I am moving, no caretaker available

I am moving within the month and can't take any cats with me.  For the past two years I have been feeding a feral/stray cat colony of around 10 cats and TNRd around 35 cats.  The property manager barely tolerates my feeding the cats in front of the dumpster.  (High rate of foreclosure/evictions; condos sell for $20,000 [no, that is NOT $200,000].

Even were there a caretaker available, given the situation, that is not a viable option.  I will be in the old area around once or twice a month and can leave out some dry food then and only then (until I get caught).

One option I do have is moving the cats to a farm/barn about 60 miles away.  The other option is to start decreasing the amount of food I give them, hoping they will look else where for food.  There are many dumpsters and birds; we do not have a mice problem.

Given the situation, would it be better to leave the cats to fend for themselves or move some of the cats--which ever ones I can trap--to a barn/farm (there are other cats there).  Any other suggestions, ideas?  Thanks.

I will shed tears about this.

Ooh, that is hard. What a sad situation for you!

First--at the farm, will they be confined for at least a week? If not, there's no point in taking them there because they'll just run off right away, and being lost in an unfamiliar place is worse than staying home and having less food.

Are there any older/disabled/sickly/dependent/semi-tame cats? If so, I'd try to relocate them (if you can find a place that will confine them for an appropriate amount of time). If they're young, able-bodied, healthy, and fully feral, I'd let them stay. They know where to find food, and it's still early enough in the year that they'll have time to find a new food source before winter.

I wouldn't try to wean them off the food. . .I'd try to "fatten them up" before leaving. And leave as much food as I could get away with when I left. It's hard to remember, but they're tough wild animals and will adjust. And it's rare that ferals fully depend on being fed. . .it's usually only about half of their intake.

Thanks--I hadn't thought about fattening them up.  Most are youngish, only one seems older than the others.  I've been feeding him the longest, definitely feral, though.  And no, the farmer won't guarantee that they'd be confined.

If I leave out a limited amount of food once or twice a month, would that be of any use?  I'd have to do it literally under cover of darkness or twilight.

Oh hun! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I do hope it's happy reasons for the move. :cross:

I know this has GOT to be completely heart breaking. I'm sorry about the kitties.

Given the cats wouldn't be confined at the farm, I see no point in relocation. It'll just be new scary territory, and I see no benefit.

I do agree with Willowy on the feeding. I'd fatten them up, and then leave as much food out as I could when it came time to go. Are they there when you're feeding them? I'd start telling them what's going to happen. :heart2:

As to putting food out once you're gone... I don't think I'd do that. Maybe for the first month or so as they transition. But they'll have to find new sources of food, and I guess my thinking here is that it's best not to disturb that process longer term.

I'm just so so sorry!

Cindy... My heart goes out to you and these cat's. Truly a dilemma when we, as feral caretakers, have to move. I agree that moving feral cat's from their territory is very risky IF they will not be properly confined for some time. Better for them to be in their familiar territory with no caretaker anymore rather then being lost and confused in new surroundings. I am not sure on the over feeding right now... :dk: My thinking would be to slowly wean them off of relying on you before you move. I might start feeding every other day... But I have never had this issue as of yet and have had back up caretakers at the horse barns if I moved.

I am sure this will be hard on you but I think the cat's will find a way to survive, that is part of who they are.... Survivors..... I wish life could be easier for feral cat's, though. We do the best we can for them. Keep us posted.

Thanks for the advice.  There is a fair amount of woods, and single family dwellings (some of the cats are from the houses), so hopefully they can also raid those garbage pails.

I'm inclined to start reducing the amount of food I'm giving them, and when I'm in the area, leave out high quality, caloric dry food.

I'll keep you posted.

Cindy, I think that is what I would do to. Start with the every other day feedings. And, yes, when you are able to be back in that area a couple of times a month, you can leave out a bunch of food. Best of luck, hun. I know this is hard on your heart.

what do you put the food in? i used to feed my ferals in gravity feeders on top of the antser (http://theantser.com/) inside either plastic dog houses or styrofoam coolers. 

I put food on paper plates and throw them away before I go to work or very early in the morning.  I can't put any kind of container or dog house; it will be stolen or thrown away.  (I TNR in this area and have had two traps stolen.  Now, I literally chain the traps to an immovable object.)

