Taking care of some stray cats. Bad idea?

October 23, 2018 2:38 PM

So we have 2 stray cats that started spending more and more time in our yard. One is a ginger tabby male that looks like he's spent a few years in the outdoors the other is a young cat that I assume may have been a kitten last spring. Neither have collars or tabbed ears.

We fed them once and they each started coming around once a day waiting for us to walk out the door and ask for more food. We live in the high desert western US and get many decent snow storms from November to March. The two options I'm considering are

1.) Ignoring them and let them move on to find food and/or shelter.
2.) Build a warm winter space, get them trapped neutered and released w/ shots, and continue to give them daily food.

I'm worried about attracting more cats, getting attached and having to decide on leaving them behind if we move away, unforeseen consequences I'm not thinking about.

posted by ShakeyJake to Pets & Animals (10 answers total)

I'm worried about... getting attached and having to decide on leaving them behind if we move away

Option 3: Let them inside, love them and take care of them for life.
ETA Option 4: Take them to a no-kill shelter so someone else can.
posted by carmicha at 3:01 PM on October 23, 2018 [10 favorites]

You don't say how long they've been coming around, but if it's been a matter of months and not weeks, I'd strongly consider option #2, and maybe without the waiting for winter to come. I don't know where in the high desert you are, but we (no-kill shelter in L.A.) have had stray cats brought in from as far as Joshua Tree that are now happy and well-provided-for in our care. (Like this beautiful desert boy.) That's another option besides TNR and ongoing feeding, if you're truly trying to avoid becoming attached any more than you may already be. They may well fend for themselves come winter, as you suggest, but I wouldn't personally want that on my conscience, if you're in a position to do otherwise.
posted by mykescipark at 3:01 PM on October 23, 2018 [1 favorite]

I'd not let them inside. fleas and other things. I'd call animal control and they can remove them.
I assume you have an Animal Control in your town or county.

Good luck.
posted by JayRwv at 3:04 PM on October 23, 2018

Don't call animal control unless you want to be responsible for their deaths. Some of my best cats over the years were strays we took in. Go to the vet and get them some flea medicine. Or if that is not fesaible, do was suggested, a no-kill shelter where they will be cared for.
posted by mermayd at 3:18 PM on October 23, 2018 [5 favorites]

If you don’t want to take them in as pets & take them with you when you move, and don’t want to create a safe haven for other cats, you have to either ignore them or let animal control take them away. It’s less cruel to be totally honest about the level of commitment you want than to offer to provide something on a limited basis that they can’t understand.
posted by bleep at 3:42 PM on October 23, 2018 [3 favorites]

Your course of action will depend on whether or not these are feral cats (will not come to you, do not want to be pet, etc.) or friendly cats that could do well in a home.

If feral, definitely TNR them (trap, take to a clinic to be spayed/neutered/vaccinated, and then return them outside) rather than call animal control. You may have a local vet clinic or animal welfare group who can lend you the kind of trap you'd need and assist with the cost of the spay/neuter and vaccines. You can set up a warm shelter and keep food and water available if you'd like, or let them move on. Either way, getting them spayed/neutered will help prevent future cats from appearing in the area.

If they are coming up to you for attention and contact, then they are potential pets. You'd still want to trap them and get them to a vet before bringing them inside a home. It doesn't sound like you're thinking of that so I am assuming they are feral. If you do think they'd make good pets, then maybe you have a local no-kill rescue group who'd be able to come trap them and find them forever homes if you aren't looking for new indoor pets yourself.

Just to reiterate due to some of the other comments...if they are even semi-feral, then they are happier outside rather than being put in a shelter where they might not be adopted. There is a chance the younger cat could be socialized, but honestly if he's happy with his older buddy then he will likely be okay outside too. Also, feral cats can be relocated if you do care for them, but decide to move in the future. If you do have local rescue groups who TNR, they may also be aware of community cat colonies that they could be added to if needed. Thank you for thinking of what is best for these guys.
posted by Katie8709 at 4:33 PM on October 23, 2018 [8 favorites]

If they're not feral, please try to get them into some kind of home. It would protect them from predators and protect other creatures from them.
posted by amtho at 4:44 PM on October 23, 2018 [2 favorites]

Have you taken them to a vet to check for ID microchips? They might have homes that they could be returned to.
posted by Secret Sparrow at 7:10 PM on October 23, 2018

Best answer: You've started feeding them, and you've already set up a pattern where they expect it. I agree with carmicha above - option 2 at a minimum, option 3 if possible, option 4 if option 3 doesn't work. Get them to a vet for TNR and to check for microchips. If they're feral, they need to be neutered. If they're homeless pets, they need homes. A trip to the vet will get this first step sorted, and you can figure out whether you're up for being their forever human or whether you can get them to a no-kill shelter and know that you've done a good deed.
posted by bile and syntax at 5:21 AM on October 24, 2018

Response by poster: Thanks for the responses. We have 2 existing indoor cats so bringing them inside isn't a option. I'm in the process of building them a insulated house. It's raised above the ground and will have dry warm sleeping spaces inside, shingled roof, 2 doors, and even a small front porch.

We are taking them to a vet recommended by our local animal society to look for chip and get any needed medical treatment. So at the very least they will have nice warm housing and food.
posted by ShakeyJake at 6:21 AM on October 24, 2018 [6 favorites]