Oh, ok, sorry to appear to be judgemental. I really wasn’t, since I understand when people cannot afford the yearly trip to the vets. The vaccines aren’t that much, but the exam plus whatever else they want to do adds up fast.
We used to give our cats the vaccines ourselves - back when the protocol was to give them subcutaneously. Now that they have to be given in a muscle - we don’t want to even try that now! BTW, my ferals have only been vaccinated off and on - only when I could catch them!
Maybe it was a bobcat then? Feline leukemia does sound like it is localized to the cat family.
Lucky you! to live ‘far back in the woods in rural Mississippi’! Sounds lovely. I am in a noisy, smelly, dirty, illegal-invested city right now. But will be moving soon to a rural area in Tennessee - but still pretty close to towns for job reasons. I’d rather be farther away from civilization, but compared to where I am now, it will be close to heaven ;) Like Mississippi, it is lush and green there. I went from counting down the months to move to now counting the weeks.
I just have to figure out how to move my half-feral cat with us. My vet was pretty nice - he said he understood our dilemma and would put the cat to sleep if we didn’t think he could make the move (ie., would try to come back here, wouldn’t adjust to a country setting with colder winters, is an older cat to have a big change - he’s around 13-14, and his companion -another feral kitty that protected him and was his buddy just got put to sleep, so Max has had a hard time with that too.) He’s still strong and healthy though, so I’d like to give taking him with us a chance if he won’t suffer because of it.
Can you send pictures of your area? I can freepmail you an email address.
You would like my area. It's just rolling hills, and the closest grocery store of any size is 22 miles away.
After 36 yrs in the military and 5 yrs in the FAA, I'd recommend somewhere between Chattanooga and Asheville NC, on Highways 64 or 74.
But that's just me and I like the mountains. Catching a feral cat isn't difficult if you feed them regularly.
First feed them only in a large cage, with the door open, and feed them every day at the same time.
Pets love habits.
Then after a few days, after they get use to the habit, just close the door.
The cage needs to be large enough to have a small litter box and room enough to have a water dish and feed bowl in it, with enough room left for the cat to lay down, too.
Second, for wild animals you want to "move",
Tractor Supply usually has a sale on some catch cages, 3 for $29.95 plus tax, that works well, and has enough room for a possum, raccoon, or armadillo, but Lord help you if you catch a skunk.
I normally shoot the skunks, but I have been lucky enough to slowly, VERY SLOWLY, move the caught skunk in the cage with an 8 foot gripping pole away from the house and then dispatch the skunk.
Tomato juice or lemon juice will cut the smell of the skunk, but you usually have to wash with it about three times.
If you catch a raccoon or a possum, you have to haul them off MORE THAN 5 MILES before you release them, or they WILL return.
If you catch a bobcat, don't even try to move the cage.
Bobcat will tear you to pieces.
Just call the game warden to remove it, or "shoot, shovel and shut up".
If you really want to take a good look for a place to live in Mississippi, I recommend between Natchez and Clinton MS, west of Jackson, along the Natchez Trace-way.
It beautiful and fairly cheap, but not too far from a large town, Jackson.
But beware, Mississippi grows a healthy crop of mosquitoes and fleas, and the ticks do pretty good, also (hehehe).