How to Relocate a Feral Cat

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• We have a couple of outdoor cats as of right now. I have been thinking about relocating them; they scare my dog. Who is supposed to brave, but not so much? It's also freezing outside, seeing them trying to find warm shelter is pretty heartbreaking. 

  Going through your post, now I'm wondering about how they will feel if they are separated, not fair to them. 

  You've created some great outlines, but we don't have any one place where they can be released. I will talk to our local animal shelter and see if they can take them. 

  • in most places, animal shelters will not take in lifelong outdoor or feral cats as they are unadoptable. Those that do take in these cats, often euthanize them. Unless they truly are strays and able to be adopted. Relocation should never be considered lightly as it doesn't remove outdoor cats from the original territory: more just move in.

  • You can create some warm shelters for them. https://alleycatadvocates.org/communitycat-care-center/creating-winter-shelters/

    • I could use some advice. We have a "feral " colony of 10. We have been taking care of them for about 4 1/2 years. We are going to be moving in about a month, we want to take our babies with us. The local spay neuter clinic is trying to help me find carriers. All but 2 of our cats will sit in our laps. Two of them are still shy but will come up to us. We will have a garage where we are moving to. We DO NOT WANT TO ABANDONOUR BABIES. Looking for tips to make th8s easier on all of us. We also have our indoor cats moving with us as well. Any help is appreciated

      • Hi, Robin,

        I hope it worked out well with the move! I apologize for the late response, I was on hiatus. Thank you so much for taking them with you and I hope you were able to keep them confined for a few weeks prior to releasing them!

      • weird as fuck...ferals aren't pets.

        • Hi, Nigel,

          Actually, feral cats are just like our pet cats, except they aren't socialized well to humans. Most 'feral' cats aren't actually truly 100% feral if they live around humans, like in neighborhoods or urban areas, they're just skittish and cautious in order to survive. Now I wouldn't try to move a truly feral cat to live indoors, that's inhumane. But most 'feral' cats fall between feral and friendly and it's really just a judgment call on whether they can adjust to pet life or not.

          Cats aren't supposed to be living wild. So it's not weird at all.

    • Hi, Michele here.
      I have been feeding a feral for about 8 months now. He (I think, feels like a he) comes every night now unless it is really cold or snowy. I bought him a cedar home which is all insulated and heated and he has heated dishes inside. He gets wet and dry food (Fromm) which he loves. But, boy is he feral. You accidentally open the door from my house (I can't see if he is in his house eating from my front door it is to the side) and and he bolts, but comes right back when you back yourself into the house. I can tap on the window and wave at him and he will look at me, but that is it. He does know my voice and I think he realizes I feed him because I have talked to him from a distance of 40 ft. (not kidding he is very scared of us humans). I think I am the only food source he has because the amount of food he eats is big. I know he comes back a couple of times during the night and I have seen him a few times around in the day. He is not the first we have had. There was another one who looked like him and someone tried to relocate him to a barn and that cat bolted and we never saw him in the neighborhood again. I think this new feral came from a barn which is about a mile away so he could have a colony I just don't know. Yesterday I accidentally opened the door while he was in his house eating and he came flying out, but didn't tear off like usual. I spoke to him and he sat there for a few seconds before he left around the corner. I went back into the house and sure enough he showed up in about 30 seconds to finish his meal. Over the course of 8 months I have his house where I want it (had to move it in baby steps several times) and taught him to actually use a cat door!! Smart kitty and it was tricky. It's nice and warm with toys and food, but no matter how cold it is outside he does not sleep there which is why I think he could be with a colony at that barn, but again I just don't know. I am moving as soon as I find a new house because I purchased a horse and I want it with me not at a boarding facility. Finn, what I call him, will no longer have his feeding station. I am torn if I should move him with me. Trapping him will be easy because as you know with cat doors you can change the setting. He can go in, but I can switch it so he can't get out. Really need some advice for this little guy. My new home will have at least five acres and a barn. I have five of my own cats and I have a 5500 ft. enclosure (black chain link fence hot wired at the top and nobody gets over it. They have a cat door so they can go in and out whenever they want. I could build something similar only much smaller until, if ever he becomes acclimated, then I could release him. My great fear is he would bolt and never find his way home. That would be heartbreaking.

      • Hi, Michele,

        Likely the reason he doesn't sleep inside the heated house is that the food is located in it. Feeding and sleeping need to be kept very separate as food left out will attract other animals and no cat is going to sleep in a place where other animals will be drawn to it. Or at least, no smart cat will. I'd create a Feeding Station AND a Cat Shelter and keep them separated, like one on each side of the house, or something.

