Feral cats at apartment community.

[sassea]

Just telling my story. We have had a feral population at the apartments that I maintain that residents have been feeding.
Rules do not permit feeding anything. At one time there were 40 cats and this came down to 12 after a woman moved. This year with all the kittens we are back up to 28. The issue is corporate found out and is talking trapping. I have been trying to encourage less feeding knowing some would move on. With the corporate talk I have secretly instructed those feeding to feed less and around the corner out of site as a 1st step. Corporate does not care if they just dump them in country or if they are euthanized at an over capacity shelter. My thing is I do not want families torn apart during a stressful situation and corporate does not care. I will next have the feed area move again toward end of property where some come and go from an adjoining property that some go to for food. I have told them we can't worry about the adults they will be fine and move on. One younger resident that can get close to the kittens is going to try and gather the families as groups to be taken to another shelter that has a list of people to adopt families. With the kittens I am hoping she can relocate these 3 groups and we can stop feeding to let the adults move on. I love to watch the feral cats but rules do not permit.

 

[Furballsmom]

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for all of you!

 

[fionasmom]

Given that you manage a complex, can you approach any local groups to help? Are you able to do TNR or does management specifically want the cats gone regardless?

Can the shelters that you are working with give you any help with getting the cats removed more quickly? If a local rescue would help to trap, that might be an advantage.

Alley Cat Allies sometimes seems to become involved in larger feral cat situations....or may be able to point you in the right direction. Their Feral Friends Network can put you in touch with a local rescuer/advisor who might be helpful.

Feral Friends Network® Connect
The form is easy to fill out; possibly extend it to a wider area than just where you live.

 

[kittychick]

I’m sure I’ll be echoing a lot of very-knowledgeable fionasmom …. but wanted to jump in & offer hopefully a little more advice and another ear.

It’s wonderful that you’re not just concerned, but that you’re putting things into action - that’s wonderful!

Slowly moving their shelter/feeding spot to a safe area is a great way to do that — it’s wonderful that the nearby property will help care for them!!! As long as your ‘feeders’ know what’s happening and NOT to feed in the “old spot” (& it sounds like you’re doing that!), they should adapt & find the new feeding spot since you’re doing it slowly.

I think that one of your biggest issues is the group’s reproducing really quickly (as they do!). And the LAST thing you need is more kitties to worry about! I know you said you’re working w/a shelter — but as fionasmom said — It’s truly worth talking to them about working with a spay/neuter clinic. Many have people who can walk you through how to trap (if you haven’t), but more importantly, many s/n clinics have trapping programs when dealing w/a colony as large as yours where they set up a trapping program & get them to the clinic (then fix and return them).

Do know that stopping feeding ferals/strays is not an assurance they won’t return. Largely bc, as you noted, many of your residents are attached. And studies show people do continue to feed “secretly” …..& back the kitties come!

The group fionasmom pointed you to re: finding help—-they’re a well-respected group that focuses almost entirely on TNR (trap/neuter/return). Take a look around that site ——There are several pages that can offer help in dealing w/the residents, the food-moving, etc.

You can do this! Keep us posted— we love to help!