# How many ferals do you feed?



## catlover4ever (Mar 26, 2013)

I have gotten 5 fixed so far. I don't make much money. I have fed for about 3 years now 30-40 ferals every day, usually twice a day in my city of Windsor,Ontario,Canada. There are 3 "colonies" in total. There are 2 abondoned houses near downtown where most of them stay/eat/sleep.

One of the females I call Mama is preggers again- the 5th or 6th time in the last 2 years. She is next to get fixed. My city is in the top 3 in all of Canada for ferals.

Kevin.

What is your story?

(I have several fixed cats at home as well)...inside and outside.


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## howsefrau32 (Mar 6, 2013)

You are a great person for taking care of all of those feral kitties. I have one little feral girl that I take care of and feed. Someone must have fixed her and released her back here when she was very small, because she is ear tipped. She lived in my neighborhood for years, eating from garbage cans, in fact, that was the only time you'd see her, was rooting through the garbage on trash days. I would leave food next to the cans, and she wouldn't eat it. She would run. Then slowly, years later, we would see her sitting in the grass across the street, during the day. Then one day, miraculously, she took a can of fancy feast that I set by the curb. Inhaled it. Slowly started to show up every night around six for her can of ff. I slowly moved the bowl closer to my door, until one day, she was near the door, waiting for her can. She would hiss at me and then devour the food in 4 bites, and run. I started to sit in a chair, leave the food about 10 feet from me, and one day, she ate the food, and then laid down on the ground near me and groomed herself. This led to one day, about 3 months later, she started rubbing her chin on the side of the house, near me, and I could tell she wanted to rub against my leg, but she'd get close to me, and stop. I remember the day she rubbed against my leg though, happy day! It took months from that point before I could scratch her chin, and about a year before I could pet her. Now, more than 3 years later, I can half pick her up under her front legs, as long as the back ones stay on the ground. She sleeps in my garage during the cold winter months, but other than that doesn't want to come inside, which is jsut as well, I have 4 strays I have accumulated over the years, the last one being last February, when it was really cold. Took her in to "foster" her, and fell madly in love with her. One of my cats, the oldest, she is 11, is a beast, and can't mingle with the other cats without trying to kill them, so I have a "rotation" schedule, so everyone has fair times out of their room. I make it work, because I love them all. Yes, everyone that knows me says I am the crazy cat lady, but I can't help it, I just love them so much.

I have so much respect for people that do what you do, and help ferals.


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## SnowCat (Sep 13, 2012)

Wow, that's awesome Kevin. I used to feed 3 colonies in my area, but had to stop because people are heartless jerks. Property managers/restaurant owners that hate cats forced us to stop feeding on their property. 

So now I just feed my own ferals/strays that come into my yard. About 6-9 cats. I have 6 that never leave my yard (Mama +5 of her 2 month old kittens) and 2-3 that pop in/out to eat occasionally. Sometimes regularly every night, and then other times I don't see them for weeks at a time. I also have 2 cats that are strictly indoor.

Hopefully you're able to get your mama cat fixed so she doesn't have to endure another pregnancy. I just had my mama feral fixed 2 weeks ago, and her babies are next once old enough. You should try to make some connections with rescues in your area to see if they can offer low cost spay/neuter to help get more of those ferals fixed.


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## catlover4ever (Mar 26, 2013)

thanks guys. My city offered 75 dollar vouchers but they go in like an hour- they did it last year too. I only got 2, used them on Pretty (mom of Fluffy and Fluffer) and on Buddy- the resident boy who knocked up dozens of cats downtown.

My vet does all my cats now- $112 for females, 85 for males.


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## catlover4ever (Mar 26, 2013)

howsefrau32 said:


> You are a great person for taking care of all of those feral kitties. I have one little feral girl that I take care of and feed. Someone must have fixed her and released her back here when she was very small, because she is ear tipped. She lived in my neighborhood for years, eating from garbage cans, in fact, that was the only time you'd see her, was rooting through the garbage on trash days. I would leave food next to the cans, and she wouldn't eat it. She would run. Then slowly, years later, we would see her sitting in the grass across the street, during the day. Then one day, miraculously, she took a can of fancy feast that I set by the curb. Inhaled it. Slowly started to show up every night around six for her can of ff. I slowly moved the bowl closer to my door, until one day, she was near the door, waiting for her can. She would hiss at me and then devour the food in 4 bites, and run. I started to sit in a chair, leave the food about 10 feet from me, and one day, she ate the food, and then laid down on the ground near me and groomed herself. This led to one day, about 3 months later, she started rubbing her chin on the side of the house, near me, and I could tell she wanted to rub against my leg, but she'd get close to me, and stop. I remember the day she rubbed against my leg though, happy day! It took months from that point before I could scratch her chin, and about a year before I could pet her. Now, more than 3 years later, I can half pick her up under her front legs, as long as the back ones stay on the ground. She sleeps in my garage during the cold winter months, but other than that doesn't want to come inside, which is jsut as well, I have 4 strays I have accumulated over the years, the last one being last February, when it was really cold. Took her in to "foster" her, and fell madly in love with her. One of my cats, the oldest, she is 11, is a beast, and can't mingle with the other cats without trying to kill them, so I have a "rotation" schedule, so everyone has fair times out of their room. *I make it work, because I love them all. Yes, everyone that knows me says I am the crazy cat lady, but I can't help it, I just love them so much.*
> 
> I have so much respect for people that do what you do, and help ferals.




thanks for your kind words and yes- I totally understand this!


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## greenhornet-1 (Jul 3, 2014)

I'm feeding 3 at the moment!


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## Carmel (Nov 23, 2010)

None right now... there are not many ferals about here. By that I mean I've lived here my entire life and can pretty much count on one hand the number of cats I recall seeing in my neighbourhood.

But both Blacky and Jasper used to be feral, Blaze (previous cat) as well. Now my aunt's cat is the most feral thing around here, and she was never feral; adopted at 8ish weeks... go figure.

That's a very good price from your vet for spaying and neutering, around here it's easily 200+ just for a neuter from veterinarians. 

Jasper was only 50 dollars since I got him done through the city shelter and they have a mandate to care for *all* animals turned over to them, and are a no kill shelter. He was a feral cat at the time. 

They're also the largest cat sanctuary in North America sitting at about 700+ cats and didn't really want him if they could help it. They wanted me to keep caring for him, and they would neuter him for me and do all vaccinations and tattooing and stitching up his leg and post-antibiotics at a cost of next to nothing, so I did. And he became an awesome cat that plays all day with Coco.

I'm curious how you know your city is the third worst in Canada for ferals? What are the other two? Is there a list somewhere?


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## catlover4ever (Mar 26, 2013)

my city has the third highest feral pop. in all of Canada. I'm in Windsor,Ontario- right across from Detroit. I see the skyline from my porch. I think there are about 25,000. But imho I think theres double that.

Stray cats a big problem


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## 2Siamese (Apr 6, 2014)

Do barn cats count? We have three - momma and her two now grown kids we feed Epol and milk daily. And then there's the neighbors' tom I'm trying to convince to go home, but I think Sox might be in season so he's not really receptive to going home at the moment.


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## LadyK (Jan 30, 2012)

I have two. They are siblings and were TNR'd by a neighbor a few years ago. Most days, they stick close to the house and always greet me first thing in the morning and when I get home from work, and I always worry whenever they miss one of these times. They have gradually become more trusting of me, and now will come right up to me and let me pet them. So sweet! I'd love to be able to bring them inside but I'm not sure if that will work with my two indoor cats.


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