To feed or not to feed, that is the question.

bwilson

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Hello Everyone,

I need some advice on what to do about some ferral cats who have started coming to my door. It all started when we had one of the strays in our area come right up to our door begging for food. We started feeding him and have since adopted him and are in the process of socializing him and introducing him to our resident cats. So far this process is going well. We had him neutered and the whole nine yards and he has been inside for just over a week now.

This brings me to our current dilemma. Since we put out food for our first visitor word must have spread throughout the neighborhood as we have now been visited by another (possibly two) stray/ferral. It's hard to tell if it's one or two new visitors because it's hard to get a good look before it/they run off. I'd like to TNR this cat/cats and continue to feed. My issue is that I will be moving from my current home this time next year, Spring 2018 and would hate to have these cats come to rely on me over the next year only to be abandoned when I leave. I'll be moving over 900 miles away so relocating the ferrals won't be an option. Should I even bother to continue feeding them over the next year? I don't think anyone else is caring for them in the neighborhood or would be willing to. I don't mind caring for them over the next year but don't want to set them up for failure down the road. Should I at least TNR and then stop feeding? Or should I care for them and deal with the issue when I get ready to move?
 

anahidrose

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My gut is TNR as many as you can..you have a year to get a lot of good work done...
 

shadowsrescue

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Definitely TNR.  The cat (s) may turn out to be more stray than feral.  At that point it might be possible to take them with you and have them in your new home.  Also if they are more stray, you might be able to find someone to adopt them.  Also what about any neighbors that might take over for you?  
 
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bwilson

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A anahidrose thanks for the response. I definitely plan to TNR my question is should I continue to feed afterwards? If I feed them for a year and then move away won't that be harmful to the cats that come to rely on me for food?

shadowsrescue shadowsrescue thanks for your response. Unfortunately I won't be able to take these cats with me when I move. I already have three of my own and will be moving across country from TN to CT and I am not comfortable moving that many cats that great a distance. I plan to TNR but I am questioning if I should continue to feed since one day I won't be around. I don't know if anyone in the neighborhood would be willing to take over but I'm not very optimistic. I live in a lower income neighborhood and the average people dont seem to care much for pets here in the south. I just don't want to feed them for a year and then leave them high and dry after a year of steady food.
 

shadowsrescue

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Is there a possibility that any of them are more stray than feral and could be adopted?  You might want to contact a rescue group and see if they could help.  Also some cats do well as barn cats if you can find a place for them that will allow them to live in the barns.  You just want to be sure that the cats will be fed cat food as well as using their skills to hunt.
 

Primula

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A anahidrose thanks for the response. I definitely plan to TNR my question is should I continue to feed afterwards? If I feed them for a year and then move away won't that be harmful to the cats that come to rely on me for food?

shadowsrescue shadowsrescue thanks for your response. Unfortunately I won't be able to take these cats with me when I move. I already have three of my own and will be moving across country from TN to CT and I am not comfortable moving that many cats that great a distance. I plan to TNR but I am questioning if I should continue to feed since one day I won't be around. I don't know if anyone in the neighborhood would be willing to take over but I'm not very optimistic. I live in a lower income neighborhood and the average people dont seem to care much for pets here in the south. I just don't want to feed them for a year and then leave them high and dry after a year of steady food.
I think the first thing I would do is figure out which cats are adoptable. Have them fixed & leave them in a no-kill shelter to be adopted. Do this first & see how many are left. I would definitely not start feeding a colony if I know I am moving elsewhere next year. Colony cats totally depend on the person who is feeding them.
 
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bwilson

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Primula Primula thank you that's more or less what I was asking. I made some progress today I got close enough to pet one and he couldn't get enough once we got past his initial trepidation. He's in pretty bad shape though. One of the tips of his ears are missing and his paw seems to have a claw he can't retract and it looks infected as well. The fact that he was very loving after he got over his initial fear tells me he might be adoptable.
 

shadowsrescue

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@Primula thank you that's more or less what I was asking. I made some progress today I got close enough to pet one and he couldn't get enough once we got past his initial trepidation. He's in pretty bad shape though. One of the tips of his ears are missing and his paw seems to have a claw he can't retract and it looks infected as well. The fact that he was very loving after he got over his initial fear tells me he might be adoptable.
Yes, he does sound adoptable.  If one of the tips of his ears is missing, he may have been spayed/neutered as cats can be ear tipped to designate they have been spayed/neutered.  Yet, it also could be a fight that caused the issue. This one is definitely a candidate to be adopted.
 
