Feral cats...neighborhood opposition

I moved into a new neighborhood in april of this year. It's a residential area as opposed to where i was living before. Im renting the second floor of a private house and the landlady, who is an elderly woman and a self-proclaimed religious christian, lives on the first floor.

I love animals, and have four rescued cats of my own, two of whom were rescued right from this neighborhood. About two months ago, i started feeding these two cats that were always hanging around the house. One is a male who is fixed as his ear is tipped. He's very tamed, sweet tempered, and shy of humans. The other is a female. When i met the female, she was pregnant and gave birth about three weeks ago. Her demeanor is very different from any street cat ive met. In short, she's a little too friendly, which leads me to believe she's not feral. She asks EVERYONE passing by for food by rubbing on their legs. Many ppl dont like that, including my landlady and the neighbors. Every time i open my front door she enters the front area of the house. The neighbor was complaining that she does the same thing when she opens her front door.

I dont feed these cats many times during the day/night. I happen to be a very clean person and i care abt the health of my community. I feed them wet food, usually fancy feast and occasionally cat pride, and i clean up after them. I dnt leave food out for fear of attracting other street animals. Even though i try hard to minimize any agony the landlady and the neighbors may feel through my actions of feeding these two cats, it's not working. I am having problems constantly, especially with the landlady who previously gave me permission as long as i cleaned up after them, but now seems to have taken a disliking to my feeding them.

Yesterday i was walking towards home and i saw my landlady standing outside. There was a bag of bottles sitting against the fence. When the cat saw me, she came out and started rubbing and against my legs. When she did the same to the landlady, she picked up an empty fiji water bottle and struck her with it! I asked ger why she did that, she replied 'it wasnt a sin, nor does it hurt them.' I had a very heated argument with her over this incident but even then i know i cant change her. I dont know why some ppl openly claim to be God's helpers (she tells us jesus is camping in her house; she has uttered many reliously intolerant things to me as im not a christian and ive said nothing to her in response) but dont deliver on their community duty.

The cats are not destructive and im very clean about feeding them and cleaning up. Now that i have so much opposition from all around me, im sneaking around to feed them ( middle of the night; before the sun comes up). I feel very heartbroken. How are they supposed to eat? I see them ripping garbage bags, going through garbage cans. If ppl gave them food maybe they wouldnt make a mess with ppl's trash.

Im looking to contact a TNR in my neighborhood to see if the female cat can get fixed. Her kittens are likely three weeks old and i dont want them to be without their mother. In the mean time, does anyone have any suggestions for me about feeding them?

Thanks for your help, guys!

I'm so sorry you are going throug this! I have the same problem. Many cat haters where I live and I have been in many arguments. I feed before the sun comes up and when the sun goes down but there are a couple that come earlier. So I feed them, I don't know what advise to give cause not much has worked overs here with the nasty people. I do still feed and clean up right after. I did explain that I do get them spayed and neutered that might have helped because they haven't bothered me for a couple of months . Try to be nice and diplomatic I know it is so hard to do . I can't believe she hit the cat! Wow that's awful! I had one incident where somebody left raw chicken on the sidewalk and I suspected maybe poison but I don't know . It's scary what some people do and I don't trust any if them . As for spaying the mom you should wait till the babies are weaned. They can't be without their mom for food and protection right now. Good luck !

Yes, I agree about waiting to get the mom fixed. The neighbors and the landlady dislike her very much. I'm even having to face opposition from within my own family. But I've always been a believer of justice and standing up for human/animal rights so i just ignore them. I have tried so hard to be nice to the landlady...my sister does her hair, nails, even drives her to church. My brothers have done her favors like fixing her drawers and other items in her apartment. I threw her a birthday party, and give her small gifts occasionally. I'm running out of ideas to appease her :wife:

Good for you for ignoring them! Too bad she's your landlady that makes everything more complicated I'm sure.