Basically over this long hot summer, I've been caring for and feeding my cats. All was well, I managed to TNR 14 out of a count of 22 cats.
2 days ago, we had all that rain - it rained for 3 days non stop. During that time I fed them, and counted fewer each time.
I assumed they had found shelter and were not coming to eat (where there is less shelter) or were in the feral boxes (2) I had put out.
The weather cleared on Sat. On Sunday, I thought I would have more cats back - not so. I only counted 12 and one was boo hoo hit by something... she was this tiny 4 month, and I had spayed her 2 weeks to 3 wks before that...
I have not seen her since Sunday afternoon/eve.
Monday evening I went to feed them at 5 pm, and thought they would all come back out - not so. I only saw 12. And unlike last times, they didn't all rush out to greet me. They waited to hear my voice calling, and THEN
they came out. Usually they would rush to my car.
I'm concerned - could some one have harmed them? Trapped and removed them? On the orders of the management? Or someone idiotic and cruel acting alone?
I've never made it a habit to feed them where they could be seen, but these
cats that were born there, rush around excitedly when I pull up. In the summer it was obvious... as it has gotten more twilightly when I show up (6 pm ish) its less obvious that there are cats. The workers mostly hispanic, don't bother me and know what I am doing, and as I said, they even seem to like the cats. (Going so far as to leave shed open for them at night to shelter in..)
Anyway, I'm very worried. alot of these cats were ear tipped and showed
signs of having been fixed recently so if someone trapped and took to the shelter as ferals, they probably would PTS them, but maybe not??
(Our shelter sucks about these things. I hate their air of self complacency).
Anyway, I just want to know - will these lost ones show back up? Or not?
The ones left are largely ones I'd fixed - although there are a few I had not yet gotten to fixing. As I had trouble trapping this last 3 weeks. (working
I have put out shelter boxes in the bushes hidden and way from plain view -
the cats show signs of having gone in and used them... this is promising.
I'm working on getting a proper feeding station built bu my time is very limited and its sooo frustrating how long its taking. I want to mark it as a Managed Cat Colony so if someone is trying to mess with them they might think twice that there is actually someone looking AFTER them.
Just wanted to know if others have had their ferals go missing after bad weather and then show up more slowly later on. Its gotten colder too... our first freezes...s o it may be that they have not been coming out till later to roam for food. Maybe I am worrying for nothing???
