Tired of feeding feral cats. What to do? (kittens, male, belly)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have been feeding 3 feral cats -- mom and her two kittens - for about eight months since there were little. Now they are big and look like they can take care of themselves. I want to cut them off. Should I feed them less and less? Or just completely cut them off?
While your question seems a little cold on the surface, I sort of understand the work it takes and the money it costs. We have been feeding feral cats at our shop for over 5 or 6 years, as many as 10-12 a night. We are down to only one now, and she lives in our shop office.
But, over those years, I have sometimes said "Oh, I have to drive over to the shop again tonight and feed the cats", and it has occurred to me that it is a pain sometimes, and expensive. We were probably laying out a hundred bucks a month on food, not counting gas to drive over there.
I would suggest you trap them and get them to some rescue group who will find them homes. We have done this with 4 kittens so far, and had mama cat spayed so she can not have any more. There is probably a group in your area who do this.
The problem now is, they are depending on the food you supply each night, and will be going hungry without it.
I feed several ferals that live in the hedge at the back of my yard, so I can empathize. I certainly wouldn't just cut them off entirely, but if you are determined to stop feeding them perhaps you could do it gradually. I, personally, couldn't do that though. I know "my" ferals depend on their nightly bowl of food, especially when it's cold out, and I would feel guilty if I didn't provide it. Of course, I also feed the neighbor's cat because he shows up every day and cries at my back door, so I'm a big sucker for hungry kitties.
Please see if you can find someone to have them spayed. You may very well be feeding a pregnant again mamma cat. This morning I'm going to pick up 3 ferals, a mamma and her two girls, who were spayed yesterday. Good timing because mamma was 3 weeks pregnant again.
I think these are numbers 12, 13, and 14 of the ferals that come to this property to eat. I'll feed them and trap them till they're all fixed. I know there's one more but don't know if it's male or female. One big happy family, I moved here a year ago with 11 of my own cats. I don't count heads anymore. I just make sure they have food and shelter.
Yes it costs. I'm on a fixed income but I manage it.
That is the way I think about it, I know the kitties I fed were going to sleep that night with a full belly. It wasn't much, compared to the horrible lives they live, but it was the best I could do.
Please see if you can find someone to have them spayed. You may very well be feeding a pregnant again mamma cat. This morning I'm going to pick up 3 ferals, a mamma and her two girls, who were spayed yesterday. Good timing because mamma was 3 weeks pregnant again.
Yes, do this, or you will soon have many more cats around.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
