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I have permission from the writer to cross post this here, I hope you may find it helpful.
It's from the missing cat assistance @Yahoo and this is from Debbie
-----------------------------------------------------------
Hi and thanks, been a member since about 2005 when I lost my 2 most
indoor cats in Albuquerque. Lived on the streets in my car there
(literally) for weeks at a time watching the cat population, and
learning more than anyone should have to about trapping and hunting
them down :-(
Can I upload the photo's of how to use a dog crate to "pull trap"
cats?
I also have a major list of things to do when first know missing that
I've gathered from my awful situation.
MOST important is that the cats do NOT disappear into no-where, I SAW
my lost girl after 1 year still coming to eat at the exact place she
was lost - So people can not give up hope if they really want their
cat back
These lessons were all too
hard learned knowledge not to share.
Lost Cat Trapping Information - been there, went nutz but did it
anyway. - Debbie C.
· Every night at the same time, your routine is to put fresh
water and food down just before sunset. Rattle the dry food bag,
call for kitties but make it a ritual. Typically neighborhood cats
show themselves during the day, we want the lost ones that often only
come out after dark!
· Get a large container of Cap Nip. Crush a handful every
night, and lightly dust around the trap, but not inside. We want
them to smell the FREE TREATIES (see below), and the Cat Nip is only
the "come one, come all" scent for the area.
· Check with your local Animal Humane, shelter or Feed Stores
to borrow or rent large humane cat traps. My favorite kind is the
Tru-Catch Traps from ACES (Animal Care Equipment & Services), model
#36 - they have a website if you want to purchase one.
Unfortunately, many lost cats once captured will try to get out
again – so you may need it or use it to help others. Pass your
blessings forward…
· One of the most horrible things is to never know what
happened right?
· Make the time to get to your local Animal Humane and Shelter
every 3 days. Ask about other areas they may have cats in! Look
carefully at every single cat. Make sure everyone has your Lost Cat
report and your photo flyer! Many shelters keep a book that lists
animals they have picked up off the road. I know this is hard to
think about and harder to look at… But it is worse to NOT know, so
take the time to look at this list when you are there
· When looking at animals, take a photo with your cats special
markings or something about your cat you can use to separate them
from the "look a likes". Don't worry about bothering anyone – it's
YOUR cat missing, not theirs. Ask them to PULL any for you to look
at very carefully if they look like yours. Get your nerves up, this
is not the time to be shy or worry about what other think! This is
the time to get YOUR lost cat back so make that your #1 priortity
from now until you get your cat back!
· I have to put an aside here – ALL of this is draining on your
time, your mental state and your life. I've been there and did all
this for more than a year. Make sure you make time for yourself,
especially this 1st week or 2. I know the desperate feeling about
your lost cat, but for the first couple of weeks the BEST thing you
can do is keep fresh water and food down right by where they left/got
lost and gather up your strength.
· Cry now, but follow this routine every night for at least 1
week. Cats LOVE routines, and when you can make the time (and
hopefully have another person helping), you will need to stay up and
watch for several nights to see the times cats are coming to eat,
what each cat looks like and where they come and go from. Keep a
detailed notebook.
· From where – which direction and path do they use and how and
which area do they seem to go off in? You will use this information
when you can watch for a few days in a row. Within a day or two, you
will have cats coming to visit –find out their route in and out of
your set up area. This route is where you put catnip and where the
traps(s) will sit next to. You'll be able to see that they all do
seem to take the same general "path". This is a great place to set
at least 1 of your traps!
Get help watching during the nights especially the first few weeks
when hubby and/or friends are the MOST helpful! As this stretches
out, the facts are that everyone is less likely to continue – except
those determined to get their Lost Cat BACK.
After you make a Big Ta-Da about putting the fresh water and food
out, have your husband or friends take turns watching, and writing
down information for you this first week! Take a bath, drink some
wine, read a book but MAKE time for you – Capturing your lost indoor
cat may take a minimum of 2-4 weeks or longer.
Lost Indoor cats are very afraid and try to stay in deep hiding.
Your lost cat will need you more after this, so get help now so you
can gather up your strength to keep going during trapping times.
