Looking for guidance. I take care of a feral community on my large property. All neutered etc. Neighbors found feral mama and kittens. Had them all fixed and released the mama and will continue to feed. However they cannot keep the 3 kittens. They have tried to find homes. The kittens are 3 almost 4 months old mow. The pound and rescues have no room. Last resort is to release on my property. They will have food, water and shelter. However will release them into new location and new colony. What will help with the transition? Any guidance or tips.
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Help Feral Kitten release
- Thread starter cstout
- Start Date
Welcome to The Cat Site and thank you for helping the colony of cats that you already maintain and also for looking out for the new litter. I am going to post a couple of articles which essentially say the same thing; the first one is very much against relocation but it sometimes has to be done, so just proceed with any useful suggestions.
Community Cat Safe Relocation Tips
Neighborhood Cats | How to TNR | Relocation
Having said that, I had to relocate feral kittens to my property a few years ago. If you are in a very rural area, this may not work, meaning if you have to bring them a large distance as you might on farm or ranch property. Also, there was no other colony or group in the area, so nothing to go back to so to speak. I encouraged them to move by moving their food a little bit every day. This moved them through a neighbor's back yard, into the back part of my property, and finally down to my patio where I wanted them to eat. Two were adopted by me, but one sister was and is so feral that she still lives outside with another TNRed cat.
Getting the colony to accept new cats is another consideration
How to introduce new cats to colony, need advice!
Moving a cat into an established feral/stray cat colony: advice please
I did not have to use a relocation cage, but in almost all cases it is recommended. A great deal of how this works depends on the layout of your property in relation to the neighbors, etc.
If it is at all possible, you might want to continue to investigate finding homes for the kittens if they seem socialized enough.
Community Cat Safe Relocation Tips
Neighborhood Cats | How to TNR | Relocation
Having said that, I had to relocate feral kittens to my property a few years ago. If you are in a very rural area, this may not work, meaning if you have to bring them a large distance as you might on farm or ranch property. Also, there was no other colony or group in the area, so nothing to go back to so to speak. I encouraged them to move by moving their food a little bit every day. This moved them through a neighbor's back yard, into the back part of my property, and finally down to my patio where I wanted them to eat. Two were adopted by me, but one sister was and is so feral that she still lives outside with another TNRed cat.
Getting the colony to accept new cats is another consideration
How to introduce new cats to colony, need advice!
Moving a cat into an established feral/stray cat colony: advice please
I did not have to use a relocation cage, but in almost all cases it is recommended. A great deal of how this works depends on the layout of your property in relation to the neighbors, etc.
If it is at all possible, you might want to continue to investigate finding homes for the kittens if they seem socialized enough.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3
Hi:
Thank you so much for the articles unfortunately the neighbors were not able to socialize them. They are dealing with a relative in hospice. So all if this has been overwhelming and I have tried to help them as much as possible.There were four and they found a home for one. Posted on facebook community and we have tried all the rescue organizations with no luck. I have had very little success in past finding homes. It is why I already have 8 cats inside.
I live on 5 acres in a subdivision with a 50 acre greenway behind us. That is where the ferals came from. There are 15 of them. We had sheds built for them inside the fence. Most of them are still very feral but some have warmed up over the last two years.
I said no at first to taking three more but no other option. Caring for so many at this point what is three more! The neighbors are about a mile a way through the woods so no way to migrate them to me. The neighbors probably would have kept them on their property but one of them has a terminal illness so not sure long term if they will remain living there.
Sorry for the long response. Hoping some tips in the articles will help with transition.
Again thank so so much for your response.
Thank you so much for the articles unfortunately the neighbors were not able to socialize them. They are dealing with a relative in hospice. So all if this has been overwhelming and I have tried to help them as much as possible.There were four and they found a home for one. Posted on facebook community and we have tried all the rescue organizations with no luck. I have had very little success in past finding homes. It is why I already have 8 cats inside.
I live on 5 acres in a subdivision with a 50 acre greenway behind us. That is where the ferals came from. There are 15 of them. We had sheds built for them inside the fence. Most of them are still very feral but some have warmed up over the last two years.
