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- May 20, 2014
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Hello! I was suggested to come to this site for some advice 
I live in an apartment complex that is towards the end of our smaller town. One side is woods, we are right on main street though, the other side is a business that may be empty as no one is ever there. Our apartments are in a U shape of 6 different buildings with a huge courtyard of grass in the center. It is a pretty nice place.
We have a huge feral cat colony living here. When I first moved in there were just a few cats but it has grown and is now coupled with a few abandoned pets/tamed cats who don't really have homes and perhaps a few that are considered pets but kept outdoors.
I love cats. I have cats myself all indoors. I am a major cat person.
It breaks my heart to see these cats everyday. Any time of day I can walk outside and see 5-10 cats around the dumpster close to the woods. And another 5 tamer cats hanging around the courtyard. Some even are so friendly they attempt to get inside people's apartments!
Now the place seems pretty cat friendly where alot of neighbors have attempted to feed and keep water out for them. But I think some people are doing a disservice, like keeping some food and water right next to the apartment doors. Some people keep their ground floor windows open to let cats in. I guess during the winter some allowed cats inside the building in the hallway/basement and it was a big mess of cats spraying and they were in trouble for that. Every single day there is constant cats fighting outside as well. But I do know that some people are getting annoyed with the cats rushing to get inside and I do worry about their safety.
I have been in touch with the rescue here they said they would only accept in tame, friendly cats. But gave me the info of a spay and release group that I have contacted & am awaiting to hear back from them. On their webpage they say there is a $35 per cat that is caught, which I just can't currently do & the amount of cats out there it would be expensive. But I will see what they say.
In the meantime I thought maybe I would print out some information sheets about the life of feral cats. Explaining that it is in the best interest to spay them, get them shots, etc.. and also that if a cat is friendly that we should take it into the rescue to find it a forever home. I think alot of people just think they are like wild animals and so it is fine. My husband was one of them who argued with me that it was sad to spay them because they are happy living nice lives.... But I see the cats disappear, get injured by cats or fights and limp around with no medical attention. Inbreeding, starvation is real, disease/parasites, the bird population etc....
I also want to speak about how if someone is claiming a cat as a pet they may want to keep it indoors. I don't want to come across as that know it all type so more like a suggestion lol Explain that they atleast should get their pet spayed/neutered & update its shots and treat it for fleas/worms.
I will include the info for the rescue and they spay and release program and local vets.
But as you may have guessed by this post, I am not so great at getting my thoughts into well thought out words lol! I would love any help. Anything exactly I should say, important details I should include, etc... My goal is that as a group we can help these cats.
Also on a side note, the issue of the tame cats. I can easily grab them up & take them to the rescue but...I worry what if it is someone's pet? If they look healthy should I not grab them I guess.
Thanks so so much!
I live in an apartment complex that is towards the end of our smaller town. One side is woods, we are right on main street though, the other side is a business that may be empty as no one is ever there. Our apartments are in a U shape of 6 different buildings with a huge courtyard of grass in the center. It is a pretty nice place.We have a huge feral cat colony living here. When I first moved in there were just a few cats but it has grown and is now coupled with a few abandoned pets/tamed cats who don't really have homes and perhaps a few that are considered pets but kept outdoors.
I love cats. I have cats myself all indoors. I am a major cat person.
It breaks my heart to see these cats everyday. Any time of day I can walk outside and see 5-10 cats around the dumpster close to the woods. And another 5 tamer cats hanging around the courtyard. Some even are so friendly they attempt to get inside people's apartments!
Now the place seems pretty cat friendly where alot of neighbors have attempted to feed and keep water out for them. But I think some people are doing a disservice, like keeping some food and water right next to the apartment doors. Some people keep their ground floor windows open to let cats in. I guess during the winter some allowed cats inside the building in the hallway/basement and it was a big mess of cats spraying and they were in trouble for that. Every single day there is constant cats fighting outside as well. But I do know that some people are getting annoyed with the cats rushing to get inside and I do worry about their safety.
I have been in touch with the rescue here they said they would only accept in tame, friendly cats. But gave me the info of a spay and release group that I have contacted & am awaiting to hear back from them. On their webpage they say there is a $35 per cat that is caught, which I just can't currently do & the amount of cats out there it would be expensive. But I will see what they say.
In the meantime I thought maybe I would print out some information sheets about the life of feral cats. Explaining that it is in the best interest to spay them, get them shots, etc.. and also that if a cat is friendly that we should take it into the rescue to find it a forever home. I think alot of people just think they are like wild animals and so it is fine. My husband was one of them who argued with me that it was sad to spay them because they are happy living nice lives.... But I see the cats disappear, get injured by cats or fights and limp around with no medical attention. Inbreeding, starvation is real, disease/parasites, the bird population etc....
I also want to speak about how if someone is claiming a cat as a pet they may want to keep it indoors. I don't want to come across as that know it all type so more like a suggestion lol Explain that they atleast should get their pet spayed/neutered & update its shots and treat it for fleas/worms.
I will include the info for the rescue and they spay and release program and local vets.
But as you may have guessed by this post, I am not so great at getting my thoughts into well thought out words lol! I would love any help. Anything exactly I should say, important details I should include, etc... My goal is that as a group we can help these cats.
Also on a side note, the issue of the tame cats. I can easily grab them up & take them to the rescue but...I worry what if it is someone's pet? If they look healthy should I not grab them I guess.
Thanks so so much!
