REALLY need help and support!!!!!!!

ok i just got back - there were 2 cats eating when i got there (i put it out at 8am)- but at least they found it. Do they "signal" the other cats to its place?? i put more food out - but the water dish was turned over and i didnt ahve more w/me. I know they need water...

ill go back tomorrow morning - im PRAYING the 6 houses on that st. all have residents that work mon-fri. That would be fantastic if I feel i have the privacy to do this without the paranoia of having the cops called on me...

at least tomorrow is monday and i can get more help on this.... I trap every wednesday which is coming soon and i HAVE to trap this week - it just will be much harder now....

ALSO - i was thinking about this on the walk back - the one woman said she called several places about TNR -and "everyone" SHE talked to said TNR didnt work. I actually sent an email to the one place she mentioend to even see if thats true and if so - i asked for info as to why. Every place I called - every website Ive visited states TNR is the best option. Are there actual legit animal agencies that feel TNR is a negative thing?? Because Id like to know why.

THANKS AGAIN

I think doing it at 5 in the morning would be the best time. can you manage that?

i just talked to the animal control officer - i think hes just burnt out with all this in general. he said he will talk to the one witch - but he said if they want them gone - he has to do it

these cats are going to die now...

No, no, it doesn't mean that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He would need the manpower to trap them, and he doesn't have that.

And yes, they leave markers - actually in some instances, up to a mile away.

I don't know of any organizations - other than county shelters - that do not support TNR. The Vet Association and even Cat Fanciers (breeders assoc) support TNR.

http://www.straypetadvocacy.org/html...l_control.html

Next, I would print out one or two things for the Board people to read. It's one thing you telling them - it may be another thing actually learning about it from organizations that are not "you." I know it feels desperate and bleak right now, but it's not time to give up yet! If the animal control officer is burnt out, help him make his case.

I would include a short note that says while right at the moment they may consider you a "crazy cat person," but there are studies and science behind the method. It's not just about being humane in treating a situation that no one individual is responsible for, it's about finding a long term solution that works for the condo and the community (don't even mention about working for the cats).

I would print out this one because it's pretty even-handed in its assessment of both: http://www.americancat.net/removal.html, and I would circle this portion:

Originally Posted by http://www.americancat.net/removal.html

Q: Can't I just tell my staff or my children to stop feeding the cats, and the cats will go away?

A: Animals congregate in certain habitats according to the availability of not only food, but water, shelter, and companions. Removing food often does not result in cats simply moving out to look for other food sources if other attractants (dry shelter, a male cat drawn to females in heat, a frightened tame cat comforted by the presence of humans, etc.) are strong.

Female cats, especially pregnant cats, often will stay right where they are abandoned. Owners of seasonal houses often return to discover a tame cat and feral kittens in residence, and there was not one scrap of human-provided food to be had. The cat was abandoned, and stayed where there was shelter because she required it for her kittens. Hunting enabled her to survive until discovery by humans (some abandoned cats with kittens simply die unnoticed while humans are absent).

If an unsterilized female remains, males will certainly visit her. So even though males will often move out to search for new food sources, a cat in heat will certainly cause them to return, or attract new males.

Humane agencies certainly will tell stories of kittens abandoned alongside a road that simply sit there and starve until someone stops to pick them up. If no one stopped, they would sit there and die.

Click to expand...

This is also an excellent article that illustrates an actual situation where it basically "proves" that eradication doesn't work: http://www.feralcat.com/sarah2.html



This one may be too long, but it is documented and cites references: http://www.cfainc.org/articles/trap-alter-release.html

Here is a shorter version (you would just want to use the introduction, because the rest is basically for vets and colony caretakres on what to do), but also contains the important citation of the vacuum effect published by Karl Zaunbrecher, DVM and Richard Smith, DVM, MPH (in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Volume 203, Number 3, August 1, 1993):

http://catnet.stanford.edu/articles/model_program.html

If you don't think any of might will help, I'll look for others.



Laurie

i just now saw this thread, and I was and still am kinda in the same situation, what i did after being called the cops on and a report filed on me was...... I got online with alleycatallies, ordered the info on TNR, IT was a set
on brouchures, I got them and passed them out to the people in the area of the colony, the police chief, ( I told him to make all offiers read the info) and the mayor, city manager, city attnorey, etc. I do know the police chief
personally, we went to high school together. but.....I went and checked on him again and he said to carry on with what I was doing, because he checked it out and what I was doing was NOT against the law! and it isn't!
I still go feed late at night, and any family, friends that know I do this late, don't like me doing it , they think some weirdo will get me out there!
But I have continued, I am still parnoid about the jerk that called the cops, even though he is a cat lover, he saw me with a trap, and thought I caught one of his cats and took it home or something, then wouldn't even let me explain, that i didn't , just threaten to shot me if I came on his property!
My babies just had probably about 5 litters, because of this BS and everything that put this to a halt! so now there is about 30 cats to trap and fix! That just ticks me off, but I do have a few more folks on my side as of today!
I have no funding, no help, I am at a loss, but I am not giving up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
People here in my town are totally ignorant ! They generally have no education on TNR, it is easy for people to say , well educate them, it is so over whelming
when your doing this alone...and the food for all of these hungry mouths is getting expensive on my pocket book!
so many obstacles, that I just had to retreat but I think I have recovered
again, and I can go take them on again! i have put it in the local paper, but I would have thought someone with the love of cats just like mine, would have stepped up and offered some assistance to get this TNR program started but
they haven't yet!!
just know that what your doing is not against the law! it cost more for the taxpayer to pay animal control, to go and trap, house , feed, and then put to sleep.,than it would to have A COMMUNITY WIDE TNR PROGRAM tell the
complainer that! bring the TNR brouchures to her door,

