Feral Chronicles: TNR and Feeding Station

[Sheldon13]

Hey all! I’m sure there is a great feral cat forum out there and I’m all ears if someone has a suggestion, but I thought I’d come here first to get opinions from like-minded people I trust.

I have my garage door lifted just enough to let kitties it for shelter, food and clean water this Winter. I’m a believer in encouraging them to do their jobs when the weather is warmer and hunt for themselves, but I’m not ok with empty bellies in the Winter when prey is scarce and the temperature is miserable.

That being said, I have two points to this post. The first is that I was wondering what are some good ideas for increasing fat content so I can get these guys to put on some weight before it gets frigid? Im betting there are some known tricks out there for people who take care of ferals regularly. I have had this setup for 3 days now (was feeding on the front porch for a couple of weeks before this) and I’ve seen 3 kitties. The really hairy one I’m familiar with. Her name is Jasmine and she is very friendly. The other brown looks to be her daughter (I know she had kittens before a good neighbor caught her and had her neutered). Then there is what appears to be an orange male, very young.

Orange fellow is very fearful, as you can probably see in his face. I do wish I could make him feel safe, even if I wasn’t around. I’d just like him to not be so jumpy when he’s in my garage. I want it to be a safe haven for them.


The other other issue I’m having...is attracting different walks of life. The VERY FIRST NIGHT miss possum came by to say hi.

Then the SECOND night I got a raccoon.

Now, here’s the thing. I am absolutely not opposed to feeding a few wildlife. I’m a bleeding heart and the thought of any creature suffering hunger in freezing temps makes me sick.

Edit: as I’m writing this I went out into the garage to meet the possum. She hid, so I just sat down and waited. She’s now eating about 5 feet from me.

Back to the point...
The thing is, what I am not willing to do is feed the wildlife at the expense of the cats. Do you thing they will cause a problem?


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[admin]

Hey all! I’m sure there is a great feral cat forum out there and I’m all ears if someone has a suggestion, but I thought I’d come here first to get opinions from like-minded people I trust.

I have my garage door lifted just enough to let kitties it for shelter, food and clean water this Winter. I’m a believer in encouraging them to do their jobs when the weather is warmer and hunt for themselves, but I’m not ok with empty bellies in the Winter when prey is scarce and the temperature is miserable.

That being said, I have two points to this post. The first is that I was wondering what are some good ideas for increasing fat content so I can get these guys to put on some weight before it gets frigid? Im betting there are some known tricks out there for people who take care of ferals regularly. I have had this setup for 3 days now (was feeding on the front porch for a couple of weeks before this) and I’ve seen 3 kitties. The really hairy one I’m familiar with. Her name is Jasmine and she is very friendly. The other brown looks to be her daughter (I know she had kittens before a good neighbor caught her and had her neutered). Then there is what appears to be an orange male, very young.

Orange fellow is very fearful, as you can probably see in his face. I do wish I could make him feel safe, even if I wasn’t around. I’d just like him to not be so jumpy when he’s in my garage. I want it to be a safe haven for them.


The other other issue I’m having...is attracting different walks of life. The VERY FIRST NIGHT miss possum came by to say hi.

Then the SECOND night I got a raccoon.

Now, here’s the thing. I am absolutely not opposed to feeding a few wildlife. I’m a bleeding heart and the thought of any creature suffering hunger in freezing temps makes me sick.

Edit: as I’m writing this I went out into the garage to meet the possum. She hid, so I just sat down and waited. She’s now eating about 5 feet from me.

Back to the point...
The thing is, what I am not willing to do is feed the wildlife at the expense of the cats. Do you thing they will cause a problem?


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As fas as feeding the cats and fattening them up, a TBSP of extra virgin olive oil in the food will give them plenty of healthy fats and its good for heart health, improved immune system, amongst other things but could be a bit pricey I guess over time. I use it myself when trying to bulk up in the winter months. As far as the wild animals, just my opinion being I watch a lot of nature shows, the animals if the food is not available from you for what ever reason, may tend to go to other peoples houses and rummage thru the garbage or even enter their garages and the animals may not be as welcomed in those households as they are yours and this may put them in grave danger, traps, poison or even worse. They are wild animals and can fend fo themselves. Just my thought.

 

[Catzzzmeow]

@admin points are right on. Although possums and other wildlife are adorable, they can fend for themselves. Feeding them can upset the natural ecosystem in your area as well. Opossums are great at controlling ticks/insects, birds, frogs and snails also foraging (like stealing pet good lol.) But they can survive fine on their own and cats won’t feel as safe having wildlife invading their area you are trying to provide for them. Have you ever seen how many babies a possum can carry on their back? Once you invite one, you will eventually have many. You have a great heart wanting to help those kitties.

 

[Toa and Ross]

What a great heart you have! It’s great you care about the stray cats. Reading this I realise how easy it is to live in the Netherlands with no real wild life to worry about. We also hardly have stray cats here in the city. We do have cats that are not well taken care of by their owners and I do give them some extra food.
I learned to always give them food at the same time and to take the left over food as soon as they finish eating. If I don’t the already fatty cats come to eat the rest.
Maybe this helps to avoid unwanted wilde life feeding to?
Geesh, I really feel like I live in a kind of Disney land;-)

 

[Sheldon13]

The possum came by 5 times last night. *sigh

I think what I will do is leave the food out from 7am to 10pm. The wildlife mostly comes by after 10:30pm up till about 5am. Hopefully this will help reduce or eliminate their visits. The cats come at all times during the 24 hr period so this should still give them plenty of opportunity for food.


