Wild Cats

strife

Hi Guys,
I have a bit of a problem with some wild cats and I was hoping someone might have some ideas for me.
Basically the story goes like so.... its started of last year early last summer a cat just appeared in my back garden, now im not really a cat person so I just ignored it, then one day about 2 weeks later I heard meowing I went out the back garden to see what the story was.... in a small space in the corner of garden I found a small kitten with the original cat that I had seen in the back garden so I took pity on the cat and her new kitten and started to feed the mother cat and then eventually the kitten too once she was big enough and then for a year all was fine the cats lazed about the garden they get fed but other than that they left me alone until one day at the start of this summer I noticed that they both looked fat.....They weren’t fat they both had litters, so now iv gone from 2 cats to 5 cats and more tom cats than I can shake a brush at literally.
Now the cats are fine they dont bother me I feed them and I enjoy watching them play in the garden and that’s as far as the relationship goes.
Id like to keep the cats but id like them neutered to stop the tom cats coming around, however these being wild cats I cant catch them.
Does anyone know if there is a service like the ispca or something that might catch and neuter and return them before I end up with an army of cats living in my garden or even just any ideas they are all female cats and im afraid that next summer all 5 of them will have litters and then ill be screwed!
Any help or advice would be appreciated!

hadook

Here is a list of rescues in Ireland that provide TNR services for feral cats. It's not a complete list so if your local rescue isn't on it give 'em a call and ask

LisaO

SOME local SPCA's will carry out TNR (Trap-Neuter-Release). They may also subsidise the cost of neutering. All depends on the area you are living in, so best to contact your local SPCA & ask if they can help.

MsFifers

The other thing you can do is borrow a trap yourself and bring them to the vet one by one to be neutered. Sometimes its hard for charities to deal with all the demands on them, so if you can afford to get a few done yourself it might happen a bit faster.

A local vet or local animal rescue place may be able to lend you the trap.

Send me a PM if you want any info about this as I've done this recently.

EDITED TO ADD: By the way - the cats might get pregnant again before next summer - they don't just have one litter a year. They can get pregnant almost straight away after having kittens.

strife

Thanks for all the info Guys i eventually tracked down someone in dublin county how provide a TNR service.
The group who provide this service in North County Dublin are the Fingal SPCA they can be contacted at 01 - 8436477
And i'll list the other contact i found
Dubin SPCA 01 - 4935502


Hopefully someone else will get some use from these numbers.
I'll post an update when they do the TNR.
Again thanks a mill

strife

@ MsFifers : Thanks a mill if it all goes pear shaped witht he TNR i'll PM you for help, Hopefully i wont need it but thank you

poppie26

Hello can I ask you how things worked out for you? Am in a similar situation having 2 mother cats and five kittens living in my garden. I feed them plus my own three, kittens are getting to age of breeding so tnr would be ideal.

hadook

Be worth checking with the DSPCA - last month they had an offer running to neuter ferals between 9am and 12 midday Monday to Thursday. I'm not 100% sure it's still running but if it is and you can get the cat(s) into them it's a brilliant offer.

doctor evil

Just to be pedantic, there are no 'wild cats' in Ireland. The only wild cats are in Scotland, they are a seperate species to domestic felines and there are only 400 left. Domestic felines pose a threat in the form of disease and interbreeding.

If the strays/ferals have FIV or Feline leukemia than I am not too sure if TNR is the best option.