For the past several months, I've been seeing a (semi-)feral cat around....

[lastlib]

...in my pasture and occasionally in my yard. I think an elderly neighbor down the road has been occasionally feeding it and providing shelter for it. So it has been hanging around, coming over to my place for hunting. This morning I saw it out on the road, with three young kittens following it! Haven't seen them before. The mother has always run away when I make my presence known, so I haven't been able to get close to it. I guess I'll put out some food where she can find it, and hope she gets adequate nutrition for her brood.

Any other suggestions for providing for this little family?

[in2herbs]

1. Call a rescue and ask for their help and advice to trap it or leave food and water out daily. nt

[FSogol]

2. Are there any catch-spay-release vets around? Unfixed cats will reproduce and spread diesase.

If the population gets too big, they will fight and kill kittens.

In our area, there were lots of ferals in 2008. A local vet began the TNR (trap-neuter-release) program it took 15 years, but there are no more ferals. They fix the animal, give them rabies / other vaccines, and let them go. The vet usually notches an ear.

Some vets are secretive about their participation in the program. Try asking vet workers if they have heard of it.

All that aside, daily meals of any cat food will help ferals stay healthy.

[SWBTATTReg]

3. There were lots of ferals in our area when we moved here back in the early 1980s, but after time, and the economy

improving vastly in our area, the feral population basically disappeared, I'm thinking that they got adopted and such, by the more prosperous population moving into our area. Thank goodness for an improved economy. Seems like when an economy goes bust in an area, folks there can't afford the upkeep on their animals so they abandon them before leaving the neighborhood.

My Mom and Dad in the Ozarks also experienced this abandonment issue, they lived behind in a very rural area, behind a state park, and some would drive down the 2-lane highway, stop a little bit down one of our gravel roads, and dump out the animal(s) being abandoned.

We hated it, but on the other hand, we did adopt some of the animals who went on to become amazing pets. A terrible attribute of human behavior but also revealed a side of animal survival that a lot of people don't see.

[buzzycrumbhunger]

5. This!

A local cat rescue here offers a free TVNR (trap, vaccinate, neuter, release) day monthly. If you can find something similar, I’d do that and then leave food for them routinely.

But yeah, if taking them in isn’t an option, I’d always provide food if you know they’re sticking close.

[red dog 1]

4. I would check with your elderly neighbor first, and ask if he/she has any ideas about what to do.

Second, I would call your local SPCA & ask them if they know anyone who might be able to trap the cat & kittens, and/or rescue them, and if they know of anyone who rescues cats in your area.

I hope you can somehow save the mom and her kittens.
Good luck!

[Towlie]

6. The most recommended action by cat lovers is "TNR" (Trap, Neuter, and Release)

As you've already seen it's important to get a feral cat spayed or neutered before releasing it, including those kittens. Don't bother trying to tame a feral cat because it's virtually impossible. Just let it live its life out, but make sure it won't reproduce.

[lastlib]

7. If I could domesticate one or two of the kittens, I would happily do so.

I suspect the mother is beyond taming, but if I can give her a better life feeding her, I would do that.

[Niagara]

8. I first, second and third recommend all suggestions in your thread for TNR

The kittens as you were saying could be domesticated.

This little girl was picked up out of the street as a kitten. She was never quite fully domesticated and had strict rules for her human slaves. Her number one rule was "no touching" unless it was quick and light pets at the food dish. She was never a lap kitty either. She would be close by but never snuggled.





And she would beat up on this lovebug who wanted to play and touch her. She didn't like that. He would receive claws in his nose when things got out of hand.