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[Sheldon13]

Also plan on calling animal control for some traps. I’m pretty sure the younger two are unaltered. I need to find a low cost neuter clinic first though.


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[Catzzzmeow]

Sounds like a plan. With cats start making a certain call to bring them in. You could probably condition them to eat and be done within a 1/2 hour. They are so smart.

 

[Yoda mom]

@Sheldon13 ((hugs ))) to you for your love and care of all creatures.

Raven showed up 10 yrs ago and another left behind divorce case kitty .. I will be honest, I do feed them.
Raven went bizerk when I tried to make her an indoor kitty... and kitty cat kinda adopted the neighs home.

so, kitties are smart... they learn the chow train routine times.

I actually only put out a small portion for them in the morning... no opossums or raccoons usually around in the morning.
if they don't eat it all within a couple of hours, I take up the food.

my mom free fed a stray kitty and a mama raccoon and all her babies came for a snack too and sat right with the cat to eat!

so now she is very careful to do the same without free feeding and not leaving the food out too long.

Raven meets me an meows in the morning for her snack and then strolls back to the neigbhors where she stays with kitty cat

keep us updated

 

[Yoda mom]

@Sheldon13 check with the local animal shelters. they often have a low cost spay neuter clinic

 

[Sheldon13]

Yes, I did find one. It’s $25 with the purchase of vaccinations, so I’m not sure what that total is. But they need their shots anyways being outdoor cats.

I pulled the food up last night at 10 and put it back out at 6 this morning. It actually broke my heart to see the possum and raccoon come by and there be nothing for them to eat. Too bad. I don’t want to scare the cats away.


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[Yoda mom]

@Sheldon13, hugs to you... such a big heart...

oh, my mom ended up with 9 raccoons sitting up looking at her for food! they got the hint and moved on.... they still peek from the woods lol

keep us updated!

 

[Sheldon13]

I caught the orange boy!


Edit: I should clarify. I trapped the orange boy because I saw his danglies in the video and I’m taking him tomorrow to get neutered.

 

[Toa and Ross]

That's good news. Thank you for caring enough to catch him and bring him to the vet to neuter him. Guess he won't thank for you for snipping him so thats why I do it;-)

 

[Sheldon13]

That's good news. Thank you for caring enough to catch him and bring him to the vet to neuter him. Guess he won't thank for you for snipping him so thats why I do it;-)

He won’t be happy, but I’ll be glad he won’t be getting in so many fights. He’s very young too so I doubt he’s even had the opportunity to mate. He won’t know what he’s missing.


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[Catzzzmeow]

Kudos to you


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[Yoda mom]

@Sheldon13 , bless your heart ((hugs)) ... now, have you named him for his drop off paperwork ?
keep us updated! thanks for doing right by him...

 

[Sheldon13]

@Sheldon13 , bless your heart ((hugs)) ... now, have you named him for his drop off paperwork ?
keep us updated! thanks for doing right by him...

Well, I’ve just been calling him “orange boy.” He’s wild as all get out so I don’t think he’d appreciate a name anyways. I wish I could calm him. He’s soiled himself it’s so sad...


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[Yoda mom]

awhhh.. when you transport him to try to calm him, cover the cage on 3 sides with a towel, small blanket. I used to do this with raccoons in traps I had to transport

all paws crossed for orange boys surgery.... your kind act to trap and neuter will prevent many many kittens running about

 

[Sheldon13]

awhhh.. when you transport him to try to calm him, cover the cage on 3 sides with a towel, small blanket. I used to do this with raccoons in traps I had to transport

all paws crossed for orange boys surgery.... your kind act to trap and neuter will prevent many many kittens running about

Agreed. I also really appreciate the opportunity to get him his shots so disease won’t spread.


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[Yoda mom]

@Sheldon13 , all paws crossed for orange boy's neuter and shots today

will be checking in for updates

((((((hugs)))))))

 

[Sheldon13]

Ugh. I couldn’t take him today. I didn’t want him to have to stay in the trap for 2 days so I closed my garage door and let him out. Now I have cat nite proof gloves ordered from amazon and he’s diarrhea’d in my garage. I can’t get him to go back in the trap either. So it may be Wednesday or Friday (the clinic only works MWF).

Lesson learned.


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[Catzzzmeow]

Ughhh...but you have a great heart and a plan in place....kudos.

 

[Beckinboots]

I know it's crappy (pun intended) but you're doing a great thing for him. He may not appreciate it but we do on his behalf. You rock! X

 

[Sheldon13]

Aww...thanks. I feel bad for him but no guilt whatsoever.


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[Yoda mom]

awwhhh . hugs....
I know when I dealt with catching trapping Raven for her spay/shots... I talked to her... fwiw.. I would just sit and tell her I am going to help her...

she has been around here now for over a decade..tonite she came for some lovin and I put out her blankie...

all paws crossed for orange boy