I need a shoulder to cry on. And a little help, if possible.

[Prairie Purrs]

A city inspector just showed up and told me I can't feed the local ferals any more. I also have to remove the shelters that I put out to try to give them some protection from the horrible cold this winter.

Not only that, she says she'll be back in a month to check inside my house to make sure I don't bring the ferals inside. The limit on cats is five, so I'm five over the limit. I'm hoping that I get enough notice of the inspection that I can temporarily relocate five cats, but I don't know whether that will be the case. If they show up and find 10 cats, I'll be fined and will have to rehome five of them. My youngest is nearly six years old, and the oldest are 13. And nearly all are very shy of people. So rehoming would be difficult, to say the least.

It's so sad. It's bad enough to deprive the ferals of food and water during warm months, but to take away their food, water, and shelter during the winter is too cruel. I'm going to see whether the local Alley Cat Allies chapter can help me, but they haven't been any help in the past.

I wish I could afford to trap them all and move somewhere more sympathetic. But that's not possible.

If anyone in the Denver area would be willing to foster a shy cat or two for awhile, I'd be so very grateful. Or if you'd be willing to try to tame a feral, that would be wonderful, too. There's a little tortie hanging around, and I think she'd tame up well.

[jennielynn1970]

Did someone report you to them about feeding and housing them?? Normally they don't get involved if they aren't given a heads up. I know I was stressing when I turned in a bat my guys had killed in the house (freaked me out), and then the health department wanted copies of all their vaccinations within 5 days and some were behind, and the fosters were way out of date (giving vaccinations to the FIV guys every year is not recommended). Thankfully when when asked how many cats I had, I was clear headed and said "Four." I think at that time, I had about 13 total (mine and fosters), so any inspections would have been a disaster.

Is there any way to conceal the enclosures once the city inspectors are happy with what they see? Try to make something that is "part" of the house looking kind of deal? Poor things. I hope you can find a solution for them and for the ones inside. Will they inspect your entire house??? Do you have a crawl space or something where you can tuck them into while the people are there that they wouldn't suspect anything being in? Or a friend who can take them for a few days when it's close to the 30 days???

[Husky_mom]

definately cruel.........

I thought only dogs had a limit........I don´t see the problem with cats, I mean they are not romping around.........I don´t see a problem with dogs either but some may be disturbed by noise or something........but inside cats? come on..........

somewhat I understand not feeding ferals (as to prevent more population) but depriving them of food/shelter in winter? that´s just too cruel.......

hope you can solve it out.......anything you need we are here for you

[Catty1]

please contact your local TV and Radio...getting stories like this out there will really help and sometimes laws get changed! PLEASE get the media involved!

[Prairie Purrs]

Did someone report you to them about feeding and housing them??

Yes, someone did. I've been feeding them for years, but this winter is the first time I've needed to put out shelters. In the past, they'd sneak around for a bite of food and then run away. But during the cold weather, several have been hanging around near the food and the shelters, so they're more visible. It's hard to believe that someone would be so callous as to report me this time of year--when the cats most need help.

Is there any way to conceal the enclosures once the city inspectors are happy with what they see? Try to make something that is "part" of the house looking kind of deal? Poor things. I hope you can find a solution for them and for the ones inside. Will they inspect your entire house??? Do you have a crawl space or something where you can tuck them into while the people are there that they wouldn't suspect anything being in? Or a friend who can take them for a few days when it's close to the 30 days???

There's really no place around the house where I could hide them--either ferals or my own. The yard is open to view. If I know when they'll be here for the inspection, I could board five kitties somewhere, but I'll be surprised if they give me a particular date.

[Prairie Purrs]

please contact your local TV and Radio...getting stories like this out there will really help and sometimes laws get changed! PLEASE get the media involved!

The only story that the local media would be likely to do would be a "crazy cat lady" story. Every single local news story I've seen that involves an animal control inspection portrays the owner as a nutcase horder.

[Anikaca77]

I wish I could be of some help but I agree with what everyone else wrote. Try to see if a friend would be willing to take in 5 of your cats when it's close to 30 days.

I wish I had better advice. As for feeding ferals, that's so mean. I live in an apartment complex and I set food out for 2 cats I feed (I'm not sure if there are more than 2 but I assume there is) I had one cat (female) fixed and I let the male go and didn't fix him. I want to work with them when springs comes around to get them to like me more but we'll see.

Good luck,
Melissa

[catlover4ever]

Whoever reported you will get their payback at a later date....and boy will they be sorry they were so cruel.

I wish I could help in someway other than sending good thoughts and prayers your way.

[Prairie Purrs]

One really frustrating aspect of it all is that I've been trying to get a local spay-and-neuter mobile operation to come over to trap and neuter the ferals. I don't have a car, so trapping them and transporting them myself is a problem (not to mention the expense). But I can't get the mobile unit dispatched unless there are at least 10 ferals in a colony, and they won't do it unless there's a caretaker for the colony--i.e., someone's feeding them.

Just recently, I've seen enough cats showing up for meals that I figured I could convince them to send out the mobile unit, but I hesitated to have the cats operated on and released while there's still a chance of nasty weather.

But now I discover that the city won't allow anyone to feed more than five ferals, and you can only do that if you don't have any inside cats! So unless you're breaking the law, you can't get help with spaying and neutering.

[Freedom]

I just did a google search and found this group:

http://www.rmaca.com/trapandreturn.html

Have you contacted them? Could they provide any assistance for you?

Wish I could offer more ideas.

[Prairie Purrs]

I just did a google search and found this group:

http://www.rmaca.com/trapandreturn.html

Have you contacted them? Could they provide any assistance for you?

Wish I could offer more ideas.

They're the ones I've talked to before. I'm going to try to get them to help, but they haven't been willing to assist me in the past.

ETA: I did send them an email, and I hope there's something they can do for the ferals.

[elizabethann]

That's awful. I'd call the local media. It might be a human interest story they'd be interested in covering.

You shouldn't have to take the shelters down. I bet if people heard about this, they'd freak and demand the city let you keep them up.

Good luck.

oops...I see Catty1 beat me to it.

[Prairie Purrs]

That's awful. I'd call the local media. It might be a human interest story they'd be interested in covering.

You shouldn't have to take the shelters down. I bet if people heard about this, they'd freak and demand the city let you keep them up.

Good luck.

oops...I see Catty1 beat me to it.

The sad thing is that people in this neighborhood see feral cats only as a nuisance and would definitely side with the city.

[Laura's Babies]

I would get thrown off PT is I wrote what I am wanting to write...

That is a load of Cr**! Someone has the kindness to feed the unwanted/discarded and build them shelters and they want to punish them???? Their efforts would be better spent catching and fineing the people who DUMP these helpless creatures by socking it to THEM and making and example out of them! This really ticks me off!

[K & L]

http://www.alleycat.org/

Go to this site and click on Advocator/Caregiver and see if there is some helpful information on this subject. They have all kinds of information!