Feral Cat Relocation
Excellent article to keep for reference.
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Taking feral cats isn't a good move
Denise Flaim
November 1, 2004
Maybe you're an empty nester who's decided to downsize. Maybe you
finally bought your dream house. Maybe you just couldn't take that
crazy neighbor and his power-tool fetish for another minute.
No matter what the reason, you're moving. And as you switch your
phone number and contemplate bubble-wrapping the dining-room
chandelier, you remember: The stray cats that you feed - what will
become of them? And you begin to think, well, maybe I'll just take
them with me. ...
Stop right there.
"We never, ever recommend relocating feral cats," says Rosi Mirko,
founder and director of Town Cats, a feral-cat advocacy group in
Santa Clara County, Calif. "Finding the right place for feral cats
is very hard - it's actually the hardest placement we do."
Unlike other animals, such as raccoons, feral cats are not good
candidates for "cold releases" - you can't just plunk them down in a
brand-new place and expect them to adjust.
"Feral cats are really territorial, and shifting them to a new
territory is a big change," says Bryan Kortis, co-founder and
executive director of Neighborhood Cats in Manhattan. "With cats, if
you release them right away, they will try to find their old
territory."
The best solution is to find someone nearby who can take over your
role as benevolent provider. Feeding stations and shelters can
easily be shifted to a new house in the area by gradually moving
them in the direction of the final destination.
Think creatively: Kortis recalls a Californian who sought out a cat-
friendly buyer for his house, reducing the price by $10,000 in
return for a promise by the new owner to care for the outdoor
kitties. If the promise was not kept, the buyer paid a $10,000
penalty.
In the absence of a reliable neighbor who is willing to lend a hand,
another option is to try to make the cat an indoor one, especially
if he is getting on in years.
But if all else fails, and your move means the cat in question will
be left in a precarious situation, you might consider moving him -
realizing, however, that it requires a great deal of work.
"To do it safely, you have to confine them for two to three weeks in
the new territory," Kortis says. "Basically what they're learning is
their food source has changed, which is harder than it sounds." It
won't do to keep the cat in a basement or other space to which he
won't have access once he's freed; instead, use a shed, garage or
barn, where he can retreat when the new environment seems
overwhelming.
Kortis recommends confining the cat in an enclosed "safe haven" for
no more than three weeks; longer than that, he says, and the stress
of captivity will actually drive the cat away.
For her part, Mirko suggests keeping cats in a large, inescapable
pen for a month to two months, "to imprint their new territory."
Cats that respond to your voice and allow you to approach and touch
them have a better chance of sticking around after a move than those
who see you as purely a food source.
Similarly, respect the relationships that cats develop with their
own kind, and be careful when removing cats that belong to a close-
knit colony.
"If a cat must be relocated, you need to move them in small or
midsize groups," Mirko says. "We never just move one from a colony,
as they are bonded, and by being together it ensures the likelihood
of them staying around once released." Observe closely to see which
cats are bonded, and always move a cat with its companion.
Beware of idyllic-sounding "sanctuaries" where, for a price, feral
cats are said to be relocated.
"People are gullible, and they want problems taken care of, and a
lot of them are shams," Kortis warns. "Never hand over cats to
anyone who promises them a bright and furry future unless you see
exactly where they are going."
And no matter how much care you take, remember that success is never
guaranteed. Last summer, Mirko relocated six cats from her office
parking lot to her home, and, once released from their stint in the
pen, all of them stayed - but one.
"Apache has known me and my husband since he was 6 months old and is
now 9 years old," she says of the attention-loving Siamese mix.
Before the move, he let her pick him up and pet him, and he would
literally scream for treats.
But the wily old tomcat disappeared in October, returning in March
to the office parking lot, which is where he will stay.
"Even if you do everything properly, there is still a chance that
the cat will disappear," Kortis reminds. "The whole thing is kind of
risky."
Copyright © 2004, Newsday, Inc.
http://www.newsday.com/news/health/nylspets4025322nov01,0,1748964,print.column?
Posted on SHARE Yahoo group Nov. 3, 2004