Feral cats yowling at night

[dappled]

So… I like to sleep with my windows open. And several times over the last few weeks I have woken up in the middle of the night to the sound of a choir of yowling cats outside my window. When I say a choir, it’s definitely more than one cat… I can’t say for sure how many, but it definitely sounds like multiple cats. I can’t imagine it is neighbor cats… so I have to assume this is some type of feral herd situation. However, the weird thing is that I have never seen a cat wandering around during the day. I’ve had some experience with trapping feral cats, but I’ve always been able to see them or at least known where they hung out. These phantoms only make themselves known at night, and only because I can hear them.

Any ideas where to begin with this? I’m concerned if there is a small colony or if the wailing is females in heat/males looking for females… I don’t want them multiplying because it is just too dangerous for stray cats where I live. Especially for kittens!

Thanks guys!

[Minxitbabe]

What’s the worse that can happen if you put a baited trap out? You will either catch a cat, raccoon, maybe something else or nothing. I can’t stand hearing cats yowling at night. I am one of those people who think if I have to license my dog all cats should have to be licensed as well. And if not licensed they make a trip to the shelter. I would trap and take to a shelter or of you think it’s just the start of kitten season and you have a good feral cat fixing program local you could go that way.

[Donkaloosa]

I had that problem for awhile. Did some research and learned that cats don’t like citrus. Bought a bag of oranges, peeled them, and threw the peelings into the garden on the side of the house where tomcats were congregating. (Neighbor on that side had an unneutered female housecat.) Problem solved. I still throw citrus peels into the garden every so often, and the tomcats have stayed away.

[csaper58]

Yup, citrus or citrus spray, makes the kitties go away.

[JenJ]

Or … live trap them, spay/neuter, and adopt them
Ferals make for very grateful house cats (eventually), says the person with a formerly violently feral cat sleeping on my lap right now.
Even if you can’t / don’t want to adopt them, the trap, neuter, release option can be done at a steeply discounted rate by a lot of vets

[scheherazadetbmare]

Trap kitties.
Have vet fix them.
Turn kitties back out.

Most vets will give you a discount for feral cats.