Curious How You got Started Caring for Strays and Ferals in Your Area

There is a small colony where I park my car in the mornings on my way to the train into NYC.  I've written about this a few times here.  Right now, there are 6 cats for sure, maybe another couple I am not aware of.  I used to live around the block but now am about 1/2 mile away.  I've come to recognize a few from when I lived there - so some have been staples of the parking lot for at least 4-5 years.  There used to be more but after Hurricane Sandy, many seemed to have disappeared.  Since then, the colony has been pretty stable at this number.  I do not know if they have been TNR'd - one has been for sure, it's ear is tagged, but I don't see any evidence of the others having been - and yet, NO kittens have ever been seen - EVER.

A few people who live in the apartment complex, the lot faces it, feed them when they can; dry food such as Friskies.  Used to be someone giving them wet food but I think they gave up.  There is a lot of good hiding spaces for them, one in particular is under the deck of a restaurant which is raised from the ground - their basement entrance is under there and it's protected from the elements.  I've seen them head that way many times when the weather is inclement.

One of the cats, is most certainly a stray.  She's ultra friendly and at this point I'm convinced I could just pick her up easily and she wouldn't mind at all. I do not feed them since I don't believe I should be unless I'm willing to go all the way of helping (let alone, others are) but this one cat has taken a shining to me and comes running every morning to meow and say hi, and let me pet her.  The rest, are wary of humans but will come near for food.  One, tends to not come near at all unless people are a good far distance.

This morning, I saw one I'd never seen before although someone mentioned him to me the other day.  He's a stocky gray tabby, with an enormous gash on the left side of his neck.  I'm not talking about a cut.  I mean, a big, wide, circular, red gash.  He was walking with somewhat of a limp, but appeared well fed and energetic in spite of this injury.  I couldn't get close enough to ascertain what the issue was - for all I know he had been captured and the wound had been attended to and cleaned out (it did appear to have been shaven down).

Anyway, it is getting towards bad weather again and it led me to wondering how all of you who do care for strays and ferals got started, how you manage and cope.  And if any of you actually started your own organization to care for them how you went about doing this?  I'm not saying I'm going to, I'm not saying I am able to - in fact, it would be incredibly difficult for me not living right over there but, I am thinking if there is a way to get local people involved, how on earth do you do this?  I would be good being in charge, but not the one to do leg work due to physical and time restraints.

Oh and BTW be careful about clicking on that Kohler ad on the side lol.  I hit it by mistake and could not get out of it for the life of me without back-paging, and going forward again!

I am sure each and every one of us has a very unique and interesting way we got started.  I had grown up with an indoor/outdoor cat.  He was friendly, but also aloof and preferred to be by himself.  When I got married, I never ever thought of getting a cat.  DH had been allergic as a child.  I had also grown up with dogs and DH and I both loved dogs.  Twelve years passed and I really had never thought much of ever getting a cat.  Then as a family, DH, DS and myself decided to volunteer at the local Humane Society.  We all wanted to walk the dogs.  DS was 12 and you had to be 16 do walk the dogs.  So he and I decided to do the cats.  He loved cats and had often asked for one.  I thought this was a good opportunity for him to spend time with some cats.  After volunteering for almost 2 months, he fell absolutely in love with one of the kittens.  Long story short, we adopted him.  DH did not have a problem at all with his allergies.  Jake was an absolutely wonderful indoor only cat.  We adopted him the summer of 2008.  Two summers later, we went to Hilton Head on vacation.  My neighbor had told us about the many colonies of feral cats that were so well taken care of all over the different plantations.  I had no idea what he was talking about and had to look up a feral cat colony on the internet.  We discovered on of the colonies and it was amazing.  We bought bags of treats for the cats and would leave them scattered about and then move away so they felt comfortable to eat.  On our journey home from vacation we had to stop at my parents and pick up our dog.  I was out in their garage and heard a strange sound.  I looked around and hiding in the corner was a beautiful long haired grey cat.  It was all matted and just a mess.  She came out and was so friendly.  She was most certainly a stray.  I wanted so badly to bring her home.  DH came out to see her and as soon as he pet her, he began to sneeze.  Not sure if it was her long hair, the mess that was all over her or what, but we could just not bring her home.  Later we found out she had been abandoned by her family, but she found a new home!  I cried on the way home thinking of her and thought to myself "why oh why can't I ever find a cat to rescue".  Just 2 days later, a scrawny, skinny, small, kitten came through the yard with a chipmunk in his mouth.  I would see him every few days.  When I went out to try and see him, he would run so fast away.  This went on for about 6 weeks.  I would see him coming and going from under my deck.  I figured he was a stray, but whenever I would see him, he had that deer in the head lights look and was petrified.  As time went on, you could see all his ribs.  There was nothing to him.  I decided to set some food out for him.  He found it within an hour or so.  He would come every day and just eat and eat and eat.  I always picked up the food at night.  Long story short, he was my first feral.  I TNR'd him in October of 2010.  Since that time I have TNR'd 3 more.  One is now living in my house, one lives out on the deck with my first feral and the other left  and has not returned after his TNR.

