Cats are independent creatures, and that’s never truer than when it comes to a feral cat. Feral cats were born outside, made their own way, and have never had much—if any—contact with humans.
These cats usually live in colonies, hunt for food, and are difficult to adopt because of their wildness. While we don’t think twice about leaving a domestic cat at home with food, water, and someone to check on them when we go on vacation, taking the cat to a kennel, or even taking the cat with us, feral cats don’t have that luxury or option.
Some feral cat colonies depend on the goodness of pet lovers for food and shelter. So, what can you do about a feral cat colony that you’re taking care of if you’re going on vacation? In this article, we’ll give you a few tips and tricks for ensuring the feral cats are fed so you can have a good time on your vacation without worrying about the cat colony at home.
Please be mindful that feeding feral animals is strongly discouraged in some jurisdictions. For example, the AVMA doesn’t recommend feeding feral cats for public health reasons. Feeding feral cats without the intention to adopt or rescue them is considered counterproductive, as the animals will continue to reproduce in the area while still facing the many struggles of being feral. Please consider the ethical implications of your actions before deciding to feed feral animals.
The 6 Tips to Keep Feral Cats Fed While on Vacation
1. Ask a Local
If you have friendly neighbors, you can ask them to check on and feed the feral cats. This is the easiest way to make sure the cats are fed and doesn’t require any extra work on your part. However, you want to make sure that the neighbor you ask is trustworthy and likes cats.
- Make a list of clear instructions to give to your neighbor for feeding the cats.
- Let the neighbor know when they should start feeding the cats and when you’ll return.
- Leave food and water with the neighbor. Leave extra in case you are gone longer than you think you’ll be.
- Make sure to thank your neighbor in advance for their help.
2. Hire a Pet Sitter
While this is a more expensive option, hiring a pet sitter can give you peace of mind, knowing that the cats are being fed and have water while you’re on vacation.
A pet sitter can come to your house once or twice daily to check on the feral cats and ensure they are fed. Most pet sitters provide essential services such as feeding and changing litter boxes. However, most pet sitters only work with domestic animals. You may have to contact several businesses before you find a sitter willing to look after feral cats.
3. Set Up an Automatic Feeder for the Colony
Another option is to purchase an automatic feeder for the feral cat colony. These devices can be programmed to dispense food at certain times so that the colony is always supplied with the food it needs.
There are a few types of automatic feeders on the market today, so do your research to determine which design works best for your situation. Factors to consider when searching for an automatic cat feeder include the following:
- How much food can the feeder hold?
- How often is the food dispensed?
- Does it have batteries or an AC adapter?
- Is the feeder for wet or dry food?
4. Leave Out Extra Food and Dispensers
It’s also a good idea to leave out extra dispensers and extra food just in case something happens and you don’t return from your vacation on time. Ensure the automatic feeder is placed out of reach of children and other animals that might play with or eat the food meant for the feral cat colony.
5. Leave Out Fresh Water
It’s essential to leave fresh water for the cat population. You can invest in a cat fountain so the cats have constant fresh water while you’re gone. This keeps the cats hydrated and ensures they don’t drink from standing water sources, which contain bacteria and parasites that will make them sick.
Put the water bowl or fountain in a safe spot where other animals can’t reach it.
6. Contact Your Local Animal Shelter
If all else fails, you can contact a local animal shelter and ask if someone can keep an eye on the cat colony while you’re on vacation. You’ll need to inform the shelter about the cats and their living situation. Let them know if the cats have been spayed or neutered and if they have any medical conditions that the staff should be aware of.
Most animal shelters are willing to help look after feral cat colonies while you’re on vacation. However, you need to be prepared to pay a fee or donate to the shelter to use their services.
Conclusion
If you’re caring for the feral cats in your neighborhood, they’ve probably become dependent on you to provide them with fresh water and food. When you leave for vacation, it is essential to ensure the feral cats are fed.
Whether you hire a pet sitter, contact the local animal shelter, or set up an automatic feeding station, you will feel better and have a much better time knowing that the felines you care for are fed and healthy while you are gone. Feral cats are quite independent, but even wild felines require human assistance sometimes.
Featured Image Credit: Piqsels
The 6 Tips to Keep Feral Cats Fed While on Vacation
2 Responses
How would you catch a feral mama who has 4 feral babies who are at least 2 months old and has not been cooperative a month ago to be spayed and almost clawed me viciously. I have the typical carrier and a catch cage,. I do have a domesticated outside male cat who protects the colony but I am afraid he would get caught and one of the babies in the catch cage and not her. I do not have anyone to help. A neighbor has reached out and my local vet to no avail. I will reach out to my local shelter, but I am not certain that anyone will help. The vet only does spay and neuter M-Th. before noon.
Jan, this is an incredibly stressful and dangerous situation, but you can absolutely do this safely on your own by outsmarting her with a technique called selective trapping. Since the kittens are already 2 months old, they are eating solid food and can survive a few hours without her, meaning your goal is to deliberately catch the kittens first using your drop-door catch cage (wired open so it doesn't trigger) to act as "live bait." Place the kittens safely inside your typical carrier, position that carrier directly behind the closed back wall of the catch cage, cover the back with a blanket so she can only see them through the front entry, and line the trap floor with cardboard so she doesn't feel the metal wire under her feet. By loading the trap with highly aromatic bait like sardines or mackerel and keeping your friendly male cat indoors or fed far away that morning, you can safely trigger the door from a distance using a long piece of twine tied to a stick propping the door open (a pull-string trap method), completely avoiding her claws while ensuring you only pull the string when she is the one fully inside.