Please Help, Conflicted About My Stray Cats

[Veggiemama]

Hi everyone! I have been going back and forth trying to decide what to do here. Any advice would be greatly welcomed and appreciated.

Short background-

I moved into my house in June of last year. Pretty quickly afterwards I was visted by 3 very young (maybe a month old) kittens who started showing up on my porch. I began to feed them and socialise with them and after a while they all became extremely personable, friendly and love to be petted and held. I am still feeding them and loving on them to this day. When I first started I wasn't too educated on this stuff and didn't realize the possible consequences of feeding stray/feral cats.

Now the dilemma I'm having-

I feel it is now my responsibility to have these kitties fixed and vaccinated. I've been thinking about it for a few months now but have gotten busy and distracted.
I have two possible options.

1. I call animal control, don't tell them I've been feeding the cats, and they will take them to the shelter free of cost. My issue with this is I'm afraid of what will happen to the kitties. They are totally adoptable, however I fear that they will not adjust well to being in confined cages for undetermined amounts of time and I'm not sure that they would even be happy in a home if they were adopted after living outdoors their whole lives. I also feel that they would experience separation anxiety if they were to be separated from each other. They are ALWAYS together. This option would save me money, ensure that they get the medical attention they need, and possibly get them a good home.

2. There is a low cost spay/neuter clinic in a neighboring town here. For feral cats it is only 25 dollars, however I don't think these cats would be considered feral. If I called the clinic and said that they were feral they would require me to obtain a trap and release carrier from them which only will hold one cat at a time. If I claim them as my cats it would be 55 dollars each. The clinic is 45 minutes from where I live and I feel I can't afford the drive there and back 3 separate times, nor the total cost for all 3 of them. However the pros to this option is they could still live outdoors without the worry of reproduction or disease. I could always take money out of my savings account to handle it but I would also have to find the time to go on 3 separate occasions on days the clinic is open.

Third option would be to take no action and risk one of the girls getting pregnant which would end up even more a burden on me as I've basically made myself their caretaker.

I'm not sure which of the two options is the most ethical and which would ensure not only the cats safety but also their happiness. I would hate to see them in a shelter, separated and confined with no promise of being adopted or there even being enough room at the shelter.

What would you all do?

 

[Kieka]

I'd find a no kill rescue in your area and ask if they have space. If they don't, then start with the girls and get them spayed/neutered at the clinic one a month for the next three months. That way you spread out the cost burden on yourself but still get them all taken care of.

Please understand, if you don't get them spayed and neutered there is no risk of getting more kittens from one of the girls. It is a certainty. They will have more kittens and the quandry will only grow larger. If there is a boy in the group, as soon as he matures he will leave if he is not neutered. I have seen it happen time and again with my neighbor who had the same question and choose to do nothing. The females had more kittens, the boys vanished, the females died and the kittens died. Over three years over a hundred kittens were born and died because my neighbor didn't spay and neuter the first few.

I wouldn't call animal control because you are right that their chances are slim. If you do call animal control please keep an eye on them within the shelter and if their time is up before they are adopted, adopt them yourself.

 

[trudy1]

Wow!
1) usually animal control takes them to a city or county animal pound, as we used to call it. You would need to find out if they are a no kill place. If not, they probably will be euthanized if not placed/adopted quickly. If you could find a no kill shelter and relinquish them they might be adopted but at almost a year old.....iffy

2) the low cost clinic....I would get three traps from them, call them wild or feral or? And take them in all at once. Set up a time to do this. Since they are not inside house cats ..
I would call some local vets and try to find cat rescue groups Or individuals who could help you. May be able to help with some of the costs as well. Vets and shelters know who these people are. Also try Alley Cat Allies...on their web they have a place to put in your zip and retrieve names of people who might help.

3) yes you will have kittens and lots of them if any are female....I’m amazed you don’t have already which makes me suspect the three are male...do you know?

The consequences of feeding them are saving lives, getting love returned for your care and love. But also a bond forms that says you are their protector, provider and friend. In return they give you unconditional love. Since you have been caring for them since June I assume your winters are mild and there are no immediate threats to their welfare?

 

[FakeGourmet]

Young cats socialise into homes easily. Stop griping about the money (I know you aren't). Capture the cats yourself and bring them to a shelter. Pay the fee they charge. Every month you cling to indecision will make these cats less adoptable and more likely to get a long term disease.

My feeling is that getting that creating more ferals isn't the way to go about things. On the other hand, adopting more cats than you can provide vet care for doesn't work either. So, since you apparently can't afford (another) cat at this time, best to get them to shelter now. The cost to place them is about 2 months of food.

 

[keeneland]

The consequences of feeding them are saving lives, getting love returned for your care and love. But also a bond forms that says you are their protector, provider and friend. In return they give you unconditional love.

That is a very, very, good answer! We had 6 ferals & got 5 fixed. With vet bills & cat food bought there is no telling how much we have invested in the remaining 4 cats. At the start of the process I kept telling myself they were not really my cats but they have became my cats LOL! I do think everyone needs to be aware of what you are letting yourself in for when you do make them your cats. Vacations have to be planned around getting someone to feed them and I would not start if you do not expect some vet bills because it's going to happen. I thought we would find homes for ours but 3 years later we still have them all. Have to admit I love them dearly! You know what they say: You can't take it with you and it's good to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem!

 

[trudy1]

Yes, I live the planning issue every day with being retired and having 7 cats in various parts of the house. Puts a new spin on the term “cat trapped”!

I wish there was a forum linking people with similar circumstances in a local area. I could go by and feed /play and sit with your babies several times during the day while you could enjoy a well deserved 1-2 week rest/vacation. When my date came up on the calendar you would do the same. Kind of a cat...house sitting.