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and water bowls – see the Feral Cat Setup described in Chapter 12. If dens are tooexpensive and you must use carriers, be sure the cat is inside the carrier and the carrierdoor is barred shut before opening the cage door. To bar the door, slide a yardstick,broomstick or the like through both sides of the cage right in front of the carrier door(Figure 15-1).The temperature ideally should be moderate, neither too hot nor too cold. In colderclimates, avoid relocating to an unheated space during the severest months of winter –cats in cages can’t move around much or huddle together, so the cold can pose a risk totheir health. If you must do it during the cold season, place small insulated shelters insidethe cages, such as Styrofoam coolers, that are stuffed with straw and cover the cages withblankets. If insulated shelters are used instead of feral cat dens or carriers, the caretakermust be very careful when opening the cage door and should wait until the cat is insidehis shelter and shows no signs of coming out.No matter what the weather, the cats may try to escape, especially during the first fewdays. Be certain the caretaker knows how to care for feral cats in cages and demonstratethe procedure live. The cats need fresh food and water twice a day and clean litter, so thecage door will be opened often, giving them lots of opportunities to make a run for it ifthey’re not shut into their dens or carriers. In case of escape, have the caretaker set outfood and water near the cage or playpen and, in a barn or similar setting where it’spossible, sprinkle used litter and old feces around the area to create a familiar scent.Most likely an escaped cat inside a structure like a barn or stable will stay inside and hiderather than seek the outdoors, especially if sufficient food is available close by.Encourage the caretaker to talk to the cats and try to bond with them. They need toadjust to a new voice or voices as well as everything else that’s new. If the cats form adegree of trust and bond with the caretaker, the relocation process has a good chance ofsuccess. Keeping their feeding times on a schedule is helpful, as is feeding wet foodduring the period of confinement and for a few additional weeks after they’re released.The wet food is consumed faster than the dry and helps habituate the cats to a newroutine. Gradually, a few weeks after the release, the wet food can be replaced orsupplemented with dry, if that’s preferable. At all times, fresh water should be provided.Three weeks of confinement is optimal to acclimate the cats to their newsurroundings so they won’t panic upon release. Keeping the cats confined for longerperiods is not recommended. Once acclimation is accomplished, continued confinementis unnecessary as well as stressful and can cause the cat to want to flee the area.Stay in touch with the new caretaker. You’ll want to know how the cats are doing andbe available to offer any help or advice based on your experience with them. If at anytime the relocation space becomes unsafe or unsuitable for the cats, make sure thecaretaker alerts you to the situation and knows you are willing to give support andassistance. Whenever possible, have a backup plan – another site where the cats may go,even temporarily – in case of unsolvable problems.Remember to try to remove all evidence of feral life from the colony’s old location,primarily any food sources. Even if construction or renovation in the area is imminent,it’s possible for new cats to move into the vacuum created by the removal of the originalcats. You don’t want to go through this process all over again!130