Caring for a Group of Strays/Ferals - Advice?

So there's a group of cats living behind a strip mall where I live. I heard about these cats through someone who was feeding them and searching for a no-kill shelter while they were staying in the area.

I don't know how many are there yet. So far, I've found 5: 

- Two kittens, maybe 5 or weeks

- One sweet boy, probably not much older than 1 year. He allowed me to pet him with some coaxing 

- Two more that are also about 1 year. Both are very wary and won't allow me to come close. One of them is more curious and lets me get closer, the other will hiss and run away. I'm pretty sure the more aggressive cat is the mother of the kittens, since she looked like she was nursing. 

The area they're in isn't too dangerous, and they have lots of bushes to hide in. They don't look matted or mangy, but I'm worried that they don't get enough food. Sounds like they've been fed on and off. 

My friend has suggested I foster the kittens until they can get homes, and I could do that (though it would be under the nose of my landlord). I don't have much experience with feral kittens, so I don't want to do something wrong by taking them. I think the more personable 1 yo cat could also be adoptable.

I haven't cared for a colony before so I'm not sure where to start, and any advice would be helpful!

The first thing to do is to trap them.

Trapping means first lining up where they will be spayed/neutered as ferals, which is free or very cheap to have done but you do need to seek out who in your area does this.

As they are trapped they can be assessed as to tame, feral, etc which determines where they will go after they're fixed and vaccinated.

Ferals are returned, tame can be put up for adoption.

The kittens will need taming, so their age needs to be pretty accurate, or you will end up with untameable kittens.

If they are tiny and wouldn't need trapping just picking up, that's the best of course.

If they are tiny but can run away from you, they need a kitten trap or a net to be caught.

If they are over 7 weeks or so, then you will have a full time job on your hands.

When searching for where they can be fixed, also search for a cat rescue group or a no kill shelter in the area, who you might be able to sign up as a self foster with, so they will get vaccines and fixed at their vet and will pay for it to be done.

They will recover this money from their adoptions.

Thanks! I'm planning to contact a local group that lends trapping equipment. I got a good look at one of the kittens today and I think they're a little younger than I assumed. I'll be out of town this weekend (asking a friend leave food while I'm gone), and I'm going to try to trap next Tuesday when I return. Wish me luck! 

This is good news then that they are younger than first thought, at least they will be tamed easily so they can live life as every cat in this world deserves, in a loving safe home living a cushy life

Good luck!!

So I'm still lining up vets/trapping equipment, but I got some pretty good resources from a local shelter. I've since found a few more cats, so I think I'm up to 10-11, including kittens.

My current concern is about the kittens. I'm pretty sure they're 4-6 weeks. Two of the three came up to me today and I was able to pet them while they ate some food and licked(bit) my fingers.

I don't think I can get all three of them if I try to pick them up; one of them won't come anywhere near me. If I do pick up any of them, I'm concerned that I do not have enough time for them, since I'm out of the apartment about 9 hours every week day. I'm also concerned about whether separation will affect them.

Basically I'm wondering if I should take them home next opportunity(whether I'm ready to trap or not) or if I should wait until I've got the other cats such as their mother?

No don't wait!!

The last thing you want are a bunch of feral kittens who are not adoptable!

The age they are now, and I suspect they are a bit older than your estimate if they easily came and ate, unlike 4 week olds, every day right now makes a difference in how tame they will be/not.

Luckily all but one are tame, but bet still standoff-ish without food to bribe them with, so yes, please get them all ASAP.

Great you are finding resources!

So, my partner and I met the person who's been leaving food and water for them for several years. They got two of the kittens earlier today and adopted them out, but there is one kitten left who seems unapproachable. The kittens are right at 6 wees according to the caretaker, and it sounds like many of the cats have been fixed, but the mother that gave birth to all these cats hasn't.

All in all, great news for two of the kittens. My routine has been stopping by daily with wet food, so I'll continue that and maybe we can get a hold of the last kitten.

The owner of the property has apparently threatened to call animal control over dry food left by the caretaker being spilled on the ground (partially my fault for spilling some of it recently). But I'm guessing they haven't called in the several years the cats have been there, so I think if I'm extra careful to clean up when I'm leaving food, and clean up any spills I see, it should be okay. 

KissCat said:

 
So, my partner and I met the person who's been leaving food and water for them for several years. They got two of the kittens earlier today and adopted them out, but there is one kitten left who seems unapproachable. The kittens are right at 6 wees according to the caretaker, and it sounds like many of the cats have been fixed, but the mother that gave birth to all these cats hasn't.

All in all, great news for two of the kittens. My routine has been stopping by daily with wet food, so I'll continue that and maybe we can get a hold of the last kitten.

The owner of the property has apparently threatened to call animal control over dry food left by the caretaker being spilled on the ground (partially my fault for spilling some of it recently). But I'm guessing they haven't called in the several years the cats have been there, so I think if I'm extra careful to clean up when I'm leaving food, and clean up any spills I see, it should be okay. 

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Please get a kitten trap and snag the last one ASAP!

The more fearful it is, the harder time it's going to give you taming him, and at 6 weeks they can still be tamed quite well, but their brain is developing so fast now, by the time a kitten is 8 weeks and up it's now a full time job to tame them to be adoptable, so keep this in mind, it's important to act now.

Yes, I feed a route in town of colonies I have tnr'd over the years, and have made and kept the peace simply by never leaving too much food or dishes and trash/cans, etc.

Out of sight, out of mind.

They actually are appreciating the natural rodent control