        As to relocating, if it's done right, it can be very successful in 90% of attempts, as long as proper acclimation procedures are followed. I've found cats that already trust you will relocate WITH their feeders rather easily as the only thing that changed was the environment, not the human caretaker. So as long as when they're confined they're fed and talked to and loved on by their trusted person for 3-4 weeks and then slowly released, it can work out well. Even if moving to a stranger's barn, it will be about 90% successful. So about 1 in 10 end up either trying to find their way back to their original home or end up at the neighbor's farm down the street.

        I would just balance the risks. Can you find someone to take over his care where his original home is located? As he doesn't seem particularly bonded to you personally yet, that would be my first suggestion. If no one can take over his care and feeding, then it's either leave him to find a new feeder on his own (which may mean traveling a mile or more) OR relocate him with you. I don't know the full situation or the environment, so only you can decide what would be best for him. But I'd go with the lowest risk of harm to the cat, by either relocating him to a safe area WITH you or finding him a new caretaker in his original home. I don't usually recommend leaving a cat to fend for himself, even if that's all he's ever done. (I just can't, I've seen cats abandoned by their feeders before. Broke my heart.)

        Hope that helps!

    • Yup! I have a whole article on DIY options and purchasing options. You can find it here: How to Keep Outdoor Cats Warm in Winter

• Greetings.  We actually have an adopted cat that was considered a feral cat.  I am not sure if they do the same everywhere, but a potion of the tip of the cats ear was clipped off to indicate that he was once feral.  He is as lovable a cat as I have ever known, and we really enjoy having him.  I found your information very interesting in this article.  Especially the part about reproduction rates increasing when you remove feral cats.  Thank you for promoting rescue shelters, adoptions, and spay / neutering.  All of our pets are rescues!  Thank you for providing excellent resources!  

  • Thank you so much for rescuing!! 

• I had no idea it was such a big deal to relocate a feral cat. Obviously, it’ll take some getting used to from the feral cat’s end. It does appear to require a good amount of attention and care to make the cat feel safe in his/her newly found environment. I have to say that this is not an easy task, but these tips will surely go a long way.

  • Thank you!

• Great piece. My mom has a feral that lives in her garage most of the time. My mom is 90 and lives in Northern California. We are moving her down near us in Southern California where I feed feral cats in my back yard - Spot, Samson, Blake, Adam and an occasional Raccoon?. She wants to move her feral, Carlie, when she moves but wants to try and tame her and keep her in one if the bedrooms. I’m not sure this would be possible. I know it’s hard to leave animals behind... any suggestions? Thanks Nancy

  • Hi! Thanks for the compliment!

    Regarding your mother and the feral cat: taking one with her when she moves might be the best option and I know many people who have done that. It's hard to trust that someone else will take care of them after your relocate, and we love them, despite some not allowing touch. The cat is obviously bonded to her in some way and prefers her garage, obviously. So I agree that relocating the cat with your mother might be the best for the cat.

    However, if the cat is truly feral and not socialized at all, the older they are the less likely they will adapt enough to be considered 'tame'. It's not impossible, but there are reasons why animal rescue and TNR groups don't tame adult feral cats. It's because IF they do tame, it can take YEARS, and it's usually only to the person who socialized him, not to anyone else. And sometimes it can be dangerous as feral cats will attack if cornered or scared. It can also be traumatic for the cat, who may hide and poo and pee behind the dresser because they are just too scared to come out.

    I heard a story just today about an older lady taking in a feral cat to 'tame' and had to have a TNR volunteer come trap it from out of the house, where it was hiding behind the washer and dryer for 6 weeks!

    My only issue with people taming feral cats is sometimes it doesn't work, and then you have a feral cat living inside with a human he is terrified of and hiding from 24/7. That's pretty traumatic for a cat used to having freedom outdoors and no actual contact with humans. To them, we are predators. So to force one to live indoors with a human the rest of his life doesn't always result in taming them and results in one terrified cat who is absolutely miserable.

    If it were me, I'd decide if the cat is truly feral or not. If the cat is truly feral (thus wild, and no petting allowed), I would not attempt to tame an older cat. If the cat has shown some sign of socialization, meowing, approaching me, rubbing on objects or the ground in front of me, etc., then I would try to tame them.

