On moving an entire cat colony

[KevinTempe]

My family has a dilemma and we hope someone has some recommendations.

My 80-year-old mother lived in an apartment triplex for over 10 years during which time she fed feral cats. Last year, a new management company evicted her for feeding these cats after a new, and extremely mean tenant, not only pestered them, the HSUS, and the police, but terrorized my mom and the neighbors. Before Mom was evicted, a local veterinary college was able to trap and spay/neuter all the un-fixed feral cats, a population of 15.

A year after the eviction, my mom has continued feeding the feral cats in the condo complex next door to the triplex with the permission of the complex owner (but the crazy tenant still accosts my mother and throws away all the cat dishes each day). Whenever condo renters complain to or threaten my mom, the owner notifies the tenants that he has given my mom full permission to feed the cats.

The problem is that the condo owner sold the complex at the end of February. Since my mom has been banned from the apartment triplex and will no longer have access to the condos, the only place to feed the cats is on the sidewalks. There is nothing to stop residents of the complexes from threatening my mom or calling the police, which has happened in the past.

We do not want to abandon the cats, and my mom continues driving a mile at 3AM and 4PM each day to feed them, but if my mom is prevented from feeding them, we do not know what to do.

A sympathetic tenant is moving out of the triplex in two weeks. For the past year, she has allowed 6 of the ferals to sleep on her porch. Now that she is leaving, she and my mom have decided to trap the 6 cats and bring them to my mom's new apartment complex (which abounds in cats and is the reason we placed her there). So, I have two questions for you:

1. The complex is set back among a number of small to large complexes on a cul-de-sac. How should she acclimate the cats to the area so they don't run off (My mom has already and firmly decided on the move because the 6 cats are now less feral and if left behind, the mean lady or the management company will likely do something to them.)

2. What about moving the whole colony? I don't like this idea because colonies are supposed to stay put and I think some of the ferals may just come for extra meals each day and have stable caregivers where they are already fed. I wouldn't want to take cats away from their homes. The problem is that Mom cannot continue her daily commutes for much longer, and I live too far to feed them. If we moved them to her complex, she wouldn't have to commute AND we could easily trap them when they needed medical care (which we can't now except on public sidewalks, and which calls even more attention to my mom's activities). If something happened to Mom in the future, I could trap the remaining cats and bring them to my cat-fenced backyard (I can't now because I have taken her feral queens and kittens over the years, and I have about 6 left. But, in the future, I could).

I would appreciate any insights or suggestions.

Kevin


Thanks,

 

[Jcatbird]

First, I think you area fantastic person to share the concerns of your mother. Second, I applaud your mother for going to such great lengths to help those cats. You are hero’s in my book!
Moving a colony can be done but it carries certain risks for feral in particular. The hard part is getting the kitties to understand that the new location is home. The usual procedure is to confine the cats in some sort of enclosure that allows them to view/observe their new surroundings for at least a couple of weeks. They can try to return to their previous home which can be a dangerous thing depending upon distance and location. Any chance of Mother keeping the semi ferals inside for awhile? Would the new location allow a catio to be temporarily or permanently erected to allow the kitties an adjustment period? You mention a colony of cats already established there. The kitties will need to be integrated into the colony outside. I know this all sounds intimidating but there are processes that can be followed. There are no guarrantees that all will adjust perfectly. Every cat is different. Since there is a cat hater at the complex, I certainly understand why your mother feels the kitties should be moved. I would worry too. If animal control gets involved it could go badly. It depends a lot on where you live. Animal control and nearly all shelters in my area are high kill shelters.

Just so you know, I had to bring in ferals that were at high risk from a very bad human. All became socialized. A few are still skittish around unknown humans but all will allow me to hold them and many became total lap cats. I was able to get most of the kitties into adoptive homes.
There is a process to this but since some of these cats know your mom, it is very possible.
Are there any feral or rescue groups in your area? You may want to do a google search for feral rescues ( with the name of your city, town, county and state) to see if there are others who can help relocate the kitties or even socialize for adoption. Since the spays and Neuters are done, you are already a step ahead. Bravo on all that has been done!
Best friends.org has some good information about helping TNRs and the rights of ferals but every county and state is different. I don’t know if you have researched whether ferals are protected in your area but worth checking. Cruelty towards any animal is a crime but catching the crime is difficult. The person who dislikes cats there may actually relax if they don’t see the cats getting attention. I, like your mom, would persist to help the kitties in any way possible. Perhaps the new complex owner will understand that having a colony is huge plus! In fact, we had a relevant thread started with a piece about that today. I’ll go find it and come back with a link. Feral cats are the best pest control you can ever get! A little food and they are paid! People seek out “Barn Cats” these days for exactly that purpose. You could try to educate the new complex owners.
I send you and your mom all my very best hopes and wishes for this project. Please do keep us updated here and ask any questions that come up. It is my pleasure and an honor to meet you! Welcome to TCS!

