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- Nov 30, 2021
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My neighbor and I take care of a feral cat colony in our neighborhood. We have managed to do the catch-and-release program with most of them, through our county (vaccinating, spay/neuter, ear clip). She feeds them on her back patio... which I think has started attracting the local fox(es). We live in a suburban area, but there is a small population of foxes in the nearby small wooded area. We see them occasionally, and hear them (loudly!) during mating season. I have seen fewer rabbits this year, and wonder if the fox population has grown and their normal rabbit/mouse/etc food supply has decreased.
Anyway, long story short, two feral cats have been attacked in the last two months, both with severe injuries to their necks, which were heartbreaking to see. The male survived and recovered on his own last month. We tried to catch him in a crate trap to get him to the vet, but he hid for weeks. A female was attacked last week. Her neck was torn down to the bone, no fur on it, skin shredded, truly terrible. The poor baby still tried to eat and drink water on the patio, but now we haven't seen her for 6 days. I think she has died because her injury was so extreme. We would have gotten her to the vet, if we could have caught her, if only to be euthanized and prevent a painful, drawn-out death.
My question is what to do to protect these cats? I love wildlife, including foxes, but do not want the foxes munching on these poor cats, who already have risk-filled lives. I also worry about the possibility of the foxes being rabid. I know the cat kibble might be attracting the foxes...but the cats have always been fed by local residents, and are relying on us. (At least we have reduced the feral numbers through the spay/neuter catch-and-release program.)
We have tried to get the ferals to a non-kill animal shelter, but unfortunately the shelter does not accept feral cats (they did accept one litter of kittens that appeared, before all of the females were caught and spayed). I have located the number of our county's wildlife control agency, and plan to call tomorrow, to see whether they can catch and *relocate* the foxes.
Does anyone have experience with this? I'd hate for the foxes to be euthanized (except for any rabid ones). Does anyone know if foxes can be trapped and relocated? Or does anyone have other ideas for protecting the feral cats? Thanks!
Anyway, long story short, two feral cats have been attacked in the last two months, both with severe injuries to their necks, which were heartbreaking to see. The male survived and recovered on his own last month. We tried to catch him in a crate trap to get him to the vet, but he hid for weeks. A female was attacked last week. Her neck was torn down to the bone, no fur on it, skin shredded, truly terrible. The poor baby still tried to eat and drink water on the patio, but now we haven't seen her for 6 days. I think she has died because her injury was so extreme. We would have gotten her to the vet, if we could have caught her, if only to be euthanized and prevent a painful, drawn-out death.
My question is what to do to protect these cats? I love wildlife, including foxes, but do not want the foxes munching on these poor cats, who already have risk-filled lives. I also worry about the possibility of the foxes being rabid. I know the cat kibble might be attracting the foxes...but the cats have always been fed by local residents, and are relying on us. (At least we have reduced the feral numbers through the spay/neuter catch-and-release program.)
We have tried to get the ferals to a non-kill animal shelter, but unfortunately the shelter does not accept feral cats (they did accept one litter of kittens that appeared, before all of the females were caught and spayed). I have located the number of our county's wildlife control agency, and plan to call tomorrow, to see whether they can catch and *relocate* the foxes.
Does anyone have experience with this? I'd hate for the foxes to be euthanized (except for any rabid ones). Does anyone know if foxes can be trapped and relocated? Or does anyone have other ideas for protecting the feral cats? Thanks!