Work cat colony dilemma

In another thread, I posted the story of Sonny, a stray I rescued from a group of semi-ferals who roam around my work campus and the neighboring blocks nearby. I was initially concerned about a starved looking black and white cat, so about 3 weeks ago I started leaving food out between bushes of a house on a corner for them (with the house owner's permission). I found a woman on Facebook who wanted the cat if I trapped it. I spoke with a few neighbors on that block and they were okay with my feeding the cats and told me no one cared for them and they ate from garbage. Instead of taking home the skinny black and white cat, I ended up taking home a white cat with orange spots--Sonny. He ran after me when I opened a tin of food, rubbed against my legs and purred, and I simply picked him up and carried him to my car and put him in a carrier. That weekend I had him neutered, vaccinated, and SNAP tested. It did not work out for the woman to take him, so he has been living with me the past two and a half weeks, and is adjusting. I have not found him a home yet, and he may very well end up staying with me.     

I'm in a dilemma about what to do about the other cats. I've been home from work sick the past few days and thought about bringing them food, but didn't feel up to driving to work to feed them. I called and spoke with one of the neighbors on that block, two houses down from where I've been leaving them food, and he said there's a woman who feeds them during the winter. Apparently there are several of these cats--a big white one, a few gray ones (I've never seen these) in addition to the black and white one I initially tried to help, and a very young black and white one. So there is a entire semi-feral community. I said semi, because they walk around during daylight and are somewhat socialized to people. I have been leaving out a generous amount of dry food between two bushes in front of a man's house for almost 3 weeks, and I feel guilty about not having left food out the past two days because maybe they've already come to depend on that food? On the other hand, I do not want the added responsibility of caring for a cat colony that is not even in my home community. So maybe it's better I stop feeding them altogether and allow them to exist as they had before I came along? I don't know how much longer I'll be at this particular job (I've been looking for another one) and taking on an additional responsibility is overwhelming. I now have 5 indoor cats and an outside feral, Muffin, to care for.

I called my local Humane Society. They still do not have a vet, and do not have a TNR program in place, though they added my name to the list for when they get one. I don't have the financial resources to pay the vet costs to trap these cats and take them to my feral cat vet, and I'm not good about releasing cats after I've trapped them--my neighbor and I end up taking them in, and we are filled to capacity.

I know I can't save all these cats. Sonny got a home because he was the cat to run after me and rub against me and basically beg to be cared for. He had a bad flea infestation, parasites, and was malnourished and desperate. I feel badly for the other ones, but I don't want to be caretaker for them if I can't follow through with after care. Still, I am in a quandary about what to do.   

Oh boy, this stinks, doesn't it?   The only thing I can think of is to get help.  Obviously, your local shelter isn't enough.  Any friends, co-workers, family who may be able to spell you if you cant go every day?

Of course, there's the trapping and S/N first, of course.  I wonder if Alley Cat Allies has resources for your area on their list?

I know this isn't a lot of help but I can only say hang in there - no matter what you do, it is better than nothing.

The friends I have who help cats already have their hands full taking care of the ferals and strays they've taken in.

As I said, the one neighbor on the block where the cats hang says one woman feeds them in the winter.

I can't afford to foot the bill for the TNR for these cats, and I won't get involved doing any more TNR there since I don't have a plan for them after the TNR (this is not my neighborhood so I cannot be their caregiver).  I haven't been able to find a good home for Sonny, even though I've done all the veterinary care work and he is a beautiful, loving, affectionate cat--so that is not a good sign at all. I suppose I can put food out for them when I can, but for how long? I am basically leaving food for them on someone else's property. I think I need to extricate myself from the situation. If I see the skinny black and white cat, I will feed it, but I don't want to randomly leave food out and have the colony grow. I am completely overwhelmed taking care of my five indoor cats--one of whom is in kidney failure--and Muffin, who requires special care and attention because he is outdoors. I just cannot take care of any more cats   

I think that Alley Cat Allies is a great resource.  I called them a few years ago when I needed help with a sick feral.  They had a list of people in my area who were willing to help.  I was able to contact someone and get some help.  Sometimes they are very difficult to get a hold of and it took me about 5 days to get a response from them.  They have or had a hot line number you could call and get help.  Maybe they would know of someone in your area who could take over and get the cats TNR'd and find a caregiver or find a place to relocate them. 

Maybe in the mean time you could purchase a large bag of food and ask one of the neighbors to feed them for you for awhile.  If they take over, they might find themselves attached to the cat or at least attached to their welfare. 

It is so hard when we want to save them all, yet it is a daunting job.  When you are already overwhelmed it becomes even worse.

Here is a link that might help.  You can ask for a email listing of those in your area who may be able to help.

http://www.alleycat.org/page.aspx?pid=444

I know about Alley Cats, I called them for advice a few years ago. They are almost impossible to get in touch with these days. They sent me a list of people in my area affiliated with them--none of them live near the semi-feral community. And how exactly would they be able to help me? I don't need information or help with TNR--I need someone who lives in that neighborhood to be caregiver for them and feed them. Also, there's nothing a TNR team could do right now because the local Humane Society does not have a veterinarian and is not taking these cats in, except to euthanize, and they are only open certain days and times so they would have to be brought in when they are open. The bottom line is that there is no help for them or me right now.

A short while ago I went to the house near my work place where I've been leaving food and the one black and white cat ran out right away and started eating. I feel somewhat responsible for this cat, not for any of the others--whom I've actually not seen. I will continue to feed this cat when I can, but right now there's nothing more I can do for it. I am not going to be responsible for a cat colony that is not even in my home community.