Trapped a non-feral in my colony

[RockStarMom]

I'm in the process of doing TNR for a colony living around a row of mechanic shops, and the one I trapped last night and got neutered today turned out to be not afraid of me. Not friendly, but clearly not feral.
I called around trying to find a shelter or rescue group who could take it and didn't have any luck. I'm going to send a mass email to family and friends seeing if anyone wants him, but for a variety of reasons I can't keep or foster him. Has anyone had to return a friendly to their colony? I feel so bad but I'm pretty sure that's what's going to happen.

[North_Of_60]

I trapped a female last year that was friendly but feral. I figure she had either been used to being fed around humans so much she had mellowed out, or was previously someone's pet. I had her spayed and released her and still see her from time to time, and if she was someone's pet I consider it a gift to mankind for not having to deal with another litter of unwanted dumpster divers.

According to everyone in my neighborhood she belongs to no one, although one couple claimed to have seen her being fed by a woman on our street a couple of times, but said woman was mysteriously never home when I came around to talk to her.

So yeah, I'd go ahead and get him cut then let him go, and if you can, take some photos and post some fliers and if someone claims him re-trap him. Or just let them know where you last saw him. Have you had him scanned for a chip or checked him for tattoos?

Also, how well do you know that he's not afraid of you? I made that mistake last year with a juvenile in my garage, and when I reached out to pet her she bolted out of the cage and ended up spending three days hiding in my storm shutters until she got hungry enough to be retrapped. In the mean time we were down one vehicle because I refused to let my husband open the garage door to get his jeep out. :

[Ann-Marita]

I have a couple of friendlies in with my ferals. Actually, allmost all the ferals are slowly becoming friendly. I've been managing this colony for almost seven years, so they all know me.

Try to find an owner, but if not, life at a colony can be the cat's meow. Does he fit in socially? If he's an outcast, he won't stick around.

A woman who lives across the street from my colony and helps me feed them took in one of the boys - he was just getting to be so friendly to her that she wanted him to live at her house. Well, he was miserable, didn't adjust for weeks, wouldn't come out from under the bed, etc. She just let him go a few days ago, and he is clearly HAPPY to be back home with the colony, lets us pet him (but won't let us pick him up, which I understand), greets his littermate sister, rubs up against the trees, etc.

It's not the standard protocol for feral colonies, but you do what you have to do.

[RockStarMom]

Thanks for the advice. I was able to pet him, though he clearly wasn't enjoying it, just tolerating it. I think he had a UTI and I let him go yesterday after giving him antibiotics for almost a week. I had planned to try to find him a home, but he became more and more depressed and withdrawn from me and I realized he'd probably be happiest back with his colony. He was a sweet guy(never once tried to bite or scratch me through everything I did to him--trying to give him his medicine and such) but I think I did the right thing.
Thanks for your helpful advice.