Moving and don't know what to do about cats I feed

dawn harvey

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Dec 2, 2012
Messages
129
Purraise
38
We are moving soon and I feed the strays/ferals around my neighborhood. The town I live in is horrible about cats and we did finally get a sort of TNR program here, but the woman who runs it is very unreliable and they do not follow through. Last year she came and took 5 kittens and they were spayed/neutered and returned. I have repeatedly tried to contact her to come back and do more and she doesn't respond. I have tried to call her and message her in regard to the continuing feeding of these cats, no response. What do I do for these cats once I am gone? Luckily we are doing a slow move so I will still be able to feed them for awhile, but this is very worrying. And I reached out to another neighbor that is kind hearted, but I get the impression she doesn't want to take over what I have done which is a lot. We do own the house we currently live in, but also need to sell it within the next few mos. So that's a whole other problem, most people probably will not want cats all around the yard. We have to move and I cannot move them. I cannot relocate them. Hope someone else has dealt with a situation like this.
 

catsknowme

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 2, 2005
Messages
11,458
Purraise
6,679
Location
Eastern California,USA
:alright:. I can only commiserate. You could try joining a variety of social media groups and see if there are any ranchers or cat rescue groups with ideas. My experience hasn't been very positive here because cats are unpopular so even people who would otherwise be willing to help are afraid to speak up. If you start a cat Facebook page, you might make contact with fellow cat lovers. Your vet may know of someone with ideas locally.
 

tarasgirl06

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
24,708
Purraise
64,891
Location
Glendale, CATifornia
We are moving soon and I feed the strays/ferals around my neighborhood. The town I live in is horrible about cats and we did finally get a sort of TNR program here, but the woman who runs it is very unreliable and they do not follow through. Last year she came and took 5 kittens and they were spayed/neutered and returned. I have repeatedly tried to contact her to come back and do more and she doesn't respond. I have tried to call her and message her in regard to the continuing feeding of these cats, no response. What do I do for these cats once I am gone? Luckily we are doing a slow move so I will still be able to feed them for awhile, but this is very worrying. And I reached out to another neighbor that is kind hearted, but I get the impression she doesn't want to take over what I have done which is a lot. We do own the house we currently live in, but also need to sell it within the next few mos. So that's a whole other problem, most people probably will not want cats all around the yard. We have to move and I cannot move them. I cannot relocate them. Hope someone else has dealt with a situation like this.
Contact alleycat.org and bestfriends.org and outline the situation. They may be able to help you/give you referrals/connect you with someone in your area who can help. IDK your location but yes, also use social media platforms i.e. facebook, twitter etc. and input something like "take over care of outdoor TNR colony in (your location)". My heartfelt PRAYERS for these sweet, innocent cats.
 

alphakitty

Beeqie - Sly Kitty - 2017
Young Cat
Joined
Nov 26, 2016
Messages
85
Purraise
156
Location
Urth
Hmmm, I agree with TarasGirl06,

Contact AlleyCat.org and BestFriends.org, both are excellent kitty help organizations. If you are in the Los Angeles area, you might contact www.FixNation.org, they neutor feral kitties for free. The will likely be able to refer you to a volunteer who would come out to your area (if within 50 miles or so) and TNR the kitties for you.

As for leaving them behind, that is a heart breaker. Me, when I move from California, I'm taking my four outside feral kitties, and my 4 inside/outside socialized kitties with me. But I feel for you. Its a heart breaker to have to leave those little kitties.

