Feeling Overwhelmed

As I have posted before,  I inherited a feral colony in November.  Of the 8 kittens and young cats that I brought in to socialize,  3 kittens are in wonderful homes and 3 of the older kittens will be going to their forever homes this summer.  They are all adjusting very well.  I put a screen on the door of the bedroom they have been in and it has made such a difference in them coming around.  They seem truly adapted and happy cats!

I was planning on bringing the 2 remaining females in my home when the 3 are adopted out.  The owner of the house called my yesterday and told me the house is rented and a couple is moving in with a dog.  She does not want me to feed anymore.  They are moving in 2 weeks.  I am going to ask the next door neighbor if I could move my feeding station to her porch and feed there until I can get them retrapped,  which I will have to do now, sooner than later.

When I went yesterday, there was yet another cat there!  This is the third time another cat has shown up!  This cat's presence has disrupted the routine of the 2 girls.  They are in hiding again,  which happened both times another cat came.  One was feral,  he is at my husband's warehouse and the other was friendly and I was so blessed to find him a wonderful home.

I just do not know what to do!  I need to get the girls asap,  but now I need to get this cat taken care of.  I would love to think he is someone's pet, but the poor thing only has 3/4 of a tail and was very hungry.  My girls won't be easy to get as long as he is there and I fear a dog moving in will really make things worse.

I am committed to getting the girls here,  but I cannot turn my back on the other cat.  Once I am done going there,  there would be no one to care for him.  I have no idea where these cats are coming from, it is a very nice neighborhood,  no apartments where people could be dumping cats.  But they seem to wander through  and wind up near mine.

If the cat is friendly,  I could try and find it a good home,  but if it is feral,  any suggestions?

AW hun, you have done SOOOOOOOO much for all of the cats that were at that house. I am sorry to hear that those people are moving and now you are under pressure to try to trap those girls. PLUS this new one. Seeing new cats coming around when there is a food source is very common. Also, it is possible that there are some stragglers still around that are all part of that original colony. There is only so much you can do!!! You have a full house right now until those older kittens go to their new homes. I wonder IF you could talk to the new people that will be renting that house about helping with the feeding until you can get them trapped and relocated somehow... :dk: Something will work itself out, it will. I wish I had more answers for you. It is a tough situation and again, you are doing all you can.

I like the plan of talking to the neighbors. But really - as Lauren says, you're doing all you can, more than most people would. If the end result is that you have to wait until the new family moves in and you can chat with them, then you don't have much choice.

If the new kitty is feral, I'm not sure there's much more you can do than TNR and release back there. Unless the warehouse could use another kitty.....

I know how stressful this is. Just do your best to HEAR us, and to feel in your heart and KNOW that you are doing all you can!!!!! :heart2:

Laurie and Lauren, thank you so much for your continued encouragement. I was so stressed but decided to call the neighbor and talk with her. She had been so nice about letting me put the shelters on her porch. She said I could move the feeding station to her back porch!

And you won't believe this! I believe my prayers were answered. When I told her the townhouse next to her was being rented, I mentioned that I knew someone who would have liked to rent it. She was quiet for a minute and then asked me if anyone would like to rent hers! She is relocating because of her job, but does not want to sell. So if all goes well, not only will the cats be able to stay, but it is a relative of mine who is going to rent from her. I am so relieved and grateful.

No sign of the black and white kitty, but I can relax for a while about the future of my girls. If he shows up, I will get him trapped and at the very least TNR.

I was thinking about another warehouse kitty too! Not sure if they would get along!

If the 3/4 tail was that hungry, chances are he is astray. A real semiferale should be better to find himself food. 

Good luck!   *vibes*
 

Isn't it just incredible how things like this just seem to fall into place. All because you decided to make that phone call. I am just SOOOOO happy for you. This IS an answer to your prayers. What a relief and burden off your mind. We do all care very much for all of our TCS feral kitties. SO we are always here to support you in anyway we can. Your doing a SUPER job with all of the cats you have rescued from that house. :bigthumb:

Aw, thank you. I am still amazed. I went to the house and moved the feeding station over to the porch. The shelters are still there and they used them during the winter, but now they are hanging out under the porch. At least they are safe there. Hopefully, the new dog arriving next week won't scare them off.

I really was feeling so stressed. I happened to be talking to an employee of a local business. I had been told a few years ago they had an established colony. In the last month I discovered only 2 cats had been spayed/neutered. You cannot imagine. We have already trapped 16 to date, sadly one did not make it through surgery. Today I brought home 3 five week old kittens. I will foster and socialize and then a local rescue group will put them up for adoption. There are 3 more kittens about 3 weeks old and 1 kitten about 6 weeks old. We are going to get him hopefully this week. I would estimate another 15 to 20 cats that still need to be TNR.

   I know what you mean about things working out. I started trapping and getting ferals to clinic..I do not have the time or space to take in unwanted cats..I got a call and ended up taking 2 strays and got them to clinic to be neutered. They could not go back where I trapped them as this apartment complex does not allow cats..and the cats had been hanging around. One was male, the other female. I had the female first..and I was in Petco and met this woman..she was sad and needed something to love..so she took the female..this cat needed some socializing..then the people called and the male was in the trap..he turned out to be a big love..and an abandoned cat from the next block..a neighbor had been feeding him but he belonged to no on. So he got neutered but tested positive for FIV. But he was otherwise healthy..I met a woman at the neutering clinic who volunteers at a no-kill cat rescue..and she got him in...so in 3 days I rehomed 2 cats!

What fabulous news!!!!!! Oh I'm so glad this is working out - for you, for the kitties - and for your relative!

Oh, some breathing room!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And Iris - great work! :bigthumb:

I feel like a yo-yo! One day good news, the next not so good! I am thrilled the girls will be safe and I will be able to feed daily and have a family member looking out for them.

But since the black and white cat has been around, the girls are seldom seen. I am planning to trap him ASAP, and my vet said she will assess him to see if he is feral or just a scared stray. I could try and find a home if he is friendly but if he is feral my only option would be to relocate him to my home and keep him confined until he gets acclimated.

I hope the girls are still close by, I do not know of anyone else feeding so I am their only food source.

I hope this is the last cat that comes through. Every time the girls get into a nice routine and are trusting me, some other cat comes along and they just get so skittish.

This black and white kitty makes number 14! I need a break!

Oh, sorry, Iris, awesome job saving the kitties!

Well ,  I cannot believe it.  The nice woman who was going to rent to my relative did not get the position and will not be renting.  My only hope now is that she will still allow me to at least feed on her back porch.  The black and white cat must still be around as I have not seen the girls but the food is gone. I have a trap waiting, not yet set,  so I hope to get him very soon.

I get so upset over this,  it seems like something goes wrong, then it gets righted, and then goes wrong again.  I would never turn my back on helping cats,  but this whole situation is overwhelming.  If I can't feed there,  I am at a loss of what to do.   I do not want to be angry with anyone,  but this is what happens when people feed cats but do not spay and neuter.  This woman just was going to leave the cats to fend for themselves.  I think I took on more than I really can handle.

Sorry to sound so defeated,  but I really feel that way.