Please help and please don't flame me- TONIGHT'S UPDATE

I don't know how many of you know my saga so I'll do a quick recap. My MIL used to feed feral cats...we bought her house when she moved...we felt bad and continued to feed the 9 feral cats...it cost us a bundle but we TNRed each cat.

This is where my problem comes in. About 5 of them are horrible killers. I am constantly finding their kills on my doorstep and not left as gifts...they rip these poor animals apart. Sometimes all I find is blood or something that is unidentifiable. They have killed mice, birds, baby rabbits and baby squirrels. They got into a bird's nest and killed the baby birds. Very often I will here their prey screaming and I try to run out to help them but I usually can't get to them in time.

This has become an everyday occurrence. Tonight DH and I came home to them killing a bird. The poor thing was screeching and DH was able to get it away from the cats. We took it to the emergency vet but they said it could not be saved.

I am tired of watching animals suffer because of these cats but I don't know what to do. I don't want to trap them and bring them to a shelter because they will be put to sleep. Has anyone ever had a similar problem? Does anyone have any suggestions? Please help. It has gotten so that I am afraid to walk up to my own doorstep for fear of what I may find.

UPDATE: So tonight DH and I were watching the Yankee game and we once again heard screeching from outside. I ran outside and one of the cats had a bird. I chased around the house and it dropped it. (BTW- I did this in my PJ's and socks all the while screaming at the damn cat...my neighbors must think I am insane). It was a baby Blue Jay. By some miracle, it seems to be ok, but it is too young to fly. DH and I took it and put it in our spare room in one of our cat carriers. The poor little thing was so worn out that it plopped its head up against the side and fell asleep. DH is going to call some wildlife rehabilitators tomorrow and if worst comes to worst and no one will take him, we'll see if we can get a vet to take care of him. DH wants to put the cats to sleep but I can't bring myself to do it. I'm telling you guys, I can't take this anymore. I am at my wits end!

Message edited 6/17/2009 11:05:36 PM.

Re: Please help and please don't flame me

I am sorry you are in this situation. I dont have any advice, I dont know what I would do either. Just some

Re: Please help and please don't flame me

That's very very upsetting. I love all animals, so it's a hard one.

Maybe try FMing Reggie. She may have a suggestion. I am at a loss. It's just survival of the fittest I guess, but I would be upset at that too.

Re: Please help and please don't flame me

Posted by Goobster

That's very very upsetting. I love all animals, so it's a hard one.

Maybe try FMing Reggie. She may have a suggestion. I am at a loss. It's just survival of the fittest I guess, but I would be upset at that too.

Re: Please help and please don't flame me

oh my, that's terrible!

I don't like cats, so it would be easy for me to stop feeding them so they move on. But I know you prob feel bad. Maybe there is someone you can call to have them taken to somewhere safe?

Re: Please help and please don't flame me

I would stop feeding them ASAP. As much as I love animals, I would not continue to feed regardless if they kill or not.

Re: Please help and please don't flame me- TONIGHT'S UPDATE

Bump for update and thank you all for the

Re: Please help and please don't flame me- TONIGHT'S UPDATE

No flames- but they are wild animals and doing what is an instinct for them. You're putting a human emotion and values on an act that is pure instinct for them. Try to keep in mind that to hunt and prey is natural for feral cats- even if they are being fed cat food. They're really not hurting anybody other than the local wildlife- when in the grand scheme of things isn't a major impact on the environment.

Of course, it's upsetting to you, but by TNRing and continuing to feed them, you have to assume responsibility for the good and the bad of maintaining this colony.

I've dealt with the same issue from a colony of cats that my neighbor continues to feed (but NOT TNR). It makes me crazy- but I don't hold it against the cats. They are *just* animals and only do what their instincts tell them to do.

GL

Re: Please help and please don't flame me- TONIGHT'S UPDATE

I agree that this thread should remain flame free but I wanted to offer a different view about this

"They're really not hurting anybody other than the local wildlife- when in the grand scheme of things isn't a major impact on the environment."

I'm no expert but I have read a bit on the subject because of my friends involved with TNR programs so I found this link that says an estimated 100 million songbirds (endangered and non) are killed each year, noting diseases that can be spread by them, and that since they have limited natural predators in suburban environments, what could happen if they go unchecked:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feral_cat

I seems to be a much bigger problem than a few dead birds or rodents at your doorstep and only getting worse. We could call it survival of the fittest until humans are drastically affected by it and by then it will be a much harder thing to 'fix'.

From what I've read here the past few weeks, shelters and rescue groups are so overpopulated with cats that aren't finding homes, that they're not taking on any more. This is why I think TNR is so important, to prevent it from getting worse.

It's sad to me, to see what happens to birds like the Eastern Bluebird that's declining rapidly. Due in part to more aggressive non-native birds but also predators like feral cats, pesticide use, etc. It saddens me that I've never seen one, even though they are our state bird! We don't know what we're losing.