Relocating Colony

[kittymama18]

I know you're not supposed to relocate colonies. But. I've been rescuing for years - and live down a dirt road where people dump their animals... the cats always end up on my property. I now have a large happy, healthy, vetted, spayed/neutered colony on my land, all are by now tamed enough to be petted, some will leap into your arms for hugs.. Very sweet kitties. My land is surrounded by people who hate cats and have dogs who eat cats. These cats don't wander, probably for that reason. I'm in an geographical area already saturated with cats, no one needs/wants a barn cat (which is why I ended up with so many).
.....
I have to move. I've been trying to figure out how to do this - and just can't think of a way. Has anyone here ever tried to move a colony of 30+ cats and succeeded? I can't leave them.. I can't get them adopted out... The idea of trying to bring them with me is daunting, to say the least.
Ideas/suggestions welcome. I asked Alley Cat Allies, and they just said that moving colonies is bad.

 

[surya]

From what I have read, you have to build an enclosure or have a garage or barn you can keep them in for awhile. Just moving them and expecting them to stay in the new place will not work, they will try to find their way back home. And since there are thirty of them. It seems like it would be better to do it in stages, and do smaller groups at a time, since crowding so many cats in a garage or whatever would be stressful for them.

 

[Norachan]

Well, it's difficult but it's not impossible. I moved a colony of 23 about 4 years ago. One cat disappeared after about a month and I never saw her again. A few of the others took off for a couple of weeks but then came back again. The rest of them seem very happy with their new home.

Do you have a place to relocate to?
How far is it from your current location?
Can you keep the cats crated or contained for the first month?
How feral are the cats? Can you handle them all or will some have to be trapped again?

shadowsrescue moved with her feral cats recently. She might have some suggestions for you.

This is the thread about my colony relocation.

Moving House, Taking The Colony With Me.

Let us know what your plans are and we'll do our best to help.

 

[kittymama18]

Thank you - I don't have a place yet, am having trouble figuring out how to go about it, and have been sort of frozen in decision-mode. Any place would be at least an hour's drive from my current location. I would try to figure out a way to keep them enclosed for a while - I could maybe build them some sort of enclosure with shelter in it so they could get used to the area. Some are more feral than others - a few were fully feral when I got them, like ghosts, but will now let me pet them if they're in a good mood. Some are super super friendly. If I were going to move them, I would just pull out cat crates and large dog crates and start feeding them inside the crates. After they got used to eating in there, it'd just be a matter of closing doors. That's how I've gotten a few of them to the vet before - ones who I can pet, but can't pick up.
Just read your thread- I love love love the enclosure you built! How long is the fenceline? I'm trying to figure out whether I could do something similar.

 

[shadowsrescue]

I moved with my ferals, but I moved them all inside so my situation is a bit different. I did what you do to get them to the vet using carriers to feed them in. With my boys, I started allowing them time inside my house with the sliding door left open so they never felt trapped. I then had the carriers scattered about my first floor. I sprinkled catnip inside and then added yummy food. I did this with them for about 6 weeks. On the day I brought them inside, I was able to secure them all into carriers.

I then had to get them into carriers again on moving day. I had a mobile vet come to the house for their exams, vaccines and FIV/FELV tests (they had all been neutered previously). The mobile vet gave me sedating meds to use tohelp get them into carriers as well as make the almost hour drive.

Are all of these sweet kitties spayed/neutered?

 

[kittymama18]

Yes, all spayed/neutered. I had all of them immunized during the spay/neuter as well, but some of them are several years old, so out of date.

 

[shadowsrescue]

I wouldn't worry too much about up to date vaccines. Kuddos to you for having them all spayed/neutered!

I would say that it's best to try, but make sure you have plenty of time. You might start with some of the friendly ones that would be easy. Get them moved to your new place. You definitely have to keep them inside in cages or rooms or an enclosure for a good 3-4+ weeks.

Do you have someone that would be able to assist you?

 

[kittymama18]

I don't know any other 'cat people' who aren't already up to their eyebrows trying to care for their own rescues/etc. How big of an enclosure do you think I'd need for 30+ cats? They all get along for the most part - and anyone who causes friction could live in a crate for a while.

 

[shadowsrescue]

I would think it would need to be pretty big since the cats have to be there for 3-4 or more weeks. I would have to be protected from the elements as well. Maybe a large empty and cleaned out garage that is ventilated if it's hot?

If you are determined to make this work, it will work! It will just take a lot of planning. It's good to start now.

