Stray cat stop over

My house apparently has a sign on it that only stray/feral cats can read. Probably the parade of stray cats who came before....

Now I see two young cats, I'm thinking litter mates who are coming to my deck. They look to be about the same age and I bet they were born this past Spring.  One is black with white legs and the other is gray with white legs.  So...I've been putting out the canned food the resident (and rescue cat) don't finish and kibble. The cats come in shifts and devour it.

I set up the plastic dog house that previous strays have used in winter weather and put it up against the house on a bench. I never know if a cat will use it because it has one door and no back door. Raccoons come to the deck to snuffle for bird seed.

Within weeks of bringing Boo Berry inside, these cats and an orange tabby have appeared along with a sporadically spotted smoke gray cat. Perhaps they are wandering pets but my guess is not.  My neighbor had relegated their elderly cat to outdoors a couple of years ago and he would wander through as well. His only shelter was piece from a cat tree-carpet covered plywood. Poor cat lived like that until it died.

At first I hoped the cats would move on and find some other sap to feed them. Of course they didn't. Why would they? Three of my cats are the offspring of a similar kitty who we managed to trap and adopt out along with her other brood. And of course Boo, who showed up with a broken pelvis before a stormy weekend.

Needless to say, I can help them be outdoors but I can't do anything more for them. There is an endless supply of cats. It really makes me furious that people either leave their cats to starve and get hit or allow free roaming cats to reproduce.  Boo was clearly someone's pet at one point. He's a sweetheart.  These guys are at the door only after I shut it and are feral cat shy.

We are going to have a week of super cold (for here) weather with temps down in the twenties. I'll see if the fella will stop at Del's Farm supply and get some straw tomorrow. Gah.

You are a Cat Hero!

One thing though.  You didnt mention spaying / TNR as I could see on my read through.

You do try and adopt out these who are adoptable, which is of course very good.  But spaying?

Do you have some rescue / TNR group nearby which you could cooperate with?

That plastic cat shelter.  Cant you make an emergency exit on the backside?   You yourself hit it is  best so.

Good luck!

StefanZ said:

 
You are a Cat Hero!

One thing though.  You didnt mention spaying / TNR as I could see on my read through.

You do try and adopt out these who are adoptable, which is of course very good.  But spaying?

Do you have some rescue / TNR group nearby which you could cooperate with?

That plastic cat shelter.  Cant you make an emergency exit on the backside?   You yourself hit it is  best so.

Good luck!

Click to expand...

The ones I rescued and adopted out were all spayed and neutered. At this point with these two or three--right now I am concerned about survival and some comfort.

There is a cat rescue group but when I took in the litter of kittens and then worked to get them taken care of and adopted, these people never returned my multiple calls. So either they were overwhelmed themselves since there is an endless supply of cats, or they thought I was some irresponsible nincompoop who was trying to pawn off an accidental litter. Or they really are not very good at being a rescue organization. In any case, it's hard to know what was up with them. I just assume that they aren't an option because when I really needed to get a hold of them---utter silence.

I realize these things are volunteer, but folks shouldn't put the banner out there for service if they aren't going to even answer their phone or call you back. They are still around too. I see their donation jars.

If you have the rescources, buying a trap and getting them spayed or neutered would be a great option.  Trapping cats is pretty easy and low cost spay and neuter clinics usually charge less than $50 per cat and that often includes some vaccines.  If you have unspayed and un neutered cats you will soon have many more on your hands.  Many rescue groups are overwhelmed and under staffed.  I borrowed a trap for a few years and when the cats kept coming I ordered one from Amazon. I believe it was $40.

Thank you for caring for these kitties. 

I hear you about having a sign on your house that reads "Stray cats welcome here"!  I started with one and quickly multiplied.  I just don't understand the people who move and leave their cat behind.  It makes me so sad.

I found a poem once that sums it up:

I Adopted Your Cat Today

I adopted your cat today...

The one you left behind;

The one you had for years

And no longer wanted around.

I adopted your cat today...

Did you know that he's lost weight?

Did you know he's scared and depressed?

And seems to have lost all faith.

I adopted your cat today...