Best of luck...be safe (don't take any chances with CoVid)

Alpha_Kitty
 

2 dozen

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
Messages
175
Purraise
86
Location
NE Pa
I hope you find a solution to this heartbreaking situation. I wish I had a solution for you. We can't move because of the cats I am caring for. Before we married in 2003 my husband to be agreed to move south when I retired. I retired in 2007 but his daughter was pregnant and he wouldn't move. I started TNR in 2008 and now have 9 indoor cats and over a dozen outdoor ferals I feed. Dear hubby NOW wants to move to a warmer climate and I said "No, you snooze, you lose." lol
 

tarasgirl06

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
24,708
Purraise
64,891
Location
Glendale, CATifornia
I hope you find a solution to this heartbreaking situation. I wish I had a solution for you. We can't move because of the cats I am caring for. Before we married in 2003 my husband to be agreed to move south when I retired. I retired in 2007 but his daughter was pregnant and he wouldn't move. I started TNR in 2008 and now have 9 indoor cats and over a dozen outdoor ferals I feed. Dear hubby NOW wants to move to a warmer climate and I said "No, you snooze, you lose." lol
GOOD ON YA and THANK YOU for your decision to stand by those who need you, 2 2 dozen -- not everyone can do this, but those who can, absolutely should!!! Not only are you doing the right thing by them, you're also protecting yourself and your loved ones, as climate change is only going to worsen the killer heat such as we experience in L.A. in summer.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #11

dawn harvey

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Dec 2, 2012
Messages
129
Purraise
38
Contact alleycat.org and bestfriends.org and outline the situation. They may be able to help you/give you referrals/connect you with someone in your area who can help. IDK your location but yes, also use social media platforms i.e. facebook, twitter etc. and input something like "take over care of outdoor TNR colony in (your location)". My heartfelt PRAYERS for these sweet, innocent cats.
Thank you and yes it is awful to think about how they will survive without me. I am worried about this situation and it is taking any joy out of moving. I didn't think of Best Friends, but good idea!!!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #13

dawn harvey

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Dec 2, 2012
Messages
129
Purraise
38
ACA is even better (AlleyCat.org)
I checked out to see if there is anyone near me that could help, they sent me an email for 1 person and this person wouldn't be able to do what I need. I don't know what to do. And a momma just had kittens out by my central AC unit LOL!
 

tarasgirl06

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
24,708
Purraise
64,891
Location
Glendale, CATifornia
I checked out to see if there is anyone near me that could help, they sent me an email for 1 person and this person wouldn't be able to do what I need. I don't know what to do. And a momma just had kittens out by my central AC unit LOL!
Also, use your search engine (google, bing) and input "cat rescues in (your chosen area, local, county, or wider)" and try animalrescuedirectory.net.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #15

dawn harvey

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Dec 2, 2012
Messages
129
Purraise
38
Hmmm, I agree with TarasGirl06,

Contact AlleyCat.org and BestFriends.org, both are excellent kitty help organizations. If you are in the Los Angeles area, you might contact www.FixNation.org, they neutor feral kitties for free. The will likely be able to refer you to a volunteer who would come out to your area (if within 50 miles or so) and TNR the kitties for you.

As for leaving them behind, that is a heart breaker. Me, when I move from California, I'm taking my four outside feral kitties, and my 4 inside/outside socialized kitties with me. But I feel for you. Its a heart breaker to have to leave those little kitties.

Best of luck...be safe (don't take any chances with CoVid)

Alpha_Kitty

Sorry I didn't respond a lot earlier, but it's been crazy in my life. I did move and still go back to old house and feed them and will as long as I can. We do have to do something with that house. There is no way I can take all them. I feed all the neighborhood cats that are either stray or often dumped by horrible humans. None of the cats (or none I see) are so feral they run from humans, but most I can't touch. I can't bring them. I have 4 cats already and 2 don't get along which you know how bad it can be when cats don't get along. And I have 2 dogs. I have no extra building to try to re-locate them to and I know that would not go over well in the small town we moved to, which is very close to the other one. This situation is making me just sick thinking of pretty much abandoning them. I did try to contact Alley Cat Allies and they had one contact person here which is not helpful at all. And I even tried to call them and they never called me back. I did live in Eastern Iowa and now live in Western Illinois right across the river. The reason I say where I live is that there are is not hardly any help in these areas for this situation. Most people in the old neighborhood would rather see them all just disappear. I've taken so much flack for years for trying to help the cats and I helped other animals as well. Anyway just wanted to respond to someone that wrote here because I so appreciate it. I cannot bare the thought of what may end up not even being my choice. I've tried neighbors and everything. If you think of anything please respond. Thanks.
 

