Young feral cat upset, keeps leaving the colony

Hi everybody! It's been a while since I've posted about my colony. One of the last posts was about the three ferals that had gone missing. That was the beginning of April and they still have not showed up. I now believe that whatever happened to the first ferals and my own Tower, happened to the last three. Someone out there is getting rid of them...I only hope and pray it is in a humane manner. It has all been very depressing and heartbreaking and it makes all the work that I have done with the colony not worth it at times. Maybe by feeding them and keeping them around, I endangered them. I had really bonded with one of the young females that disappeared and Midnight had been around forever. At least since then everything has been okay with my outside family.

My problem is with one of the younger ferals in the colony. He keeps leaving my yard to cross the street where I think there might be danger for him. At times he will just sit and cry. I have given him catnip, tried to talk to him, special food. Nothing seems to help. After a while he hops the fence and crosses the street. I don't know whether he is calling his siblings to come with him or if he is upset about something. How can I keep him in my yard? I don't have the money for a cat fence yet. I am worried that it is a matter of time before someone takes him away like the others. He is neutered and has his shots, his ear is notched. He always got along with the others and ate fine etc. He seems healthy. I don't know what is wrong. Has anybody with a colony been through this? Should I try a Bach remedy?

Thanks for any help!

My stray cats do the same thing, it's hard to expect a cat living outdoors to always stay in your yard all day, there is so much they want to do and explore you know. Though for your sake im sure you would like that.

I have 2 cat houses in my yard for them to sleep in, that keeps them around better than the food, especially in Winter when it's cold.

Sometimes cats will also leave a colony and never return even with food offered, I dont exactly know why, but it happened with some of mine.

My theory is the "boss" male of each colony "pick" who they accept to stay around and who they dont want to. In mine the male will get along with some cats fine, and others will be attacked and promptly chased away. So I guess those cats dont stick around out of fear of being attacked? Even being spayed/neutered doesnt always stop fighting behavior.

This young cat is still hanging in the very corner of my yard crying for sometimes an hour. When I try to go to him, he jumps the fence and sits in my neighbors yard and cries. My neighbors are not going to take this. Please...Can anyone think of anything I can do? He is going to endanger the safety of the entire colony... As many of you know, my neighbors hate the cats and this is not going to help anything!

Keith P: Thanks for your answer. I think it may very well be that our alpha male has chased him away for some reason. Our alpha does his best to keep all of the other cats in line. I just wish I knew what he wanted. He cannot keep crying like that. At this point I don't know whether to try to get him in the yard or try to keep him away. If anybody has any advice, even if you are not sure it applies- please help!

Thank you!

Is the cat fixed? If not FIX HIM. This will make him less likely a target for the alpha male. Also.. try to spray some Feliway around the place where they hang out eat. This stuff acts to calm cats.

Find a place to feed this guy away from the alpha.

Also, if he/she is meowing, they may want INSIDE or they
may want a cat friend that has disappeared? Do you
have any cat like that? Or is he/she a friend with one
of your own indoor kitties?

Just a thought. YOu may want to consider brining in to tame.

Yes, the cat is fixed. He came from one of the last litters Midnight had before she disappeared. All three of her kittens lived here very happily until one day this young cat (I really should name them) disappeared for a while. Now that he is back, his behavior is so strange. His brother and sister are fixed and still stay in my yard happily. They get along with all of the other cats in the colony, nudging heads, playing etc. He is about a year old. Could he be missing his mother, Midnight? I would think he is too old for that. I was thinking that maybe he was trying to get his siblings to follow him to where he goes, but today he finally got enough courage to come to eat ( I put a plate and water in his corner of the yard) and he seemed ravenous. I don't think that he is eating wherever he is staying.

I try very hard to keep all of my cats in but one is still very feral and has a mind of his own and goes out some times. . .Maybe he has made friends with him? It's just all so strange. I have some cats indoors and my sister and child are staying with us so space is very tight right now. Catching him is definitely a last ditch effort. I will try spraying the Feliway. I am also going to buy Rescue Remedy for their water, but I don't know if he drinks here...

Thank you so much for your reply. I truly appreciate it.

I may be totally off the mark here as I know nothing about feral cats, but my gut is telling me he wants you to follow him. Have you tried doing that? Maybe he is trying to lead you to something he needs your help with?

OK, if I wasn't before, I am now officially around the bend. *grin*