THIS IS THE WAY I EXPLAIN IT,. EVEN IF YOU ARE A CAT HATER, OR LOVER, EITHER ONE SHOULD SUPPORT TNR, IF YOU HATE THE CATS, WELL
HELP TO GET THE POPULATION UNDER CONTROL, BY TNR, THAT WILL
STOP THE BREEDING. I ALSO SAY, THE ANIMAL CONTROL CAN PICK UP ALL THE CATS YOU SEE RIGHT NOW, AND KILL THEM, BUT THERE WILL BE MORE TO FOLLOW, SO TNR DOES WORK, IF WE ALL PITCH IN, WE CAN GET THE CONTROL. THEN THERE WON'T EVENTUALLY BE ALL OF THE HOMELESS CATS!

Get the brouchures pronto!! educate, especially the ole bitty, never know
she might end up being your buddy! some people just want attention, so give her some!!!!


good luck I know exactly were your at! But get educated on this subject so you can fight for them!!!!
Love ya fellow feral friend!!
Monique

I ran into the "nicer" witch today after work... she apologized for the other woman's rudeness and abruptness.

She said because they have had at least 6 complaints that they jsut can not allow these cats to remain in the area. She said she really doesnt want to see the cats die - if i can move them - fine. She will give me 6 weeks (thanks)to do what i have to do - feed them/trap them etc.

So i guess this is somewhat better than them just calling animal control - who by the way I was told if he does take cats to the shelter - the organization i work with goes and takes them out!!!

So I just now have to start moving this food - if i can secretly get them where i want them in the woods - i wont have to move them off property which i KNOW will be very hard to do. I know I cant move them THAT far.... its just going to be tough> Ill continue to need your support and advice thru this - THANKS

Well, I actually don't think it will take six weeks to get them all eating in the new place. Or is this just one step towards where you want to get them to go?

I don't know where they'll end up hanging out. But when they get fixed, they wander less and will stay close to shelter and food.

But if the condo people don't see you either feeding or trapping, then there's not much they can do!

Whatever happens, you are doing the right thing! And they WILL find the food!



Laurie

It is called divide and conquer.
She gave you a nice window to move them and get some more TNR done. I would come up with a plan of action and with persistence and consistency you will be able to do it.

thanks so much again

Im feeling a little better now - i just hope im not confusing the poor cats - i stopped feeding on the other side of the woods and yesterday I went back to the original yard - BUT i moved the dishes from their one feeding spot to the other side of the yard to start this moving process.

They were all there waiting - it broke my heart thinking for almost 3 days if they didnt know there was food elsewhere that they may have been waiting and starving....

Tomorrow I should be able to get someone with experience over to map out a route with me. The "cop" will be gone in 2 weeks - so then I can have that privacy to do what I want...

Im just worried these cats wont move... I know everyone says they will - but thats my fear now

Whatever happens I just try to keep in mind that Im doing all i can...

They'll move, this will work!

Is the "cop" leaving or going on vacation?

Laurie

Oh the "cop" - all of them actually - are at/going to their real homes in PA!!!!!

They... (pres, vp, secretary even the woman who does the flowers) live in the condos during the summer only and make the rules for the rest of us to live by... its ridiculous and extremely annoying.

BUT in this case I guess its great because the next 9 months will give the cats time to adjust and hopefully when they return will be set in the woods somewhere.... HOPEFULLY.

My bf said he'll even make a winter home for them....

Oh that's beautiful! The pressure will be off.



Laurie

You are doing such a wonderful job with the kitty cats. Cats are very smart and resourceful. Where there is food they will follow.

yeah im already seeing that!! The one cat that is there every single morning - was always waiting in one particular spot - i just thought that was where he always hung out - but this morning he was sitting near the NEW spot waiting to be fed - it made me laugh to see him there.

I didnt catch any this week for neutering. I tried sooo hard too - gave them almost 3 hours last night and then tried again for 2 hours this morning. Ill have to read "trapping for difficult cats" now on that website everyone sends me too. I was hoping this wouldnt happen - and it frustrates me that I missed a week - so now im a week behind.....

I even tried in my own backyard last night - i saw a couple there in the last few nights. Those cats are so unpredictable - i will start feeding and then 2 nights later the food goes untouched for days... A few nights ago a cat that i never saw before came up to me as i got out of my car - he was timid - but came very close and even meowed a few times - he followed me to the back yard where i fed him - but i havent seen him since.

I also saw THE tomcat (i think anyway - i was told he was most likely the father of most of the cats - dont know if thats true). I had seen him wander hte street for months before i even knew about the others - then he went missing. I saw him last night for hte first time again. I think its him anyway - he has the same coloring. This morning while i was waiting in my car to trap - he walked right past me - there was no food there yet - so I dont know what made him come over - made me laugh again... although I really wanted to trap HIM.
My question about him is - he is FAT!!! Does that mean he could be an indoor cat that someone lets out???

THANKS