Why all the strays/ferals all of a sudden?

gailc

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This afternoon I walked back to my potting shed and scared yet another unknown cat!! It was laying in the back in the shade and ran away. I called and it stopped but didn't come (it was over 100 ft away) It looked like a long haired darker color.

This the 3rd cat this week I've seen, a orangey/tan & white one has been on the patio and my neighbor has seen this one my the bridge over our creek and there is another all orangey one too.

There are only 4 houses nearby and no one has cats-I can ask my neighbor down the road if she has any in her barn as she did have quite a few but I thought she found homes for them.

So far no problems with mine other than I have the service door open in the garage when we are home and there is cat food in the garage but I haven't seen them in the garage.

Should I try feeding?? I can do it by my garden shed away from my crew??
 

leppardess

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I feel for you as my b/f and I seem to be in the same situation... strays are coming around more often lately. In years past, my b/f and his family have taken in 2 preggie females and kept most of the kittens but since November, they've taken in 4 (counting the feral kitten from 2 days ago...).

There's been a few stray males that we need to keep away because they fight with the oldest male, George (early this year, one of the male strays beat up George bad enough that he needed to be taken to the vet) and harass the newest male stray (Jacob).

Over here, I've been told that people dump their cats near the rail road tracks and since my b/f's house is closest to the tracks and, like you, we keep the back door the garage open for the outdoor cats to come and go so there's always strays/ferals getting in there.

As to why this is happening, your guess is as good as mine. Maybe people don't care as much as they used to.

As far as feeding, I'd do it in your shed, in stead of having it in the same area as your own cats.
 

cc12

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It seems that others are having similar concerns as you because I have been hearing about it from neighbors and the shelters are having a very busy kitten season. Not a good thing. Cats have surpassed dogs in popularity as pets but intact cats are still out there multiplying like mad.
The best thing you can do is go ahead and feed them. Offer them some kindness and hopefully trap them to get fixed.
 
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gailc

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Well I have to go grocery shopping tomorrow so I'll pick up some dry food and hopefully catch my neighbor to ask about any cats she my still have. The dark haired one though behind my shed-a long hair one doesn't normally see those as strays.
 

psjauntie

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I've been reading the local "pets for adoption" lately alot of the animals have been displaced by people having to move, or losing their homes. I really think alot of it is because of the economy. People are losing their homes and aren't able to take their pets with them.
 

addiebee

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Originally Posted by psjauntie

I've been reading the local "pets for adoption" lately alot of the animals have been displaced by people having to move, or losing their homes. I really think alot of it is because of the economy. People are losing their homes and aren't able to take their pets with them.
Yes - there is a lot more surrendering and dumping going on b/c of the economy. And on the other end of that cycle - fewer people to adopt and shelters are over run with cats/kittens - from dumps, strays and unfixed animals.
 
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