So I guess I always think, "Be careful what you wish for"!!  I wished to help rescue cat and that I have done.  It's so sad to see these cats so skinny and scrawny.  Some are ferals while others are strays.  I went from not having any cats in 2008 to now having 4 permanent residents. 

Thanks for sharing your story with me Shadows.

I wish my home were closer to these cats.  Or, that I still lived right around the block.  It would be far easier.  

I've tried talking with the few people I see feeding them to gauge if they are interested in starting some kind of community of like minded people to help them.  None seem to comprehend all of the varying factors involved and I get the impression they are happy to provide what little food they can for them, but nothing more.  At least the neighborhood doesn't seem to find them bothersome from what I understand.  The cats seem to get along pretty well so I don't think there is much fighting over territory and what not happening.  There is plenty of food available as far as I know; not only the kibble but there is open space nearby which certainly must provide field mice, etc.  And, trash receptacles from the local restaurants.  I don't think they have an awful life where they are, just would like to see them all TNR'd, vaccinated and those that are adoptable brought in.  

I can't even see fostering due to my work schedule, and space constraints at home.  Which is why I need to figure out how to motivate locals to help  Fund raising was never my thing and in spite of the fact that I'm an office manager, organizing something like that seems mind boogling to me.  

sivyaleah said:

 
Thanks for sharing your story with me Shadows.

I wish my home were closer to these cats.  Or, that I still lived right around the block.  It would be far easier.  

I've tried talking with the few people I see feeding them to gauge if they are interested in starting some kind of community of like minded people to help them.  None seem to comprehend all of the varying factors involved and I get the impression they are happy to provide what little food they can for them, but nothing more.  At least the neighborhood doesn't seem to find them bothersome from what I understand.  The cats seem to get along pretty well so I don't think there is much fighting over territory and what not happening.  There is plenty of food available as far as I know; not only the kibble but there is open space nearby which certainly must provide field mice, etc.  And, trash receptacles from the local restaurants.  I don't think they have an awful life where they are, just would like to see them all TNR'd, vaccinated and those that are adoptable brought in.  

I can't even see fostering due to my work schedule, and space constraints at home.  Which is why I need to figure out how to motivate locals to help  Fund raising was never my thing and in spite of the fact that I'm an office manager, organizing something like that seems mind boogling to me.  

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I think it would be really hard to do it alone.  Are there any businesses in the area that might be willing to help?  I think that getting them all TNR'd would be best to do first.  Maybe there is a rescue organization in your area that is already established that would help you out.  You could try Google or even contact the Humane Society and see if they know of any organizations.  I know restaurants are often leery of helping as they don't want their customers to see stray animals hanging around nearby where they eat. 

I hope that you can find someone to help especially with winter not too far off.

Possibly.  There is a pet supply store right in town, a block away.  But I get the impression they are more "dog" people.  They don't really carry a lot of cat related items/food, etc. 

We don't have a humane society per se.  In fact, we don't have any kind of animal control in our town at all that I'm aware of.  And, the last time I attempted to contact the local rescue organization that has our town name on it, it took literally weeks for them to get back to me.  Seems they aren't the most internet savvy/advanced in communicating at all.  I suppose, I could reach out to them again and explain the situation and offer my help, what limited amount I can give.  I certainly would be willing to pay for that poor cat's vet bills that has his neck gashed open if someone else would be able to trap him and get him in for medical assistance.  

I've already promised my partner we wouldn't take on any more cats in our home, but I would be willing to help fiance the fostering of the sweet one that is so friendly if they could get her too.  She deserves a warm place to sleep at night.