 

[Jcatbird]

The benefits of free-roamingCats to Society

You’ll have to click on this link and once in the thread, click on the link there about the advantages of free roaming cats. Educating the new complex owner might provide the colony with a safe and permanent home if management understands the advantages of giving out food. Since the colony has had TNR, there won’t be breeding. Any shelter that could be provided brings a promise of advantages to both cats and people in the area. Simple shelters can be porches, breezeways or uncomplicated shelters which can be easily and inexpensively provided if you get that far. That info can be provided for you.

 

[maggiedemi]

Bless you and your mom for caring about these cats.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!

some of the ferals may just come for extra meals each day and have stable caregivers where they are already fed.

(but the crazy tenant still accosts my mother and throws away all the cat dishes each day)

I agree with your mother and Jcatbird that the cats need to be moved.
Because, Number One;

there is a cat hater at the complex,

which means those cats are at risk all the time. I don't know if there is a way to confirm or verify if they're being fed elsewhere. One of the rescue groups, listed below may have thoughts on that.

Number Two, your mother DOES NOT need to have this harrassment and nasty ugliness in her life on a twice daily basis.

The main thing in moving the entire batch of cats, whether six and nine to separate locations or all 15 to the same new place, other than the physical trapping of them is as mentioned to have a way to contain them for about a month so they don't try to return to the original location.

(which abounds in cats and is the reason we placed her there).

I'm more than a little concerned that there are already a lot of cats in this location.

Your mother's focus obviously isn't on the cats at the new location, or is she feeding them as well? Have they been neutered/spayed? Was moving to this new location her idea? If she is able and capable of commuting to take care of the other cats twice a day, I most certainly hope so rather than the decision being made for her.

You have six cats. It would seem to me that your location should be included in this discussion now rather than later, unless you're able to contact rescue groups that have other/better ideas for how to go about getting the cats out of a high-risk location and managing their placement, introductions etc.

As mentioned, there is Bestfriends Pet Care Information , there is this AnimalRescue directory AnimalRescueDirectory.net and there is also this organization Alleycat Allies Home

 

[Norachan]

Hello Kevin.

Thank you so much for considering the well being of these cats. It is possible to move a whole feral colony, but it takes patience, planning and a lot of hard work.

I moved a colony of 23 cats when I moved house about six years ago.

Does your Mother's place have it's own back yard? Or a spare room she could keep the cats in while they get used to their new place? Cats have to be kept crated or indoors for at least 4 weeks after being relocated, longer of possible. I was fortunate enough to have my own house a 30 minute drive from the place I was renting (Where the colony was originally located) so I was able to trap them and move them in groups of 2 or 3, leaving them locked in the empty house until the whole colony and I moved to the new place.

If your Mother can keep them all in one room while they get used to their new home all they will need is plenty of covered cardboard boxes or beds to hide in, food, water and lots of litter boxes.

If she has a yard she will need covered crates that each cat can have food, water and a litter box in.

Cats tend to just hunker down and hide when they're in unfamiliar territory. Providing them with a safe hiding place and giving them time to get used to the sounds and smells of the new neighborhood will make it easier on them.

Some people believe that removing all the feral cats from an area create a vacuum effect and more cats will move in to take there place. This is true if there is a reason for the new cats to move in, such as a food source. If the whole colony is removed and no one in the neighborhood starts leaving out food it's unlikely that a new colony will form.

What about the cats that are at your mother's current address? Are they all TNR'd? Is she feeding them too? It is possible to integrate new comers into an established colony, but I've only done this with one cat at a time. Integrating two groups might be more difficult, unless your mother has a back yard she can turn into an enclosure for the new cats.

Please let us know a little more about the situation and we'll try to give you some advice.

 

[Jcatbird]

You got great information from the previous post. Norachan knows about relocating cats.

If the colony at your Moms new home has not had spays and neuters, I hope you can find help to work on that. There are many groups in the US that try to help with funding or provide vouchers to aid paying.

