There was an unwritten clause in the purchase of our home. We are out in the country, mixed forest and some farms nearby. The owners had a small group of feral cats who fed and sheltered on the back deck. They had thick foam “coolers” up on chairs, turned on the side with blankets. Ranging from happy friendly to barely tolerant of the human creatures providing food.
After we sealed the deal they told us that had we not been willing and honestly enthusiastic about providing for the ferals they would not have agreed to sell.
After a winter watching the guys in their foam huts I built a 2 story 4 unit cat condo. Plywood, foam insulation, roofed over, electric pet heat pads. They hung out for a few years, but when the “leader” (also the most friendly) contracted a major respiratory infection. We trapped him and hustled him to the vet, but even with massive antibiotic treatments and draining the fluids in his chest he didn’t make it.
With BoBo gone the others in the group drifted off one by one. Being ferals, who knows. The condo remains and we do get a couple of locals popping in for food 2-3 times a week. We shall see if they decide to take shelter in the warm this winter. If so, we will trap and “alter” them, and then hope they aren’t too pissed off once released.
There was an unwritten clause in the purchase of our home. We are out in the country, mixed forest and some farms nearby. The owners had a small group of feral cats who fed and sheltered on the back deck. They had thick foam “coolers” up on chairs, turned on the side with blankets. Ranging from happy friendly to barely tolerant of the human creatures providing food.
After we sealed the deal they told us that had we not been willing and honestly enthusiastic about providing for the ferals they would not have agreed to sell.
After a winter watching the guys in their foam huts I built a 2 story 4 unit cat condo. Plywood, foam insulation, roofed over, electric pet heat pads. They hung out for a few years, but when the “leader” (also the most friendly) contracted a major respiratory infection. We trapped him and hustled him to the vet, but even with massive antibiotic treatments and draining the fluids in his chest he didn’t make it.
With BoBo gone the others in the group drifted off one by one. Being ferals, who knows. The condo remains and we do get a couple of locals popping in for food 2-3 times a week. We shall see if they decide to take shelter in the warm this winter. If so, we will trap and “alter” them, and then hope they aren’t too pissed off once released.