The Trouble with Sprinkles

A quick search of previous entries leaves me wondering how I could have neglected to write about Sprinkles before now. Really?! All of that pee and destruction and I haven't mentioned her before? Well, time to change that, and also to ask for advice.

When we first moved here back in September, (Wow-it's creeping up on a year! Time flies...) there was some hefty evidence of cat infestation. The previous tenants had let their cats use the closets for litterboxes, and the piles of cat poop piled up outside in the flowerbeds might have been a clue as to what the next several months would bring.

Given the numbers of cats we see wandering the street here, it would be unreasonable to assume that only one is responsible for the stench all over the patio. And our inability to leave anything outside without it getting sprayed. And the plants that have been killed by urine overdose. However, there is one cat that is constantly in the yard. I've seen her leaving the driveway as I notice fresh spray on my car tires and hood. I notice her coming to the back door, and then find urine marks. I've seen her fleeing the scene of freshly sprayed kid toys. And, I've opened Elise's bedroom blinds to see this kitty up on the roof, peeing on the wall just under the windows. This is the cat that led me to buy and set a trap. We call this kitty "Sprinkles" because she sprinkles everything with urine.

Well, last night I'd had one cleanup too many, and decided to find out where Sprinkles comes from. After a walk to the next block over and talking with a few of the neighbors, I finally found Sprinkles' home!

As it happens, Sprinkles' given name is Eliza. Her mom was hit by a car when she was practically newborn, and her people bottle fed her and her siblings. She was an indoor kitty for many years, until she started spraying and was banished outdoors. To the best of her human mom's recollection, Eliza is about 10 years old.

Well, now what do we do? Apparently she's a sweet, snuggly little thing who talks to her mom through the kitchen window every morning. She isn't suited to indoor life at all anymore.

Eliza's home yard has been invaded by some wicked mean ferals who have proven impossible to trap. One of them is a mean queen who has apparently just deposited another litter of kittens. If I were Eliza, I'd stay out of that yard too.

My thinking is that if the queen could be caught along with her kittens and relocated, Eliza might have some incentive to stay closer to home. Any experts out there want to weigh in? These neighbors are really nice people, clearly love animals and are doing the best they can by their kitty. We all want to find a good solution for her, so now it's just a matter of finding that solution. Help!