Very hard on my heart; when you have ten cats meowing and circling my feet.  I just can't stop feeding them.  I will sneak food to them somehow once a week.

have you tried contacting alley cat allies? they are in bethesda, maryland. or alley cat rescue in mt ranier. maryland?

Yes, I've contacted them.  No caretakers available.

and it's the summer. during the school year, you might have been able to find a college student to do it, especially if you provided some food. and they wouldn't care about getting caught.

I would post a Craiglist ad up in your area, and offer the job to students in need of money. You could pay them if you really wanted to. So sorry you're going through this, Cindy!!!

thanks.

Just thinking of you and those cats, Cindy How is it going and how are you feeling??

Honestly, I'm not thinking a lot about it right now; it's called Denial.  I expect to shed a lot of tears one or two days before Move day (I'm tearing up now) and thereafter.  I wonder if I'm not one of those (in)humane people who abandoned them, that's how I got ten cats and TNRd 30+. 

For the later half of August I will be over at my old place three times a week and fed them, slightly less ofter during September, about two or three times a month thereafter. 

A woman who lives in my building is more heart broken about the cats than about me leaving; she loves to see the cats swirl around my ankles.  The reason they swirl around my ankles is because I feed them.

So I asked her if she wanted to continue feeding them after I left and she said "I'm not a cat person".  (She loves her dog, who is blind.)  She is also naive albeit well meaning:  she contacted someone who works at the local humane society, telling them the cats were friendly, and the local humane society said they would take them all.  What the humane society doesn't disclose is what happens to the stray and feral cats.

Definition of a 'friendly':  can I pick him up and put him into a cat carrier?  Of the ten, two, maybe three:  yes, the rest no.  In the back of my mind is the question That Will Not Be Asked (or Answered):  am I abandoning them just like their (in)humane owner(s) did months ago?
I thought of putting up a notice in the buildings or even on Craigs List asking if anyone wanted to continue feeding them (I'll provide food), but the buyer of my condo is the President of the association, and if potential landlords see that sign, they will be mad (sue?) because potential renters won't want to rent where there are a lot of feral cats (and misguided people).  This is the same place I pick up at least one bag of trash a day, including used condoms and dirty diapers.

Are there any local TNR groups?  That is how I aquired my "colony".  The colony feeder was moving out of state and just leaving the cats behind.  She was dropping off extra food and a shelter at the local shelter and someone inquired about what she was doing.

They in turn contacted the local TNR group and they started calling around their colony caretakers.  I was the last call before they were going to trap and euthanize them.  Keep trying to find someone.   Someone may just take on the feeding of them at the last minute.

There aren't any local ones, the national ones (near where I live) are full up.

May go the route of posting notices on buildings; if you don't ask you don't get.

Ritz said:

There aren't any local ones, the national ones (near where I live) are full up.

May go the route of posting notices on buildings; if you don't ask you don't get.

Click to expand...

you're doing everything you can. i would only suggest checking with/posting at local pet stores, vets (esp. cat-only vets), etc. 

i used to live in washington, d.c. i wish i still did.

Yeah - this is such an issue for a feral caretaker, when we have to move. I am fortunate in that the TNR organization I volunteer for will help to either relocate the feral cats OR assist me in finding a caretaker that lives close by. There is a chance that we are going to be moving too - within the next year It breaks my heart and I am certain that I will have to at least trap Willow and take him with us. He is my closest regular. The other's are completely feral and extremely fearful even though I have cared for them for years. It must be even harder when they become friendly, like yours. It is always easier when the feral cats, stay feral.

And, actually, relocating feral cats (and I know this is not what you were planning on doing, I am just saying ) is very, very risky and is potentially a death sentence for them....unless the LONG process of kenneling them in their new territory is followed. But even with that, there is a risk that the cat will flee to find it's own "home", it's territory. I think the best thing, and I will do the same, is to find someone to at least feed the cats. With the friendly strays - who have been abandoned, I would try to get them into that shelter/rescue/humane society, if you can. At least they might have a chance at finding a good home :dk: I know your heart is breaking over this, the thought of them wondering where you went... I am so sorry, sweetie. Just keep telling them and talking to them. I pray that you will find someone to continue the feedings and that the property manager will just understand and have a heart :cross: I know... unlikely on that one, the property manager having a heart. :shame: