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.
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks