It is of course nice when people feed the cats but when they dont get the vet care they need like fixing the population will increase even faster. Maybe you can find out where the cats are from, maybe a farm not far away ? And as Elisabeth wrote already maybe an animal rescue could help with the money and the traps.
My driveway alarm went off late last night, and I saw another cat I haven't seen before -- this time a tiger, also looking pretty good. I think these cats are well-fed, because there seems to be lots of them around, but they look healthy except for the fleas, ticks and worms, and they don't seem too interested for the most part in the food in the traps. I don't know where they're from, but I think someone is feeding them well enough for them to breed, but isn't fixing them or giving them basic vet care. I don't think trapping, neutering and releasing them is so grim as I originally thought.
I could put out a box, but I doubt he'll stick around. I don't even SEE cats around here unless I put the trap out, or rare cases where Baby lead the others up here because he wanted to be caught. They're all so well-fed and almost fat, although flea and tick infested, thatt I'm beginning to believe someone somewhere is feeding them.
My heart goes out to him, poor boy, with winter approaching he will not have it easy. But I understand you can't adopt every stray cat in the country. Can't you at least make him a "winter house", some box or similar to sleep in on the cold winter nights?
I thought I am the only one in the world that is not on Facebook. ;-)
When are you going to release the little black panther or do you have other plans now ?
Just got him back from the vet, $215 out of my own pocket. The vet estimates him at 9 months old, so not the kitten's father, perhaps part of an earlier litter?
What a grim way to live. Not sure if you have the same option in your area, but we have a 'barn cat' program, where the feral cats are trapped, neutered, inoculated and then for a very small adoption fee, they are rehomed to a farm to help keep the rodent population under control. Of course the adopting person needs to go through a process to ensure they have suitable housing to shelter the cat (e.g. barns, etc.) because it gets down to -40 during the winter. Good luck little guy! Hope you get a place to call your own!
I went to trap the mother, and ended up with this when I went out this morning. This is most likely the father. He's totally feral, healthy except for ticks and fleas, and a good weight. I can't express how much hate I feel for the people responsible for this. I just don't have the resources. He will be neutered, his ear clipped, and then released to fend for himself. The irony is, although much smaller, he looks lie "Sam", the feral father of Floppy, Robocat, Ivan, Tony, Bear, and Munchkin. Sorry for the French but GODDAMN the filthy assholes who do this! I hope to meet a few face to face in a secluded place someday.....