Many people simply give up too soon – Accordingly this is up to you
how long you want to trap! Do not cave in and let others tell you
you're crazy, your cat's not there, or you should give up! Your lost
cat IS right there hiding, and it is a proven fact they are very
close by for a long time.
Lost indoor only cats will be found typically within FIVE houses from
YOURS! They ARE within ¼ mile from where they got out! They are so
terrified no-one may see them. So you must keep them fed, keep fresh
water out and slowly plan to trap them.
· Flyers – Make them BIG, very easy to Read from a Car (SIMPLE)
with a GREAT Photo. "Reward" for INFORMATION LEADING TO RETURN is up
to you and your pocketbook. Remember – No-one collects any amount of
the reward if they do not provide the exact information to get your
cat BACK– This is one way to get MORE eyes out looking FOR you!
That sounds worse than it's meant, but if you put $100 - $500 Reward
you will have many people helping be your eyes! That is a GOOD
THING!
· Get help from friends, ask local animal rescue groups,
girl/boy scouts or your church group – anything you are active in to
set a weekend and deliver these. Your Flyer is BEST if it is HAND
delivered to every single person within a ½ mile radius of your
area. This takes time, BUT – Hand deliver and talk to a person about
your cat! Keep a map of who you gave the flyer to - note their
reaction such as… my flyer will probably be in the trash before I hit
the sidewalk, or these people will keep their eyes open and
understand. Keep going until you have covered your area.
Make sure everyone knows you are actively looking in person. If they
saw your cat and thought it was just another stray – seeing people
out and looking, IS the best reminder to get them to CALL if they see
anything! Give your flyer to the Mailman, the UPS driver if in the
area – everyone you see making delivers that weekend – Local Vets,
Groomers, PetSmart/PetCo, ALL the local rescue groups too must get a
copy of your flyers in case someone else turns your cat in as a
friendly "stray" they found!
· Ads in Paper – Many Newspapers will run LOST ads in the paper
for FREE– don't put your cat's "special" mark to help you decide if
they really have your cat or not – Most lost indoor cats won't be
caught by anyone but YOU! Never, ever agree to meet anyone alone –
arrange to SEE the cat with someone during daytime hours – Suggest
the pound as a meeting place or a busy parking lot. Do NOT take the
reward money with you.
· Yards/Bushes/ Trees/Culverts/ Drainage Ditches/under sheds/junk
cars/UP in trees claws or not – amazing hiding spots.
· Many cats travel the SAME paths when wandering outside. Sit
and quietly watch all night and take notes of what time you see any
cat, where they come from and which direction they "disappear" to…
these cat paths are typically NOT fighting areas and cats use the
same path at various times. THIS help's you!! Now you know where to
scent the PATH towards your free food!!
· Now you have a choice to make. Do you want to try and help
out other stray/or feral cats that you may trap? If I do this, I
take them to my local Vet and get them checked for potential
microchips in case they are someone else's missing loved ones. OR
you may chose to release "other" cats you trap… BUT read on, as you
must check each and every one VERY carefully or you could potentially
catch and release your own!
· Once trapped many cats will avoid going back inside the trap
for several weeks, so this will free up your trap to catch yours –
But disinfect every cage after every capture to rid it of
smells/diseases. PetZyme is great for this! Also every dish and
towel has to be changed, washed and disinfected every time after you
trap a cat. You must do this every single time. To avoid spreading
disease from cat to cat, and to keep your traps CLEAN and ready for
yours! There are very few cats that will walk into a trap that
hasn't been cleaned. They can smell a "trapped" cat's scared scent.
This takes time and fresh towels and cleaning effort - BUT it's your
chance to capture your missing cat so give it your best efforts.
· Once you get a trap (or several), put them near the food and
water you have been putting down every night, and along side
the "paths" you have taken note of . These traps MUST become "part
of the landscape" for about 1 week.
I can't emphazie this enough – Do NOT try to trap too soon. The
first cats you'll probably trap will be the ferals because they are
easy to trap and typically not afraid of traps. This is the hardest
thing to do, especially if you SEE your cat one night. BUT if you
scare your cat away by trying to trap it too soon… it could be weeks
or longer before you have another chance, so GO SLOW to get the BEST
Results!