    Just give it some time with the cat in a small room, with a cave or hiding spot of some sort where he or she can run to hide. I do recommend using a large animal crate to keep the cat confined in at first, with a litter box and a little cat cave of some sort. This will not allow the cat to hide when your mother approaches. Feed treats and wet food when a human is with the cat only, don't free-feed. Play with wand toys and laser lights, etc. Use a long object like a back scratcher or something to 'pet the cat' without being in danger of getting scratched or bit. Sleep in the same room with the cat. Just keep an eye out for signs of stress, such as hiding 24/7 and the cat has been in the room for weeks, which will include peeing and pooping while in hiding instead of using the litter box. If the cat is over-grooming, terrified, even after a long period of time, it might be more humane to start to let him or her go back outdoors (with a careful transition to being out there).

    Be absolutely certain the cat is rabies vaccinated! A bite from an unvaccinated feral cat is a pain in the butt for the human AND the cat, as it requires the cat to be quarantined for 10 days or euthanized to do rabies testing. So don't risk that at all.

    Another concern is that feral cats and community cats who want to leave might actually cause property damage to attempt to get back outside. Some have torn up sealant by windows, blinds, sealant on the doors, the actual walls, carpet in from of the door, etc. This reason is why I let my two adopted cats back out into the barns. They were feral kittens, older ones, but they got so used to being outside and LIKED it, that they literally tried to knock the air conditioner out to squeeze through a tiny hole. They loved me and tamed, but they did not love confinement.

    It's definitely up to you all, as I'm uncertain how feral the cat truly is. An eye should be kept on the cat's state of mind. He or she might not be completely feral and might actually want to come indoors now (as is evident by the garage living). Maybe he or she is more semi-feral than actually feral and obviously bonded to your mother. So if anyone can tame a feral cat, it would be their caretaker!

    Just try to keep the cat's wellbeing in mind. Oh, and definitely make sure the cat is fixed. Tomcats can have aggressive tendencies and are already stressed and it would be harder to accomplish. Female cats can be moody and unpredictable, especially after kittens or during heat cycles.

    Good luck!

• Dear Rochellle,
  We have 3-12 yr, old feral cats on our property. I had them neutered and inoculated after they were born under our house deck. Two of them are quite tame and enjoy being petted and the remaining one is very shy and won't some too close. We have a large property where they can roam. We are slated to move to a similar property in the country and are wondering what your advice would be about moving them. Also concerned if our present home is sold to folks who wouldn't want the cats. Thanking you for any advice you in advance if you can help us!

  • Hi, Gail!

    With a situation like that, I'd move them with me, if that were me. They're pretty used to you, especially after all this time, and relocating them with you is probably in their best interest. Especially the two that enjoy contact. It'll be easier for them to acclimate to their new outdoor home if the people are the same as you've already built trust with them. If it were an entire colony of cats, most of whom were feral and couldn't be pet, I'd say only relocate them in the new owners will not care for them. But this is only three of them and they know you, like you, and trust you.

    I'd definitely still keep them confined at first at the new place before releasing them, but I agree that taking them with you would be the right thing to do.

    Hope that helps! Any other questions, feel free to email me at rochelle@barncatlady.com

    • Hi Rochelle,

      We have a very similar situation--a family of three garden cats, two are fairly tame and the third is just now warming up to us.

      We are relocating to an area with more wildlife--think occasional bobcats and rattlesnakes instead of the raccoons and opossums they are used to.

      We don't want to leave them behind, but we also don't want to introduce them to a significantly more dangerous environment. Any thoughts?

      • Hi Stacey,

        Thanks for caring for the cats, first of all. And a great question!

        I can only tell you what I would do, based on the limited information you gave me so my suggestions might not be quite the answer you're looking for based on the cats themselves or the location you are moving to. But here are my thoughts.

        There are only three of them and I'm going to assume they're fixed because of that. Fixed cats aren't likely to roam around as much as unfixed cats, so you have that going for you. Though of course, there are exceptions to every rule.

        I'm also going to assume they're pretty bonded to you (and/or your family) since two of them are fairly tame and the third one is getting there.

        Now, any outdoor home is going to have its own dangers. Outdoor cats that aren't smart and cautious are not going to survive their first year unless they're very lucky. It's sad but true. Now, I wouldn't want to relocate my cats who are used to limited traffic next to a highway without some sort of way to help prevent them from trying to roam the highway at night or something, so I can definitely see why such a change in environment is concerning. However, I'd much rather move cats from a suburban/urban area to a rural area (which is similar to what I think from your description) than I would be from a rural area to an urban area. Does that make sense?

