How to find caretakers for feral cats left behind

Dear Cathy: We have two feral cats that we have been feeding for many years, one since 2012 and one since 2016. They still shy away from us and never enter our home. However, we provide most of their food along with warmth in the winter and a place to stay cool in the summer.

We are no longer able to handle our large house and are planning to move to a smaller one in a senior community. We’re not sure what to do about the cats. If we leave, they’ll have lost a major part of their support and may not survive. We don’t think they would handle a change to being indoors, so if we took them, they would have to continue to live outside in our new neighborhood.

Can you provide guidance? — Jon, Las Vegas, Nevada

Dear Jon: While some people have moved successfully with feral cats — and I have offered tips on how to do that in the past — most feral cat groups recommend leaving the cats where they are. Relocation is always the last resort. The first is to talk to your house’s incoming occupants to see if they would be willing to continue feeding them. I am often surprised at the number of people who agree.

Second, ask your neighbors to see if there is someone willing to feed the cats going forward. You can include pictures of the cats, explain they are fixed (they are right?), and how you have been taking care of them for many years.

The third solution would be to contact a local feral cat group to see if they have any caretakers working in your neighborhood who could add these two felines to their daily rounds.