Hi everyone,
I live in a suburb area that is not apart of a home development or association. I have lived on my street for 20 plus years. I currently teach (new profession out of college) and to save money, I live with my parents (really nice people). I have never left home. A few years ago, a kitten ended up in my backyard. I tried to grab it but it evaded me. The kitten lived through scraps until i realized it was alive. So i fed it, and by the time I got a hold of it to neuter (yes neuter, because I thought it was a boy), it had a couple litters. By the time I spayed and neutered everyone, I had a colony of 12 community cats. Yes, they were sterilized and vaccinated, and even developed a feeding system with them. They kept their distance from me but lived in the big backyard.
Fast forward to the next year, a white cat (A) appeared and started hanging around my front yard. It turns out, its neighbor left it and her two small kittens behind after an eviction but they survived. Mom was pregnant so we spayed her and neutered her two boys (B) and (C). They spent half of their time in the house and the remaining time outside, so we microchip them. They act like my dog. I have one dog and a disable cat that prefers to have the house. She tolerates the other three cats but only for half days. The other cats are fine with this because they will stay outside my house on the porch or cross the street and stay by my brother.
Okay, so here's the problem. There are a lot of cats in my neighborhood. Several of these cats are spraying and in heat. None of my cats are because they are all sterilized. They are also non-aggressive. A few houses down, my neighbor sets a trap and manages to catch B. I spent the morning driving my car and walking and managed to call out to him and get a response a few houses away. I look and the neighbor is outside, he is not happy. B is in a trap and neuter cage. Neighbor says he was going to drop him off at the Animal Control Agency (not the Humane Society :0). He says there are tons of cats running around spraying in his yard. His dog can't come outside because of them. He says there are leash laws (Florida) and you can't have your animal running around. If he catches my cat, B, running around again he will drop him off at the Animal Control Agency.
So, I am not sure what to do. I know my cat is not aggressive and he is not spraying because he longer possesses his balls. I have seen bigger and stronger feral cats that are running around the neighborhood that are not neutered and I'm pretty sure B is getting blamed for it. I am angry because I had these cats, spayed or neutered, and vaccinated. Those that are feral have the chipped ear and I keep track of them every single day. So I don't know what to do. I love A,B, and C. What we have works. They spend time in and out, they are healthy, up to code, and safe. But i was so frightened and flabbergasted to day, I am afraid I'll have to give them up? Am I legally wrong and do I have any choices?
I live in a suburb area that is not apart of a home development or association. I have lived on my street for 20 plus years. I currently teach (new profession out of college) and to save money, I live with my parents (really nice people). I have never left home. A few years ago, a kitten ended up in my backyard. I tried to grab it but it evaded me. The kitten lived through scraps until i realized it was alive. So i fed it, and by the time I got a hold of it to neuter (yes neuter, because I thought it was a boy), it had a couple litters. By the time I spayed and neutered everyone, I had a colony of 12 community cats. Yes, they were sterilized and vaccinated, and even developed a feeding system with them. They kept their distance from me but lived in the big backyard.
Fast forward to the next year, a white cat (A) appeared and started hanging around my front yard. It turns out, its neighbor left it and her two small kittens behind after an eviction but they survived. Mom was pregnant so we spayed her and neutered her two boys (B) and (C). They spent half of their time in the house and the remaining time outside, so we microchip them. They act like my dog. I have one dog and a disable cat that prefers to have the house. She tolerates the other three cats but only for half days. The other cats are fine with this because they will stay outside my house on the porch or cross the street and stay by my brother.
Okay, so here's the problem. There are a lot of cats in my neighborhood. Several of these cats are spraying and in heat. None of my cats are because they are all sterilized. They are also non-aggressive. A few houses down, my neighbor sets a trap and manages to catch B. I spent the morning driving my car and walking and managed to call out to him and get a response a few houses away. I look and the neighbor is outside, he is not happy. B is in a trap and neuter cage. Neighbor says he was going to drop him off at the Animal Control Agency (not the Humane Society :0). He says there are tons of cats running around spraying in his yard. His dog can't come outside because of them. He says there are leash laws (Florida) and you can't have your animal running around. If he catches my cat, B, running around again he will drop him off at the Animal Control Agency.
So, I am not sure what to do. I know my cat is not aggressive and he is not spraying because he longer possesses his balls. I have seen bigger and stronger feral cats that are running around the neighborhood that are not neutered and I'm pretty sure B is getting blamed for it. I am angry because I had these cats, spayed or neutered, and vaccinated. Those that are feral have the chipped ear and I keep track of them every single day. So I don't know what to do. I love A,B, and C. What we have works. They spend time in and out, they are healthy, up to code, and safe. But i was so frightened and flabbergasted to day, I am afraid I'll have to give them up? Am I legally wrong and do I have any choices?