· Use a bungie cord to lock OPEN the front of the trap. Use
the tops bars to pull the cord tight to lock it open from near the
handle to the front lid. Inside use a layer of several tea/dish
towels to pad the bottom so they don't feel the bottom bars.
· IF it's not cold, there is no need to wrap the outside, but
some cats prefer a covered trap. Use a blanket they like to lay on
that has their scent, but cover the top carefully so the front can
still close properly and the traps sits on level, steady ground.
· IF Cold, get a cheap Vinyl Shower Curtain and used large bath
towels. We are going to wrap the trap like this… Wrap 2 bath towels
width wise around the trap (except by the front trap door), and duct
tape them around. Make SURE the door still shuts properly! Then
take the shower curtain – (if new it smells pretty bad right out of
the bag so toss it in your washing machine and lightly wash it with
the same smells your cat is used to!)…Then take the Shower curtain
and wrap this around the whole trap except the front door. Tape this
down because you don't want it flapping in the air. After wrapping,
CUT through a small hole near the handle to attach one end of your
bungie cord to… the other pull as tight as you can and latch UP the
front trap door. If it rains, you may have to make this tighter as
cords gets wet they can sag.
· This is more to think about… Your best chance is to set up
multiple traps. So what are you going to do with the "others" you
trap? Find local TNR (trap, neuter, release) groups that may help
with local spay/neuter programs in your area. Most shelters and the
Animal Humane can help you connect with these groups. Call ahead and
get this set us asap. When you are trapping you can then concentrate
on, IS this trapped cat mine or Not?!
· At LEAST 1 Week must go by putting food/water and Free TREATS
outside nightly with the traps just sitting there a few feet away.
· The traps MUST become part of the landscape. Don't rush it!
· TREATS FOR ALL – You'll be feeding many cats in your area and
you don't want yours to come eat and find nothing left! Put out
enough dry food for multiple cats, and reload your plates after
several hours, or after you've seen a few cats stop by to eat. See,
this is another reason you have to note the roaming population!
· FOOD – This is your announcement to the area's CAT
population, FREE GREAT STINKY FOOD!!!
o Tuna in OIL is better than in water, it lasts longer in hot
AND Cold temps, and the smell travels further.
o KFC hot fresh Chicken – debone and remove skin
o Canned, Chunk Chicken (fresh hot is better, but this is
better than none!)
o Jack Mackerl stinks to high heaven and drives cats crazy IF
they like fishy smells!
o Sardines in oil – This and Jack Mackerl should ONLY be used
if you can put them down safely without attracting dogs and/or
coyotes.
o What do you sit at the dinner table eating that drives YOUR
cat crazy? That smell is another idea for extra food to put down.
o Canned cat food – If your cat eats this, put their favorite
out with the other items
o Cooked Bacon - curl it when cooking so you can "hang" it down
inside the trap from the upper bars! Also crumble up a SMALL taste
on a paper plate just outside the trap and trail crumbles into the
trap.
o Hot Fresh French Fries – Make a point of stopping by a nearby
fast food joint and asking them to make you HOT FRESH French fries –
not the ones left from an hour ago!! You can eat most of the fries
(or toss them out later)… What matters is leave 1 or 2 fries to toss
into the back end of your trap(s), and keep the paper AND the bag
this is put in… refrain from salting these – again, ASK when they
cook them to not add salt – I've told them I'm using their fries to
capture cats, and amazing they WILL make them fresh every time J
Though I know they think I was a nut - who cares! When you have a
lost cat everyone becomes crazed and I've caught many cats with
empty, greasy bags!
Results matter, not what anyone thinks!
My favorites are cooked bacon crumbled and trailed into the traps,
and on paper plates tuna (drain the oil) with chicken and tiny chunks
of hot french fries.
· For 1 week after you have trap(s) down and they are Locked
Open – Put out your nighly free food and fresh water and make sure to
add some Great Treats JUST Outside the traps.
· After 2 weeks – This is when you are going to be needed every
night! This is your best shot, and when you have to make the time.