        Now, cats are almost ALWAYS cautious about new things and new environments. Especially outdoor cats. Cats are also excellent to have around snakes as they're very quick and are slightly resistant to a snake's venom. Dogs are 2x as more likely to die of a snake bite than a cat if neither get antivenom. If given treatment (which is, of course, advisable, resistant or not), the cat's survival rate is increased even more. That's from an Australian study. Pit viper (such as rattlesnakes) venom also tends to affect dogs more than cats. I am actually not as concerned about the rattlesnakes as I am about the bobcats. And I'm not as concerned with bobcats as I am about coyotes, which occur even in suburban areas. Coyotes kill more cats than bobcats ever will.

        So based on the information you gave me if you have more wildlife, you're going to have coyotes (assuming you live in the US). I'm uncertain about other countries, of course.

        If it were me, because the cats are fixed and bonded to me, and there are only 3 of them, I would relocate with the cats. There are ways to help protect them from wildlife, such as keeping them in an enclosed large backyard with cat fencing, or bringing them into the garage or a building at night, and clearing away extra vegetation around your property will help reduce snakes coming close to the house. Always feed on a schedule so that there is never leftover food hanging around, day or night. Cat food will attract anything. You can also use repellants around the edges of your property that can keep bobcats and coyotes out of your yard, but those aren't fool-proof and might affect the cats as well but are worth a try. They aren't harmful, just tend to discourage things from coming into the yard.

        Coyotes personally are a problem here and I simply keep the cats alive by bringing them inside at night, the ones I can anyway. (I have one true feral and one cat that hates it too much, but both hang out in the hay inside the barn at night, usually.)

        Now, if the cats were completely feral and had no real bonding to you, I'd suggest having someone else take over their care in your current neighborhood as feral cats are much more bonded to their territory than they are to their people. Relocation is very stressful for them, but especially for feral cats. Friendly community cats will feel safer relocating if their people stay the same. It's also likely to be more successful.

        BUT I don't know how bonded the cats are to you, where you currently live versus where you're moving to, or how well you can adapt the new environment to protect the cats, etc. so some of my thoughts on this might be erroneous.

        I'd say use your best judgment. If you are moving to a place with a high-density predator area (like the middle of the woods in Alaska) and you can't build an outdoor enclosure for them, then it might be better to find someone to care for them at their current territory. But if it's just a rural area like most rural areas, you can simply adjust a schedule or bring them inside a garage at night, when the predators are most active. (Such as feed them at dusk inside the garage, so you can train them to come in at night.) And yes, coyotes and other predators do show up during the day, but it's much less common for them to approach human dwellings in the daytime than it is at night.

        I hope that helps!

• Hello Rochelle,

  I'm in need of some advice as I am a tad bit ignorant when it comes to cats. I have been feeding about 12 feral cats in my community and recently found 5 new babies. Most have been fixed except for 2 and the new ones. I was recently told management is going to call the city to pick them all up and it breaks my heart because they are all black and very feral. They don't have a chance! I would like to relocate them, but I keep hearing all the bad things that can happen to them if I do so. Therefore, I am torn and don't know what to do. I wouldn't even know where to bring them to be honest. Any suggestions will be much appreciated!

  • Hi, Monica!

    You're absolutely right that feral cats should never be brought to a shelter, although unfortunately, property owners can insist they be removed. That sucks.

    Do you have a TNR program being run by the city? If you do, chances are they won't come to pick them up (especially if they're ear-tipped when they got fixed) and will try to tell the property manager that they are better off where they are and why. If your city requires Animal Control to remove them at the request of the property owner, then the city might have a barn cat program that they can put the cats in. That said, if the animal shelter refuses because they're feral cats, they can then hire a 'pest removal' company that specializes in raccoons, feral cats, opossums. Some of those are good about humane methods that encourage TNR instead of removal, some of those are bad. The property manager could also just trap the cats herself and take them to animal control too, if they don't pick up feral cats themselves. You will probably need to find out how your local city shelter/animal control handles feral cats.

    If you don't have a city-run TNR program, you could try contacting any local TNR groups or community cat rescues in your area to ask for help as they'll likely have barn cat/working cat programs or can tell what your options are according to the city laws and regulations. Or even just a local humane society or SPCA might have ideas for you locally on how you can get the cats outdoor homes elsewhere (if it become necessary.)

