# Too many cats!



## Jet Green (Nov 28, 2005)

A few weeks ago, my husband and I decided to try and TNR two feral-looking cats that we kept seeing in our backyard. We nicknamed them Gladys and Betty. We bought a Havahart trap.

Since that day, this list of cats we've identified as needing some kind of intervention has grown to include:
- Toshiro, who went to a no-kill shelter.
- Two unnamed kittens, who went to a no-kill foster group.
- Buddy, who went to a no-kill foster group.
- Robert, who was TNR'd.
- The Impregnator, a tomcat who regularly knocks up the lady cats according to a neighbor, ownership status unknown.
- Charlie, a female owned by a guy with bipolar disorder who's on disability. She is probably pregnant for the second time.
- Gladys is also owned by Charlie's owner, and is probably the mother of the unnamed kittens.
- No one knows if Betty is owned or what sex s/he is.
- Possibly one other small cat, sex unknown. 

I don't what to do with them all. I can only afford to fix so many. The no-kill shelters are innundated with kittens and pregnant cats. I think we've worn out our welcome with the foster group -- they are actually threatening to send one of the unnamed kittens back to us because he is still rather feral. (Which is so not fair! We were upfront and honest about his feralness. :evil

I feel like I'm drowning in unfixed cats. Of course, the problem is not really too many cats, it's too many stupid people. Why are they all such idiots??? :fust


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## morea (Feb 8, 2005)

I wish there was an easy answer to that question.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

My vet will fix ferals for no fee. Is there anyone in your area that will do that?


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## Jet Green (Nov 28, 2005)

marie73 said:


> My vet will fix ferals for no fee. Is there anyone in your area that will do that?


No, but that would be really cool. The cheapest I've found is with the county for $30. But you have to drop off and pick up at inconvenient hours; I would have to miss half a day work each time.

There's a vet near work with really convenient hours, and they give a price break. It still cost $70 to do Robert, though. Females are more. I'm just going to have to bite the bullet, is all. I'm trying to think of it as a long-term investment in not having litters of kittens raining down on my doorstep. :?


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Marie, you have a great vet! We have the Humane Society in Pittsburgh, but nothing local. 

JG, I hope you can trap the impregnator! You are doing something very kind and humane. Thank you!  Would the neighbors help? Wouldn't that be great...to make it a community project?


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

If you are in Orlando start digging around. There has to be groups that will work with you getting spay/nueters. Heck, my group deals with cats and we took a german shepherd momma dog with 8 puppies ~ its a long story! 

Try emailing all the rescue groups in your general area and ask them for help. You never know who will step forward! Good luck!


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Cry. Cry when you call them. I called a half dozen organizations and none were helpful. The last place I called, I was in tears because no one would help me with the feral mamma (Malibu) and her kittens I had trapped in my garage. THAT place that answered my tearful call helped me by spaying Malibu so I could release her back to my property. 

Her kittens I tamed and they were adopted through PetsMart.

I am so thankful to that organization that spayed Mallie, that I will buy 1-2 bags of catfood a month and drop it by their office to give to a person who needs help feeding their cats. 

Tears, they worked for me!
h


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Heidi, I'm so glad you got help!

Vyxxin, have you tried CARE Feline Rescue, Inc - Orlando?


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## andylo (Feb 7, 2007)

Sorry, but what is TNR?


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I didn't know either - just Googled it:

Trap-Neuter-Return


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## Jet Green (Nov 28, 2005)

Thanks, everybody, for the suggestions. I spent my lunch hour double-checking all the cat organizations I know of to see if there are any options I missed. No luck. Unfortunately I'm not in Orlando proper, and there just aren't that many resources here in the 'burbs, where TNR is illegal.  

But I do have some help now!  The kids on my block, who love cats and are always bored, have wholeheartedly joined the cause. They're gathering intel for me, and sometimes actual cats (the tame ones). They found and brought in the last cat on my list, Lilabet, who is currently relaxing in my dog crate and will be spayed tomorrow. They also tentatively identified Betty's owner, with whom I plan to have a friendly chat. 

The guy that owns Gladys and Charlie, after receiving a polite but firm lecture and a pile of spay/neuter literature, has agreed to take them to the Animobile this month and keep them inside until then. I don't expect either of those things to actually happen (and the children will spy for me, so I'll know :twisted, but I'll cross that bridge later.

Sorry for having a big pity party about all this.  I'm feeling better now. Thanks for all the advice and encouragement. And Heidi, I'm definitely going to remember your tip. :wink:


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Here's a link to some low cost programs in Florida.

http://www.lovethatcat.com/stfl.html

Also, many rescues run TNR spay/neuter clinics where they get a vet to volunteer and they trap as many cats as they can and do an assembly line. Maybe you can volunteer to work, they're always looking for help. Once you've done it a couple time maybe you can get them to slip in one or two of these cats. It would be a win all around.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Doodle, I think that link would be helpful to many of the posters in this forum. I'll add it to the sticky we have. Thanks!


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