what should I do???

I'm going through some more turmoil. I trapped a mother cat outside my work, and her two babies...I did it cause i got her spayed so she won't keep reproducing...and i thought the babies would have a chance at a good home still...they are only 8 weeks old.

Well the lady that was helping me, let the mama go with her ferals at her house..but i wanted to let her go back to her orginal home, which is here outside my work...now, the feral is locked into a room (because the lady thinks that if the cat really wanted to go outside, it would try to run out when she is going in and out of the room) and I feel i did a horrible thing. I cried this morning...i want to release the mother back out here, but now it is close to impossible to re trap her. Once a cat is trapped, it usually doesn't want to go back in trap. I'm so sad. 

And not only that, the room where she has the ferals, stinks so bad.  Of urine.  This can't be good for a cat.  I have offered to help her set up cat houses outside her home, but she said it's going to get really cold outside, and she knows if she keeps the cats inside, they will be okay.  She also reassured me that if the cat REALLY wanted to go outside, it would try to run out of the room when she goes in and out of the house. 

A couple of questions for you....does anyone know how to clean up the urine smell?  

Also, I feel so guilty now, for trapping this cat, and now she is in prison at someones house....I have been up all night thinking about this..

Someone please tell me, that it's okay...

She has the babies too...not in the same room with the mother.  She is going to try to socialize them....

If the room didn't smell so bad, i would suggest putting the babies with their mother in the feral colony...but only if they could come and go as they please, and go outside and breath some fresh air. 

I asked her if i could help her open the room up into the other room, and help her make the cat houses...she hasn't gotten back to me yet. 

UG! I feels so guilty! 

I guess one good thing is that mum isn't out in the cold, and she is given food and water...this lady means no harm..she is actually a good person, but she said that if the cat really wants to leave, it will...as she has had 2 ferals leave her house previously.  

Do you think the cats are content inside?  She also mentioned that she knows of a rescue place where they keep all the ferals inside...

I don't know enough about all of this...

please help me heart settle, and not feel so guilty...

If anyone has any words to share, or thoughts or advice, I am open to hear. 

Thanks for reading this long post. 

amy

The woman is correct - any cat will try to leave a strange place and get back "home.'

Right now, though, you need to ask yourself where the cat is better off.  You did the first right thing - having her spayed is the best thing for her.  Now, is she better off inside this lady's home or back where she was?  Do you have a shelter for her there - and is someone available to feed her consistently?  Is the safe there?

If the answer to any of these is "no," then perhaps she is better off with this lady.  The only thing I can think of though is the stinky room you mentioned.  Either the boxes aren't cleaned enough or the room is not cleaned enough.  There may be too many cats in there or the lady is just overwhelmed.

One way you can help this is to volunteer to help her.  Offer to scoop the boxes every so often or determine if there are enough boxes that are big enough for all the cats.

Also, work hard to find either permanent or foster homes for the kittens.  This lady sounds like she has good intentions but has taken on more than she can handle.  She may not be able to socialize the kittens and end up keeping them, which is not good.

You have so far done an excellent job.  However, this situation needs a little tweaking.  Good luck!

I would have taking care of the mother...i currently take care of one feral outside my work.  i feed her everyday..and there is plenty of shelter here..i was going to make a few shelters and put it in the woods too....

i need to get them out of there...but how?  

how can i trap the cat after i already trapped it once?

If the lady has the room, you can start feeding only the mother cat in a crate or large carrier.  Once she gets used to eating in the crate, you can close the door on her.  This may take so much time, though, that she may already be used to her new home.  Discuss the whole thing with your friend and see what you can come up with.

That's a good idea.  Thanks Ondine..

I'll keep you posted.