Suck it all up mentally and watch every night to do everything it
takes to trap them. If you have to, take the time off work near the
end of the second week into a long weekend. If you have a week's
vacation coming, the end of week 2, and week 3 is when I would go for
it! Get HELP for week 1-2 when you set the Free food out.
· Week 2 – You can toss inside the trap an empty greasy fry
bag, french fries torn into tiny pieces, crumbled up bacon and any
treat you choose from the list above. Remember to put a little of
this on a paper plate just inside the front of the trap(s). STILL
put the fresh water outside and the dry food.
· If you have several traps try different treats just inside
each one. The cats need to feel safe to go inside and eat, AND get
back out… Or you won't be able to trap them next week!
· You may not know you have Feral cats in your area, you won't
SEE them, but they still can be there, and they are the EASIEST to
trap. They have no fear of cages, they only smell the food and go
into traps.
· Always put the tinest taste on a paper plate just outside the
trap - not quite a bite so they want more and are willing to go into
the trap(s) to get it!! When you slowly move the food further into
the trap (take about 2 days before moving it a little further back
each time), and watch to see who's coming to eat and what time… Try
to arrange with a friend to take shifts watching, but prepare
yourself (and your family).
I told everyone in my life, I would NOT talk to them about it, I was
going to do whatever it took, would NOT discuss anything until I had
my cat back in my arms hahaha I know how crazy it feels when we have
a lost one!! If you love your cat that much – to heck with everyone
else, let's GET IT BACK!
By now you have made notes of what was the MOST popular item eaten
from your treats slowly moved to the back of the trap(s). Which one
is the one your Cat can't resist! To heck with any diet, worry about
catching up on a Vet checkup after they are safely back in your arms
and house! Let's say it's Tuna in Oil…a most popular among Cats of
any kind unless your cat doesn't like fish.
Now you have your BEST shot at trapping for several weeks so give it
your best efforts right now.
Week 3 –Put only the bowls of fresh water outside. Use the tasting
plate just outside the front of the trap, but NO other food outside.
Make sure the food goes inside the trap(s), and use paper plates or
paper bowls! A trapped cat get scared enough to tear apart a plastic
bowl and get cut up, so paper plates or paper bowls are more trap
friendly and easier to toss for cleanliness.
No matter what - NO food other than the smallest TASTE goes outside
the trap - EVEN if you SEE your cat come and walk away do NOT put
food (other than the tasting plate) outside the trap for at least 3-4
days!! This is the most heartbreaking, to SEE your cat come but NOT
want to go in to eat... IF you have done this slowly and they have
went in and out of the locked OPEN trap - you can see your success
improved by TONS! Stay firm and they will go in.
Avoid walking out to your trap(s) if there are cats in the area.
Take a SMALL flashlight and only turn it on when you get to the trap
(s), and only as much as need to refresh – Avoid drawing attention to
the traps if cats are watching and assume they are!
· Paper plate #1 is the "tasting" plate just outside the trap,
by the fresh water. Make sure none interferes with the trap once
set, as this won't get moved again until your cat is caught!
· The rest is on the 2nd paper plate. This plate will slowly
get moved further back in the trap – SLOWLY is the most important
words!
If no-one eats from it when it is JUST inside the front door, trust
me – they won't walk even further in! So give it 2 full nights
sitting just inside, before noting if it was tasted at all – IF NOT,
keep putting it just inside the front of the trap until you see any
cat brave enough to eat from it.
· AFTER the cat(s) begin to eat from the plate just inside the
trap, move it just a little bit further back inside the trap(s).
Still the traps are locked Open! TWO days put both treat in the same
spot… go slow now. Every 2 days move the trap plate ONLY a little
further back into the trap – STILL the trap is locked OPEN! Every
cat HAS to know it can freely WALK in and OUT getting the treaty!
Trust me the word get's out – and if your cat is watching, it will
feel safer about going in and out too!
By about 1 week or more, you should have the trap plate sitting on
the "step" plate of the trap(s). Keep putting out the "tasting"
plate, fresh water and the rest of the treaty on the traps step plate
but don't SET the trap yet.
