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- #21
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Tnr Questions
- Thread starter walli
- Start Date
I'm not sure how TNR works in your area. Here the local vet who started the TNR effort does a day long TNR clinic out of her practice one Sunday a month so trapping happens Saturday night/Sunday morning and cats are fixed and returned to their colony caretakers Sunday night to be released Monday morning. It might take a while to get all of them. The TNR effort here aims to get a 70% neuter rate for a colony (70 percent of cats in area spayed or neutered). So it might take a month or so of trying to get the cats you need when you need them.
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- #23
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I'll ask my friend about the feeding cats in the rain. She's an expert on everything. 
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Okay T,
Here's the answer from my genius friend.
I wouldn't worry about rain shelter right now, until flyers are posted. It's entirely possible that one of the neighbors owns the cats, or at least feels fully responsible for their entire care and feeding even if they're just community cats.
I'd wait and see if someone contacts you and either wants to work together where you can offer to drive the cats to/from TNR then bring the cats back for the neighbor to continue feeding.
Or no one claims ownership nor wants to help you. Then you can work a plan for a rain-proof feeding station.
See if there is a neighborhood "team" as a first priority.
Right now the cats will find shelter if it rains, and if they miss one breakfast it's all right. Especially if someone else is giving them food during the day and/or evening.
Here's the answer from my genius friend.
I wouldn't worry about rain shelter right now, until flyers are posted. It's entirely possible that one of the neighbors owns the cats, or at least feels fully responsible for their entire care and feeding even if they're just community cats.
I'd wait and see if someone contacts you and either wants to work together where you can offer to drive the cats to/from TNR then bring the cats back for the neighbor to continue feeding.
Or no one claims ownership nor wants to help you. Then you can work a plan for a rain-proof feeding station.
See if there is a neighborhood "team" as a first priority.
Right now the cats will find shelter if it rains, and if they miss one breakfast it's all right. Especially if someone else is giving them food during the day and/or evening.
*Butting in unasked* Personally, we had a policy 2 locations ago, where there were a lot of community/feral/outdoor/free-roaming, indoor-outdoor, street and stray cats: Any cat who came into our yard and allowed him/herself to be held went to our vet, got innoculations, checkup, and spay/neuter, and came back. Our yard at that time was not secured (rental house, etc., etc., etc.) so if they wanted to stay with us, they did (and these cats became our "barn crew" in the secured compound in the Mojave) and if they wanted to visit anyone else, they could. We did get a couple of cats who had guardians, but as far as I was concerned, if someone was irresponsible/uncaring or whatever else and did not spay/neuter, WE WOULD. And we did.
I don't know if this is even feasible for you, but I found one of those walk-in greenhouses (about six feet by three feet by 2 feet approximately). I have that set up as a feeding station on my patio. I have concrete blocks weighing it down and those blocks make four nice 'table' surfaces with room for a water bowl in the back. When it's nice, I have the door tied up, but when the forecast calls for rain/storms, I just zip it mostly closed with enough room at the bottom for the cats to get in and out. It's a semi-permanent structure on my patio so that may not be a reasonable solution for you.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #29
Hello Friends
Just want to update you on my situation, My heart is broken as I type this.
I cannot pursue taking care of the cats, my anxiety is so high, I am physically in pain, I am not giving up the TNR I'm still hoping for the ladies to help me, if not I will do it myself, I wish I new how to get these cats somewhere where I know they would have a great life, I can find people to talk to me, but so far that is it.
I hope I'm not letting anyone down, I'm in such pain, I do not know how to do this without being totally stressed. Most of the stress is coming from having to let this go. My husband has told me I need to for my own health.
I keep making mistakes because I care so much about them, but I'm not equipped to handle everything in my life plus a colony, I didn't even realize this is actually taking on a colony. Just so you know I have only fed them a total of 8 mornings, I hope they are not dependent on me. I feel very sad.
Just want to update you on my situation, My heart is broken as I type this.
I cannot pursue taking care of the cats, my anxiety is so high, I am physically in pain, I am not giving up the TNR I'm still hoping for the ladies to help me, if not I will do it myself, I wish I new how to get these cats somewhere where I know they would have a great life, I can find people to talk to me, but so far that is it.
I hope I'm not letting anyone down, I'm in such pain, I do not know how to do this without being totally stressed. Most of the stress is coming from having to let this go. My husband has told me I need to for my own health.
I keep making mistakes because I care so much about them, but I'm not equipped to handle everything in my life plus a colony, I didn't even realize this is actually taking on a colony. Just so you know I have only fed them a total of 8 mornings, I hope they are not dependent on me. I feel very sad.
I am very sorry to read this, W walli , and I hope you are able to feel better soon. Hopefully some of your neighbors will get involved in helping the cats, and IDK if I gave you this link, but bestfriends.org/resources has a lot of links and suggestions, as does alleycat.org. When you feel stronger, perhaps you can visit these sites and see what is available, or share them with neighbors who want to help. Also there is www.animalrescuedirectory.net which has the by-state menu from which you can access local rescues to contact.
