- Joined
- Jan 18, 2016
- Messages
- 5
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I could really use some knowledgeable advice. There's a stray that's been living near us and sometimes on our property for a year. I had never fed her before. In the last 2 months she started sleeping every night on our back porch because it's winter and she's probably cold. I felt very sorry for her and offered food for a while as I investigated who she might belong to. She became suddenly very friendly and loving with the presence of food (previously she would bite and scratch if I went near her). Talking to neighbors, I learned that someone moved away and abandoned her. And that my neighbor across the street has now been feeding her every day and even took her to the vet to update vaccinations. (She had no microchip.) Yet at the same time, this neighbor who is feeding her is not taking responsibility / ownership of the cat. She says "it's not my cat and I won't ever spend vet money on her again". I also learned the cat sleeps on multiple neighbors back porches besides mine. So she does have dry shelter options elsewhere. And several people offer her a constant water supply. These neighbors all say they like the cat hanging around because she kills rodents and is a very good hunter.
Ok, Here's the problem: The Cat has become obsessed with my back yard in the last 2 months and she uses it as one giant litter box, burying poop under the mulch and peeing on plants. It's quite a horrible mess and stinks badly. She's also tearing up other plants, digging destructively in certain places and I caught her trying to poop in my garden where I grow food. She's also very territorial with my yard. If I try to walk by certain bushes that she likes to hide and sleep under she will hiss , jump out and attack my feet. She liked the wet food I had given her for a short time and now she's begging me for food three times a day, instead of going across the street to her other food source. I realize I made a mistake by feeding her, but I didn't know someone else was. I even tried to bring her inside my home to see if she wants to be an indoor cat and she HATES it indoors. Other neighbors tried to bring her indoors unsuccessfully also. Because of the destruction, I want her off my property. I just installed an ultrasounic cat deterrent in the back yard. And I sprayed a non-toxic cat deterrent on the fences so she won't jump them anymore. So far it's working to keep her out of the back.
But I feel very sad and torn. She's crouched pitifully in my front yard right now and won't leave. I did bond with the cat in this short time frame. I saw how much she flourished with good food and love. And I think it's totally unfair for the neighbors to just keep her around like a homeless stray with no real home.... And no one really looking out for her. She deserves a real home. I even considered taking her to a no kill shelter where she might be adopted. But my husband thinks I should just leave her as is, because she's comfortable in the neighborhood and has a constant food source. He thinks she might be traumatized by a move. And also the neighbors don't want me to do anything. But I question whether leaving her wandering around the neighborhood like this is the most Humane solution? What do you think? Any advice would be appreciated.
Ok, Here's the problem: The Cat has become obsessed with my back yard in the last 2 months and she uses it as one giant litter box, burying poop under the mulch and peeing on plants. It's quite a horrible mess and stinks badly. She's also tearing up other plants, digging destructively in certain places and I caught her trying to poop in my garden where I grow food. She's also very territorial with my yard. If I try to walk by certain bushes that she likes to hide and sleep under she will hiss , jump out and attack my feet. She liked the wet food I had given her for a short time and now she's begging me for food three times a day, instead of going across the street to her other food source. I realize I made a mistake by feeding her, but I didn't know someone else was. I even tried to bring her inside my home to see if she wants to be an indoor cat and she HATES it indoors. Other neighbors tried to bring her indoors unsuccessfully also. Because of the destruction, I want her off my property. I just installed an ultrasounic cat deterrent in the back yard. And I sprayed a non-toxic cat deterrent on the fences so she won't jump them anymore. So far it's working to keep her out of the back.
But I feel very sad and torn. She's crouched pitifully in my front yard right now and won't leave. I did bond with the cat in this short time frame. I saw how much she flourished with good food and love. And I think it's totally unfair for the neighbors to just keep her around like a homeless stray with no real home.... And no one really looking out for her. She deserves a real home. I even considered taking her to a no kill shelter where she might be adopted. But my husband thinks I should just leave her as is, because she's comfortable in the neighborhood and has a constant food source. He thinks she might be traumatized by a move. And also the neighbors don't want me to do anything. But I question whether leaving her wandering around the neighborhood like this is the most Humane solution? What do you think? Any advice would be appreciated.
