Need advice!!! Lots of strays now?? {Update below, have TNR appt}

So, last month I made this post about a stray in the neighborhood and got some really good advice. I made shelter for the cat, and recently started feeding it. I know for sure it is a stray (possibly feral), because occasionally it will come onto the deck and eat food intended for local birds and squirrels (like cornbread), which I can't imagine a pet cat doing.

My plan was to see if the cat would warm up to me, and if so, take it to the local no-kill shelter which is really nice and it could potentially be adopted. If not, there is a local TNR program where it could be fixed and get some shots.

However, I've noticed lately that in the morning, there is absolutely no cat food left, and the bowl is knocked down off the deck stairs (it can't be accessed by my dogs). This morning Marta was barking at something so I went outside. I felt like I stepped into the twilight zone...there were 5 cats in the yard!!! (Including "my" stray). I have no idea if they are all stray cats, or if some belong to people in the neighborhood.

What should I do? I am willing to take the same steps for all the cats if they are indeed stray, but how do I differentiate between strays and neighborhood cats? I know that some people let their cats outside in nicer weather, and it's been warm the last few days...

That is the toughest thing that I face at the Found Cat Hotel, is whether these Cats belong to someone or are they strays.
Sometimes I have to wonder , and I will watch to see how long these Ctas have been there before I take them in.
I would hate to have someone worry where their Cat is.
I am still wondering about Malcolm as he was not thin, but he was always out there in the cold, so I took him in.
Noone here advertises about a Lost Cat , that would help a lot.:love:

The only thing I can think of is to see if the other cats are approachable enough to check for an ear tattoo or a collar.

Ask around to see if any neighbors have outdoor cats, have seen them, or may know where they came from.

If any are approachable enough to catch, you could bring them to the vet or shelter to be scanned for a microchip.

Otherwise... I think it's safe to assume they're strays and they figured out your house is a safe haven for stray kitties.

Be cautious though, as if you're feeding strays you're legally responsible for their care, so if one gets sick or gets into a fight and is injured and it goes untreated, you could get in trouble :( Also be cautious not to get bit or scratched (I'm sure that goes without saying though). I know you're probably aware of all of this though! :)

Have you gone outside when they are there at all? How do they react to your presence?

I would suggest that you check your municipal ordinances to see what they say about feeding strays & ferals as well as what your liability and responsibility is for them. And thank you for caring enough to help these kitties.

Thanks everyone for the advice! I think they may be a colony of feral cats, because they are very fearful if I step outside while they are there, and generally run off if I appear to be approaching them.

Thanks also for the warning about municipal/city codes. I looked up the local ordinances, and I could not find anything about feeding stray/feral animals. Though, apparently you are not allowed to let your cat roam, and you could be fined for this, and also animals over 6 months of age must be spayed or neutered.

The local TNR organization has seminars the 3rd Saturday of each month (just missed it), but I'll be going next month. When you attend a meeting, they will do spay/neuter and shots for just $10 each. Hopefully I will be able to borrow enough traps to get all the cats at once - I think there are actually 6 of them.

In the mean time I'm going to construct another shelter (they are using the one I made) and continue feeding and providing water so I have a good chance of trapping them next month. I'll keep you posted!

This sounds great! What a deal on the TNR! You just might have a happy furry family hanging out in your back yard afterwards!

I guess word really got around about what a wonderful place you have! :D:love::love:

So, I attended the workshop and have an appointment next month (May 17th) to get 5 cats spayed/neutered - assuming they go in the traps, of course. Wish me luck! It should be an interesting experience...I'll be sure to get some pictures. :)

Oh, excellent. It may be a challenge, but such a good thing to do! Glad you are already planning to take pictures! Speaking of pictures, how is your own crew?

One word: once the word gets out in the cat world that you feed kitties, others will come. Even people in the neighborhood will spread the word like: Oh, you have an extra cat? The family that live at such and such address will feed it. So they start getting dumped off. I know from experience!!!

So does my bro who found himself with 30 cats to take care of last year. He had to get help from an animal shelter to help out.