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- #31
Yes I found the directory but nobody takes cats it seems.
I will look again, I have been to all the sites you listed and I don't see anyone who can help me.
I am going to post my letter to the neighbors and rewrite it to find the person who may be feeding cats, I don't mind helping but I can't take care of a colony.
I actually wouldn't mind buying the cat food for them and any other costs.
but the whole thing is stressing me out, i will take it a step a time.
I will look again, I have been to all the sites you listed and I don't see anyone who can help me.
I am going to post my letter to the neighbors and rewrite it to find the person who may be feeding cats, I don't mind helping but I can't take care of a colony.
I actually wouldn't mind buying the cat food for them and any other costs.
but the whole thing is stressing me out, i will take it a step a time.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #32
Seeing stray cats
Just putting this out there in case you might want to look at it/share it/may have not seen it yet.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #34
I sent an email to the one in Riverside, Hopefully will get a response
The lady with the Colony is suppose to call me tonite, wishful thinking but
I'm hoping she can help me get these cats somewhere else. at least she will help with the TNR
The lady with the Colony is suppose to call me tonite, wishful thinking but
I'm hoping she can help me get these cats somewhere else. at least she will help with the TNR
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- #36
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Awww honey. It's okay. You have a heart of gold and are doing your best! Please try not to stress over this. Just do what you can. 
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #38
Things to consider:
The house around the corner where the cats are congregating is likely the house where they are being regularly fed. Cats will choose a territory where there is food security.
The people feeding the cats may have taken them to their vet to have them spayed/neutered. Or maybe not. We don’t know right now. A private vet would not snip their ears.
If the cats have been spayed/neutered/vaccinated, are being fed regularly, and there is a covered patio to shelter them from rain, then they are “home” and in the same situation as they would be in a barn cat program (food/water/shelter).
I fear you are doing a lot of worrying and planning, perhaps over 3 cats who have everything they need.
The first thing to do when you see ferals/strays which are not on your property is to go knock on the door or leave a flyer and ask if the people there “own” the cats or if the cats are unowned strays/ferals. Then go from there.
My feral Misfit spends her days outside because that’s what she prefers. If someone came to talk to me about trapping her and relocating her to a barn cat program, I’d sure be happy to let them know that she is TNR’d, well-fed, sheltered…and that she’s my cat.
It may be the cats are ferals and the people feeding would love to hear about the TNR program. We don't know. It seems like you’ve spent a week stressing out over planning Steps 2-10.
Do Step 1 first and find out the cats’ status.
The house around the corner where the cats are congregating is likely the house where they are being regularly fed. Cats will choose a territory where there is food security.
The people feeding the cats may have taken them to their vet to have them spayed/neutered. Or maybe not. We don’t know right now. A private vet would not snip their ears.
If the cats have been spayed/neutered/vaccinated, are being fed regularly, and there is a covered patio to shelter them from rain, then they are “home” and in the same situation as they would be in a barn cat program (food/water/shelter).
I fear you are doing a lot of worrying and planning, perhaps over 3 cats who have everything they need.
The first thing to do when you see ferals/strays which are not on your property is to go knock on the door or leave a flyer and ask if the people there “own” the cats or if the cats are unowned strays/ferals. Then go from there.
My feral Misfit spends her days outside because that’s what she prefers. If someone came to talk to me about trapping her and relocating her to a barn cat program, I’d sure be happy to let them know that she is TNR’d, well-fed, sheltered…and that she’s my cat.
It may be the cats are ferals and the people feeding would love to hear about the TNR program. We don't know. It seems like you’ve spent a week stressing out over planning Steps 2-10.
Do Step 1 first and find out the cats’ status.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #40
You are so right that I think about step 10, It's a problem.
Thank you so much for your kindness, I need to stop feeling so bad.
The Feral Cat lady was suppose to call me last night, she didn't call,
suppose to call me today, I messaged her friend and told her, I'm stepping back
and offered her pretty good money to take the lead in this and me be a helper
we'll see.
I agree about speaking to the neighbors still.
I would make a really good helper, just not a leader.
I have my Feral Walli who is still not socialized and Joey the Stray to work with still, I'm such a stressor, I did not realize that I'm not equipped to do this kind of thing.
Thank you, you made me feel a little better
Thank you so much for your kindness, I need to stop feeling so bad.
The Feral Cat lady was suppose to call me last night, she didn't call,
suppose to call me today, I messaged her friend and told her, I'm stepping back
and offered her pretty good money to take the lead in this and me be a helper
we'll see.
I agree about speaking to the neighbors still.
I would make a really good helper, just not a leader.
I have my Feral Walli who is still not socialized and Joey the Stray to work with still, I'm such a stressor, I did not realize that I'm not equipped to do this kind of thing.
Thank you, you made me feel a little better
