Please Pray for furbabies

snugglecat

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Out of the blue on May 10 my landlord gave me a vacate notice. I have to be gone by May 31. We are still packing and putting our things in storage.

I don't have time to trap my 5 feral kitties. I have traps set out but nobody will go near them and I'm running out of time. I have been feeding mama for 8 years and her daughters for 7 years. They have never had to search for food.

I'm an emotional wreck, I have lived here for 15 years. I'm losing my home, my memorial garden and my cats all at once. I can't believe she only gave me a 20 day notice. I begged her when she bought this place in 2014 that if she ever needed me to move to please give me enough time to get my cats. She kept telling me I wasn't going anywhere.

I have to walk away on Tuesday knowing they will be sitting on my porch waiting for me to feed them. I have to take away their shelters and to make matters worse it's going to start getting hot, in the 90's the day I have to leave them.

Please say a little prayer for

Mama kitty

Tiger

Snickers

Maddie

Christopher and Shadow, the neighbors cat who I also feed.
 

alex134

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This is heartbreaking. Is there any possibility of enlisting the help of your neighbor? Are there any rescues in your area that could help relocate?

I am so sorry.
 

DreamerRose

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Yes, see if there is a TNR group in your area that will help you trap them. It doesn't even have to be done before you leave because the cats will hang around for a while. They will be hungry, too, making them easier to trap.
 

ginny

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Omg this is terrible!  I feel so bad for you!  Please advise @Kat0121, and @catwoman707  - thank you!

Are you going to be able to come back and get the kitties?  Surely that landlord doesn't want to deal with them herself.  What an awful person she turned out to be!  Maybe she will have a little bit of a heart about this situation.  I wonder if these rescue groups like Alley Cat Allies could help?
 
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Kat0121

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Out of the blue on May 10 my landlord gave me a vacate notice. I have to be gone by May 31. We are still packing and putting our things in storage.

I don't have time to trap my 5 feral kitties. I have traps set out but nobody will go near them and I'm running out of time. I have been feeding mama for 8 years and her daughters for 7 years. They have never had to search for food.

I'm an emotional wreck, I have lived here for 15 years. I'm losing my home, my memorial garden and my cats all at once. I can't believe she only gave me a 20 day notice. I begged her when she bought this place in 2014 that if she ever needed me to move to please give me enough time to get my cats. She kept telling me I wasn't going anywhere.

I have to walk away on Tuesday knowing they will be sitting on my porch waiting for me to feed them. I have to take away their shelters and to make matters worse it's going to start getting hot, in the 90's the day I have to leave them.

Please say a little prayer for

Mama kitty

Tiger

Snickers

Maddie

Christopher and Shadow, the neighbors cat who I also feed.
This is horrible. I'm so sorry. Really the only thing I can think of is to contact a TNR group and see if they can help or if they can help you get in touch with other feral caregivers who might be able to take them. They might have to be split up but at least they will be cared for. You can also contact Alley Cat Allies at http://www.alleycat.org/

Please don't beat yourself up about this. You have been doing a wonderful thing for these cats and they know how much you love them. What part of Washington are you in? We can try to help you locate TNR groups
 
 
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catwoman707

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Sorry for the delayed response, I work nights and sleep until early afternoon.

Your feral herd are your babies, we love them the same as we do our indoor kitties, so I know how upset you are now, but you are not abandoning them.

The first thing that comes to mind is, is there any chance of a neighbor on either side of you willing to feed them if you supplied the food?

Even if you have to pay them, maybe $10.00 a day so you have time to come up with a solution?

Money talks to those who might lack enough compassion to do this on their own, so offering to pay is a motivator.

BTW, it is illegal to be given a 20 day notice to vacate, just saying.......

If rent is paid (actually even if it's not) you as a tenant have rights that some don't question, not that you want to create a problem, but your landlord MUST cooperate for you to get your kids, not to mention the fact that most people don't want outdoor cats hanging around, which they will guaranteed. This needs to be considered by her as well. Even if you leave you still need access to them and legally have that right due to her short and unreasonable notice.

So sorry after all these years you are having your life turned upside down :(
 

ginny

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Good tip about paying $10 because some lack compassion but would do anything for money.  Shame we live in a world like this!  (It's actually a shame I live in a family like that - I had to pay one sister $40 to sit with our elderly sick mom for 2 hours and do nothing!  But anyway...)