He had fleas and a little cold;

Guess you don't care what shape he's in

As you abandoned him I am told.

I adopted your cat today...

He doesn't ply or even eat much;

I guess he's very sad inside and

It will take time for him to trust.

I adopted your cat today...

And here he is going to stay;

He's found his FOREVER hom

And a warm bed in which to lay.

I adopted your cat today...

And shall give him that he will need

Patience, love and security,

So he can forget your selfish deed.

I have the same sign and keep threatening to take it down.  But I know better - they still find their way.  The Buddists say you get only what you deserve and are ready for, so take that as a sign that you are doing the right thing,.

I work with an all-volunteer group, too, and it is so often overwhelming.  I ended up buying my own traps and just digging in.  I also had the experience of feeling as if I was the enemy somehow and all I was doing was trying to help.

I would just keep trying until I found a group with which you are simpatico.  Is there some service you can offer them to help?  It will certainly make them aware that you can be an asset.

Keep up the good fight.  It does make a difference - to the cats you help!

BTW ShadowsRescue - your poem made me cry.  I can only wish it would affect the bums who dump or abandon their pets the same way...

Ondine said:

 
I have the same sign and keep threatening to take it down.  But I know better - they still find their way.  The Buddists say you get only what you deserve and are ready for, so take that as a sign that you are doing the right thing,.

I work with an all-volunteer group, too, and it is so often overwhelming.  I ended up buying my own traps and just digging in.  I also had the experience of feeling as if I was the enemy somehow and all I was doing was trying to help.

I would just keep trying until I found a group with which you are simpatico.  Is there some service you can offer them to help?  It will certainly make them aware that you can be an asset.

Keep up the good fight.  It does make a difference - to the cats you help!

BTW ShadowsRescue - your poem made me cry.  I can only wish it would affect the bums who dump or abandon their pets the same way...

Click to expand...

This is probably true. We look at our spoiled kitties and realize that all cats deserve to be spoiled.There's one in front of the TV. She's there so often that all the TV programs have the outline of a cat in the lower left hand corner. She was one of the kittens 9 years ago who came in and stayed. Great cat.  of course, Boo Berry is the latest and last addition.

I just came from outside fashioning a wind block for the door to the shelter. It's also got a rubbermaid storage shed on the North side so that also helps. There's evidence that someone had nested in there.  I put out some canned food. I hope they snuggle together.

Meanwhile Boo Berry--the former stray who would glug down a can of Friskies pate twice a day now just went downstairs to pout because I limited the amount of cooked turkey he could have.

Too sad to think about, Shadows Rescue. The cats keep coming, and you do what you can, one bowl at a time, one shelter at a time, one step at a time. It's scary, and overwhelming, and costs more than you can afford, and you think you can't do it anymore, you can't do it again. But you do, one bowl at a time, one cat at a time. And we all smile when our Boo Berrys pout. 

I had a semi feral population of about 8-10 outside cats that I fed for about 10 years. I fed them the same food I fed my inside cats (several of which started out as outside cats and two whom someone had declawed all the way around then left behind when they moved. Really made me mad.by the time they made their way to my porch they were in bad shape). I also bought them the same toys and cubbies I bought for my inside cats. In the winter I put a heat lamp on my enclosed porch (which had a little cat door for them) and some thick cushy rug pieces. In time most of them would let me approach them, pet them and sometimes pick them up. I was able to put flea topical on most of them and could even deworm about half of them. I LOVED those cats. I saw most of them grow up. When I moved a couple months ago I was faced with the dilemma of what to do with my outside cats. My inside cats completely freaked when I moved because they had all been born and lived in the other house all their lives. There was no one else to feed them (outside cats) so I had to euthanize them. I couldn't leave them behind to starve to death and they would have become a nuisance trying to find another food source. I cried for weeks. They had come to trust me and I feel like I betrayed them. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do and I hated it. I kept a few, but as I have inside cats I was limited and they hated being inside for too long.
Plus about the same time I lost my favorite cat whom I have had forever to kidney failure. I did a lot of crying for awhile. I finally stopped crying but I still wish there had been a different ending.