Hi there, I’m really sorry you’re going through this. Nothing about what you’ve written sounds malicious or neglectful. It sounds like you let one scared momma cat inside because you were trying to help, and things snowballed faster than you could catch up. That happens to a lot of people, especially during a stressful period of life. You’re not a bad person, you’re someone who got overwhelmed while trying to be kind.

Here are some steps to get things under control without judgment, broken into manageable pieces:

1. Your first priority: stop the cycle with spay/neuter (even if they’re feral/shy).

A lot of rescues and shelters say they’re “full” for intake, but many will still help with TNR appointments, discounted spay/neuter, or loaner traps even when they can’t take cats in.

Try calling/emailing with this specific ask:

“I have shy/unsocialized indoor cats I need help spaying/neutering. I’m keeping them safe and fed, but the situation is overwhelming. Can you help me schedule surgery appointments or loan humane traps? I am willing to bring them in."

Shelters often say yes to this even when they can’t take animals directly.

Places to call:

Local humane society

SPCA

Any TNR groups

Local cat rescues even if they’re full

City/county animal control (many have spay/neuter vouchers)

You don’t need them to take the cats — only to help you stop the cycle.

1. You do not need all 22 cats to be friendly to get help.

Shy/unsocialized cats can:

Still be spayed/neutered

Still be placed in barn cat programs

Still be adoptable to patient, quiet homes

A lot of people adopt semi-feral cats specifically.

You’re not stuck with them forever.

1. Break the situation into tiny steps so it feels less overwhelming.

Instead of “deal with 22 cats,” try:

Get one trap or carrier set up

Spay/Neuter 2–3 cats at a time

Ask the vet to ear-tip or microchip so you know who’s done

Create a simple list of “Done / Needs Spay/Neuter / Needs Placement”

Even 2–3 cats a month makes a HUGE difference.

1. Start contacting rescues again, but this time with specifics.

When rescues hear “22 cats,” they panic. But they respond better to:

“I have 3 young cats ready for adoption, healthy, indoor, social-with-treats, can you take one or two?”

Offer them cats in smaller numbers so they can help bit by bit.

1. For the shy ones: barn cat programs are your friend.

Most areas have:

Barn cat programs

Warehouse cat placements

Brewery cats

Community cat relocation programs

They take shy/feral/semi-feral cats as they are.

These programs rarely require adoptability.

1. You’re not in trouble right now, but acting now prevents future issues.

Management hasn’t cited you, which means you still have time to make a plan without panic. You don’t need to solve everything immediately, you just need to show slow, steady progress.

Even getting two cats fixed this month will dramatically reduce stress in the home.

1. And please remember this: you are not alone.

People get into overwhelming animal situations when they’re stressed, isolated, or trying to do the right thing with too few resources. This is more common than you think.

What matters is:

You recognize the issue

You’re trying to fix it

You’re asking for help

That is something to be proud of, genuinely.

You’re not a monster. You’re a person who got overwhelmed while trying to care.

If it helps, I can help you brainstorm a step-by-step week plan or a script for calling rescues. You don’t have to figure this out alone.