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There is a familyof kittens in my neighborhood, and I am constantly seeing them end up dead on the main road trying to cross- I'm not really in a position to take any of them in, (I have a two american bulldogs for starters) - however I have recently begun giving them some food, and a bowl of milk every now and then-
Well this has now turned into them congregating every night, as well as cat calling, and this drives me and the bullies crazy- I still feed them, however does anyone have any long term plans for these guys?
I know if I call animal control they will probably end up getting put to sleep- I also know if I stop feeding them, they will eventually go away, but they will probably start crossing the busy road again, as they are a few stores on that side, which I'm sure they are hanging around looking for scraps-
I called around, the closest rescue said if I could foster for a few months, they could try and find homes, however I have the 2 bullies who are very cat unfriendly!
I called around, the closest rescue said if I could foster for a few months, they could try and find homes, however I have the 2 bullies who are very cat unfriendly!
I know the pound is going to put them to sleep
How about contacting Alley Cat Allies who are professionals in dealing with and saving feral cats? Perhaps you can trap them and move them to another safer area where there is a colony already. They could be spayed/neutered and given their rabies shot before you release them.
Try to find out where they seem to have set up headquarters, and move your base of operations there. Likely they were orphaned, but felines are smart from the get-go. They've probably located a fairly secure and sheltered spot for resting. And that spot is probably on someone's property - whoever owns the place must be OK with them or they would've "disappeared" before now.
Recently a separate thread has been all about constructing cheap, safe, and comfortable outdoor cat shelters. Maybe you could rig up something for your visitors complete with food so there's a happy medium? (They'd be more out of harm's way, and before long wouldn't be congregating to "sing for their supper.")
Nationwide groups such as Alley Cat Allies would be able to provide a wealth of info. If you "keep finding" the remains of unfortunate kittens who don't make it across the busy road, it sounds more to me like you're dealing with a feral-cat colony and not just a "family." Most litters consist of six babies max. And what happens when you "foster for a few months?" Yup! If the cats aren't spayed or neutered there will be still more on the way. Nip this in the bud by finding out whether any local shelter or humane society could provide low-cost or no-cost services, along with - naturally - humane traps so you can catch the lil' buggers and bring them in. Many vet clinics are partnered with rescue groups and will "fix," as well as vaccinate, stray/feral cats for less than what they ordinarily charge. This is not only "the right thing to do," it's also good business. Over the past couple of years I've helped four TNR's and five kitten "re-homings" take place. A mother and daughter from that group now share my living quarters, and are seen for their check-ups and other care at the place where they were first taken as strays.
How about contacting Alley Cat Allies who are professionals in dealing with and saving feral cats? Perhaps you can trap them and move them to another safer area where there is a colony already. They could be spayed/neutered and given their rabies shot before you release them.
hmmm good idea! do I trap them with like a raccoon trap, or are there better/more humane methods?
hmmm good idea! do I trap them with like a raccoon trap, or are there better/more humane methods?
Yes, the live traps that are used are similar to ones used for other animals. You can often rent them (I rented one from our local shelter) for very little money, or even free.
Did you ask any of the places you called about "TNR"? It stands for Trap-Neuter-Release. Basically, you sterilize the current batch of cats and they can live out their lives but not reproduce. They usually get a notch cut off one of their ears so you can visually see who's been trapped.
I am fortunate in that our local shelter has a TNR program, and spays/neuters are done free of charge. You only need to trap and transport the cat.
Where are you located? Perhaps someone here can locate a group near you--there are many experienced folks here.
Yep, call the humane society or local animal rescue league about TNR. We have a small colony of five cats who live in our neighborhood, and so far we've TNR'd two of them. The lady needed the traps back, but I need to get them again from her so that we can do the rest of the kitties. The two that have been spayed/neutered (one boy and one girl) just laze around on our patio or in people's driveways much of the day now, while the other three run around quite a bit. The two we trapped are also less "hissy" than the others. I think it calms them down a lot! They also give them their rabies shots, so they're protected, which in turn protects your dogs and everyone else in the neighborhood, from rabies, which is rare but fatal.
It is like being on a treadmill that you can't get off of once you start feeding them. I have been feeding cats at my shop every night for the past 3 + years and I sometimes wonder if I am doing them a favor or not. At least I got the last of the females fixed, so there should be no more kittens from this group, at least.
After a while of doing it you sort of get worn out especially from the realization you aren't making a dent in the overall problem.
How about contacting Alley Cat Allies who are professionals in dealing with and saving feral cats? Perhaps you can trap them and move them to another safer area where there is a colony already. They could be spayed/neutered and given their rabies shot before you release them.
This, 1000 times!
Because if you feed them without doing TNR (trap-spay-neuter) the surviving kittens will start breeding like crazy as early as six months old and before you know it you're up to your elbows in feral cats. Speaking from experience here.
Where I live there are two low-cost clinics that do feline spay-neuter plus basic vaccinations for as low as $20. I think the humane 'coon trap would work. I have some Havahart traps, that humanely trap, plus have two doors and a divider so wild cats can be vaccinated or grabbed safely within the trap. Some shelters and rescue organizations will loan you traps, or "rent" them for very little.
But seriously, feeding without doing any other "management" will easily create a nightmare-ish number of cats depending on YOU for daily sustenance. And will likely really annoy your neighbors, too.
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