Had to move feeding area

Last winter I noticed that a stray cat was hiding under the deck of an office I go by on the way to work (the office is in a house in a residential area).  I started putting food by the edge of the deck on my way to work and told some friends that lived in the area about the cat and gave them my live trap.  Unfortunately, they never saw the cat so didn't get on the trapping.  So, as you can guess, in the spring one cat became a cat and three kittens.  I have been feeding them under the deck (which has some bushes along it) and waiting until the kittens got old enough.  Just two days ago, my friend that lives near to the cats came over while I was feeding them so I could show them to her and we discussed the plan for trapping.  The kittens will eat in front of me and will come most of the way out from under the deck, momma cat is still very cautious.

Anyway, I was feeling good about things and then the next morning when I went to feed them, there was a note on the deck with big black writing saying "Please do not feed the stray cats."  No explanation like "I am planning on trapping them and need them hungry" or "I am feeding them too."  I went ahead and fed them but realized I needed to come up with another plan.  I called my friend who was going to trap them and we discussed the options.  I happen to know the guy who owns the office next door to where the cats have been hiding so I called him and he agreed to let me feed them on his property and said we could set up the trap there.  His office is also in a house and has a big pine tree with a bunch of vines around it and some decent undergrowth.  This morning I put the food over by the tree kind of in some vines so the cats would have some cover.  I called them but didn't see any of them.  I am worried that they won't come over to the food.  The area is maybe 15 feet from the deck where they hide.

I guess at this point I am just looking for reassurance that they will venture out to the food.  We don't want to set the trap out until we know they are comfortable with the new feeding arrangement.

I had to move a feeding station from the back of my yard to my deck.  It was quite a distance.  It took about a day, but the cat found the food.  I would call and call and shake the bag of food so if he was hiding nearby he would hear it.  At first I put the food just on the first step and then onto the deck and then into the feeding station. 

My guess is that they will find it, but it may take a day or two and you might need to call to them to get their attention. 

You are so wonderful for helping these cats.  Once trapped do you think the kittens might be able to be socialized?  What about the Mom cat?  Do you just plan to TNR her or try to relocate her?

Kudos for all you do!

Thank you for your reply.  My friend that is helping me trap is also on the board of the local humane society and her plan is to get them all fixed and take them up there with the hopes they can be adopted.  I think she is maybe being a bit optimistic because I have dealt with some feral/stray cats before and realize how difficult they can be.  She is extremely kind hearted though and so my hope is that once she starts dealing with them/bonding with them she will be committed to doing whatever needs to be done to get them to be adoptable.  She has fostered some kittens before.  She isn't thrilled with idea of turning them loose again so hopefully it will all work out.

I feel better knowing that your cats found the station after a day or so.  I put out stinky seafood wet food so I am hoping they will smell it and get it before the magpies do.

Did the kitties find the food? 

Well the food was gone this morning when I checked but I am not sure which cats ate it.  There are some other stray cats in the area that we were going to work on catching eventually so I guess it is ok if some of them got the food.  However, I would really like to know that "my" kitties are getting their food.  I put more out this morning.

Well they have definitely found the food so that is a relief.  I got down there a little early yesterday morning and two of them went streaking away from the food back to their safe place under the deck.  This morning when I shook the food bag, I saw two of the kittens heads (that conjures up the image of floating kitten heads but they were attached to bodies ) emerge from under the deck to peer at me so I assume they crept over to the food after I left.  Now I just need to get my friends to start the trapping process.

dahlia said:

 
Well they have definitely found the food so that is a relief.  I got down there a little early yesterday morning and two of them went streaking away from the food back to their safe place under the deck.  This morning when I shook the food bag, I saw two of the kittens heads (that conjures up the image of floating kitten heads but they were attached to bodies

) emerge from under the deck to peer at me so I assume they crept over to the food after I left.  Now I just need to get my friends to start the trapping process.

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Oh good!  So glad they found the food.  Now let the trapping begin!!!

Just an update.  We have trapped all four cats.  Momma was caught on Friday night and went up to the shelter Saturday morning.  She was very calm (absolutely terrified) and went right into the cage.  Two of the babies were caught at once on Saturday night and brought up that night and put in the cage with mom.  The last kitten was caught last night and will go to the shelter this morning.  All the cats have been very easy to deal with so that is a relief.

Such great news!!!!!!!!  I am so happy that all kitties have been trapped.  What will happen to them now after spaying/neutering?

It is a no kill shelter so they can stay there until they are adopted.  Even if they have to go to a barn, the shelter is picky about the barns it lets the cats go to and the owners have to feed the cats (not an "eat what you kill" situation).  I am still hopeful that they can be adopted into a home because they weren't acting at all aggressive when they were caught.  My friend who helped trap was talking about adopting mama cat but she already has six cats so she didn't know it that would be a good idea.

dahlia said:

 
It is a no kill shelter so they can stay there until they are adopted.  Even if they have to go to a barn, the shelter is picky about the barns it lets the cats go to and the owners have to feed the cats (not an "eat what you kill" situation).  I am still hopeful that they can be adopted into a home because they weren't acting at all aggressive when they were caught.  My friend who helped trap was talking about adopting mama cat but she already has six cats so she didn't know it that would be a good idea.

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Such good news for all the kitties.  Thank you for saving all of them!