To start with: I don't know what to do next.
Background: For the last year, I've been the caretaker of a small "colony" of feral cats on my patio on the back side of an apartment complex in College Park, MD. I hesitate to call them a colony because it's only three cats, 1 year old (approx, could be as much as 1 yr 3 mos), from the same litter. 2 females, and 1 male. They've all been TNR'd, and have had rabies vaccinations. I feed them nightly; one of the females (Princess) only comes around at feeding times, the other (Smoke) is around about 50% of the day, and the male (Loki) is around about 80%. They have a small homemade shelter they used all winter to stay warm in.
Problem: I'm moving. It's a sad fact of life, but I can no longer remain here in this apartment, and am moving about an hour north by the beginning of August. I'd relocate my 3 babies, but my soon-to-be new roommate is allergic to cats, and has two small dogs, so moving them to my new backyard would be chaotic and unpleasant for the cats. I've asked around my apartment complex, and no one is willing to feed the cats, and I'm afraid that if they continue to show up at the sliding glass door, the next residents will complain to management who will call animal control.
I've been feeding these three daily for most of their lives. I never expected to move, so the idea of "don't start feeding so you won't worry when you have to leave" was never even a fleeting thought in my head. Do I slowly stop feeding them in hopes they move on to other feeding grounds (there has to be other feeding grounds, as they aren't the only strays/ferals in the neighborhood, I just don't know where the others are getting food)? I know I can look into relocating them to a barn or farm, but where do I ask about THAT? Posting on craigslist seems like a way to hand your cats over to an unknown monster to me...
To end with: I don't know what to do next...
Background: For the last year, I've been the caretaker of a small "colony" of feral cats on my patio on the back side of an apartment complex in College Park, MD. I hesitate to call them a colony because it's only three cats, 1 year old (approx, could be as much as 1 yr 3 mos), from the same litter. 2 females, and 1 male. They've all been TNR'd, and have had rabies vaccinations. I feed them nightly; one of the females (Princess) only comes around at feeding times, the other (Smoke) is around about 50% of the day, and the male (Loki) is around about 80%. They have a small homemade shelter they used all winter to stay warm in.
Problem: I'm moving. It's a sad fact of life, but I can no longer remain here in this apartment, and am moving about an hour north by the beginning of August. I'd relocate my 3 babies, but my soon-to-be new roommate is allergic to cats, and has two small dogs, so moving them to my new backyard would be chaotic and unpleasant for the cats. I've asked around my apartment complex, and no one is willing to feed the cats, and I'm afraid that if they continue to show up at the sliding glass door, the next residents will complain to management who will call animal control.
I've been feeding these three daily for most of their lives. I never expected to move, so the idea of "don't start feeding so you won't worry when you have to leave" was never even a fleeting thought in my head. Do I slowly stop feeding them in hopes they move on to other feeding grounds (there has to be other feeding grounds, as they aren't the only strays/ferals in the neighborhood, I just don't know where the others are getting food)? I know I can look into relocating them to a barn or farm, but where do I ask about THAT? Posting on craigslist seems like a way to hand your cats over to an unknown monster to me...
To end with: I don't know what to do next...