4 Feral/Farm Cats need relocating ASAP (Sorted)

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

So pleased you have found them a home and good luck with the trapping 

[blondie91]

Thank you for all your replies! and FINALLY some Good news for the cats!

Had a really lovely lady ring us a week or so ago, she owns a livery yard about 40mins away and shes more than happy to take all the family!

Shes had feral cats before, so shes qualified haha, but the ones she has are now quite old and in her words "thoroughly spoilt rotten" and arent being much help with a pest problem she has, due to warm stables and lots of horse feed around etc. Seeing as how our lot seem to be running their own little extermination company here, they're going to be perfect for each other!


They're being little devils to catch, probably because they've been caught before, but shes said shes quite happy to wait on us until we catch them...No local rescue centres have spare traps so we've constructed our own from wood and mesh so we're just biding our time and hoping to lure them in with food. Any tips or suggestions are gratefully recieved?

[Rafflesmoore]

Hello Amy

I know you have said it is too far, but, if you give Pat a call from Bentham and District Pet Rescue, after 2.00pm, she may be able to either help or give you some good advice. They have a TNR programme.

It seems a shame to split them up when their could be a good home/garden/stable waiting for them.

Perhaps you could give them something to calm them down for a journey to a potential home then you are not restricted to just your area. There does seem to be quite a few places on the cat chat lists that are willing to take on and work with semi feral/feral cats.

I am sure someone on here will know of something you could put into their food just to relax them a little.

I agree with everyone else, please don't stop feeding them, they have come to rely on this food and it is also possible that because your grandma has been feeding them since they were kittens they will be unable to hunt for food.

Also, since they have been in constant contact with your grandma then it is quite possible, in time that they will become more tame if you could get them to a rescue who is willing to work with them.

[Janeyk]

I would try many rescues, continue until you find one who will help.  Ask them if they'll advertise them as farm cat etc whilst your gran continues to feed them.  I suppose she started feeding them and now they've come to rely on her it would be sad to take that away from them now.  The best thing you can do is get rescues to advertise them for you the sooner you do that the sooner they will find a safe permanent home.  Good luck!

[moira]

I agree totally with Gill. Please do not stop feeding these little ones, you are all they have. If you stop feeding them where will they go, how will they survive. If everyone they approach for help turns them away as the RSPCA suggest they will starve. This is not the same as a 'stray' cat that comes round that may be someone's pet. Of course, we have to be careful not to encourage other people's cats by feeding them.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

NO NO NO, that is a typical RSPCA thing, dont feed them and let them starve to death grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[blondie91]

Thank you!

I have checked the list and asked for direct homing, and noone seems to do it locally...as desperate as we are to rehome them, they arent in immediate danger or putting my grandmother at deaths door as long as they stay outside, so really they could stay in the garden until a more suitable home was found...

I have had a bit of a break through today, after showing a local RSPCA worker a video of how tame the mother is, hes suggested I call up their cats helpline again, just for the mother, as in his opinion, shes far too tame to be classed as a feral cat and may indeed be able to be placed on their waiting list to be taken in...

His other advice was to stop feeding the others, in the hope that they'l wander off....Im not sure what to think of that advice, it sounds harsh but, being as wild as they are, and especially if their mother leaves, they'l surely wander off to where theres prey/food?....but at the same time, they tend to sit right on my grandmothers windowsill when they want feeding and mob the front door so simply ignoring them may be quite difficult...

What does anyone else think about this?

[Janeyk]

Hi and welcome.  Sorry that you're in this situation right now, I know that rescues are often full but have you asked them to either put you on a waiting list or direct homing - which is where the cats will stay where they are until a home is found - that may a be better option if the rescues are full but at least they will be advertised on their websites.   Here is a list in West Yorks:

http://www.catchat.org/adoption/yorksw.html

I would ring round all the rescues in the area and keep ringing until you get a reply or help of some sort as many will be volunteers so you may need to persist.  Best of luck.

[blondie91]

Due to some considerate prat, leaving his pregnent cat behind when he moved house, we have had an absolute farce going on for about two years, which has ended in us having four female feral cats, currently living in my grandmothers back garden. Due to severe health problems and a stint in hospital we urgently need to relocate the cats as they are making my grandmother extremely ill.

I have tried all the usual avenues, ringing countless rescue centres, farms, vets, over and over again, and all to no avail.

The cats are all female and neutered, One is the mother who cant be much older than her daughters which are now approximately 2 years old. They are larger than your average feral and in extremely good health due to being fed by my grandmother. They would be ideal pest control for a farm/stable/rural home...

We also have 2 cathouses which they have been living in if the new owner wanted these, free of charge too.

Currently living in West Yorkshire but we are extremely willing to relocate outside of local area for a good home, as due to the circumstances if we cannot find somewhere for them to move to shortly, they will have to be euthanised.

Im absolutely gutted that Im having to contemplate this, but when its making my grandmother this ill, I cant do anything else.

Please forward on to anyone who may be able to help, Im at my wits end.




RECENT UPDATE - Myself and my Grandad have been trying to bring the cats round a little...obviously we are limited as they cannot come in the house and do often simply run away from us, but we have made progress with two of the cats. The mother (probably because she was a pet) is very friendly and absolutely loves fuss and attention, shes still skittish but I actually think she would even come around to be a proper pet...One of the others has also begun to allow the odd stroke and will rub around your legs.

For this reason I'm beginning to think separate homes may be an option, anyone willing/able to offer a home to a single cat would be gratefully recieved.