tarasgirl06

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
24,708
Purraise
64,891
Location
Glendale, CATifornia
Sorry I didn't respond a lot earlier, but it's been crazy in my life. I did move and still go back to old house and feed them and will as long as I can. We do have to do something with that house. There is no way I can take all them. I feed all the neighborhood cats that are either stray or often dumped by horrible humans. None of the cats (or none I see) are so feral they run from humans, but most I can't touch. I can't bring them. I have 4 cats already and 2 don't get along which you know how bad it can be when cats don't get along. And I have 2 dogs. I have no extra building to try to re-locate them to and I know that would not go over well in the small town we moved to, which is very close to the other one. This situation is making me just sick thinking of pretty much abandoning them. I did try to contact Alley Cat Allies and they had one contact person here which is not helpful at all. And I even tried to call them and they never called me back. I did live in Eastern Iowa and now live in Western Illinois right across the river. The reason I say where I live is that there are is not hardly any help in these areas for this situation. Most people in the old neighborhood would rather see them all just disappear. I've taken so much flack for years for trying to help the cats and I helped other animals as well. Anyway just wanted to respond to someone that wrote here because I so appreciate it. I cannot bare the thought of what may end up not even being my choice. I've tried neighbors and everything. If you think of anything please respond. Thanks.
I would not abandon them. That's me speaking and I realize others might say differently. I would keep trying to contact ACA and Best Friends and search rescues in your area using your search engine.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #17

dawn harvey

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Dec 2, 2012
Messages
129
Purraise
38
I would not abandon them. That's me speaking and I realize others might say differently. I would keep trying to contact ACA and Best Friends and search rescues in your area using your search engine.

If I can figure out anyway to keep going believe me I will. I am going to try to contact Best Friends. They have changed their website. There is no help in my area believe me I have tried and tried. This is not a good area for any cats trust me on that.
 

2 dozen

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
Messages
175
Purraise
86
Location
NE Pa
I don't use Facebook much but I think various neighborhoods have a Facebook page that you may use to post your dilemma and ask if anyone can help. Maybe there you can get acquainted with a few likeminded people in your old town who would meet in a cafe to start a group who will feed/fix the ferals. Maybe start an informal group that may expand and even effect change towards ferals.in your old and new towns. Best of luck with your unfortunate situation.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #20

dawn harvey

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Dec 2, 2012
Messages
129
Purraise
38
I don't use Facebook much but I think various neighborhoods have a Facebook page that you may use to post your dilemma and ask if anyone can help. Maybe there you can get acquainted with a few likeminded people in your old town who would meet in a cafe to start a group who will feed/fix the ferals. Maybe start an informal group that may expand and even effect change towards ferals.in your old and new towns. Best of luck with your unfortunate situation.
Well I am still going to old house to feed the cats, but now I really do have to stop. I have tried and tried to find help and nobody responds. I mean nobody. I even called a cop to see if they'd take kittens to humane society to be put up for adoption, no response. I called the only animal non profit in that town for help, no response. So anyway we have to put house up for sale here soon and I have to stop feeding them. It's not just me, my husband is of course involved too and we NEED to sell the other house. This makes me literally ill. I am so depressed about this I cannot even tell you. I know I have done as much as possible, but I can just imagine them trying to find food. This is heartbreaking. I will never feed another cat that is outside again because of this experience. There is no help around here and if there is I sure cannot find it. But a house with cats all around it won't sell and we cannot afford to keep it and just keep feeding cats. It's sad, but true.
 
Top