 

[tarasgirl06]

My family has a dilemma and we hope someone has some recommendations.

My 80-year-old mother lived in an apartment triplex for over 10 years during which time she fed feral cats. Last year, a new management company evicted her for feeding these cats after a new, and extremely mean tenant, not only pestered them, the HSUS, and the police, but terrorized my mom and the neighbors. Before Mom was evicted, a local veterinary college was able to trap and spay/neuter all the un-fixed feral cats, a population of 15.

A year after the eviction, my mom has continued feeding the feral cats in the condo complex next door to the triplex with the permission of the complex owner (but the crazy tenant still accosts my mother and throws away all the cat dishes each day). Whenever condo renters complain to or threaten my mom, the owner notifies the tenants that he has given my mom full permission to feed the cats.

The problem is that the condo owner sold the complex at the end of February. Since my mom has been banned from the apartment triplex and will no longer have access to the condos, the only place to feed the cats is on the sidewalks. There is nothing to stop residents of the complexes from threatening my mom or calling the police, which has happened in the past.

We do not want to abandon the cats, and my mom continues driving a mile at 3AM and 4PM each day to feed them, but if my mom is prevented from feeding them, we do not know what to do.

A sympathetic tenant is moving out of the triplex in two weeks. For the past year, she has allowed 6 of the ferals to sleep on her porch. Now that she is leaving, she and my mom have decided to trap the 6 cats and bring them to my mom's new apartment complex (which abounds in cats and is the reason we placed her there). So, I have two questions for you:

1. The complex is set back among a number of small to large complexes on a cul-de-sac. How should she acclimate the cats to the area so they don't run off (My mom has already and firmly decided on the move because the 6 cats are now less feral and if left behind, the mean lady or the management company will likely do something to them.)

2. What about moving the whole colony? I don't like this idea because colonies are supposed to stay put and I think some of the ferals may just come for extra meals each day and have stable caregivers where they are already fed. I wouldn't want to take cats away from their homes. The problem is that Mom cannot continue her daily commutes for much longer, and I live too far to feed them. If we moved them to her complex, she wouldn't have to commute AND we could easily trap them when they needed medical care (which we can't now except on public sidewalks, and which calls even more attention to my mom's activities). If something happened to Mom in the future, I could trap the remaining cats and bring them to my cat-fenced backyard (I can't now because I have taken her feral queens and kittens over the years, and I have about 6 left. But, in the future, I could).

I would appreciate any insights or suggestions.

Kevin


Thanks,

STRONGLY suggest you contact alleycat.org, the website of Alley Cat Allies, the global advocacy for free-roaming cats; also you might want to contact bestfriends.org, the website of Best Friends Animal Society -- they are wonderful in helping cats. Then, you might use your computer's search engine (google, bing) to bring up listings for cat rescues/sanctuaries in (your general location, or state) and see animalrescuedirectory.net where you can click on your State and see listings of groups in your area that may be helpful. THANK YOU for your labors of love for the cats we love so much.

 

[KevinTempe]

First, I think you area fantastic person to share the concerns of your mother. Second, I applaud your mother for going to such great lengths to help those cats. You are hero’s in my book!
Moving a colony can be done but it carries certain risks for feral in particular. The hard part is getting the kitties to understand that the new location is home. The usual procedure is to confine the cats in some sort of enclosure that allows them to view/observe their new surroundings for at least a couple of weeks. They can try to return to their previous home which can be a dangerous thing depending upon distance and location. Any chance of Mother keeping the semi ferals inside for awhile? Would the new location allow a catio to be temporarily or permanently erected to allow the kitties an adjustment period? You mention a colony of cats already established there. The kitties will need to be integrated into the colony outside. I know this all sounds intimidating but there are processes that can be followed. There are no guarrantees that all will adjust perfectly. Every cat is different. Since there is a cat hater at the complex, I certainly understand why your mother feels the kitties should be moved. I would worry too. If animal control gets involved it could go badly. It depends a lot on where you live. Animal control and nearly all shelters in my area are high kill shelters.

