Don't know what to do, feeding many ferals/strays, it's out of control!!!! I need advice!

I have been feeding neighborhood cats for years, but now I have a huge problem.  I don't know if someone is dumping them or what is going on, but I am getting a lot of cats coming here for food.  BUT that's not the issue, I have a house on my porch for kittens that grew up in my yard (for the brutal winter), I have 2 other shelters around my fence to help any who need it.  But now cats are coming on my porch and spraying all over the cat house and other little set up I have to keep the ones that have been here warm. These cats are too young to be doing it, plus they basically live here.  These are adult feral male cats that are also fighting.  I do not want to be cruel, but I cannot let this get any worse or continue.  What do I do?  I want to feed them as I know how badly they need food, but does anyone have any advice???  Where I live is very harsh in the winter too.  I hope someone can help.  Thanks.  

You need to do TNR on these cats ASAP.  You need to get some traps and have them all spayed/neutered.  You can then re release them back to your area and continue feeding them and providing shelter for them.  The spraying is over territory.  The males will fight for territory as well as for any females in the area.  If you do not get them all fixed soon the population will multiply even greater.  You can try contacting a rescue group in your area to see if they could help with trapping.  There may be a low cost spay/neuter clinic in your area or a Humane Society or ASPCA that will do the spay/neuter cheaply. 

Here is an article on TNR (Trap Neuter Return)

http://www.alleycat.org/Trap-Neuter-Return

Thank you for caring for these cats.  Without your help they would certainly perish.  Yet, they also need your help to be fixed.

I agree about getting them sterilized. When I started TNRing I eventually was told to check with a Petco and Petsmart about any organizations that may use their facilities for low cost surgery. I found a Petco over an hour away that allowed an org to use the parking lot to bring their mobile surgical van to perform the surgery for $65. Subsequently I found another place with a mobile van charging $35 with a rabies shot, these prices being for ferals, also eartipping them.

I don't know how you would deter the new cats without doing the same for your original residents, but good luck with your problem.

Karen

PS, perhaps you can find sympathetic neighbors and form a group to TNR and provide shelters to help with the expenses. See what your local shelters have in the way of advice and/or assistance.

Karen 

They (neighbors do not care at all), believe me, most would rather harm them.  I cannot afford to have them spayed and neutered.  We have very little help in the area I live.  I can check, but this would be a cost that would not be feasible for me right now as I have an illness and cannot work.  I feed them because I feel bad for them especially in sub-zero weather.  I will probably just have to remove them somehow.  Thanks!

If there are any unspayed females, the numbers will just keep growing and growing :/. 2 litters per female per year will really add up. And of course the little boy kittens will grow up to be big spraying tomcats. So getting rid of the current toms won't help for long.

Sometimes you can be surprised at what help exists in the area. Try calling all the animal welfare agencies that are listed and see if anyone knows if there are any programs.

I already wrote one that isn't really in my area, but just to see if they help in this one at all.  So, I will have to wait until tomorrow most likely to hear anything.  There are many, many cats.  The city I live in has had deep budget cuts and is actually in debt, so I think that is part of the problem.  We do have a Humane Society, but they aren't taking animals, but I would prefer not to go that route anyway.  I am trying to help them, not kill them.  This cat problem was sudden too, which is strange.  I have even seen what I think is a few cats that are all related (siblings or something, they all look alike), but these ones are friendly to me anyway, not totally feral.  We'll see what I can find out.  As I said I am not in the best financial situation to be doing this anyway and I already have my own animals to care for.  I'll do what I can.

It seems the shelters are full everywhere!  I was told there are no-kill shelters that actually transport animals to other states, in an effort to save their lives.  Ask a lot of questions before dropping them off at any shelter because I was also told that even the no-kill shelters are forced to euthanize sometimes. There are cat sanctuaries, run by dedicated cat lovers, if you are interested in taking a road trip!  Research your options before making a decision and hopefully you will find good homes!  You are a good person for even trying to care for them and place them in a good home!

Oh, I won't be able to take them to any shelter around here.  The only no-kill one that is even close to me is full.  I did hear back from a woman that gave me a number of someone that does spay/neuter, but I don't know the cost yet.  We'll see, like I said I have my own animals to worry about as far as vet bills and some of mine are very old.  I will do what I can.  Meanwhile I am only going to put food out at specific times to try to alleviate some of this fighting and spraying.  I also took away one place for them to warm up, but it was getting wrecked anyway.  The spraying on my porch is where I draw the line.