Stray, feral, and community cats…have you any?
- Thread starter Fyrefox
- Start date
Tommy
Senior Member
- Location
- New Hampshire
With all of the predators that call our area home, the life expectancy of any stray cat would be measured in days. In the ten years we've lived here we've seen exactly "one". Neighbors cats are all 100% indoor cats.
Happyflowerlady
Vagabond Flowerchild
- Location
- Northern Alabama
We have those, and I think they are some of both, stray and feral. People move in and out of this part of town on a regular basis, sometimes leaving behind their cats and even their dogs.
We like having them come to our place for food, and I buy large bags of cat food for the strays. We have a dish and small beds on the front porch, and the cats come up and eat whenever they want to.
Some of the cats respond when I talk with them, and some have gotten used to my husband, who goes outside to smoke, and they will come up and eat or just relax, even when he is on the porch.
There is an empty field behind us, and a lot of wooded areas; so rats are living there. Now that we have cats in our yard and in Bobby’s shop, they seem to be catching the rats, and even scaring off the squirrels.
So, having them around seems to be a good thing for both us and for the stray cats.
We like having them come to our place for food, and I buy large bags of cat food for the strays. We have a dish and small beds on the front porch, and the cats come up and eat whenever they want to.
Some of the cats respond when I talk with them, and some have gotten used to my husband, who goes outside to smoke, and they will come up and eat or just relax, even when he is on the porch.
There is an empty field behind us, and a lot of wooded areas; so rats are living there. Now that we have cats in our yard and in Bobby’s shop, they seem to be catching the rats, and even scaring off the squirrels.
So, having them around seems to be a good thing for both us and for the stray cats.
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Someone from the humane society said they estimate 3000 stray cats in our county. My little town is in the middle of Ohio farm country so I figure the mice like the corn and the cats like the mice.
While my cat was alive he spent the nights outside, so I would leave the small garage door cracked open for him and food and water out.
Needless to say, we had a lot of regulars at the Open All Night Kitty Cafe. I named some of them; Orange Roughy, Ernest T Bass -- you always knew when he'd been around because of the huge mess he made. They would scatter when I turned the light on and I would wait a few beats before I let my dachshund out. I expect he would have lost any fight with them. After my cat died the cafe closed, although I poured a big bag of kibble on the edge of the field to cut them off gradually. I miss them.
While my cat was alive he spent the nights outside, so I would leave the small garage door cracked open for him and food and water out.
Needless to say, we had a lot of regulars at the Open All Night Kitty Cafe. I named some of them; Orange Roughy, Ernest T Bass -- you always knew when he'd been around because of the huge mess he made. They would scatter when I turned the light on and I would wait a few beats before I let my dachshund out. I expect he would have lost any fight with them. After my cat died the cafe closed, although I poured a big bag of kibble on the edge of the field to cut them off gradually. I miss them.
dilettante
Well-known Member
- Location
- Michigan
There is an older, semi-large cat around here. It clearly belongs to somebody but I don't know who.
Minimal interaction, but from time to time it has gotten downright friendly. It even tried to follow me into the house once.
Minimal interaction, but from time to time it has gotten downright friendly. It even tried to follow me into the house once.
There are so many strays in our neighborhood and some feed them. However they tend to dart out into the road ahead of cars and some have been killed but it makes the drivers somewhat nervous to try to avoid them. The animal control has neutered some of them but the shelters are full so they let them stay here. Less squirrels and birds since they have increased in numbers. They tend to climb on our car and leave their paw prints on the car and windshield. That makes it bad after having the car washed.
Remy
Well-known Member
- Location
- California, USA
I feed the small colony at my workplace. Every time administration changes, I get worried. However, I have their dishes hidden in an area I keep clean. It is on the property but it's overgrown. They can't do much about them anyway. The shelter does not take feral cats and animal control will not take them unless they appear sick on injured at which time I assume they would be euthanized. I look for grey, brown, tan, green, black dishes at thrift stores that blend in. I keep extras in the car.
No one has reliably offered to help me with them. If we ever have administration that is against the cats, I'll go in earlier in the dark.
No one has reliably offered to help me with them. If we ever have administration that is against the cats, I'll go in earlier in the dark.