You can try other cat rescue organizations, in our area we have animal control officers who have contacts with those places, you can talk to your neighbors and maybe as a community thing you can organize something to collect and place the cats where everyone contributes to get rid of them. But without spaying and neutering, the colony will grow and those poor cats are clearly ill and suffering.

Maybe neighbors could help you catch them. They are suffering and need help.

That's the way it is at our house too. Cats everywhere. We have all called all the rescues and humane society and no one has a clue what to do other than taking them to the vet and having them spayed or neutered and then releasing them back to the wild. None of us have that kind of money to spend on feral cats. None of the rescues/humane society type places want to be bothered with feral cats, they will not take them.

I don't have any advice to offer, just sympathy. So sorry you have to deal with this. I feel your concerns about your dogs (and yourselves) picking up a disease or infection from these sick kitties is very valid.

I wish I could help....if I lived nearby.....I feel for you and the kitties...

This makes me so angry because in every single case, this situation is because of irresponsible people who don't spay/neuter their cat. There is just no excuse, the spay/neuter charge is not so prohibitively expensive that it can't be a priority.

Check if you have a Trap/Neuter/Release group in the area. Some of them also relocate ferals to farms as barn cats and socialize and place kittens and non-ferals. Even if the cats are returned, they will be spayed, neutered, wormed and vaccinated and healthier, and the colony will shrink due to "no more kittens". If they don't have a program in your area, maybe they know of an alternative.

Alleycat Org

In some areas there are groups that come set up the traps and have you call them to come get it when a cat is in it and they take them to their own vet and get them spayed, ear clipped and treated then release. Unfortunately they do not have them everywhere. I had this problem here but the cats were very healthy. Suddenly it went from dozens of cats and kittens to zero. My guess is someone in the neighborhood started killing them. Plus the coyotes took a few. Now it's very rare to see a cat here.

I know what you mean about not being able to trap them yourself, talk to the neighbors and see if one of them can handle the trapping. It's a very sad situation for the cats and the humans.

Are there facts to support the idea that neuter/release results in the extinction of a cat colony?

chisue, yes there are facts to support that spay/neuter/release programs work as intended! I can give you facts from my own experiences.

Between us and other neighbors, we captured, neutered and released 16 cats here in our neighborhood. There were several others that were euthanasized for health reason. We sort of divvied the cats up and sought to keep them to our own spaces. I still have 3 sisters who are now 14 years old. Their mother died last year. The neighbor next door still has 2 of the original cats. One of them needs a decision made soon concerning his age/health. I guess he is 16 or even older. Two docks down, one original cat remains. The others lived out their lives. Perhaps not perfect lives like a house cat, but fed and had medical attention when necessary.

We also have a feral colony in town. I only became involved with it this past winter, going to feed when the other two feeders were busy or out of town. From what I was told, there were more than 3 dozen cats released. As of recent, less than a dozen. Many townsfolk donate food and help with medical needs.

At one time they had a problem with people dropping off unwanted, intact cats but I don't think that's an ongoing problem these days. These cats all look healthy and I'm proud my community got involved with this program.

In our tri-county area we have a program called AWARE. Until last year it cost $28 to get a female spayed and rabies shot. A bit less for a male. The Vet that provided that service became ill and for a short time the program stalled. Although the program is now active again with 6 or 8 participating Vets in 4 counties, it's no longer at such a low cost. A female costs about $80 and the males $40. People that are on public assistance pay $9, which includes a rabies vaccine.

ETA: Just looked it up and I was mistaken. The $9 fee for people on public assistance does not include the rabies vaccine. The participating clinic gives a 50% discount on all other services, including the rabies vaccine.

Feral and stray cats don't survive in my neighborhood. There are coyotes and red-tailed hawks to keep them from populating. Whatever is left over, the vultures clean up.

Nature is working in my neck of the woods.

I actually bought a trap, gave it to my friend who has a Mustang car repair shop. He traps, get's free neuter/spay, the ear is notched and the cat is released back at his shop. He feeds the cats, I was bringing food, but now..... In 3 years time he's down to a healthy 4. The shop next door is my DH's.....his boss complains about the cat poop and cats living in the equipment yard. But....it's not 20 or 30 cats any more! YAY! (the hawks, coyotes and raccoons have made a dent as well) YES....THIS DOES WORK! for any one wondering...

I see 1-2 cats a year. Coyotes and a busy street account for that. However, a cat lady two blocks away feeds the wild ones, food out all the time. Maybe that's another reason I rarely see a cat. She occasionally traps and neuters one.

Good luck, mama. I agree something needs to be done. It's just not healthy for people or animals. I wonder about your county health department, if they could help.

A gal I know had an uncle who was feeding a feral colony. He passed and she was stuck with what to do. Between the animal control and local rescue groups they managed to get it squared away. There was a nearby farm that took the feral cats in as barn cats once they were spayed. But it took a fair amount of work, time, and coordination.

I don't understand why you would you interfere with nature by feeding a feral animal.

I don't have this problem at home, but it exists on Maui, where some people feed feral cats and birds, including chickens. This guarantees an endless supply of rats, fleas, ticks -- and poop.

I agree chisue, there was a lady next door that fed these cats and about a half dozen quickly turned into about 20. They moved and another cat lady moved in. She swore she would never feed those cats but now she is and the cat population is once again booming. They just see the kittens and can't help themselves.

I have a walk in meeting Monday at the local Humane society, they will help me...I had to get tough though, I ask them this morning if they can't help me and these cats than perhaps if this is heard on the local news someone will step forward to help...suddenly they ask me to come in Monday morning at 9.30...haha. I'll let you all know what transpires.

Thank You all for your help.

Chisue, there are many people who can't turn a blind eye to a starving animal. Those are the types I like to live in my world.

Moonie,

It takes discipline to refrain from feeding feral animals. The consequences far outweigh your good feelings about your efforts. Why deny a hungry coyote or hawk? They have to eat too, and that's how nature works.

I adopted "my" cat from a woman who feeds strays. She said she finds homes for ALL of them. They're not "all" creating a problem. Some are solving a problem.

I should add: her son paid to have him neutered before adopting him out.

Doesn't it depend where a feral cat lives as to it starving? If they live in a wooded enviornment where there's other wildlife wouldn't they have caught their food?

Moonie, Thank You yes I will of course think of the boys. I think what is going to happen is a rescue group is going to trap the cats, this is a no kill unless the cat is beyond healing with antibotics and other more simple care, for instance they are not going to treat a cat dying from parvo.... Its my understanding the cats have to be trapped on my property, than they are given Vet care and spay/neutered and than released into a different area. beyond that I don't know. I am not a hard I don't care person, but these poor sick cats are placing my dog in jeopardy and possibly my boys so something needs done to help my family and the suffering cats.

I do think it pathetic that some of the neighbors claim these cats are theirs yet allow the poor things to roam free and let them sicken like this.

Get a water scarecrow. You hook it up to garden hose, it has a motion detector when something moves it sprays them with water. Will not cover your whole yard but can cover your patio. No cat likes a blast of cold water, soon you will be cat free.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Battery-ScareCrow-Motion-Activated-Water-Animal-Repeller-Deterrent-Sprinkler-Hot-/222159595266?hash=item33b9be6702:g:vHoAAOSw9NdXtrr8

We save ideas like 'relocation' for children. In Hawaii, when pest roosters and chickens are 'relocated', that is understood to mean gassed. (These are not domestic fowl, but moa. Kauai, in particular, is infested with them.)