I am desperate for some advice

mariaya

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I have a few questions and am desperate for some advice. I have been doing TNR in our neighborhood for five years. We were told by promises, spay today, and alley cat this was the best way to manage a feral colony, so out of our own pockets we began to TNR. Every time a new cat shows up we trap and pay out of our own pockets for it to be altered and get its shots. Over the past couple years we have managed to socialize and find homes for 6 of these adult cats and kittens we always take in and get homes for. Sad as it is most we have to release after spaying/neutering. Recently our neighbor decided to start trapping and destroying these cats that we put tons of money and time into by having them spayed/neutered, getting them shots, and feeding. Not only are they trapping feral cats they are trapping pets (I mean declawed, totally tame, obviously pet cats). She has been nasty to me, but I have to be nice to her so she shows me the cats she trapped. She gives me the option of taking them inside to do something with them myself before she takes them away and does God knows what to them. It has made us and my two little daughters sick and a wreck because we have to decide what cats live and dies. If I do not take them inside she destroys them. Yesterday she brings me a purebred siamese from her trap, so I take it over to the owner who says to me, "I can not take what this lady is doing because I just lost my father and the cat keeps escaping. Please take him or I am just going to have to let her destroy him."  Now I had to make the decision if this big lovey siamese lives or dies by the hands of this evil neighbor, so of course he is now in my back bedroom hoping for a foster family. I have my own house cats that we have rescued and do not let out. We can not take anymore. They claim not to want these cats in their yard, yet they are luring them over into their traps and into their yard with tuna and wet cat food. How is this even legal after we spent all this time and money because we were doing what we were told was the most humane and best way to manage a colony of feral/stray cats? We have offered to help them plant rue and mint to deter the cats, buy them car covers, buy them motion detector sprinklers, and buy them sprays to repel cats to help deter the cats from their yard. They do not want to hear it.  They want us to stop feeding them because they think their plan of relocating and desposing of them will work better. This colony was about 20 when we moved in. They got into to trash and sprayed everywhere. Because of spaying/neutering and placing some of the more friendly ones in homes we have managed to get it down to around 8. They are not reproducing or spraying because they are fixed, and they do not get into trash because they are fed. I admit every spring more irresponsible pet owners drop off cats and we have to TNR a new crop. This has just gotten out of hand with the neighbors. They complained to my landlord about me feeding cats, but fortunately we asked him before we ever fed them, so he does not care. They spy on my porch at night to see how many cats I am feeding; therefore, how many still need trapped. By me feeding them I feel I am luring them to their deaths, so I have to stop (I have someone else in the neighborhood away from them to still feed from time to time). Here is the problem before I stop feeding. I have a two who come to my porch for feeding that we can pet and three kittens and a mommy cat someone dumped. I feel since they are the ones that have depended on us much of their life for food and shelter that I owe it to them to get them out of here since it is now unsafe for them to live here. I know a sweet farm lady who actually loves cats for her farm and feeds them, I told her the situation here, and she offered to take the ones we tamed and fixed but still live outdoors. I heard relocating them is very dangerous for them. Is this safe for them to go to the farm? The other option, although a bit expensive I believe, is to build an outdoor cat enclosure for some of the more tame ones. This was my landlords suggestion. Is this option do able, safe and humane? That would make these free roaming cats now trapped and caged. Also, I can touch the mom cat and want to get her spayed, but how do I get all three of her babies who just run from us? I am still confused how people think TNR and feeding the cats makes them reproduce. I do not know what this neighbor thinks is going to happen to this colony of cats once nobody is continually fixing them, giving them shots or feeding them. They are just going to multiply endlessly. As it already stands since they have began to take the cats we did TNR with away new cats I have never seen; therefore, are not fixed are moving in already. I am not TNRing a new crop of cats just to have them once again destroyed. I can not reason with them and have given them pamphlets from alley cat to educate them, but it has not helped. I have called many places for help, but I guess what they are doing is legal. For TNR to work everyone has to be on board. There has to be some laws protecting these animals once they are spayed/neutered. This is hardly fair to the cats or the people putting out the money to help solve this vast problem by doing what they are told is the right thing to do, only to have someone else next to you trapping and destroying the same cats you have put money into.
 

StefanZ

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Tough situation!

But as the caretaker, you do also have some rights as the owner.  As I understand, you can thus defend them quite legally. As the owner.

Im mean, her nasities are not "just" to someone defenceless, "only" hurting your feelings.  It is also against the law, as they are under your custody and your care.

Coordinate your case with the towns authorities, so they are behind you.  I mean, if the towns authorities tells you to get them off the streest in latest three months, or similiar, you got stuck again.

But is is still no business of her. Let the towns authorities do the killings, if such is their wish.  Or YOU can do it, if you wish. Being their legally caretaker.

