Not sure I'm doing the right thing

Murrmurr

Murrmurr

SF VIP
Location
Sacramento, California
For a few years I was putting food out for a feral cat colony here at the apartments, and about 2 years ago the colony shrunk drastically and only one cat was coming around for food. Two or 3 times a day "Danny" would come to my back door, which is glass, and mew politely, and I'd put a little bowl of food out there for him.

Several months ago, a cat I named Pixel started showing up with Danny, and I put out 2 bowls of food. Pixel is a bottomless pit when it comes to food, and about a month ago, he started getting aggressive toward Danny. He kept getting increasingly aggressive and now Danny doesn't come around at all. He's still here; I see him sitting on the complex's brick walls sometimes, looking thinner. Pixel even took over Danny's little cabin I built for him.

So I'm mad at Pixel and I feel really sorry for Danny, so, about 2 weeks ago, I stopped putting food out for Pixel. I was hoping he'd get the message and let Danny come into the territory he obviously claimed, but it's not working. Pixel is at my door All Day Long, yelling for food (his meow is not at all polite) and Danny doesn't come anywhere near here. I've put food out for him "out there" but various neighbors dogs usually get to it before he does.

Do you think I should just give up on Danny, leave him to his fate, and feed this pig of a cat named Pixel?
 

You may not like my answer, but...

I believe we have too many feral cats in the world, they cause a lot of problems from spreading disease to killing song birds and more. I don't ever think feeding any of them is a good idea.

If you have to take the cat in, take it to the vet, get it sterilized, put a bell collar on it to reduce its predation.

I favor eliminating feral cats... by any means necessary.
 
Alligatorob said:
You may not like my answer, but...

I believe we have too many feral cats in the world, they cause a lot of problems from spreading disease to killing song birds and more. I don't ever think feeding any of them is a good idea.

If you have to take the cat in, take it to the vet, get it sterilized, put a bell collar on it to reduce its predation.

I favor eliminating feral cats... by any means necessary.
Click to expand...
It's the same problem as in developing countries with stray cats and dogs. Some people take pity on them and keep feeding them on the streets, creating an endless problem. It's better to save what you can, if you can and let nature take its course.
 
Alligatorob said:
You may not like my answer, but...

I believe we have too many feral cats in the world, they cause a lot of problems from spreading disease to killing song birds and more. I don't ever think feeding any of them is a good idea.

If you have to take the cat in, take it to the vet, get it sterilized, put a bell collar on it to reduce its predation.

I favor eliminating feral cats... by any means necessary.
Click to expand...
It's been sterilized. Both cats were. I reported the whole colony and the county sent someone out to catch, sterilize, and release. Both Danny and Pixel have the notch cut out of their ear that clearly indicates they were sterilized through this program.
 
Lara said:
There're only two answers. Pick up Danny and either bring him in and make him your indoor pet...or pick him up, sell your house, and the two of you move across the ocean.
Click to expand...
I've thought about bringing Danny in. I had 2 cats when I moved here. They were old and they died about a year apart. I was sad about that, but I like not having the litter box mess and the vet bills and all that.

So, I'm still thinking about it.
 
Murrmurr said:
It's been sterilized. Both cats were. I reported the whole colony and the county sent someone out to catch, sterilize, and release. Both Danny and Pixel have the notch cut out of their ear that clearly indicates they were sterilized through this program.
Click to expand...
Guess that is better than not.

Anything to keep them from spreading diseases and predating on song birds and things?
 
Alligatorob said:
we have too many feral cats in the world, they cause a lot of problems from spreading disease to killing song birds and more. I don't ever think feeding any of them is a good idea. I favor eliminating feral cats... by any means necessary.
Click to expand...

I completely agree and feel the same way.

Murrmurr said:
Saving bird lives is mainly why I feed them.
Click to expand...

They still kill birds when they're full, plus spread even more of their crap around while destroying other people's gardens and property, so that's not a good reason.

@Murrmurr: You're not seeing birds or bird feathers anymore, because the non native feral cats that people feed wiped them out. Imagine thinking if you feed mountain lions and bears that they'd be less likely to eat humans. :rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
John cycling said:
I completely agree and feel the same way.



They still kill birds when they're full, plus spread even more of their crap around while destroying other people's gardens and property, so that's not a good reason.
Click to expand...
Before I started feeding the feral cats I'd see 3 or 4 little piles of feathers out back every day. After I started putting food out there I saw 1 or 2 a week. So I think feeding them had some impact. And after I called the Humane Society and they completed their catch, sterilize, release thing, I'd still see a pile of feathers once in a while, but not more than a couple times a month.

And now, several months later, the colony is way down in numbers, so feather-pile sightings are pretty rare.

When I first moved here and didn't know yet that we had a feral cat problem, I hung out 2 hummingbird feeders and a seed-log. Big mistake!
 
old medic said:
get a live trap, put in Pixels last meal, relocate out near a farm.
Click to expand...
Thanks, Old Medic, but he's going to have a home here with us. Later today I'll go get some Front Line for fleas and other parasites, and a litter box and a bed for him. I'll pick up some Front Line for Danny, too, because with Pixel inside I expect he might start coming around again to eat. And if he doesn't I'll just give it to the neighbor lady who's feeding him now.

I grew up on a dairy farm. We hated when people dumped unwanted cats and kittens on the property. It happened every season, so 2 or 3 times a year, and several different people would do it each season, usually from the city. We had 4 cats of our own. You can't keep 'em all.
 
Before semi-retiring DH and I rented a large warehouse in a light industry complex for our business. A colony of 6-10 feral cats lived nearby. My husband is allergic to cats but has a big heart for all creatures. He bought a large bag of dry cat food and some bowls. Every morning the gang would wait for him to get to work - he gave them food and water, named them, and enjoyed watching them frolic.

He wasn't the only one. The cats were looked after by some sewing factory workers in the afternoon. They'd come to us in the morning and across the parking lot for a late lunch. It was quite adorable.

I never saw bird or other carcasses but can say that it's the only warehouse we ever rented where we had zero rodent problems. What we spent in cat food was far less than we'd previously paid in in exterminator costs and false alarm fees. (Rodents are not only repulsive to come across, they're destructive, leave messes, and trip burglar alarms.)

Good for you, @Murrmurr. It's very sweet that you and your neighbors are caring for these cats.
 
Alligatorob said:
Years ago I was in Rome on business, got up very early one morning to see the Coliseum, before many tourists were up.

It was full of stray cats. I saw an old woman with a large bag of spaghetti walking around feeding the cats. Kind of interesting. I went back a few years later and the cats and woman seemed to be gone, and security was much tighter.
Click to expand...
Cats eating spaghetti? I hate to imagine the mess that would make a few hours later.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top