Discovered Cat Colony, Need Advice

[donxavier]

I'm brand new to this site and looking for some advice.

I live in Mesa, Arizona and, about a month ago, came across this colony of, what I assume, are feral cats, living in an outdoor storage area, which is encircled by a barbed wire fence. That area has a few junked out looking semitrailers that these cats seem to take refuge in. The owner of that storage area is said to live out of state but no one seems to know exactly who that person is.

From my observations over the last few weeks I would guesstimate that the colony size is about 14-16 cats, with several kittens in the mix. I've been feeding them and providing water

A couple of the adults in the colony do not look healthy. I also worry about the welfare of the kittens what with our harsh summer months looming so close on the horizon. I want to help these cats but as they're on private property I don't know what I can do. I've been feeding them and giving them water, as I can, but there must be something more I can do.

I've attached photos to this thread for reference.

Any advice or direction would be greatly appreciated.

 

[kittyluv387]

Thanks for caring about them! What you need to get done is trap neuter and return (TNR). All this is costly so you need to partner up with cat welfare organizations in the area to reimburse you for at least a portion of these costs. Ideally they would help you trap or at least loan you some traps.

 

[Jcatbird]

Arizona has some of the kindest feral cat laws around! @azpops Could you give some tips here?
Spay and neuter are very important. Google the feral cat laws in your area. Also google feral rescues there. The feral Cat coalition might be of help and the National Spay Alliance. I understand the issue of going onto private property. You can find the owner through county or city courthouse records. If it is a corporation it might be difficult to get their attention though. Try the cat rescue groups there first. They will have a better idea about regulations there. You can lure the kitties out and into traps though. The kittens could be socialized to be adopted if you can manage that or to find someone else willing. Ants will probably become an issue with the food and water. There are any proof dishes that you can get. Predators can be a problem if you leave food out too long. Feed them and then remove leftovers. Right now it is a fairly small colony so the sooner you google the information, the better. I think you are fantastic for helping the kitties. You are saving lives! Thank you!
Welcome to the site. I’m sure you will be getting other responses and suggestions. Please keep us updated and also post back if you need further assistance. You are not alone in your efforts!

 

[donxavier]

Thanks for your swift, and helpful, responses to my post. I do appreciate it.

I'm not concerned about the cost, but I know this is something I cannot do alone.

My concern about reaching out to the owner of the property, assuming I can find them, is that they might just kill the cats to be quickly done with the whole affair.

Would the kittens actually crawl out from under the fence to come to the trap and, if they did, wouldn't you have to have several traps out in order to get them all?

 

[1 bruce 1]

If you reach out to the owner, tell them you're willing to take on all costs, all work and effort and want to help them (the cats and property owner both, by keeping the population from growing.) It's possible, rare but possible they're in a financial situation that has gotten out of hand and they'd welcome the help.
I don't know how this legal stuff works, so maybe contacting a rescue organization with more experience with the laws and things in Arizona might be the first step (aside from keeping them fed) would be a good choice.
It's really cool you're wanting to help them. Hang around the site and ask questions. A lot of the members here are very experienced in this sort of thing and should be able to help you a lot.
Welcome aboard, D donxavier

 

[Jcatbird]

I researched laws in Arizona once before for someone but laws change all the time. Back then your state had many protective laws. Killing the cats could happen but if you contact the groups I mentioned or one in your area you should get current information. If you can’t then people here can assist with info. We are not lawyers though. At least I’m not. Lol
As for catching kitties, you can do one trap at a time or many. It is possible to get more than one kitten in a trap but you never know. I suggest you set the amount of traps that would contain the amount of kitties you can handle at once.
Your first step is to obtain traps and contact a Spay/neuter vet. Get things set up in advance of catching them. To trap you will need to do it and be there when the cat is caught. You cannot just leave traps set and show up the next day to get the kitties. After trapping you will need to cover the trap and take the kitty to a safe place, like a quiet room in your home, until you can get it to a vet. I’d really like to see you have local help but we can guide you through the process if you can’t get help. First things first. Do you know a vet? That would be my first call. A humane society could give you guidance too. You don’t have to tell them where the kitties are located unless you feel it is okay. I am going to send you a private message with a little more local information if I can get a message through to you.

 

[1 bruce 1]

I researched laws in Arizona once before for someone but laws change all the time. Back then your state had many protective laws. Killing the cats could happen but if you contact the groups I mentioned or one in your area you should get current information. If you can’t then people here can assist with info. We are not lawyers though. At least I’m not. Lol
As for catching kitties, you can do one trap at a time or many. It is possible to get more than one kitten in a trap but you never know. I suggest you set the amount of traps that would contain the amount of kitties you can handle at once.
Your first step is to obtain traps and contact a Spay/neuter vet. Get things set up in advance of catching them. To trap you will need to do it and be there when the cat is caught. You cannot just leave traps set and show up the next day to get the kitties. After trapping you will need to cover the trap and take the kitty to a safe place, like a quiet room in your home, until you can get it to a vet. I’d really like to see you have local help but we can guide you through the process if you can’t get help. First things first. Do you know a vet? That would be my first call. A humane society could give you guidance too. You don’t have to tell them where the kitties are located unless you feel it is okay. I am going to send you a private message with a little more local information if I can get a message through to you.

Jcatbird you never fail to amaze me

 

[Jcatbird]

Jcatbird you never fail to amaze me

Aww! Thanks! I just love finding great people who are loving kitties and life. I see you doing the same kind of stuff. I am amazed by your efforts too! Together we can all make a difference.