 It is nothing of her doing.

Good luck!
 

feralvr

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This is just an outrage and makes me sick to hear so I can only imagine how this is tearing you up inside. I am so sorry about this awfully cruel neighbor. This IS illegal. Where do you live, might I ask? How is this barbarian destroying the cats? Taking them for euthanasia or worse.... :bawling:? Yes, relocating feral cats is risky, BUT can be done. And in this case, I would take this lady up on her offer. The cats just need to be confined for at the very least two weeks time. More if possible. If it is a horse barn, let's say. We put the crates inside an empty horse stall and surround the crates with bales of hay. Then once the cats are acclimated to the new surroundings from inside their crates (after two weeks), we just leave the crate doors open for them to come out on their own. LEAVE the crates there for a few days. :nod: Most feral cats will stick around if the confinement is long enough and they are getting well fed. OR , yes, you could build that enclosure. If you have someone handy, it would be much less than buying one. It is not cruel, IMO, to keep feral cats in an outdoor enclosure. Hey - it is better then the other.... your evil cat killing neighbor :bat: How very upsetting. My heart goes out to you and your daughters. Please make TONS of calls - rescues/shelters and the police about this matter. He must be stopped. Please keep us updated and I am glad you found TCS. :vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes:
 

feralvr

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OH :doh3: I am going to have this thread moved to the SOS forum :nod: Hope that is alright because there has been other thread on this same subject in that forum and many people were able to offer support and advice there. This IS AN SOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :hugs:
 

StefanZ

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Sorry I had not read your whole post....Had not the strengh...  Is there some plan for relocating? It may work.

But about the illdoer. Contact the police and hear what they have to say.  You are the caretaker and legal custodian, and second, it si NOT for free to do ANYTHING you want even with homeless.  Even if the punishments are usually ridiculously low.

Good luck!
 
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mariaya

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I live in Berkeley county WV. Promise animal league and Spay Today is who we work with for our TNR. Promise told me to call Berkeley County Animal Control, and report the situation. Today I called and spoke to them, and unless they are poisoning the cats and I can prove it, what they are doing is legal if the cat is on their property(of course they go on their property when they are putting tuna and wet food over in their traps). It does not matter that we offered to buy them things to help keep the cats from going over to their yard. I asked her if our county supported TNR and she said of course they did. I then asked her if they wanted people to volunteer to do TNR why isn't there some laws to protect these animals once people have put money into them and are caring for them? Not to mention that we as their caregivers have love for these cats. We get to know them, they trust us, we know when one is missing, or a new one that needs fixed joins the colony. The lady I spoke with at animal control told me she gets calls all day long about cats being a nuisance. She acted like I told her the neighbors were killing flies or mice. I tried to explain to her that this is why we are taking care of this colony and spaying/neutering them so they are not a nuisance. She just said what they are doing is legal, and even if they are shooting the cats there is not anything animal control could do. According to her, in our county if someone wants to shoot an animal in their back yard and as long as its not a known pet, it is not a crime as long as it is a clean shot to the head (oh how this makes me homesick for my home state). How is this legal? My own cats are house cats that do not go out but have microchips, so if they accidentally got lost they may look like they did not belong to someone because they are not wearing collars. If someone found them and bothered to at least take them to the humane society, we are told they would be scanned to see if they have a chip and they would know they are not a stray. I guess in my county because they are not wearing a collar and may look stray, they could just be shot for trying to find their way back home and going in someones yard?  How very sad that these cats are looked at like pests by the very government organizations that should be protecting them. I went out to feed tonight and it looks like only three of my cats are left plus a baby. I do not know if the other babies were just hiding. My husband says he will build me an outdoor enclosure for the ones left, but not sure we have that kind of time since he works a lot of hours and my colony is disappearing fast. 
 

feralvr

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I honestly have tears in my eyes right now for these cats and for you. You must feel so helpless and I am so very sorry for these cats. Just breaks my heart and angers me to no end that NO ONE will help you :stomp: I think the cat enclosure is the way to go. Better for these cats to live in confinement rather then be poisoned. :bawling: TONS OF TRUCKLOADS filled with vibes and prayers coming your way. I am so sorry. I hope someone can PLEASE help these cats. :vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes: :rub: :heart3:
 

minka

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Only suggestion I have for you is to say yes to every cat she traps and then just release them. After being caught once, they won't be so easily caught again and if you are feeding them lots, maybe they won't be so tempted to go into her yard.

Also.. I dont know if it works for cats, but to keep wild animals out of your yard, some people pour wolf/cougar/tiger/some other predator urine on the perimeter. Maybe you could soak her yard at night once a month to keep them away from this.. Monster.
 
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