While this is certainly fascinating and I'm dying to know how animals glean when someone close to them dies, I have to say what that woman was doing can be incredibly harmful.
My neighbor does this. She feeds stray cats and dogs. Well guess what? I'm allergic to pet dander. I can't even go into my yard now without my throat and eyes beginning to swell. They pee on everything and the dogs have charged me on multiple occasions while I tried to walk my own dog. Usually a loud and firm "No!" makes them stop but it is far from acceptable. I have had to pick up my dog and kick a few times just trying to get into my car.
None of them are fixed and many are violent. I have to listen to dogs barking and cats fighting and fucking all day long. One time a cat forced open my kitchen window and would have killed my guinea pig if I didn't hear the squealing and she didn't have a solid hide box. I had to go to the hospital because even touching a cat gives me painful hives and closes my throat and it wouldn't be chased out. The doggie door I installed is useless for this reason. I have to keep it locked all the time. There are fleas EVERYWHERE. Not to mention the time a pit bull hopped our fence and scared the shit out of me.
Im so fucking sick and tired of that bitch. The other day i stopped some big mutts from tearing apart a pug they had cornered. I had to take her to the vet. Luckily they found her a home. I have seen no less than a dozen dead kittens lying around. I love animals, but feeding them like this does nothing if you're not trapping them and taking them to be groomed and fixed or dropped at a no kill shelter. Its not only painful to watch but it's ridiculously detrimental to the animals she is trying to help.
I've tried everything. Animal control is already overwhelmed in my area. All of my neighbors are fed up to the point that ground beef with glass shards in it was found thrown into her yard last week. I have a huge super soaker I have to carry with me when I walk my dog now.
Welcome to Fresno.