Fabulous News!

And what a day to get it, too - National Feral Cat Day!

Many of you are newer members so don't know the story of our ferals, but we live in an RV Resort, and you're not allowed to have pets here. BUT there were many feral cats when we "moved" here, and we talked with the owners and began a TNR program. The owners of the park hate cats - but this is also a working large farm with numerous barns.

We apparently did such a great job with the colony that now there are no cats in the barns, LOL!

We've been worried about leaving here because of the continued feeding and care of the colony. We have someone to do it, but we weren't sure the park owners would grant continued access for this person.

BUT - now they've contacted us - they need barn cats! We've started a discussion with them about how they'd have to treat the cats like part of the farm and not pests, etc. Now that they understand the valuable role these animals can play - and how it IS possible to control the population (duh) - and that these animals, properly cared for AREN'T pests - we're going to be moving the colony over to the barns.

For now we will continue to pay for the colony care, but we will begin to split those costs, and they are going to feed the cats like they do the other barn animals. The cats will continue to be registered in our name at the vets (we've worked all this out), so we can check up to make sure they're getting their annual vaccinations, etc. And we're going to jointly trap the animals for vaccinations and relocation this year - so they know how to do it properly and safely next year if we've left the park.

But the best news of all is that the park owners are now willing to accept up to 12 cats, so we can actually "place" another 6 feral cats that need homes.

Woo hoo! That is great news Laurie!

Great news!!!! It seems like the landowners have been taught the worth of cats, even ferals!!! I wonder what anti-feral groups would have to say about this?

Great news Laurie!

Excellent news!!

awww that is so wonderful!!!!

That's great news.

this is wonderfull news , woohoo

Terrific News!!!
I wonder if you could possibly write an article or have the owners write an article to promote feral cat colonies? Wouldn't that be great?!?

Congrats, all of your hard work finally paid off

That is awesome! Good work!

This is absolutely wonderful new Laurie! Made my day!

Laurie, that is wonderful and even amazing that you could convince cat haters that ferals can actually be good to have around! Bravo!

Gosh Laurie! I just now saw this, and surfed in here thinking it might be news of Boog- but I have to say this is just as wonderful!!! I know how you feel, when Pat the goat lady contacted me telling me she wanted at least 10 of my ferals, I thought I had died and gone to heaven! Since that initial phone call, she has taken dozens of my kittens and turned them into wonderful cats! Congrats my friend, what a load this has taken off your shoulders!!!

Also, something I do when I place the barn cats (for a few months anyway) is I go over there once a month with a bag of feed. This gives you a chance to see the cats at the barn, and make sure they are being cared for. The food makes points with the farmers, and they tell their friends who then contact you wanting one of your cats. It really is a good thing to do if you can swing it. I usually only do it for 3 months, long enough to know that they are being cared for.

I hope this isn't a silly question.....

How do you get the cats to stay at the barn rather than finding their way back to your place?

It's not silly at all Renae- how I do it, is when I drop them off, I leave about 12 cans of cat food with the farmer. I also put out several bowls of wet food (laced with a little bit of catnip) for the cats. I encourage the farmers to keep the cats fed in wet food until the cans are gone and also provide dry. I have had only one cat vanish on me using this method over the years, and I think the farmer's dog might have chased her off.

That's excellent news!

Renae, I was about to ask that same question! I remembered a thread about relocating colonies and was going to search for it, but this makes it a lot easier.

We've been out to see the facilities here now.

On the property there are two large barns, two smaller barns (though still fair-sized), and two large equipment sheds. They're having a mouse problem in all of them, though obviously the barns are worse.

There are six cats (that we're sure of) to relocate. Because each of the facilities will work with (at least) two cats - do we move them in groups of two because they already know each other? Or do we put one in each facility and put one strange feral in with each cat?

This is NOT a tight-knit group of cats. They're all male, and very independent. We're almost positive none of them cuddle up together anywhere, even for warmth in the Winter.

I think we're doing this next weekend. Then we have to put the word out we're looking for older ferals....

And I love the idea about an article! Armed with all the info I've got on TNR, etc., I could help a journalist write a fantastic article. Perhaps write it myself and submit it to a local paper. I just don't know if these guys would actually want the press about it. But it never hurts to ask.

Now THAT would be a wonderful headline to post here.

Laurie,

If you can keep the ones that know each other together. Ferals don't hang with each other much anyway, but it would be easier to keep them together if they are used to each other. They are going to be stressed and smelling different for awhile because of the change.

Thanks.

What great news! Looks like all your hard work with the ferals has paid off!