So I moved into my house a couple of years who and we had a cat visitor who I presumed belonged to one of the neighbours. She wasn't particularly interested in food, she would just pop into the garden or occasionally walk into the house to say hello and go away again.
Then she disappeared for a while and came back with two sweet kittens. They raced right into my house the first time the appeared and were so friendly. I thought aw the neighbours have a few cats now. Didn't think much more about it.
The kittens kept coming round to play and soon ended up getting pregnant too. I was quite annoyed at this stage that the owners didn't have them neutered. Eventually they too went away for a few weeks and then reappeared a few months later with a gang of kittens each in tow.
Then one of my neighbours moved house and maybe coincidentally but maybe not, the cats started spending all of their time outside my house. I now have a gang of about 13 cats and kittens permanently on my doorstep!
Now they seem to be community cats and go round all the neighbours houses looking for food and attention (some are v friendly and some aren't keen) I'm still not sure if they have an owner but the original (now grandmother) cat turned up one day after having been spayed (side all shaved and surgical scar) so someone has taken the time to do that.
Anyway I have decided enough is enough and contacted cats protection and I am going to try and trap a few tonight to take to the vet tomorrow to be neutered. Two things I wanted to ask really:
- Am I doing the right thing? I know this will be really stressful for the poor cats and I feel so so guilty at putting them through the trauma even though it is necessary.
- Any hints or tips? I have borrowed a trap from the vets and they say I have to trap them tonight. Seems a long time for the poor things to be scared in a cage.