When we were planning to move, I knew my ferals were coming with me. My ideal house had to suit not only my family but all of my cats. There were certain things in the house that were a must. It took us 1 1/2 years to find the right place.

I will send good thoughts your way that you find the perfect place.

 

[kittymama18]

I will send good thoughts your way that you find the perfect place.

Thank you!

 

[Norachan]

Just read your thread- I love love love the enclosure you built! How long is the fenceline? I'm trying to figure out whether I could do something similar.

Thank you!



It's 1,200 meters all together. We marked out the perimeter ourselves, then paid for a ........oh, I don't know what the word is in English. ........ A groundsman, perhaps? to put all the vertical fence posts up for us. They haven't moved, in spite of 4 years of heavy snow and monsoon rains. The horizontal posts, nets, overhang and digging down and pegging in of the bottom of the net we did ourselves.

The overhang has gone through several modifications, mainly to make it more durable in the snow.

I think we could have done with a smaller enclosure. The cats don't seem to bother going right down to the bottom of it. They really enjoy hanging out on the cat trees we made for them though. If you find a place with a smaller yard make the most of vertical space and the cats will be happy.

Our old house was about a 30 minute drive away. We moved the cats up here 2 or 3 at a time, over a 1 month period. We kept them locked in the house at first, then let the ones that were easiest to handle out a few at a time.

Most of ours have only been vaccinated twice; once when they were TNR'd then again as we were moving them. As they don't come into contact with many other animals and any fosters are vetted before being allowed to meet the others it hasn't been a problem.

If you decide to move start looking for property now. It took us over a year to find the perfect place. It's pretty remote, which can be inconvenient, but not having any neighbours to worry about makes it worth while.

 

[kittychick]

SOOOOO glad you read the thread done by Norachan on her move - - - the minute I saw your question I kept meaning to post about her thread - - - it's the most absolutely awe-inspiring, make-you-want-to-win-the-lottery-and-move-somewhere-amazing-and-start-your-own-sanctuary thread EVER! (in my opinion - - - can you tell I think it's amazing - - and she's amazing for doing it?). She's also WONDERFUL about answering questions, as she knows not everyone can do it (although most of us would love to!) on the scale she did.

The fact that you care so much - - and have done so much so far says to me that you'll be successful in this move. You've got lots of people here to offer suggestions - - and keep you excited about it - - -hope you can make it happen! Those kitties have one lucky caretaker in you!

 

[kittymama18]

Thanks everyone! Lots of planning ahead, that's a fact!

 

[segelkatt]

Thanks everyone! Lots of planning ahead, that's a fact!

Keep us updated please

 

[kittymama18]

I apologize for not updating! First on the crating of the kitties - I fed them BY my crates (some large dog crates, some medium dog crates, some cat crates) for a while until they were willing to eat near the crates. Then I fed them IN the crates for a while. Meaning that I put the food in the crate and if they wanted to eat, they'd go in, grab a mouthful, run out, and eat it. Eventually they figured out that nothing was going to happen and would eat in the crate. When it came time to move (I moved them over the course of 4 days, getting a group or 2 at a time, starting with the ones who were most likely to startle and run, and ending with the ones who didn't care much, so the startley ones wouldn't see me boxing ppl up and get spooked) Where I ended up putting them at the new location - I created a number of smaller enclosures for family/friend groups. I forget how many - I used 3 foot tall lightweight garden fencing and just made it into a long rectangle and ziptied another 6 foot long piece on the top so each enclosure was 3 feet tall, 6 feet wide, and anywhere from 10 feet long to 20 feet long depending on the number of cats in the group. I used step-posts to hold the wire to the ground to keep anyone from sliding under. Large tarps over the food/water/litter areas when it rained. (One end I filled with sand, the other I put food/water) Depending on the wanderyness of the cat (Some of them like to explore but some always stay where the food dish is) I let them out for a little while each day starting about 2 weeks after we moved. I let them out longer and longer, until finally they all came/went as they pleased, and they were eating/sheltering in my porch. I took down the shelters, and repurposed the fencing plus much more to go around my 3 acre yard to keep other animals out and these kitties in. I stacked the 3 foot fencing to make 6 feet. Long story short, it went well, and everyone came through it OK except for 2 who escaped during the transition between crates and enclosures. There are lots of other cat people in this new area, so I hope they ended up with someone else as they were both very friendly. Sorry again for the delay in updating, it's been a busy few years!