I've posted before about my neighbor not being happy about the colony I care for in my yard-well, 3 of them seem to have disappeared in the last 2 weeks (my favorite wasn't there to eat this morning) and I fear this neighbor, or someone he has gotten to help him, is doing something with them again (2 years ago he encouraged another neighbor to trap, and I think kill, 9 of my colony at that time). I literally do not know what to do!! : (
Talking to this man does absolutely no good. He will accept no less than me getting rid of the cats since there is nothing I can do to keep them off of his property. I can't go to the police or humane officer because 1) I can't prove he is doing something with them and 2) I risk a $150 fine per cat for allowing them to roam onto others' property per our city ordinance or 3) I will be forced to get rid of all of them.
I don't know of any farmers who would take them and actually care for them-it seems cruel to give them to a farmer who would expect them to live solely on mice, etc that they catch.
The only option I see is to take them to an animal shelter 40 minutes away that will accept strays. They are NOT a no kill shelter and I understand that-they don't have unlimited space and they get the strays for several counties around. So they will be traumatized by being thrown into a shelter with MANY other strays and then they will highly likely eventually be euthanized.
It isn't possible to turn my yard into a huge catio for them and essentially keep them penned in-I just don't have the funds to do that plus my husband would never go for it.
I could just sit and cry all day over this!! These are my babies that have been raised, cared for and fed in my yard since birth. All but 3 are neutered. I have made multiple attempts to re-home the friendly ones (which is most of them by now) to no avail.
I am totally heartbroken.
Talking to this man does absolutely no good. He will accept no less than me getting rid of the cats since there is nothing I can do to keep them off of his property. I can't go to the police or humane officer because 1) I can't prove he is doing something with them and 2) I risk a $150 fine per cat for allowing them to roam onto others' property per our city ordinance or 3) I will be forced to get rid of all of them.
I don't know of any farmers who would take them and actually care for them-it seems cruel to give them to a farmer who would expect them to live solely on mice, etc that they catch.
The only option I see is to take them to an animal shelter 40 minutes away that will accept strays. They are NOT a no kill shelter and I understand that-they don't have unlimited space and they get the strays for several counties around. So they will be traumatized by being thrown into a shelter with MANY other strays and then they will highly likely eventually be euthanized.
It isn't possible to turn my yard into a huge catio for them and essentially keep them penned in-I just don't have the funds to do that plus my husband would never go for it.
I could just sit and cry all day over this!! These are my babies that have been raised, cared for and fed in my yard since birth. All but 3 are neutered. I have made multiple attempts to re-home the friendly ones (which is most of them by now) to no avail.
I am totally heartbroken.