Just so you know, I had to bring in ferals that were at high risk from a very bad human. All became socialized. A few are still skittish around unknown humans but all will allow me to hold them and many became total lap cats. I was able to get most of the kitties into adoptive homes.
There is a process to this but since some of these cats know your mom, it is very possible.
Are there any feral or rescue groups in your area? You may want to do a google search for feral rescues ( with the name of your city, town, county and state) to see if there are others who can help relocate the kitties or even socialize for adoption. Since the spays and Neuters are done, you are already a step ahead. Bravo on all that has been done!
Best friends.org has some good information about helping TNRs and the rights of ferals but every county and state is different. I don’t know if you have researched whether ferals are protected in your area but worth checking. Cruelty towards any animal is a crime but catching the crime is difficult. The person who dislikes cats there may actually relax if they don’t see the cats getting attention. I, like your mom, would persist to help the kitties in any way possible. Perhaps the new complex owner will understand that having a colony is huge plus! In fact, we had a relevant thread started with a piece about that today. I’ll go find it and come back with a link. Feral cats are the best pest control you can ever get! A little food and they are paid! People seek out “Barn Cats” these days for exactly that purpose. You could try to educate the new complex owners.
I send you and your mom all my very best hopes and wishes for this project. Please do keep us updated here and ask any questions that come up. It is my pleasure and an honor to meet you! Welcome to TCS!

Thank you for your kind words and encouragement. We really needed them.

I contacted all the local animal rescue organizations in the East Valley area of Phoenix, AZ months ago, and none replied to my emails. I have worked with TNR organizations for years, but they offer advice that varies by person and the organizations do not advocate moving populations so they have no practical advice like you do. That is why I turned to TCS. I am so glad it exists.

Luckily, Tempe is a city that advocates TNR, although if someone traps a feral cat, the pound will euthanize it for a $30 fee. I fear the owners of the properties or the mean lady will poison the cats or take them to the pound.

After reading your post, we have made some decisions. First, my mom is not going to feed the cats in the afternoon anymore because that is when the mean lady is at home and the area is full of activity. Instead, she is going to double up on the food at the 3AM feeding when nobody is around. The afternoon cats will be upset over the change, but hopefully, they will learn to come in the early morning
instead.

Second, the first 6 cats will reside in my mom's bedroom for a few weeks. She also has a very small, fenced patio (about 6'x3') of her bedroom that she will put a tarp over. After the first few weeks, she will let them out there so they can get used to the scents, and a couple of weeks later, we will remove the tarp so they can jump out if they want. I hope they do not try to return to the old complex because that is a couple of miles away, across a high traffic area and a big university campus. does this sound like a good plan?

Third, once the first 6 are acclimated we will attempt to get the rest of them the same way.

The cats at the new apartment are all spayed and neutered and cared for by the next-door neighbor. The neighbor is fine with the additions.

Thanks to all of you and all you do to help cats!

 

[KevinTempe]

Hi!




I agree with your mother and Jcatbird that the cats need to be moved.
Because, Number One;

which means those cats are at risk all the time. I don't know if there is a way to confirm or verify if they're being fed elsewhere. One of the rescue groups, listed below may have thoughts on that.

Number Two, your mother DOES NOT need to have this harrassment and nasty ugliness in her life on a twice daily basis.

The main thing in moving the entire batch of cats, whether six and nine to separate locations or all 15 to the same new place, other than the physical trapping of them is as mentioned to have a way to contain them for about a month so they don't try to return to the original location.


I'm more than a little concerned that there are already a lot of cats in this location.

Your mother's focus obviously isn't on the cats at the new location, or is she feeding them as well? Have they been neutered/spayed? Was moving to this new location her idea? If she is able and capable of commuting to take care of the other cats twice a day, I most certainly hope so rather than the decision being made for her.

You have six cats. It would seem to me that your location should be included in this discussion now rather than later, unless you're able to contact rescue groups that have other/better ideas for how to go about getting the cats out of a high-risk location and managing their placement, introductions etc.

As mentioned, there is Bestfriends Pet Care Information , there is this AnimalRescue directory AnimalRescueDirectory.net and there is also this organization Alleycat Allies Home

Thank you for your kind words and advice.

I will investigate the suggested sites which might have more ideas for protecting the cats.

When my mom was evicted, the neighbor (who's porch the ferals have been sleeping on) told my mom about the complex where her own mom lives and takes care of a dozen feral and tame cats. My mom now lives next door to her. There are cats everywhere: in the trees, on the roofs, in the apartment rafters. All the tenants of the 12 apartments have cats too, though officially, each tenant is only allowed one pet. The neighbor has trapped and fixed all of the cats and takes them to the vet when necessary.