Dear sivyaleah, bless you for caring for those sweet things. How I, and probably most others, got started was seeing something that you just can't ignore, even if you try really hard to do so. My suggestion is email. Email everyone you know and every rescue group you can think of. It's fast and free.

I am just a lone woman (along with my wonderful husband) trying to help as many cats as possible. We live in a rural area where there is very little regard for cats, especially ferals and strays. The last big project I took on was a clowder left behind at an empty house that I pass daily on my way to work. The owners moved away and left 28 cats there, a mix of feral, semi-feral and stray.

As if these poor cats didn't have enough stacked against them, having been left to reproduce uncontrollably and fight for the few morsels of food they could find, it was also a very unsafe location for the cats (traffic, unsympathetic neighbors, coyotes and stray dogs). It was spring, so all females were pregnant or in heat, and the males were fighting. I am not wealthy or young, and work full-time, so time, money and energy are always factors. Plus, I have other ferals, strays and pets that I take care of. I was panicked and overwhelmed.

That is when I discovered what a valuable tool email can be. I sent an email (with a photo of the cats and link to more photos on Flickr) to every person in my address book, and every rescue group and spay/neuter clinic within 50 miles. Sent it to cat food and litter manufacturers, vet offices and local businesses. Very few responded, but someone forwarded my email to someone else and it got to a wonderful group called the Georgia Animal Project who teamed up with another rescue group (neither of these were anywhere near where these cats were located, a different county, in fact) and helped me financially with getting these cats neutered and vaccinated (I had to pay $25.00 per cat, an unbelievable price in my area). I also ended up receiving financial help from some friends.

Thank you Susan, that is an encouraging story, and you gave me a lot of possibilities to try.  I never would have thought about emailing so many places, or using flickr to get the story out, EVER.   I am in awe of how many kitties you are caring for and have in the past.  

I think I'm going to speak to the rescue group that we got our 2nd cat from also.  I have spoken with them previously, and the woman who runs it was sympathetic, but obviously overwhelmed with their own massive amount of cats and kittens that come in on a near daily basis.  She does have people in neighboring towns affiliated with her, so perhaps, one of them might be willing/able to help or send me off in a better direction.

I do have my partner to help also, which is of some use as well.

A rescue group you've had experience with sounds like an excellent place to start. With the gray tabby's wound appearing to have been clipped (and the fact that he's stocky), certainly indicates that someone is looking after them. Would it be possible for you to explore the surrounding area sometime, to look for a feeding station? If there is any effort to maintain the clowder there will probably be a feeding station. You could leave a note there with your offer of assistance. A note on the bulletin board (if they have one) of that local pet store wouldn't hurt, even if they are geared more towards dogs, also bulletin boards in vet's offices. One feral colony I used to care for is now tended by someone who lives close to it. It was a matter of getting things stabilized; feeding stations, winter houses, neutering. By the time that process was completed, a neighbor was willing to take over. It's a promising sign that so many of the local people are feeding the cats and that they've been there as long as 5 years. Good luck to you and the cats.

You're a wonderful person for caring so much!!!!   

Apparently my house has a sign on it that stray cats can read. Three of my cats are offspring of a stray. Her other offspring as well as herself, went to homes. It was incredibly difficult to find homes (and why I ended up with 3 siblings. Over the years, various strays have appeared on my deck. The most recent one started showing up last January. He is an all black cat. I had a system set up on the deck so he could eat without getting soaked which is the natural state of the weather here Fall, Winter and Spring.

I thought this one was a free roaming pet because of the times he'd show up (really early during the week, later on the weekends) and had very specific preferences on the canned food selected.

The strays I've seen always seem like they have recently been pets. Lots of apartments and rental around and so I think people turn their cats out when they move and mistakenly believe their cats will get by. This one disappeared for 10 days and showed up a week ago with a stiff leg. He agreed to be carried inside and we set him up in a room used for a couple of computers. He seemed to be doing better with the rest but I wanted to get the leg checked out, get him vaccinated and neutered. Took him to the vet and prepaid for all of that. They did the x rays and discovered he had a fractured pelvis (in at least 3 spots) and a broken tail.

We met with a vet surgeon just this AM and she felt that the fractures weren't intruding to the degree the original vet worried. Turns out the surgery would be pretty risky. There's one surgery that may be called for later that involves his hip joint. So far he has pretty good control of the joint and is walking well, but no leaping or jumping, of course.

