I'm glad you know that no one meant to hurt you, but to give you the best advice we could. It is frightening to think of our beloved pets dying young. I would get in touch with Alley Cat Allies, one of the links I gave you. It is a terrible dilemma. If you don't feed them they won't be as healthy, although they'll live on rodents and birds. But if you do feed them you are taking responsibility for them, and they will breed more and more kittens. That really does add to the overpopulation problem, as we explained.
I suggest you make a chicken wire enclosure, and get one neutered or spayed at a time, while you search for more help. Better yet, with the salary of a scientist you should be able to manage payments on a credit card. It really would be better take care of all of them right now. Otherwise, you won't have ten cats. You'll have at least four more for each female every few months. Then someone else will have to feed them when you move, and the whole thing will start all over againg. You can see what a problem we have. There are spay and neuter programs for ferals and strays in many municipalities. Please do some research. Good luck. Please keep us informed.
I suggest you make a chicken wire enclosure, and get one neutered or spayed at a time, while you search for more help. Better yet, with the salary of a scientist you should be able to manage payments on a credit card. It really would be better take care of all of them right now. Otherwise, you won't have ten cats. You'll have at least four more for each female every few months. Then someone else will have to feed them when you move, and the whole thing will start all over againg. You can see what a problem we have. There are spay and neuter programs for ferals and strays in many municipalities. Please do some research. Good luck. Please keep us informed.