In “Ghost Cats of the South,” felines from the afterlife come back to perform good deeds or terrible revenge. Author Randy Russell will sign copies of the book at a downtown bookstore a couple of weeks before Halloween.

In addition to feeding the seasonal hunger for spooky stories, these ghost cats will be helping Vicksburg’s stray cat population. Those who attend the book-signing are urged to bring a bag of dry cat food for Paws Rescue, a local organization dedicated to helping animals in need.

Besides working to place adoptable strays and pets in need of homes, Paws Rescue feeds and obtains medical care for feral cats, who are not usually suitable pets.

Leigh Conerly and a friend founded Paws Rescue in 2004. She estimates that Vicksburg is home to eight to 10 feral cat colonies, with five to 10 cats in each.

For the most part, Conerly said, people are not aware of the cat colonies.

“You don’t see them,” she said. “They come out at night to feed.”

In tending to feral cats, Paws Rescue follows the guidelines set by Alley Cat Allies. They use humane traps to capture them, administer vaccines, spay or neuter them and release them into their original habitat. The cats are provided food and water daily by volunteers.

“That’s our commitment — to make sure they are fed for the rest of their lives,” Conerly said “They’re not particular about the brand. They’ll eat everything from Wal-Mart cat food to the most expensive kind.”

Paws Rescue also runs a pet adoption program, placing strays and other animals with foster families until a permanent one can be found. They also have a no-kill policy.

For the ghost cats of Russell’s book, there may be no permanent rest. His stories feature cats that dig for pirate treasure on the beach, help rescue automobile accident victims, console bereaved parents and exact revenge on cat-killing lawyers. Russell’s stories come from existing folklore, first-person accounts and notable reports of ghost cats.

“Sadly overlooked in published folklore are people’s encounters with the ghosts of past family members of the four-legged variety,” Russell said in a press release. “Conversely, visits from departed pets are, easily, the most common ghost experiences I hear when people share their real-life encounters with me. And cats refuse to be left out of anything.”

Russell is an award-winning folklorist from Asheville, N.C.

“Ghost Cats” is slated for publication Oct. 1 and is a companion to “Ghost Dogs of the South,” published in 2001, and other books about ghosts in North Carolina and in Tennessee.