    If you don't have any of that, you can contact local horse stables, wineries, farms, garden centers, warehouses, and other businesses that often will adopt feral cats as working cats. Be sure to stress the fact they're fixed (and get the others fixed before relocation as it's easier to place a fixed cat than an unfixed cat to these places) and rabies vaccinated when contacting them. A lot of horse stables and farms get people dumping unwanted cats and kittens at their barns, which are almost never fixed, and then these places end up with a kitten explosion. This reason is why it's so hard to find a place to relocate ferals.

    You can check out Alley Cat Allies Feral Friends Network to see what resources you have locally from other feral friends in their network.

    I'll give this some more thought to see if I can think of anything else you can do or any other place you can contact that might have a better idea. I'm sorry this is happening to your colony. I truly hope it ends well.

    Feel free to email me at Rochelle@barncatlady.com if you have any more questions or concerns. I get my email faster than I get comment notifications. Keeping you and the cats in my thoughts and I'll let you know if I think of anything else.

    Sincerely,
    Rochelle

• Hello Rochelle,
  I recently moved and tried to bring my two outdoor cats with me. They were feral cats (both male, both neutered) but they were very tame to me and my husband. I put them in an enclosed patio in the new place, with the intent to acclimate them, but unfortunately one escaped on the third night, and the other escaped two nights later. I opened up the patio and kept putting out food at their feeding times. The second one returned and ate for two nights, but I haven't seen him since. I have walked the new neighborhood at dusk and after dark, calling, and I've seen a number of feral cats at a church about three blocks away, where I think they're getting fed, and some other tame cats, but I haven't seen mine. They are both wearing collars with bells, but they probably won't approach anyone else. I don't know what else to do. I realize they may try to make their way back to the old place (about 6 miles through a very busy city), and I asked an old neighbor to keep an eye out and let me know if he sees them. I feel like I utterly failed them. I was very bonded to the black one, who I had trapped as a kitten, about 9 years ago. I don't even know what to do if I do find them in the neighborhood. Should I try to confine them again? They seemed okay at first, but went to extreme lengths to escape. Thanks for your suggestions.

  • Hi, Sheila,

    I'm so sorry to hear that they both escaped! Cats are definitely good at escaping. I once had one escape out of a three inch opening of the live trap I was using as I tried to feed him. Cats are masters at escaping and it is definitely not your fault. I'm sorry!

    For my suggestions, as you mentioned, keep checking back at their old home. I would continue scouring the new neighborhood for anyone feeding cats and other cat colonies to see if yours show up. Another suggestion would be to use the Nextdoor App for your new area and see if your neighbors would keep an eye out for them as well. Even if they simply call you, you can come over and either recapture them or retrap them. Possibly see if your town/city has local lost and found Facebook groups where you can post pictures (if you have them) and the neighborhood they were lost in. Contact local animal control and make a lost report, if they take them there. And keep checking.

    The upside to having cats with collars is going to be someone will think they belong to someone if they show up in a new area. They aren't going to assume it's a community cat, they're going to assume they're lost pets. That means someone might post in those Facebook groups, make notices on Nextdoor apps, or even somehow get them in to a local shelter when someone finds the cats. If you have them microchipped, make sure your information is up-to-date.

    As for whether you should confine them again, it depends on where you find them. If they return to their old neighborhood, you'll definitely need to confine them again. If they're found down the street, you likely could just bring them home and feed them yummies and they can orient themselves, especially depending upon how long they were gone before found.

    Outdoor cats, unfortunately, don't particularly enjoy being confined, even for their own good. I'm so sorry you had that experience and I truly hope you find them!

    Keeping my fingers cross,
    Rochelle

    • Thank you so much, Rochelle! You have confirmed what I was thinking, that I may need to start the confinement period again if I find them. The new neighborhood has tons of outdoor cats, pets mostly, but some ferals that I'm sure someone is feeding, like I mentioned. My cats are used to getting fed by humans and should have no problem finding a food source.
      I have posted with the county, the state Humane Society, and Craigslist. I will try Nextdoor, too. Thank you! I might try some flyers in the new neighborhood, too. And I'll go back to the old home, and see what I can find. I sort of feel like they might not make it that far. It's six miles and there are some very busy streets, but it's mostly suburbs in between.
      Thanks again for your reply!

