Notes on a life gone to the cats: photos, tips, tricks, and resources from my backyard saga of feral/stray cat caretaking on the northwest side of Chicago plus great stories of ferals in the news
Friday, February 17, 2012
I wonder whose cat this is....
The kitty above has been living in our yard for 2 years and has never let us touch her. Most ferals won't. However, if you find a cat who will let you approach it, touch it, maybe pick it up...absolutely check Craig's List, post a flyer, email your neighbors or block clubs etc., and take it to a vet or shelter to have it "wanded" for a microchip. Also, do look for a clipped ear tip: this indicates that someone has already trapped this cat and had it fixed and it will have a microchip. "Feral" cats are cats that were born and have lived their lives outside. "Strays" are cats who were once household pets but were put out, abandoned, or lost. Male ferals have a roaming range of about 6 square blocks and will roam looking for females, prey, and new territory. Females will wander as far as they need to for food and safe places to hide themselves and their kittens if they are pregnant. Kittens will wander a block or so from their mother when they are old enough to do so or have been abandoned by their mother. One cat moving in will attract other cats to come, as they tend to bond in groups (colonies) and if they think they've found a feline friend who's hooked up with a condo or regular food, you will soon start seeing others. If you remove a male from the colony, soon enough another male will come around and claim the territory. Every time we think our colony is down to one or two, more start showing up. We have trapped and either returned or placed about 10 or 11 cats so far. It never, ever ends. There are never "no cats."
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