I said no at first to taking three more but no other option. Caring for so many at this point what is three more! The neighbors are about a mile a way through the woods so no way to migrate them to me. The neighbors probably would have kept them on their property but one of them has a terminal illness so not sure long term if they will remain living there.
Sorry for the long response. Hoping some tips in the articles will help with transition.
Again thank so so much for your response.
The basic advice then is going to be what those article suggest about keeping them in some kind of a safe containment area or kennel until the cats in your colony have begun to accept them as part of the scenery. I don’t know if that will even work for you, and I have never had to resort to that with my ferals From what you’re saying I think that you were doing the right thing and it is very kind of you to a step up to this. Please let us know how this all turns out.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #5
Hi:
Actively looking for a dog run to give the kittens and the colony time to get acclimated. This will provide more room then the very large dog cage they are in now. That was a good suggestion. This will also keep the kittens inside the fence for a bit . We do have other wild animals on the property but they and the colony live side by side with no issues. However, the ferals do come inside the sheds and fence at night.Thank you again for your guidance and concern. Will keep you posted on the outcome.
Actively looking for a dog run to give the kittens and the colony time to get acclimated. This will provide more room then the very large dog cage they are in now. That was a good suggestion. This will also keep the kittens inside the fence for a bit . We do have other wild animals on the property but they and the colony live side by side with no issues. However, the ferals do come inside the sheds and fence at night.Thank you again for your guidance and concern. Will keep you posted on the outcome.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #6
Hi:
Just an update. I bought a large enclosure to house the kittens. Have placed it in a garage on the property set off from the house where the other feral cats hang out. So far so good. Filled the enclosure with little kitty huts, perch, toys, etc. Have worked with kittens a bit getting them to play and take tuna snacks by hand. They are still quite scared as the surroundings are new. The other ferals do not seemed disturbed . Will wait a few more weeks before I will open the door to the enclosure to allow them to explore. Want them to gain some size, get them zoned in on the location, and know that they will be fed and cared for so even if they run off will come back to our location. They are between 3 and 4 months old. Unfortunately, no adopter's on the horizon and not one rescue has any room . Hopefully long term they will be happy living on the Fat Feral Compound. We certainly did not need additional ferals on the property but sometimes God ask us to take on inconvenient and difficult endeavors. Thank you again for all your support and sharing the links for guidance.
Just an update. I bought a large enclosure to house the kittens. Have placed it in a garage on the property set off from the house where the other feral cats hang out. So far so good. Filled the enclosure with little kitty huts, perch, toys, etc. Have worked with kittens a bit getting them to play and take tuna snacks by hand. They are still quite scared as the surroundings are new. The other ferals do not seemed disturbed . Will wait a few more weeks before I will open the door to the enclosure to allow them to explore. Want them to gain some size, get them zoned in on the location, and know that they will be fed and cared for so even if they run off will come back to our location. They are between 3 and 4 months old. Unfortunately, no adopter's on the horizon and not one rescue has any room . Hopefully long term they will be happy living on the Fat Feral Compound. We certainly did not need additional ferals on the property but sometimes God ask us to take on inconvenient and difficult endeavors. Thank you again for all your support and sharing the links for guidance.
Good job! It takes about three weeks for a cat's internal "GPS system" to reset to a new home location, so plan on keeping them contained for at least that long. It will also give you some time to see if they can be socialized, and become adoptable, as well, so it is a win-win, either way!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #8
Hi.
Thank you for guidance. Planned on keeping them in the enclosure for a month. Already getting them socialized but no homes for them on the horizon. We have reached out to rescues posted on social media, etc. Once I get them socialized will reach out to the rescues again. However will not get my hopes up. Sorry to say they have not been able to assist in the past so do not expect much assistance.
Thank you for guidance. Planned on keeping them in the enclosure for a month. Already getting them socialized but no homes for them on the horizon. We have reached out to rescues posted on social media, etc. Once I get them socialized will reach out to the rescues again. However will not get my hopes up. Sorry to say they have not been able to assist in the past so do not expect much assistance.
Should you need/want to find homes for the kittens, and IF they are able to be properly socialized, this might help:
"Kittens To Good Homes" - How To Find A Good Forever Home For Your Kittens - TheCatSite
"Kittens To Good Homes" - How To Find A Good Forever Home For Your Kittens - TheCatSite
