Hello,
I'm going to be moving house in about two months time and I want to take as many of the colony with me as I can. I have a lot of questions, if you have any advice or suggestions about any of the following I would appreciate it.
SPACE. The house has one big open plan living-dining-kitchen area and an upstairs loft area, then another large downstairs room. (The only room that can be shut off from the rest of the house.) The garden is about 1000 square meters. There is a big wooden deck with space underneath for three or four large cat shelters, We're also going to put up a shed that will have a cat tree, bed, toilet etc. Is this going to be enough space for around 23 cats? They all get on very well with each other with one exception. (More about her later) She's going to get the downstairs room to herself.
GARDEN. At the moment the garden is just grass with a couple of large trees and some wild flowers growing. I'm going to plant lots of cat nip. Is there anything else that would be good for cats to have in their garden? I'm going to have my own little plot at the front for flowers that will be fenced off from their area.
TOILETS. As well as litter boxes in the house will they need an outdoor toilet? I could put a couple of litter boxes under the deck, but I wanted to put shelters there and I don't think it's a good idea to have them close together. Will cleaning up the garden every day be enough? What's the best way to make an outdoor toilet area for them?
FENCE. We're going to be in a very isolated area with no neighbours or roads, but I don't want them wandering off as it's bear country. There aren't any companies that specialise in cat proof fencing in Japan, but we've asked a fencing company to make one to our own specifications. It's going to be 2 meter high stakes driven into the ground at 2 meter intervals. Planks of wood nailed horizontally close to the ground, half way up and at the top. 50 cm lengths of wood coming in from the top at a 45 degree angle. Chicken wire nailed to the planks, covering the lot. Does this sound OK? Should the chicken wire be nailed to the planks coming in at a 45 degree angle be a bit slack?
GETTING THEM ADJUSTED. I'm going to have plenty of Feliway and hopefully the fact that most of the furniture and bedding form our present house is moving with us will make them feel more at home. Once the fence is finished, would it be OK to let them out? I know most people say two to three weeks to get them used to a new home, but if they can't go further that the fence would two or three days be long enough?
Most of these cats are used to coming indoors when the weather is bad, so a few days in the house shouldn't stress them out too much. The only exceptions are Kumori, who has lived outside for all of her four years. The shed is going to be for her. She needs to have a lot of her matted fur shaved off so I'm only going to let her out when the weather is warm until it has grown back. She'll let me pick her up, so getting her back into her shed at night shouldn't be a problem.
The other exception is Mia, who in spite of being with me since she was a kitten HATES being indoors and doesn't like the other cats either. She will get her own room and hopefully will learn to share the garden with the others. Most of them seem scared of her, because she hisses and growls at them. I'm considering fencing off one corner of the garden just for her, if things don't work out.
Do you think I need to go through the introduction process with them again once we've moved? Will being separated from the others in a shed and her own room mean that the others forget Kumori and Mia after a few days?
THE ONES I HAVE TO LEAVE BEHIND.
There are three female and two male cats in my neighbourhood that I can't touch. They were all here when I moved in four years ago, and mainly get fed by my neighbour. (Although they will come around for food if she isn't home.) I can't take them with me as I'd have to trap them all again and they don't get on very well with "my" colony, but as they get fed daily and hunt as well I think they'll be OK. They've all been TNR'd except for one of the female cats. I've been trying to trap her since last June. I think the only thing I can do is keep trying to trap her between now and when I move and if I don't succeed hope that my neighbour manages to trap her. (She's been trying too.)
Will taking so many cats out of the neighbourhood create a vacuum? The amount of food available won't change, as my neighbour is just going to keep feeding "her" five, but the amount of prey and space available will.
Thank you for taking the time to read through such a long post. I'm going to post some pictures as soon as the deeds are signed and we start on the fence.
Any advice or suggestions gratefully received.
I'm going to be moving house in about two months time and I want to take as many of the colony with me as I can. I have a lot of questions, if you have any advice or suggestions about any of the following I would appreciate it.
SPACE. The house has one big open plan living-dining-kitchen area and an upstairs loft area, then another large downstairs room. (The only room that can be shut off from the rest of the house.) The garden is about 1000 square meters. There is a big wooden deck with space underneath for three or four large cat shelters, We're also going to put up a shed that will have a cat tree, bed, toilet etc. Is this going to be enough space for around 23 cats? They all get on very well with each other with one exception. (More about her later) She's going to get the downstairs room to herself.
GARDEN. At the moment the garden is just grass with a couple of large trees and some wild flowers growing. I'm going to plant lots of cat nip. Is there anything else that would be good for cats to have in their garden? I'm going to have my own little plot at the front for flowers that will be fenced off from their area.
TOILETS. As well as litter boxes in the house will they need an outdoor toilet? I could put a couple of litter boxes under the deck, but I wanted to put shelters there and I don't think it's a good idea to have them close together. Will cleaning up the garden every day be enough? What's the best way to make an outdoor toilet area for them?
FENCE. We're going to be in a very isolated area with no neighbours or roads, but I don't want them wandering off as it's bear country. There aren't any companies that specialise in cat proof fencing in Japan, but we've asked a fencing company to make one to our own specifications. It's going to be 2 meter high stakes driven into the ground at 2 meter intervals. Planks of wood nailed horizontally close to the ground, half way up and at the top. 50 cm lengths of wood coming in from the top at a 45 degree angle. Chicken wire nailed to the planks, covering the lot. Does this sound OK? Should the chicken wire be nailed to the planks coming in at a 45 degree angle be a bit slack?
GETTING THEM ADJUSTED. I'm going to have plenty of Feliway and hopefully the fact that most of the furniture and bedding form our present house is moving with us will make them feel more at home. Once the fence is finished, would it be OK to let them out? I know most people say two to three weeks to get them used to a new home, but if they can't go further that the fence would two or three days be long enough?
Most of these cats are used to coming indoors when the weather is bad, so a few days in the house shouldn't stress them out too much. The only exceptions are Kumori, who has lived outside for all of her four years. The shed is going to be for her. She needs to have a lot of her matted fur shaved off so I'm only going to let her out when the weather is warm until it has grown back. She'll let me pick her up, so getting her back into her shed at night shouldn't be a problem.
The other exception is Mia, who in spite of being with me since she was a kitten HATES being indoors and doesn't like the other cats either. She will get her own room and hopefully will learn to share the garden with the others. Most of them seem scared of her, because she hisses and growls at them. I'm considering fencing off one corner of the garden just for her, if things don't work out.
Do you think I need to go through the introduction process with them again once we've moved? Will being separated from the others in a shed and her own room mean that the others forget Kumori and Mia after a few days?
THE ONES I HAVE TO LEAVE BEHIND.
Will taking so many cats out of the neighbourhood create a vacuum? The amount of food available won't change, as my neighbour is just going to keep feeding "her" five, but the amount of prey and space available will.
Thank you for taking the time to read through such a long post. I'm going to post some pictures as soon as the deeds are signed and we start on the fence.
Any advice or suggestions gratefully received.