I do not want to risk bringing any more cats into my yard at this time because a) I don't want to upset the lives of the six, and b) I also have a mean neighbor who deliberately broke my cat fence once, which allowed a few cats to escape. If that happens again, my 6 will not leave but any new ones might. However, if I will move my mom's cats to my yard if it becomes a necessity.

 

[KevinTempe]

Hello Kevin.

Thank you so much for considering the well being of these cats. It is possible to move a whole feral colony, but it takes patience, planning and a lot of hard work.

I moved a colony of 23 cats when I moved house about six years ago.

Does your Mother's place have it's own back yard? Or a spare room she could keep the cats in while they get used to their new place? Cats have to be kept crated or indoors for at least 4 weeks after being relocated, longer of possible. I was fortunate enough to have my own house a 30 minute drive from the place I was renting (Where the colony was originally located) so I was able to trap them and move them in groups of 2 or 3, leaving them locked in the empty house until the whole colony and I moved to the new place.

If your Mother can keep them all in one room while they get used to their new home all they will need is plenty of covered cardboard boxes or beds to hide in, food, water and lots of litter boxes.

If she has a yard she will need covered crates that each cat can have food, water and a litter box in.

Cats tend to just hunker down and hide when they're in unfamiliar territory. Providing them with a safe hiding place and giving them time to get used to the sounds and smells of the new neighborhood will make it easier on them.

Some people believe that removing all the feral cats from an area create a vacuum effect and more cats will move in to take there place. This is true if there is a reason for the new cats to move in, such as a food source. If the whole colony is removed and no one in the neighborhood starts leaving out food it's unlikely that a new colony will form.

What about the cats that are at your mother's current address? Are they all TNR'd? Is she feeding them too? It is possible to integrate new comers into an established colony, but I've only done this with one cat at a time. Integrating two groups might be more difficult, unless your mother has a back yard she can turn into an enclosure for the new cats.

Please let us know a little more about the situation and we'll try to give you some advice.

Hi,

23 cats! Wow, that is quite a feat. God bless you for that!

Thank you for your advice. We will definitely fill her bedroom and the patio with cat carriers and boxes so they have can hide an feel safe. Great idea.

I don't think the removal of the colony will create a vacuum. She lived/lives near a university of 80,000 students. These students leave their cats behind when they leave school. I lived in the area for 20 years, and despite trapping all the time, I always had a newly abandoned cat on my porch or females with kittens. One reason the city council voted for a TNR policy is that there are so many cats around the campus.

Hopefully, the new cats will get along with the cats who are already at the complex.

 

[KevinTempe]

STRONGLY suggest you contact alleycat.org, the website of Alley Cat Allies, the global advocacy for free-roaming cats; also you might want to contact bestfriends.org, the website of Best Friends Animal Society -- they are wonderful in helping cats. Then, you might use your computer's search engine (google, bing) to bring up listings for cat rescues/sanctuaries in (your general location, or state) and see animalrescuedirectory.net where you can click on your State and see listings of groups in your area that may be helpful. THANK YOU for your labors of love for the cats we love so much.

Thank you for these suggestions. I will definitely look at these sites and conduct some searches.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Thank you for your kind words and encouragement. We really needed them.

I contacted all the local animal rescue organizations in the East Valley area of Phoenix, AZ months ago, and none replied to my emails. I have worked with TNR organizations for years, but they offer advice that varies by person and the organizations do not advocate moving populations so they have no practical advice like you do. That is why I turned to TCS. I am so glad it exists.

Luckily, Tempe is a city that advocates TNR, although if someone traps a feral cat, the pound will euthanize it for a $30 fee. I fear the owners of the properties or the mean lady will poison the cats or take them to the pound.

After reading your post, we have made some decisions. First, my mom is not going to feed the cats in the afternoon anymore because that is when the mean lady is at home and the area is full of activity. Instead, she is going to double up on the food at the 3AM feeding when nobody is around. The afternoon cats will be upset over the change, but hopefully, they will learn to come in the early morning
instead.

Second, the first 6 cats will reside in my mom's bedroom for a few weeks. She also has a very small, fenced patio (about 6'x3') of her bedroom that she will put a tarp over. After the first few weeks, she will let them out there so they can get used to the scents, and a couple of weeks later, we will remove the tarp so they can jump out if they want. I hope they do not try to return to the old complex because that is a couple of miles away, across a high traffic area and a big university campus. does this sound like a good plan?

