Found Out We Are Appreciated/ferals

[annekarina53]

My neighbors and I care for ferals. I've posted here before about some problems in the neighborhood about people not appreciating our ferals. Thanks for all of your help. We are keeping our heads above the fray.
Today I found out how much our efforts have been appreciated. Our gentrifying neighborhood has been infested with rats. Rats. Big rats.
In a cold winter a few years ago we thinned the ferals. Some went to forever homes, one was put to sleep as she was old and ill and Mr. Buster sneaked into my house and decided he belonged here. Our colony is down to five.
Now I'm hearing, "Why did you have to thin the colony? Now our area is infested with rats." Thank you neighbors. I am glad some of you understand what we do.

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[vyger]

If they have a rat problem they can always adopt their own mousers. Tell them a well dispersed group of working cats covers the area better resulting in fewer stragglers surviving. The rats have nowhere to hide if there is a cat behind every garage.

 

[annekarina53]

If they have a rat problem they can always adopt their own mousers. Tell them a well dispersed group of working cats covers the area better resulting in fewer stragglers surviving. The rats have nowhere to hide if there is a cat behind every garage.

Actually the neighborhood has quite a few colonies. I know the colonies still catch critters even if they are well fed, as they are in this area. However, for some reason this rat problem appeared one day as serious and residents and apartment owners haven't been able to control them. My colony has left me two rodents so far in the span of a few days. So I know the cats are working.
One dog got three rats and a groundhog. I had concern for cats when I heard that though they all seem to avoid the dogs and the dogs are behind a strong fence. The owner also made a point of telling me that the dog that got the groundhog looked at its owner first to make sure it was okay to go after that particular animal. And the owner allowed it. Can't say I blame him as the creature has a hole right next to his basement.
We've had a surge in gentrification in the recent year. While improvements are great for a neighborhood they also destroy the balance. The surge also appears to come with an uptake of homeless and also an uptake of misplaced animals and apparently a stream of unwanted rodents. I know money is the factor here, but I really wish there were stopgaps for the greed I see around us.
The benefit has been that I've been able to take longer walks through the neighborhood and found quite a few colony cat shelters and people who literally seriously care for unhomed kitties. And I've found one six toed kitty that we've dubbed Hemmingway.
There is also a woman in the area who drives around and when she finds a cat with no ear clip, she catches it then delivers it back with the ear clip and we all know what that means. God bless her.

 

[Furballsmom]

The benefit has been that I've been able to take longer walks through the neighborhood and found quite a few colony cat shelters and people who literally seriously care for unhomed kitties. And I've found one six toed kitty that we've dubbed Hemmingway.
There is also a woman in the area who drives around and when she finds a cat with no ear clip, she catches it then delivers it back with the ear clip and we all know what that means. God bless her.