Options for Feral Cat Relocation

[enelradsedir]

**Ugh, I am having to retype this entire request as some box popped up about having email in my inbox and it interrupted this posting session.**

Hi all,

I am hoping folks here have some ideas that I haven't though of for a feral kitty I trapped in my neighborhood.  I first saw this cat out my front window looking very skinny one night.  I followed him and was able to get him food - he ate 2 cans of wet food and more dry.  Obviously he was very hungry.  I gradually got him showing up for dinner every night at my house where I proceeded to feed him at least a can of wet food along with dry every evening.  Obviously, he has no other regular food source.  I knew I had to trap him cuz I could tell he wasn't fixed; after a month of trying I finally got him trapped.  I had him fixed, vaccinated and FIV/FeLV tested (negative).

The issues are this: I'm moving out of state just as soon as I can get my house listed and then sold.  I cannot have any rooms  tied up with fosters that cannot be easily moved so that means I cannot keep him for more than a few weeks.  I am reluctant to return him back outside as again, he was very skinny when I found him, kids were throwing rocks at him (I had to intervene), and I'm moving and have not had luck with any of the people I know volunteering to feed him.  However, I am running out of options.  The Humane Society has a Working Cats program, but they don't feel he is a candidate as their cats usually are indoor/outdoor but just have some sort of behavior issue like not using the litter box.

I help with TNR at a colony about 10-15 mins away, but I can't release him there; he isn't from there and there is no way to contain him so he can acclimate.

There is a sanctuary here that costs 1k to take a cat in for their life.  I can afford maybe half of that.

Any other thoughts?  I unfortunately just don't know many people here as I've only been here for 4 years and I work from home so I haven't had a lot of opportunity for meeting new people.  Most of the cat friendly people I know are already inundated with helping or have cats of their own that they let outdoors and they don't want to upset them.

Any feedback or advice is appreciated.

Thanks!

Enelradsedir

 

[catwoman707]

Hi there and welcome!

My suggestion is to take him with you when you move.

You don't need to tie up a room to get him acclimated, you can crate him.

I've done this countless times and have great success.

If you do decide to do this, be sure you start trying to trap him well before it's time to go, since he was trapped before he may be trap smart now.

If he is, find a drop trap, he will be unfamiliar with it and trap easily that way.

Crating is also a good way for the 2 of you to become better acquainted. 

 

[enelradsedir]

Hi and thank you for the suggestion.  Unfortunately, taking him with me is not an option.  I have 5 indoor cats and an elderly dog and moving is going to be difficult enough with that load.  He is already inside (trapped him last Wed).  I had planned to get him into the Working Cats program here as someone misinformed me that they take feral.  They don't.  I will either get him into the sanctuary or release him back.   Unfortunate but he is miserable.

 

[catwoman707]

Aww, that's too bad.

A sanctuary, if this is doable at least guarantees he will be cared for, no uncertainties which is good.

They likely would be willing to work with you on pmt, the ones out here are I know.

Best of luck, it's not an easy one, I know