Anyway, I wish we would have brought him in sooner. But I was convinced he was someone's pet. Probably had been hit by a car. In any case, I think healthy that cat wouldn't have agreed to come in. He's a sweetie and was very cooperative at the vet and friendly. The original vet didn't neuter or vaccinate because I think they thought we'd put the cat down. Too good of a cat.  Now many weeks of keeping a formerly free roaming tom quiet....

Laura:  What a lucky little kitty to have found you!

I got started in a similar way - an irresponsible neighbor who turns his kittens out at 12 weeks.  Some end up in my yard, some end up in a managed colony up the road and some end up dead on the street.  They have all been socialized, so they are not prepared for life in the wild.  Luckily, I've been able to find homes for the ones who found me.

But I often say I'm going to have to find my "sign" and take it down. 

Cheers for you, LauraG, for looking after all of those sweeties! I'm so glad that the surgery isn't necessary right now. Sadly, I'm sure that you are correct in your speculation regarding the source of the strays  Chin up and keep up the good work. But stay away from that "I wish" stuff, it will beat you to a pulp. 

If either of you ever find the "sign" please let me know what it looks like.

To me that sort of thing is just painful when people do that to cats. People can be so heartless. How can any one look at little kitten faces and then just shove them out the door left to the fates?

This one who looks a lot like your avatar actually, is enjoying one of those "purr pads" you can get at Petsmart. They are spongy polyester pads. He's never had anything so soft I think. I've been calling him Boo, because he'd just appear and disappear like a ghost. One friend suggested a good name would be Six because he's used up 4 of his 9 lives.

Thank you all for your stories and inspiration.  I still don't know what I'l wind up doing made more complicated by the fact that I just found out I need to have surgery on one of my knees (again).  This was one of the reasons I've been hesitant to jump in to this in general - it's been rather physically draining the past few months (mentally somewhat also) dealing with this injury.  Since it was finally confirmed what the problem is (torn meniscus, with arthritis to boot), I really need to get this attended to before I take on any commitments I might not be able to keep.

I am, however, going to try and get in touch with the local organizations and see if that leads anywhere.  Certainly a few phone calls and emails are the least I can attempt.  Will also be contacting the other rescue place we got our second cat from, the one that isn't quite near us to see if they might be able to give me any help or ideas.

Thank you all for your time in writing.  Please, don't hesitate to continue to add to this thread.  I think it's a good subject worth adding to, and I'm still interested to hear more.   to all!

Hi sivyaleah

Where in New Jersey are you?  There is a clinic called "People for Animals" in Hillside, see http://www.pfaonline.org/hillside-nj/

They will spay/neuter ferals for $55 and sometimes there are special offers, plus they offer shots and flea treatment for a bit extra.  Also free ear clipping so animal control folks know the cat has been spayed or neutered.

The trouble is you have to catch the cats and take them there, though the do have some "Neuter Scooter" pick up locations and also offer humane traps for a deposit and money back when you return the trap.  On my 8 (!) trips there pretty much every time I met folks from rescue organizations getting cats done so it's a good place to make connections with those who deal with ferals and strays on a regular basis.

I had our stray mom and 3 kittens done there and have nothing but good to say for these folks - it's not fancy and you have to line up to drop off between 7 and 7.45 and pick up the same day 4-5 pm, but it's much cheaper than a regular vet and they are accustomed to dealing with strays and ferals, you just need to say "might scratch or bite" when asked and no eyebrows raised!   I was able to keep the kittens inside after surgery and actually it helped get them tame, but mom freaked out being inside and I had to let her out after a few hours.  She did ok - disappeared for a few days but then reappeared none the worse.  However she was in a somewhat protected environment with a converted carrier on our porch to sleep in - you might want to ask the forum about releasing a freshly spayed/neutered cat to a colony with potential for injury.

Anyway if you are anywhere in the Hillside area that might be an option. 

Oh, boy.  I tore my meniscus in 2006 and had surgery.  The doctor told me at the time it would likely last about four years and the pain has finally gotten to the point where I'm ready to go back.  I will probably need a knee replacement, which is why I'm not rushing in.

It won't get better on its own, so definitely take care of it now.  Hope it goes smoothly.

Wishing you the best in your surgery! I hope all goes well and you have a speedy recovery.