Seems like we adopted a neighborhood

In our complex there are quite a few strays. I have heard them fight a lot and when I hear it, I often try to run out and break it up. I realize it will pick back up, but I try to do what I can.

One of the cats had kittens. 3 of them were spotted by us at one point, but only 2 are around now. They are about 3 months old now. I have been taking food and water out for them now so that they have a place they can eat and drink. I am hoping it helps to stop some of the fighting as they all seem to come and eat at different times, and no one has been territorial over it. Mom and kittens always get to eat, I make sure to check on that quite often. 

We feed them just meow mix as we already have 4 indoor cats on Wellness core wet and dry. So our budget doesn't really include outdoor cats. We just feel we need to help them as much as we can.

Mostly I am here to talk about the mom. A couple of days ago I noticed her tail was a dead tail. It pretty much looked like sausage links and had no movement. The very next day, the tail was gone. Not sure if she chewed it off, or it fell off from being dead. I am actually happy it's gone as I believe that is better for her overall.

What I am hoping will happen is the mom and kittens will get to know me over time, and come to trust me. I want to be able to spay (at least spay the females) and hopefully neuter the males at some point. I don't want to see more kittens trying to survive out there.

My vet told me that the Humane society allows you to 'adopt an area' and you can get help in doing so. I'm going to look into that later today or tomorrow. I want to do what I can to help these little ones survive out there.

Just have no clue what I will do when we move. We wont be able to take them with us. 

There's absolutely no need to wait for them to befriend you in any way to have them spayed and neutered.

Look into the local Humane Society - they often have free or very low cost spay/neuter programs. All you need is a humane trap! It's good to put food and water out if you're going to spay/neuter, but it's really best not to feed them if you're not going to prevent the breeding. We can help with trapping tips if you have any questions! When to trap and what to do with the trap with a cat in it depend on your situation and how the low-cost spay/neuter works, but we can help with ideas there too. :rub:

The principal of TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) is simply that: stop the breeding. Levels of commitment after that can vary. If you're going to move, and there's no one in your apartment complex you're friends with that will carry on the feeding, you may want to slowly taper off the feeding after they're sterilized, so they're not depending on you when you move. :heart2:

Yeah, once the time comes for moving, we will definitely consider all of our options.

Since the Humane society here has an 'adopt a neighborhood' we are going to look into that. They do provide traps and a lot of great services. We're going to do what we can for these kitties.

The outdoor babies are starting to get to know me.

I need some advice though. We know that the shelters are littered with pets who cannot find homes. The two kittens we are feeding are around 2-3 months. Definitely not more. I am wondering if it's better to capture them (hopefully soon) and take them to a shelter. Or just get them fixed and put them back out. They are so cute and so sweet and in my eyes adoptable. I am just worried if they will ever be adopted. So many pets live in a cage. I don't want that for them. And I can't take them. I have 4 as it is, and that's money enough. 

if there is a no-kill shelter near you that can take them in i would urge you to bring them there soon. if you are worried about what it will be like for the cats go and check out the shelter, see how it is for the cats that are there. talk to the volunteers there to get a feel for the place. i will not speak for every shelter but most (all?) no-kill shelters are dedicated to doing everything possible to give the cat(s) the best possible life while they are waiting for a loving home.


if the only place that will take them is a kill shelter the just do a tnr.

Agree.  Another option if you yourself find them homes. Talk with relatives, schools camerades, etc...

You cant adopt them, but can you have them at your place and do the necessary fostering?

Hopefully under protection of the shelter you will find and cooperate with?

The problem is, they kittens should prob have some fostering.  Some shelters do work with that, they do have volunteers who perhaps are their fostering homes. (You could thus be that fostering home for them).

Others do work only with tame, adoptable cats.   It is easy to imagine what they really do with the others.

Quite few adopters are willing to take a semi-grown semiferale who isnt even a little kitten anymore...  And thus do all the fostering work themselves. 

 Although many do accept a somewhat shy already fostered cat, with whom they must work some to be best friends with.

Good luck!

So far we caught one male and did the trap and release program. He is now a neutered member of society. We also caught 3/5 kittens and took them in. Going to catch the other two tomorrow. Mom will go next. The kittens are able to be separate as they are 12 weeks old.

The two I had mainly been carrying for have a good ending...I have one inside and a friend took the other. It's not working out for her, however so we will be taking her back. We have someone interested in them both. We hope it works out. Once these two are situated, we will be back to taking the adult ferals for spay/neuter.

It's a lot of work but it needs to be done.

well done for your work. trapping neutering and releasing is the best thing you can do. 

Hats off to you!  

Great news!  So happy you have been able to trap.  Good luck with the remaining!