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Missing Feral...found :-(
- Thread starter be81174
- Start Date
I'm sorry to hear that. 
You did not cause his death. He may have had one of the virulent feline diseases before you ever trapped him to help him have a better life. Sadly, the lives of feral kitties are often hard and short. You did a good thing by TNR'ing him and caring about him.
You did not cause his death. He may have had one of the virulent feline diseases before you ever trapped him to help him have a better life. Sadly, the lives of feral kitties are often hard and short. You did a good thing by TNR'ing him and caring about him.
Oh, did you know what happened?
Please don't take it so hard on yourself. Its sad but it's not your fault. 
Please don't take it so hard on yourself. Its sad but it's not your fault.
I am so very sorry. Please know that you did not cause this. You were doing the very best and kindest thing for him. My thoughts are with you.
It is not something you did! You provided this cat with such a kindness. Please know your actions were (and are still) important.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #6
I have been feeding this cat, his 2 siblings and his mom all winter. The TNR program only runs in the spring so making sure they had food and shelter during the winter was the best I could do at the time. I am new to TNR and little "Blackie" was my first kitty that I trapped and neutered. And he died. He must have been sick while he was with me and I didn't know. I kept him for 24 hours and he didn't eat much and looked very tired. I thought he was just recovering and terrified of me (he was always the most afraid of me outside - he would never get anywhere near me even while the others would come out for food). I released him even though I was reluctant to. I thought maybe he could be socialized but with the other cats that needed TNR, I was feeling a little overwhelmed. Out of the 3 siblings he was the most "feral" (never came close to me while the other 2 would). So I released him thinking maybe after the TNR of the rest I could start working on socializing him.
Then I never saw him again. So of course now I am feeling guilty for not keeping him longer. Or seeing that he was sick. Or not taking him to a vet to be SURE that everything was ok. Or feeling that it was too much to socialize the 3 siblings and do the TNR.
I don't know what happened. The cats live in an old mans backyard and he lets me go there to feed and trap them. He built some shelters on his porch and he told me he found him in one of them. Like he went in there and just curled up and passed away. I don't know when and I was in tears and embarrassed so I went home. His brother Schwartz is fine and there is a woman looking after him. I found a home for his mom because she is not only no feral but very friendly. Now I need to catch his other sibling. And I will NOT be releasing him.
I don't know how I am going to be able to release cats after this. Some of them aren't going to be social and I am going to be back to square 1 - I can't socialize all of them. And now I am traumatized about letting them go.
What do I do?
Then I never saw him again. So of course now I am feeling guilty for not keeping him longer. Or seeing that he was sick. Or not taking him to a vet to be SURE that everything was ok. Or feeling that it was too much to socialize the 3 siblings and do the TNR.
I don't know what happened. The cats live in an old mans backyard and he lets me go there to feed and trap them. He built some shelters on his porch and he told me he found him in one of them. Like he went in there and just curled up and passed away. I don't know when and I was in tears and embarrassed so I went home. His brother Schwartz is fine and there is a woman looking after him. I found a home for his mom because she is not only no feral but very friendly. Now I need to catch his other sibling. And I will NOT be releasing him.
I don't know how I am going to be able to release cats after this. Some of them aren't going to be social and I am going to be back to square 1 - I can't socialize all of them. And now I am traumatized about letting them go.
What do I do?
Whatever was wrong with Blackie was not your fault. Working with feral cats is a tough business. You are going to face situations that break your heart over and over. We've all made decisions we regret - releasing is one of those decisions that you just have to do your best with.
Caring for him was something no one else did. We need more caring people in the world, so please keep helping.
Blessings on you for all the work you are doing. Please keep us posted about Blackie's and Schwartz's sibling.
Caring for him was something no one else did. We need more caring people in the world, so please keep helping.
Blessings on you for all the work you are doing. Please keep us posted about Blackie's and Schwartz's sibling.
Oh no. I'm so sorry.
Working with ferals is alternately incredibly rewarding and heartbreaking. It's so tough because you try your hardest to keep them safe, but face so many obstacles.