      • You're very welcome! You'd be surprised how far cats can travel to reach 'home'. Some have been known to travel over a thousand miles to return home, so six is almost nothing. (Though the traveling thousands of miles is pretty rare, but still!) It's not the most likely case, but it could happen. Usually lost cats stay close to the area they are lost in, at least at first. Especially if they're freaked out. I hope they turn up.

• Thank you so much for your very informative article! A feral cat showed up at my office a few months ago looking very thin so I started feeding him and, in return, he kindly took care of the mice on the property. I also took him to get neutered. Now, however, I have a new boss who hates cats and wants him gone. Although the cat isn't the friendliest and hisses if you get within two feet of him, I decided to take him home to be an outdoor cat. I thought this might be best since the shelter won't take him and he's used to me feeding him, which will hopefully keep him on my property and not trying to make his way back to my office. Since he does know who I am, would that lessen the confinement period? I realize he will still need to get used to the new environment but he already associates me with food and care and I'd hate to keep him locked up longer than necessary. Any advice would be much appreciated!

  • Hi, Sara!

    I do think that since he knows you, even if he's not friendly with you, it will help him acclimate better to his new home. Even feral cats bond with their caretakers. Just use your best judgment about when the cat seems comfortable enough with the area and you to be released. it should be at least 2 weeks, but not more than 4 weeks.

    Thanks for taking him home and good luck!

• Hi Rochelle,
  I'm on the fence and it's making me and probably the semi feral cat I have more messed up.
  Here is my situation: I work 5 miles from home. When I started working for this employer it was 2.5 years ago. This is all in a relatively rural area. I wanted to TNR the momma who kept coming to work in the spring to give birth to her kittens of whom I have been able to rescue some and either provide a home or am still seeking rescues and homes. Well many kittens later I finally trapped momma with her last litter. I trapped her on 11/10/20 and she was spayed on 11/11/20. I didn't want to release her immediately as some do, as I wanted her to be treated as my own cat would and have time to heal. I was going to TNR mom and the kittens, but the kittens are capable of being socialized. A couple of the kittens were with her for a few days in captivity and I finally separated them from her. When the 2 weeks I wanted to hold her were up, I became ill and I also started to have conflict about releasing momma so close to winter with our temps currently 40-50 during the day and 25-30 at night. Momma doesn't have a colony and I never had to care for her until she showed up pregnant in the Spring and then she would go somewhere. I asked a lot of questions of people who knew more about TNR than I do and still felt confused. So she has been in my unheated outbuilding since the 10th and living in an 2 XL dog crates front to front with soft warm bed, daily food and water. I'm having a very difficult time bringing myself to release her back to her original territory because of winter and after having been in a comfy element free environment with food/water provided. Please please help!

  • Hi, Janet!

    I replied to your email first, but the short answer I gave is that if she's alone, it's cold, and she's been in your confined area for this long, it might be best to allow her to continue living where she's at. I probably wouldn't release a cat to an area where I know she's the only one, especially if I have a better set up for her.

    For my longer answer, read the email.

    Thanks for saving the kittens and getting mama fixed. You're a rockstar!

• I relocated nine feral cats 2 years ago to a catio I had built at my mom's house. I relocated them because they were going to be trapped and euthanized. They are all spayed and neutered and get along great. My question is that there is a new feral cat at the same location my feral colony came from. Can I trap her and put her into the feral colony I have? Or would that be a mistake?

  • Hi, Holly!

    Saving those cats from being euthanized is definitely a worthy reason to relocate them, especially to a catio. Now they're doubly safe!

    So that question is kind of a hard one. If you're sure it isn't like a neighbor's pet or anything, and you know the property owner (or neighborhood) is going to euthanize any colonies that develop in the area, then I would trap and relocate her to your colony's new location. Relocation of colony cats just creates a vacuum that new cats will move into, as you're seeing by finding another one. It's been a couple of years, but it's likely this cat isn't the only one unless the food source is completely gone as well.

    You likely can trap, fix her or him (especially as tomcats do not mingle with colony cats well at ALL), and then slowly introduce them to the other cats in your catio. Even if she originally lived with the other cats, after two years, they likely will not recognize each other. As you have them combined in a catio, I would introduce the new cat slowly as if it were the introduction of a new house cat to the resident house cat. Bring her or him into the catio in a cat or dog crate, ideally, and let them get used to the new cat that way before releasing her into the catio completely.

    That's likely what I would do, given the information you gave me. Of course, you know the situation best, so use your best judgment. My suggestion might not be ideal if there are other factors.

    Good luck and thanks for saving the cats!