzcat has a good point - couldn't they have held him for a little while on the off chance that he was someone's kitty, or to better assess his temperament? I know for a fact that this shelter is NOT hurting financially; they just got a huge bequest from a local lady who passed away, over a million dollars, and they are building a whole new state-of-the-art facility.

Another question I had, but forgot to ask - what method of euthanasia would be used for a feral? I can't imagine how they could get him held still long enough to administer a lethal injection, but maybe they are experienced at handling strugglers.

I have nothing but admiration for shelter workers and volunteers; they make those very tough decisions every day and still come back to work. Personally I could not take the heartbreak. I hope I never have to make this kind of decision again, that's for sure.