Feral Cats

goldenwren

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Hi!

I have several feral cats that I take care of. The oldest one is Empsey who has had a hematoma in one ear so it has scrunched down into her body and she no longer hears out of it. It took me nearly two years to get her to completely trust me. I would put food and fresh water on my front porch and when she came to eat I would talked to her in an quiet way and gradually reaching out to touch her more and more over time. I left my garage door open about 6-8 inches so she could get in out of the rain and eventually I put 2
metal end tables on the porch with pillows or fabric on the ground and on each shelf and covered it with an old blanket on one and a old aghan on the others, leaving just enough room for her to get into. After 2 sets of babies (the surviving kittens were all eventually fixed over time), I was able to pick her up and she is now fixed. In fact when the weather is chilly, she actually walks into my house and sleeps under the bed. As soon as I am asleep she gets on the bed. She now as domesticated as a tame cat. One of her babies, Shadows, took about 6 months to be able to catch. She has come to believe that petting and stroking is ever so nice. She doesn't like the house tho' and also you cannot pick her up. One of her other babies, Claudia, began to trust me in her 3rd year and had a batch of kittens on my front porch and then moved them into my garage. As soon as they were weaned, I managed to catch her and now she is done. She still is a bit leery and only occasionally lets me touch her. Her kittens, 3 of them, all believe they are housecats at the age of 7 1/2 months. Most are waiting for me when I get home from work just waiting for dinner. The others come when I call their names (if they are within hearing range). All of my cats are now fixed. However, I am also host to 3 Toms who belong to other peole who refuse to fix them. They congregate on my porch hoping that the bakeries of the females will re-open. LOL

Goldenwren
 

hissy

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Well I have taken neighbor's cats in to get neutered before- OOPS! My mistake I didn't know he belonged to you!!
 

tnr1

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Male neuters are soooooo much easier to hide than spays that leave a scar. If it were me...I'd probably take the toms to get fixed.
SHHHHHHH

Katie
 

linda_of_pgff

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Hi Goldenwren and All,

Think about comparing the cost to you of feeding and caring for multiple generations fathered by the neighbors' toms, and the cost of feeding and caring for the fixed, stable number of cats you have there now. Consider that it will cost you less, more than likely, to quietly get the toms neutered and returned, than it will cost to continue to "garden with cats."

How will your neighbors even tell that "their" cats that they let roam have been snipped? In my experience, owners who are this careless, are not really perceptive about their animals' condition.

I vote for fixing 'em!
Linda
 

ldg

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Hi Goldenwren! It usually starts with just one.... and then, like us, you wind up with five inside and a colony outside, LOL! We joke around here that as soon as you start feeding one cat, it's like putting up a neon sign and the troops start marching in.


Aren't ferals great? It's such a joy to watch them grow out of their fear and to earn their trust. I'm so glad you've been able to get them all fixed - you're really their angel.


If you have any pics of your babies, please post them!

About your neighbors' cats... are they wearing collars and licensed? If so, you should check into local law (and if you need help doing that I know someone who's GREAT at digging that stuff up, so feel free to post here that you'd like some assistance with that) before getting the neighbor's cats fixed. HOWEVER - if they are not identified as pets in any way and it's just that "you know" they "belong" to your neighbors, that's deniable enough. It LOOKED like your neighbor's cat, but it didn't have any tags or a tatoo or anything, and you spend your own money on getting the ferals that turn up around your home fixed to prevent more litters of homeless cats.....
("Oh - I'm so sorry! Did I get Gonzo fixed? I thought it was a homeless cat that just LOOKED like Gonzo. He was over here fighting and spraying, so I HAD to do something!
"
)

The "rule" we use around here is if it's on our property eating food we put out then that cat is fair game for being trapped and sterilized. I mean - anyone would get sick of intact toms on their porch, fighting and spraying!

You'd be doing yourself, your other neighbors and the cats a real service. Fixed cats live longer, healthier lives, are less prone to certain types of cancer, obviously have less of a chance of being hurt and potentially seriously injured because of the hormone-driven fighting, the males usually stop marking territory with urine - there are many, many benefits to sterilization beyond just helping to prevent more homeless cats. If you'd like to learn more about it (or even arm yourself with print-outs for your neighbors if they come complaining), please check out any of the links hosted here:

Why Spay or Neuter your cat



 
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goldenwren

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Hi to everyone who replied to my last posting,

I am pleased to say that ALL of my cats are now fixed. this includes 3 feral adult females, 2 female and 1 male feral kittens as soon as the weather warms up, 2 indoor/outdoor cats--1 male, 1 female, 2 permanently indoor, 1 male, 1 female. With all of the surgery and the upkeep on my kids have now depleted my wherewithall and I cannot afford to do anything with those toms so all they can do is to sit on my porch and hope!!!LOL. There seems to be aan attitude of unrequited temporary love that is entirely hopeless. Sooner or later I am sure that they will give up. It is amazing what Wichita, with the size it is, does not have to improve the lives of the lost and lonely and starving. There does not seem to be any animal cops of any sort, it is next to impossible to find a trap and to find a good reduction in vet cost for those of us who care. The Humane Society does make recommendations--but in calling around to the vets provided, I found only one and he charges 50 for a neutering and 65 for a spaying so I use him for my ferals. My regular vet charges something like 85 for a spaying so he isn't that much lower. There used to be a society that allowed a senior citizen a great reduction for surgery--but that was for 1 animal only and no more. It is now defunct. It seems as though the great money god has taken over. I also have a backyard cemetery for those of my children who did not or could not make it through illness or accidents. Since I travel in my career, I also have a pet sitter who comes twice a day and takes care of all--in and out. She calls them her stepchildren.

To all out there who take of your ferals--there is no bigger joy. Please keep up the good work.

Beverly
 

tnr1

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momofmany

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There's no place like home
Country Kennels, Humane of KC, and Pet Connection are pretty far from Wichita. If you can make it up KC way, there are a number of spay days coming up at the local rescues. 2/24 is one day, then there will be a series of spay days held in early March over about a 2 week period. PM me if you are interested in more information. I'm volunteering during the 2 week spay days.

I'll try to find out low spay/neuter clinics in Wichita through my connections in KC.

Interesting, I was at Pet Connection yesterday picking up "Sex and the Kitty" posters, I'm pulling a mom and litter of puppies tomorrow from Humane of KC, and am picking up 2 neutered puppies on Tuesday for transport from Country Kennels. You have hit the low cost spay/neuter sites!!
 

lotsocats

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Beverly,

I am so excited that you have managed to neuter/spay all of these cats. This is wonderful. I hope that you can save up some more money soon so those randy males can be neutered soon!


Great Job!!!!
 
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