Leaving feral cats

artvanderlay

Hi,

I've been renting a house for the past 4.5 years and in that time have looked after a family of 4 feral cats ( mum, dad, 2 sons). My landlord is selling up so I've a few months to get a new place but I'm (very) sad to have to leave my furry friends behind. They are all spayed/neutered, and have shelters on my decking/around the garden. One of them is very dependent on me: he's the most nervous and bullied, and has a bad back leg than he sometimes cannot put on the ground. I am most worried about how he will survive without me. I've tried trapping him to get his leg looked at but he won't go near the trap since I trapped and neutered him. Is there any advice on what I can do for them before I leave? Will they survive without me? I'd take them with me if I could but I think it would be difficult to trap them and also unsettling for them to be transplanted to a new environment.

Thanks.

cocker5

Truthfully it’s more than likely the new owners won’t feed them and shoe them away they will babe no understanding what’s going on :( - if it were me I’d trap them and have them relocated with me .. a local TNR rescue may be able to help with trapping etc .. where are u based?

artvanderlay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119026663#Comment_119026663

Thanks for replying. Based in Mayo. I don't know where I will be living tbh. The rental market is muck, so I may end up in an unsuitable place for feral cats, like an apartment. Anyways would it not freak them out if I took them from the environment they know all their lives to some new place? They'll never be indoor cats, and they are very skittish (although I cat pet two of them when they are in the mood/hungry!) so I think they might be panicked and run away if I transplanted them from their home.

Furze99

If they're feral, more than likely they could be feeding at more than one house?

cocker5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119026849#Comment_119026849

that’s understandable - what about contacting a local feral / cat rescue and ask them for advice? If you google or do a Facebook search a good few groups will come up - pop up a post and ask them.. I’m sure they could offer good advice

artvanderlay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027031#Comment_119027031

Yeah, I think 3 of them are feeding elsewhere, although they do tend to eat a lot at mine :) One of them rarely leaves the garden and has a bad back leg that slows him down. He's my main worry. I think I'll ask the neighbours to keep an eye for him and maybe even just feed him if he comes around.

artvanderlay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027539#Comment_119027539

That's a good idea. I'll get on to a local group and see what they suggest. Thanks for the replies.

penny piper

The cat with the back leg problem won't survive out in the wild....weak cats never do...

Asking the neigbours to look out for him won't work ...you took on the responsibility by feeding the animal.

You need to catch the cat....If it's got a problem with it's back leg ..you should be able to catch it....ask a shelter about finding it home if you can't look after it.... a feral cat will live in an apartment/house as an indoor pet...litter tray/feed/shelter...especially one that is weak...

artvanderlay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119139291#Comment_119139291

I'm waiting for a trap from my local vets, and I'm going to have a go at trapping them then. There's no way I'll be able to catch limpy cat without one; he's still very nifty even with a bad leg!

It turns out that 3 of the cats were getting regularly fed by a family down the street. They sold up and are keen to take them with them when they're settled in their new place in the country. I'm waiting to see if they will follow through with that.

I'll do my best for the cats, but I'm renting, and trying to find a new place is tough in the current climate. I've spent plenty on these cats over the past few years, between getting them neutered/spayed, vet treatments, food etc. If I move, because my landlord is selling up, and I can't find a place for them, well then they are somebody else's responsibility. Unless you want to buy this house for me? :)