Hello Everyone,
I need some advice on what to do about some ferral cats who have started coming to my door. It all started when we had one of the strays in our area come right up to our door begging for food. We started feeding him and have since adopted him and are in the process of socializing him and introducing him to our resident cats. So far this process is going well. We had him neutered and the whole nine yards and he has been inside for just over a week now.
This brings me to our current dilemma. Since we put out food for our first visitor word must have spread throughout the neighborhood as we have now been visited by another (possibly two) stray/ferral. It's hard to tell if it's one or two new visitors because it's hard to get a good look before it/they run off. I'd like to TNR this cat/cats and continue to feed. My issue is that I will be moving from my current home this time next year, Spring 2018 and would hate to have these cats come to rely on me over the next year only to be abandoned when I leave. I'll be moving over 900 miles away so relocating the ferrals won't be an option. Should I even bother to continue feeding them over the next year? I don't think anyone else is caring for them in the neighborhood or would be willing to. I don't mind caring for them over the next year but don't want to set them up for failure down the road. Should I at least TNR and then stop feeding? Or should I care for them and deal with the issue when I get ready to move?
I need some advice on what to do about some ferral cats who have started coming to my door. It all started when we had one of the strays in our area come right up to our door begging for food. We started feeding him and have since adopted him and are in the process of socializing him and introducing him to our resident cats. So far this process is going well. We had him neutered and the whole nine yards and he has been inside for just over a week now.
This brings me to our current dilemma. Since we put out food for our first visitor word must have spread throughout the neighborhood as we have now been visited by another (possibly two) stray/ferral. It's hard to tell if it's one or two new visitors because it's hard to get a good look before it/they run off. I'd like to TNR this cat/cats and continue to feed. My issue is that I will be moving from my current home this time next year, Spring 2018 and would hate to have these cats come to rely on me over the next year only to be abandoned when I leave. I'll be moving over 900 miles away so relocating the ferrals won't be an option. Should I even bother to continue feeding them over the next year? I don't think anyone else is caring for them in the neighborhood or would be willing to. I don't mind caring for them over the next year but don't want to set them up for failure down the road. Should I at least TNR and then stop feeding? Or should I care for them and deal with the issue when I get ready to move?