I get how you feel. There are 7 stray kittens behind my house right now and I can't really take them in, but I feel super bad that they don't have a home. I've been saving up some money to at least get the females fixed but money's a bit tight. They are so damned cute (and friendly) it bothers me, but there's just so many cats around here. Winter is coming too and where I live it commonly gets below -35c (-31f) so they kind of have a bleak future ahead of them.
this post was submitted on 29 Sep 2023
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If you put out a sideways cardboard box or something sturdier with towels in it that will help them immensely.
I actually have that outside right now.. a box wrapped with some insulated tarp and a doorway cut into it, but that won't do much when winter hits us full force and the snow piles up.
I'm thinking about making a closed off area in my shed with a heat pad to help. I've been letting them into my house by blocking off the kitchen so they can't wander around too much but I can't leave them there unattended. If I didn't already have 6 formerly stray cats I could "adopt" them, but 13 cats in this little house would drive us all crazy lol! (never mind the fact I'd have to dedicate an entire room for the litter boxes.)
They're still fairly small, so I have a bit of time to figure things out and hopefully find homes for them.
Oh jeez yeah, I have 6 too and they're a handful. Best of luck helping out the little ones.
I'd recommend putting the strays in the same room as the fools who don't spay/neuter their animals. Put the people who have 'outdoor cats' in the room as well. Tie them up and let nature take care of them when said nature gets hungry.
In truth, your options suck. I spent several years in the same situation. If it's any consolation, you're saving them from a mangled death if struck by a car, or a slow starvation.
A sign where my road starts in under progress. Just gotta put it up without anyone seeing.
Is there a humane society or other shelter near you? If you let them know the situation they might be able to help you out and take them in to be adopted. If not you could solicit social media for people to foster or adopt abandoned animals. Aside from that, I guess you could put up a fence to keep them away but that's probably about it, short of using them as target practice.
We live in pretty much the same situation as op, the only shelters near us charge $75 to drop off a pet unless you live in the city.
Last time we did it we lied about our address and name the guy obviously didn't believe us but took the dog.
Target shooting is important. Poking paper keeps my booger hook smooth. That's just so that I can be responsible when needed. Every fall my deer don't need tracked. Clean shot or no shot.
I don't have an answer for you, but I feel your struggles. I also live in an extremely remote rural area and have to deal with certain issues that any of my urban friends would find appalling...
I wish you much luck in finding the most humane and kind way to dealing with your situation. 🙏
Is there an SPCA or similar org in your area? You could possibly foster the dogs for a day and give them a call to come pick up the strays
The solution I heard the most of was poisoned food. I don't know which poison is good though. For babies, I've heard about putting in bag and then in the water.
Rural life can be very cruel. It's a privilege of sheltered city dwellers to think that animals should always be protected and taken care of. There's no such thing as the harmony of nature, it's just brutal and cruel.
Thankfully I have a more humane method than poison or drowning.