Feeding Stray Cats. Good or Bad?

[AIice]

Simply put, feeding stray cat means more hungry stray kitten going to be born.

Strays come to my house almost everyday, but I try to only feed them once per week.

Two cats try to do the heinous act in front of me, I interrupt them, they do it again. They already have kittens, but never satisfied, never learn.

It doesn't seem I have many choices aside from either continue feeding them or not, but I'm going to post this thread anyway.

 

[JamesCalifornia]

~ Of course the best you can do is trap/spay/neuter. Eventually stray wandering cats will starve, get infection, consume poison or die from accident. Not a very pleasant thought. Many kittens die soon after birth. Still the overpopulation continues.
For me I try to care for these cats and bring the kittens and mother inside. Quite a task when you are the only one in the neighborhood doing this.
Others will give their opinions & suggestions. You'll decide what the right decision is.
Best wishes .

 

[Columbine]

If you're going to feed stray or feral kitties, it needs to be regularly, and only in conjunction with a TNR program. Otherwise, you're just contributing to the problem as more and more kittens are born and the local cat population grows. If you're able to bring in the nursing mothers and their kittens, even better. The kittens can be tamed and prepared for rehoming as pets, and mama cat can be spayed and returned to her territory once the kittens are weaned.

Everything You Need To Know About Tnr (trap-neuter-release)
9 Practical Ways For You To Help Feral Cats
A Feral Cat Or A Stray Cat? How To Tell The Difference
How To Help Feral Cats Stay Safe & Warm During Winter

 

[Willow's Mom]

Caring for a feral colony is a commitment and it isn't inexpensive or appropriate for renters or anyone else with housing insecurity; stray people don't do very well in this society either.

I learned this the hard way in the 20th century when I wanted to adopt a stray for a pet and wound up with well over 20 ferals who could never be indoor pets any more than I could choose just one and condemn the other 19 to death.

I recently adopted a stray kitten, brought her inside, and made her the pet of my dreams. The only way this can happen is when the caregiver of a feral colony does what Columbine describes: The kittens can be tamed and prepared for rehoming as pets, and mama cat can be spayed and returned to her territory once the kittens are weaned.

You can choose to adopt your next pet from the caretaker of a feral colony and not only save that kitten's life but help the caretaker as well. You can also volunteer at a shelter and do what you can to help the helpers. I spent one day a week writing hand written thank-you notes for one of my volunteer gigs: it was boring and not much fun, but it did get those regular yearly donations coming in more reliably than any printer, tech device, or brightly coloured advertising circular did. I couldn't afford to donate myself but I could certainly afford to miss a few TV shows and let some dishes sit in the sink or dust sit on the nick nacks once a week while I practiced pretty flourishes on the capital "T" in "Thank You".

You can choose not to harden your heart even though you don't have the power to save the world. By taking the time to make this post I think you already have. I agree with JamesCalifornia: you'll make the right decision.