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bwilson

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shadowsrescue shadowsrescue I never knew about eartipping until I started researching online but I don't think this was the case with this guy. It didn't look like a clean cut, and the tip (what's left of it) is black and scabby looking. I'm going to call a local shelter tomorrow and see if they will take him. He's going to need some TLC. He has a claw that looks infected too and I don't think he can retract it.
 

Primula

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shadowsrescue shadowsrescue I never knew about eartipping until I started researching online but I don't think this was the case with this guy. It didn't look like a clean cut, and the tip (what's left of it) is black and scabby looking. I'm going to call a local shelter tomorrow and see if they will take him. He's going to need some TLC. He has a claw that looks infected too and I don't think he can retract it.
If you can afford to, make them a donation, especially if you think you may be taking them more cats.
 

catwoman707

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If his ears are white it may be early ear cancer.

If you take him to the shelter he will likely not ever come out. 

This poor guy was clearly abandoned, and has hoped and waited for so long for someone to care about him again.

It's all about TNR, and I would feed them afterwards too, you have an entire year until the move, and you never can tell what will happen or who you might meet in that period of time, so please feed them, you will sure make their tough life easier, if even for a year.
 
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bwilson

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catwoman707 catwoman707 he has gray on his ears and it looks like it's scabbed from a fight. What I worry about is his claw. I got a better look at it today and it looks like it's protruding out of the side of his toe and is infected he might have to lose that claw. I called the shelter today and this is what I was told if he's adoptable they will put him up for adoption, if for whatever reason he's not adoptable they offer them to farmers as barn cats, if those two options fail then they will treat and I'll have to release him back into the neighborhood. He is so friendly and actually does not leave my porch now. Been sitting out there for about 4 hrs now so I think as long as he's healthy he will be adoptable. Going to try and get him in the carrier to bring him tomorrow. I almost had him today but he got out. I'll keep everyone updated.
 
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bwilson

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Primula Primula I plan on dropping off some food with him. I planned on feeding him myself anyway so I don't mind helping them feed him. If I didn't have three of my own already I would take him in. One of my three I took in from the neighborhood just last week so he is still transitioning and I don't think I could handle another right now.
 

catwoman707

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Aww what a handsome sweet boy!

Yes, his ear color wouldn't be cancer thankfully. Likely just what you said, he's not neutered and is getting in fights, poor guy.

Fighting is scary because not only can they do some serious damage but those deep bites are what causes the spread of FIV and FELV.

He doesn't look like he has FELV though. FIV he'd have to be tested to know.

The shelter sounds like the way to go as long as you are positive they will not euthanize him.

What if he tests pos for FIV, will they then? Probably so.
 
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bwilson

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catwoman707 catwoman707 I will find out today but I'll be sure to tell them not to euthanize before I leave him with them. He is a very sweet boy but I think he's grown a little too fond of me. He won't leave our porch now and meows at the door all night. I feel bad for the poor guy and I hope the shelter can help him. I don't mind feeding but him meowing at the door all night is not going to work out well. I live in a duplex and I'm sure my neighbor isn't going to appreciate him meowing all hours of the night. I'll update later on once I get him to the shelter.
 
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bwilson

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Primula Primula it sounds better than him being out in the cold and bad weather. Being a barn cat he would at least have a warm place to stay during winter, and a steady access to food. Plus he would be able to hunt and socialize with other barn cats. I think ideally being adopted to a family would be preferred but I would feel better about him being a barn cat vs just being an outside cat.
 

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My county does free TNR for strays and ferals and prefers first to have them returned outdoors to the property/colony they came from.     If they can’t be released to the same property for whatever reason, they put them up as barn cats.   Unfortunately, if the cat is too wild and there are just too many barn cats available, they euthanize them.

I asked the county to let me know when the feral I just took inside as “my cat” was ready to be picked up.   She was supposed to be TNR and released to her feral colony next door to my office.   They didn’t call me.   When I called to follow up, they had put her in the “barn cats for adoption” area.   I went and got her.   The moral of that story is that even if you tell the shelter not to euthanize the cat, you need to follow up and not count on them.   They have too many animals coming and going, particularly this time of year.
 
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bwilson

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@Orange&White the local shelter here where I live does a pretty good job of finding cats homes but I understand what you are saying. I will be sure to follow up wirh the shelter. I can't take this cat in but I am invested in his well being. Personally I don't think it will coMe to the barn cat program. I truly believe he will get adopted but I will be sure to stay on top of it. I'll update the forum when I get any updates.
 
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