Help!

So we have been caring for our 5 ferals. Mama was spayed a few weeks ago. The 4 babies are only 3 months old, so they will be getting spayed/neutered next month. Daddy cat is kind of a? He comes around just enough to scare me. He is huge!!! I think he is part bobcat, seriously. But yesterday I noticed a new black kitten who shows up with daddy cat. And my dh just said he spotted another HUGE solid black cat! What do I do? I was worried about having 5 cats. I can't have 8!! I watch our 5 eat so I know the other ones aren't eating here they are just hanging around our yard.

The best thing you can do is TNR on all of the cats.  The male really needs to be neutered so that he can stop reproducing.  You will continue to get more and more cats if you don't get them all spayed and neutered.  You might want to try and find a rescue group to help you.  Utilize resources available from low cost spay and neuter clinics as well as humane societies.

Do you have a humane trap?

I do. And I suppose I can just take them all in as I catch them. I was just really looking forward to being done after these kittens. It costs $20/cat which is not horrible, it's the gas and time that is a killer, it's a half and hour each way to the clinic:/ I thought they were territorial so ours would keep the others away. Is that not true?

Sometimes outside cats will keep others from coming around.  Other times, they welcome newcomers to the party.  In any case, getting any newcomers spayed or neutered is critical because you will end up with far more than eight cats.

Your clinic actually sounds wonderful.  I had to pay $45 for each cat and drive 37 miles one way to our clinic, which has since closed.  Now our vet charges us for $50 (male) and $75 (female) for strays and ferals.  He charged us $225 for each of our first two pet cats, so he's really giving us a break.

You should find that your colony will stabilize once they are all fixed and everyone knows their place.  Make sure you feed them only enough to make sure they don't go hungry.  Don't leave food out, as that will attract other critters as well as other cats.

Thank you for taking this on.  I know it seems overwhelming at first but it should settle down.

They are pretty awesome, they seem to really care about the animals too. They even called her by her name instead of treating her like just another feral. It just took up my whole day when I did it and I have a 2 year old so it was kind of a hard day. I just don't want it to be a never ending thing. And my dh is not too happy about us having 5 so 8 made him pretty mad:/
How much are they supposed to eat? I have been feeding the 5 a cup of kitten food in the morning and a cup at night. Then I give them any left over meat nearing its date midday so I can talk to them a little bit. They eat it all really quick. Never any leftovers. They are all really young. Mama is 1 year old and still nursing the babies.

I have two outside cats living in a 1,000 square foot enclosure.  Until they came, I had a parade of ferals and strays coming through my yard.  I fixed every one I could catch.  I found homes for but there were three or four who were too wild and I released them, planning to keep feeding them.  All but one disappeared, though.  I worried about them but as long as they weren't reproducing, I felt I'd done my best.

I built the enclosure because of the one who hung around after being fixed.  I fed him every day - a 3 ounce can of wet food morning and night.  He visited other houses in the neighborhood but one of the neighbors complained, so I decided to build his enclosure.   His room mate joined him when his "owners" moved away and decided not to take him.

I have not had any strays or ferals in my yard since these two took up residence.  It may be their smell but they have managed to keep other cats out of my yard even in their enclosure.

So you will probably find that there are no more visitors once the colony stabilizes.  Spaying and neutering is the critical first step towards that stabilization.

So glad the S/N group is helping.  Can they help find homes if there are any cats you think may be adoptable?  That would be awesome.

Sadly I don't think any of them are adoptable. Our 5 are awake all day but run if you come near them. Mama hisses as I feed her half the time. The new 3 are nocturnal. I think I will just tnr what ever goes in my trap. Those 3 will be hard to trap I think. We named daddy Sasquatch because he is such a rare sighting. Lol

Keep trapping as best you can and the situation will be improved.  I can't praise you enough for doing everything you do.

Thank you. I wish I could save them all though[emoji]128546[/emoji]

Yes, we all do.  But without the efforts of people like those here, none would be saved.  So we do our best ...