I wonder if there's any way - if she does find a neighbor who would feed them for pay - if she could get proof that they actually get the food?  What?  Empty cans?  She could ask for them back so she could recycle them, I don't know.  Grasping at straws here.  I would be concerned about them just taking the money.  

I would definitely follow that legal path about the 20 day notice, but be as nice as possible about it and stress that you need more time to trap the kitties, which is definitely a burden she doesn't want to bear.  I hope we hear back from you.  
 
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snugglecat

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In the state of Washington it is legal to give a 20 day notice and my landlord is evil and did all this on purpose. She also knew I would have a hard time finding section 8 housing as she has threatened this to be several times. If I don't find a place by July 20 I will lose housing. The waiting list for apartments is 6 months or more so I will more then likely lose my housing.

I they found some people that are going to try and trap the cats but they will have to find a place to trap them because she will not allow anyone to come here after May 31. I love them so much and all I have done is cry.. Every time I picture them waiting on the porch I start crying again. I haven't eaten or slept in days.

The same person who is helping with the cats is looking into other things and thinks when he gets done she will be spending some time in jail. That's a long story and I'm not sure what he has found out about her but I have a feeling there is some fraud in there somewhere..

Please pray they won't starve to death before someone can trap them.
 

Willowy

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Actually, I looked up tenant law in Washington state, and they only require a vacate notice 20 days in advance :/. I suppose one could stretch it out by refusing to leave and forcing the landlord to start eviction proceedings, but that could cause a lot of legal trouble.

I agree with asking the neighbors to feed them or let you trap on their property. I think most people will go along with it.
 

ginny

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Here's a thought about trapping them.  I hesitate to even say this but is it possible that Animal Control would help you?  If I recall correctly, another member did get the help of an AC officer in trapping a kitty.  I don't remember where it was, but the officer gave the kitty to her when he got the kitty in his trap.  This could backfire if they don't cooperate and that's what I'm afraid of, but if they knew the situation do you think they would help you and give them to you when they are trapped?  Can anyone else advise about this?
 
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ginny

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Have you already left this place? If you're still there, is there any chance you could just get the kitties to walk right in your house?  Maybe not all but some?  

When I had to get my ferals in doors quick that's what I did.  
 

Shane Kent

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Snugglecat

God bless you. God bless the cats. I hope everything works out for you and the kitties.

I won't say what I would like to say about the landlord, it would most definitely violate forum rules.
 
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snugglecat

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Update on my colony

A friend of mine helped me feed them when I first left and then she started feeding them so they would get used to her coming around with the food.

The landlord who kicked me out doesn't actually own the place as her son bought it for her and he told me we could feed them on the property. He just would like them to be gone by September when he moves in. Yes we found out everything she told us was a lie, that's along story.

The woman fed them to gain their trust and started trapping at the end of August. She got 3 of them the first time around and another one the next day. Maddie was not going into the traps so she stopped for a week and then got Maddie the first part of September

The cats are all doing well. Right now they are in a small space but she had started to build a big catio with people giving donations. The bad weather hit and she had to stop work on the catio for now. She is also getting food donations and that has helped me a lot as the agreement was she would keep them but I would supply the food. We were never able to find someone to take them so she told me she would keep them.

I get to go visit them but haven't seen them since November because we have had a bad winter. I'm looking forward to seeing them as soon as the weather gets nicer. They remember me every time I go visit. They hide from my friend and at one point she had not seen Snickers since she trapped her in August, she stayed hidden in the shelter at feeding time. The first 2 times I went to visit, Snickers wouldn't come out for me and I was getting worried. When I went to visit in November I took a bag of treats to shake and see if I could get her to come out and she did.


I just now found a place to live in December but because it was so dirty it took my son and I a month to clean it so we could move in. I really hate the place as it looks like an old dirty motel but I was running out of time and needed to get into a place fast. I was not allowed any more extentions through housing and I didn't want to lose it. I'm also a lot closer to the feral cats and hope to get to see them often this spring and summer.

I have been in a deep depression since May and still can't get out of it. I cry a lot and wish I could go back home and be with my cat family.

Thanks again for any prayers and advice you sent our way.

Julie
 
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