Feral Cats

[nyadrn]

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NJSmirk wrote:

Our home backs up to a "Reclaimation Creek" that naturally hosts a variety of wildlife. We do have ferrel cats and at one time there was quite an overpopulation. But we did put out food and simply constructed shelters. It took a while but with the help of just a couple neighbors and the SPCA  sponsering a "catch and release" we were finally able to get the population under control. It was too heartbreaking seeing so many kittens being born and being attacked by other animals or dieing of Cat diseases. So we knew we had to take action.

There was one kitty that stood out amoung the crowd. She seemed   determined to have a better life and was not going to let any of the others stop her . She was tuff . We observed her watching us.  Little by little she would come closer and one day my Husband was able to give her a little petting..She started following him around the yard since he is always outside tinkering around. Soon he was calling her the helper cat. Whatever he was working on , she wanted to be there observing He always talked to her and she seemed to like that. Three years went by until she decided she was going to have a look around the "inside" of the house. She would run in and then get edgy and want out right away. Each time she would stay in a little longer and explore a little further. 

We named her "Rockie" and she is now a regular house Cat and  So sweet and cuddly. Rockie still spends most of her time outside, but in the evening she likes to come in a is facinated with the TV ! 

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@NJSmirk  Awwwwww 😀

[NJSmirk]

Our home backs up to a "Reclaimation Creek" that naturally hosts a variety of wildlife. We do have ferrel cats and at one time there was quite an overpopulation. But we did put out food and simply constructed shelters. It took a while but with the help of just a couple neighbors and the SPCA  sponsering a "catch and release" we were finally able to get the population under control. It was too heartbreaking seeing so many kittens being born and being attacked by other animals or dieing of Cat diseases. So we knew we had to take action.

There was one kitty that stood out amoung the crowd. She seemed   determined to have a better life and was not going to let any of the others stop her . She was tuff . We observed her watching us.  Little by little she would come closer and one day my Husband was able to give her a little petting..She started following him around the yard since he is always outside tinkering around. Soon he was calling her the helper cat. Whatever he was working on , she wanted to be there observing He always talked to her and she seemed to like that. Three years went by until she decided she was going to have a look around the "inside" of the house. She would run in and then get edgy and want out right away. Each time she would stay in a little longer and explore a little further. 

We named her "Rockie" and she is now a regular house Cat and  So sweet and cuddly. Rockie still spends most of her time outside, but in the evening she likes to come in and she is facinated with the TV ! 

[ASTRAEA]

@LaDolceVita - One of my recent visits to PetSmart, I checked out the cats up for adoption .. they were all monsters, having to weigh > 20 lbs each. The 3 I have eat like elephants (do elephants eat a lot?), but are still quite petite .. bet none of them weighs more than 8 lbs!

[LaDolceVita]

@ASTRAEAWell, I do believe you have acquired some cats!!  What will you do? 

Coming down the drive way this AM I walked into screeching & screaming.  Ellie Mae had the new red guy running through the woods.  She s tiny  but looks pretty big because of all her hair.  We were able to treat the new guy for fleas but he needs neutering.  They have a mobile service but I simply do not have the time!!

[ASTRAEA]

@LaDolceVita - These are my three:

Although one's a tiger & the other 2 are almost pure black, I think they're related based on them all having some version of a unique, short kinked tale. They're all very pretty cats. The tiger has become very affectionate, running into the house as soon as I open the door. The more dominant black one isn't afraid of me, but only last night let me actually start petting him. The other black one is still afraid & runs away if I just come out on the deck.

[LaDolceVita]

@ASTRAEAYes, we do have a group which spays & neuters feral cats if they can be trapped.  I get cats moving in all the time.  Sometimes they do not want to stay because of the dogs.  Sometimes they stay, to the dismay of our half feral Ellie Mae.  She is old and I dont like to see her upset.  I keep cat food out  on the porch and there is lots of places to stay between the house & outbuildings.  I will not let one stay w/o getting it neutered.

We have a lovely new male, he is not feral, he is quite friendly and attractive.  Working on finding a rescue group for him.  He is making my life miserable as all the dogs bark when he prances around.

[ASTRAEA]

@nyadrn - In the 23 years I had my other home, and the first 7 years I've been here, I never had feral cats on my property .. although my one neighbor's cat periodically visited here. Then one cat showed up late winter, and then 2 "relatives" early summer. All it takes is a couple of irresponsible residents to allow their un-neutered/spayed cats out, and suddenly there's an epidemic! In talking to the cat rescue woman, there are residents in other parts of town - ironically where the housing's more dense - who have been feeding growing numbers of feral cats. Some wait to trap too long, and then they have another couple of generations on their hands!

[retiredtraveler]

We do have feral cats around here. I usually see a couple of them every year. I do not do anything for them.  I'm in Chicago area so I don't know what happens to them during the winter. But I am in a semi-rural suburb meaning a lot of open land, and farms not very far away, so they may be finding shelter in barns.

   I'm not a cat lover! If it were a dog, I would try to do what I could.

[nyadrn]

@ASTRAEA

I was just talking to someone the other day about how you seldom see stray dogs or cats in our city but now that I think about it, you would really not see stray cats  like you would dogs.  It is amazing to think about it now, how there used to be stray dogs roaming the streets all over.  Cats are quieter and avoid people.  I have not seem any in my neighborhood but don't know if I would.

[Epster]

Do you have any in your area? Yes. Some old timers in the area 'keep' what they call barn cats, but what are generally feral felines. Keep in mind this is a rural area with a 2.5 acre minimum.Much of my viewshed is wildlands. Most of my viewshed, I think. We do not keep barn cats. I just couldn't.

Is there any rescue group that helps trap & neuter them, try to socialize & get them adopted? Yes and no. There is a rescue group that captures then helps to place them in non-inside settings. That meaning barns, places with access to shelter, a human commitment to feeding them.

Do you feed them? Not unless you count the moles, voles, birds, rats and mice they hunt for in the environs. 

If you feed them, do you have a long-term game plan for them? We do not keep barn cats. Like I said, I just couldn't. Frankly we don't have pets because we believe the environs far too wild for domesticated animals. I have no desire to pick up pet pieces off the rocks. This property frequently hosts foxes, bear, coyotes, raptors and mountain lions. I worry about the domesticated cats and small dogs of persons newly moving into the area, though of course their personal pet management choices --as long as they follow the law-- only become my concern when it impacts my livestock. We see what have to be pet cats hunting our rocky ridge with regularity. I should say that the actual cats change. The risks, sadly, do not.

Do you live in a climate where they need summer or winter protection from extreme temperatures/snow? Oh yes.

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