Relocating Feral Colonies
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.

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