Came across a colony

I went out looking for my cat that's still missing and came across a group of cats feeding behind a dumpster behind a stripmall. The people there seem to be feeding them. I started feeding them too. There are tons of cats - different ones every night and some of them are tiny kittens less than 2 months old.

What can I do to help these cats?

Thanks!

Originally Posted by writergirl

I went out looking for my cat that's still missing and came across a group of cats feeding behind a dumpster behind a stripmall. The people there seem to be feeding them. I started feeding them too. There are tons of cats - different ones every night and some of them are tiny kittens less than 2 months old.

What can I do to help these cats?

Thanks!

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Writergirl....what these cats really need is to have someone trap them and get them spayed/neutered. Then you can determine whether any of them can be placed into homes. Alley Cat Allies has a list of TNR groups by state:

http://www.alleycat.org/orgs.html

If you want to PM me your location...I can see about groups that are in your area.

Katie

Alley Cat Allies has brochures you can buy (cheap) and pass them out to people in the area on TNR and ways they can help feral cats. Perhaps you can pass some info to the strip mall vendors. They are probably aware of the stray cats. The kittens can be trapped and there is a good chance they can be socialized and good homes found for them. The rest should be trapped/neutered/vaccinated..etc. some may be able to be socialized. Do call the organizations from the previous list. Perhaps you can find a buddy who has a garage/spare room etc. and would be interested in helping you getting the TNR process going in the neighborhood?

Writergirl, where do you live? I'm in Arizona, could I help?

Thanks all. I forgot to mention I am in Canada. I called the local cat rescue people in my area and they told me they are all full. No one has room for them anywhere. I would foster them but I am not well enough to do that. I don't know what to do

~wriergirl

Originally Posted by writergirl

Thanks all. I forgot to mention I am in Canada. I called the local cat rescue people in my area and they told me they are all full. No one has room for them anywhere. I would foster them but I am not well enough to do that. I don't know what to do

~wriergirl

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Actually did you see this:

http://www.alleycat.org/orgs.html#c

Even if none of them are closeby..it's worth contacting them about TNRing these cats. It is more important to stabilize the colony by ensuring that all the colony members are spayed/neutered...then you can work on placing them into homes.

To learn more about TNR, you can go here:

http://www.alleycat.org/visitor.html

Katie

Katie,

Thanks for putting those links up I'll definitely read through them.

~writergirl

We are planning to trap the kittens soon and foster them but are still trying to find a place that will take them. There are about 8 kittens.

~writergirl

Where are you? There could be TCS members in your area willing to attempt socializing the kittens. You could try one or two yourself, if you're up to it.

Oh, and one tip: Feral kittens are like tiny living blenders!! Wear gloves if you ever have to handle them, or you will be shredded. Seriously.

Originally Posted by writergirl

We are planning to trap the kittens soon and foster them but are still trying to find a place that will take them. There are about 8 kittens.

~writergirl

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I would recommend that you also try to trap the adults...because come next spring...it will be the adults who are breeding and causing more kittens to be born. For the adults..I would focus on trapping them, getting them spayed/neutered and then rereleasing them.

Katie

Thanks you guys. We are planning to trap the adults too but the reason we went for the kittens first is because winter is coming and it's going to be really cold this year. One of those kittens weighs about 2 pounds and she would not survive.

Today was a successful trapping day. We managed to get 5 kittens. Last week we got one only. I am going out again to find the last remaining kitten. These ones are not feral. They don't hiss at us and don't scratch they are just very nervous. I think they will be socialized quickly.

I do definitely plan to do something about the adults too. Just one step at a time I guess.

~writergirl