Feral Cats

[novathekittycat]

So there are 6 feral cats near my apartment complex. They are extremely shy, and a few of them will get spooked by the slightest sound. They are really annoying, they bug my spayed female cat and she hates them. I have given them all names, and me being a huge cat lover I really want to help them, but I'm worried that the adults may never become domesticated. I have no idea what to do about them, please help. Here's the list of cats:

• Vixen, female, orange tabby, mother of 3 kittens two of which have been rehabilitated. 
•  Pepper, male, black
• Callisto, female, Calico
• Oreo, male, black and white
• Tabby, unknown, brown/grey tabby
• Midnight, male, tuxedo, is younger, as in 9-12 months, possible canidate for domestication (?), is most shy

 

[molly92]

The absolute BEST thing you can do for them is get them spayed/neutered. Unfixed feral cats get into a lot more fights, and therefore get a lot more injuries and diseases, not to mention causing the population to grow. Fixed cats will also be less of a bother to your cat. If any of them have been ear tipped, meaning the corner of one of their ears has been cleanly snipped off, then they've already been fixed, which is great.

TNR (trap, neuter, release) is not as simple as it sounds, so if there's a TNR group in your area or a rescue group that does TNR, it'd be best to contact them and at least get their help. If you're doing it all on your own, this website will be invaluable: http://www.alleycat.org/Trap-Neuter-Return

Socializing a cat to people ideally happens before they're 12 weeks old, but there's often success with kittens older than that. Most feral cats, though, are very difficult to impossible to socialize. Not all strays are ferals, though. Some were born as pets but were abandoned or lost, and they can become more skittish over time. If an adult cat meows, makes eye contact with you, or approaches you, it is not a feral and you might be able to socialize it. 

If you do think you've found a candidate for socialization, you can decide to keep it in a bathroom or small room and/or cage after it's spay or neuter and go through the necessary steps. I like this guide: bestfriends.org/resources/socializing-very-shy-or-fearful-cats

For the ferals that cannot be socialized and rehomed, you can make shelters to help them stay warm during the night and winters with plastic bins and straw. There are lots of tutorials available online if you search for it. And of course, you can also feed them if you're financial capable. 

Because it is kitten season in much of the world, there's a good chance some of the females are currently pregnant, even the one who just had a litter. It's generally recommended to terminate these pregnancies when they go in for their spay, which sounds very harsh, but I'll explain why it's the most humane option. The rest of this paragraph gets sad, so if you'd rather skip ahead that's fine: There is absolutely no shortage of kittens. Even if the mother cat were to have a successful litter and everyone was healthy, and you were able to socialize, care for, and adopt out these kittens (which is a lot of work, as you probably know), then that would mean that other kittens, who might have otherwise been adopted, will remain in a shelter and be euthanized if no one takes them. Or they grow into adult cats in the shelter, which are harder to get adopted, and they take up space for other cats that are euthanized because the shelter can't take them. So anyway you slice it, already living cats are essentially sacrificed whenever pregnant cats are allowed to come to term. That's why getting cats spayed as soon as possible is so important.

Kittens can also be fixed as soon as they reach 2 lbs, which would be wise, because for one they recover more quickly the younger they are, and also they can get pregnant themselves before they're 6 months old.

Thank you for looking out for these cats! It's definitely a tough world for them.

 

[shadowsrescue]

You might see if there is a rescue organization in your area that could help you.  Yet with kitten season here, they are most likely swamped.  Try to locate a low cost spay/neuter clinic, Humane Society or ASPCA in your area.  They are usually able to handle feral cats and most will allow you to bring them in a humane trap without an appointment. 

The sooner you can get them fixed, the better.  The females may already be pregnant and soon you will have even more cats/kittens.

Thank you for caring and wanting to help.

 

[coffee grinder]

I completely agree with the previous posts that the best thing you can do for them is to trap/neuter/return (TNR).  Try to find a resource in your area that can help you obtain humane traps.  In my area I'm lucky that People For Animals rents humane traps at very low cost.  As the previous post stated, try to find a low cost spay/neuter clinic that will deal with ferals.  There is a lot of good information online about how to conduct TNR.  Just Google it and you will find a lot of detailed instructions but you need to find a source for the traps and a vet or clinic that will work with you.  

I know it may sound overwhelming to do a TNR operation on 6 feral cats but don't be afraid to do it.  I did a TNR on 6 ferals with my 88 year old mother in law.  One of the females was visibly pregnant (we terminated the pregnancy as part of her spaying).  I can't tell you how relieved we felt to help these guys live longer, healthier lives.  The poor pregnant female was barely more than a kitten herself.  It's really worth the effort you will put into it.  Good luck!

 

[novathekittycat]

Thank you. The SPCA closest to me doesn't rent out traps unfortunately But I will ask for one for m birthday.

Oh, and the '0-12' moth old kitten, I meant to say 9-12 months old. Sorry about that. I was really tired last night and missed a typo.

Again, thank you for your help!

 

[Willowy]

Is there a Tractor Supply Co store in your area? They have affordable raccoon traps, just the right size for cats.

 

[shmendan]

Do you put food out for them? If so, they may become accustomed to you, because they smell YOU on the food. It may make it easier to bring them to be spayed/neutered