Third, once the first 6 are acclimated we will attempt to get the rest of them the same way.

The cats at the new apartment are all spayed and neutered and cared for by the next-door neighbor. The neighbor is fine with the additions.

Thanks to all of you and all you do to help cats!

Sounds like excellent strategic planning and it also sounds like it's a very cat-friendly environment except for the mean old so-and-so who may never have known any cats. IMHO people who know and spend time with cats, LOVE cats.

 

[Jcatbird]

It definitely sounds like a plan! The sites suggested are good ones! I hope you find some helpful information. My area got direct help from Bestfriends.org. And it helped save kitties.
The vacuum mentioned by Norachan seems to exist there. As one cat leaves, another takes their place. It so sad that kitties get abandoned. I am glad you live in that area. I actually researched that state previously to try and find help for someone. The laws in most of the state are more favorable to cats than many other places. It seems that people many people are learning to respect kitties as the wonderful and beneficial creatures they are. People like you and your Mom are making a big difference! Thank you for all you have done and are doing! TCS is a great resource so I’m very glad you joined! Please keep us updated.

 

[fionasmom]

You and your mom are really heroes for championing these poor cats. I have nothing else to add except that I agree cats needs to be confined at first so that they become acclimated to the new environment.

 

[tarasgirl06]

It definitely sounds like a plan! The sites suggested are good ones! I hope you find some helpful information. My area got direct help from Bestfriends.org. And it helped save kitties.
The vacuum mentioned by Norachan seems to exist there. As one cat leaves, another takes their place. It so safe that kitties get abandoned. I am glad you live in that area. I actually researched that state previously to try and find help for someone. The laws in most of the state are more favorable to cats than many other places. It seems that people many people are learning to respect kitties as the wonderful and beneficial creatures they are. People like you and your Mom are making a big difference! Thank you for all you have done and are doing! TCS is a great resource so I’m very glad you joined! Please keep us updated.

Yes, I read frequently of policy starting to change, and it's all because of folks like yourself, and organizations like Alleycat Allies and Best Friends and their many, many affiliates. And yes, the "vacuum effect" is definitely real. We've been trying to get this through the thick heads of the haters for decades. Maybe it is FINALLY starting to penetrate. We won't stop, will we?

 

[moxiewild]

Yes, I read frequently of policy starting to change, and it's all because of folks like yourself, and organizations like Alleycat Allies and Best Friends and their many, many affiliates. And yes, the "vacuum effect" is definitely real. We've been trying to get this through the thick heads of the haters for decades. Maybe it is FINALLY starting to penetrate. We won't stop, will we?

Having six feral or semi feral cats in one bedroom - that your mom sleeps in - and removed from their home is a lot. Is she going to be able to handle that alright?

Even just a single friendly stray can become a bit destructive and loud when transitioning indoors. Ferals and semi-ferals have panicked and destroyed walls, blinds, and just about everything else before in my house.

6 adult cats is also a lot for one room just generally speaking - I have 5 kittens 5-7 months old in a room right now and it’s crowded and uncomfortable despite optimizing vertical height. I can’t wait to let them out of there.

And given the high stress situation, 6 adult cats confined to the same room may likely be even worse.

My fear is that this is a potential recipe for fighting, and your mother ending up in the middle of a cat fight could be very, very dangerous for her.

 

[KevinTempe]

Hi,

Thanks for writing. We've had to take in feral cats before, and even feral mothers and their kittens. The difference this time is that my mom is 80 now. Her bedroom is stark and the closet is locked so they can't cause more damage than the expected spraying. So, for the 4-5 weeks they occupy her bedroom, she is going to sleep in her living room where there is also a bed. After the cats are acclimated, we can open the patio door and they can move between the bedroom and patio for a couple of weeks. Hopefully, the plan will work.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Hi,

Thanks for writing. We've had to take in feral cats before, and even feral mothers and their kittens. The difference this time is that my mom is 80 now. Her bedroom is stark and the closet is locked so they can't cause more damage than the expected spraying. So, for the 4-5 weeks they occupy her bedroom, she is going to sleep in her living room where there is also a bed. After the cats are acclimated, we can open the patio door and they can move between the bedroom and patio for a couple of weeks. Hopefully, the plan will work.

Good strategizing, K KevinTempe on both your parts. All the very best to you ALL and may you all weather all of the storms and come out the other side safe, well, and strong.