· The next step depends on your time schedule. I'm not kidding
when I say the slower you move the food inside the trap(s), the
better chance you have of trapping your cat! So, even if all the
cats are freely walking in and out and eating all the time – WAIT for
a weekend when you can watch the traps ALL night before setting
them.
Make sure it has been 2 WEEKS MINIMUM before setting your trap(s)… No
matter how many other cats have gone in and out, YOUR cat is not an
outdoor cat, may have dashed by to get a sip of water or a quick
nibble, but WILL be MORE into still hiding than all the other ones.
So the slower you go, the better chance they will get comfortable
going in and out of your trap(s).
· The next weekend, when you have a couple of days to stay up
and sit and watch the traps, it's time to SET the trap(s).
·
Most people prefer beginning this on a weekend due to work chedules.
By now you should have written down the many cats coming to eat, see
the plates eaten and know their Paths.
· Hopefully by now, the paper plate with the great treat has
slowly gone from the front of the trap, to where it has been sitting
on the traps "step" plate and cats have gone in and out many times.
Set the trap(s) and plan on watching from sundown to sunup! Someone
must check or watch the traps every 15 minutes or so. Do NOT set any
Trap(s) and leave them unwatched!!
· Your local pound may tell you it is OK to check them every 4
hours if cold, 6 hours if not, but they don't CARE about OUR cat like
we do - and NO cat should get trapped and be beating itself bloody
inside a Trap!!
· Do you want your cat treated that way? Be prepared to SIT
and watch from the time you SET the trap, until DAWN when you lock it
back open!!! This is when you'll trap the most cats. LOOK at the
door(s) every 15 minutes or so to see if it's shut.
· THINK about anything else… birds, laundry, happy times on the
beach, but NOT about the cat walking into your trap(s)!!
Let the trap take care of the cat, and think good vibes – Someone
told me to think about how happy my cat would be, how loved upon the
return, but that was too painful for me, so I chose to think about
squirrels and Pink Lemonade - the exact way step by step my mom made
this (all while semi-watching the trap). No kidding, mental images
of anything but you sitting there trying to trap cats.
· When you see a trap shut, immediately get to it! I always
wear gloves when doing this– First to avoid any scratches or bites,
but also to keep them from smelling my hands scent.
Take a large towel or sheet & cover the trap up – if your trap is
already wrapped, COVER the front. Grab the handle and get it out of
the area ASAP. This is to keep any other cats from seeing, OR
hearing the trapped cat!
Covering the traps helps calm down the cat inside (most). Get the
trap inside or wherever you are planning on putting it - a garage,
spare bathroom. Walk away from it for ½ hour!!!! After 1/2 hour,
slowly lift the front of the towel to see if the cat in the trap has
settled down - Normally friendly strays, or neighbor's cats that stop
by for a snack, will settle down. If they don't, you may have caught
a feral. These may still be beating their body and face against the
trap to get OUT and may not stop for a while (if at all).
· IF the Trapped cat has settled down, do NOT open the trap.
Turn on the lights and LOOK to see if it even resembles yours. IF it
remotely looks like yours, unwrap the trap – STILL do not open it!!
Look VERY closely at the cat – IS it YOURS?? Note any Special marks
YOUR cat may have against this cat – Don't decide based on what your
cat looked like when it got OUT! Your cat may have lost weight, lost
some of it's hair, have mats, new scratches, lighter or darker furr!
You have to very carefully look in the trap to make sure it IS yours.
WHOOO HOOO if this cat is YOURS!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! !!
· IF NOT – Remember, you should have a plan already of what
you are going to do with those "not yours". You still have to get
this cat taken care of, keep an eye out on any other traps, and get
this trap disinfected to get back out there to catch yours next!
· Put the trap down on the floor and sit next to it – not close
enough to get scratched! Slowly put your hand near the trapped cat,
but again – remember they have a LONG reach and this is only a small
test to see if they are "friendly", but don't touch them! If they
ARE friendly, what plan of action did you make? That's what you do…
I always used at least 8 traps, so any that needed TNR (trap, neuter,
release could stay in their traps), the friendly's could stay until I
had a vet scan for a micrchip - if none then either the shelter or
the Animal Huamae where people GO to look for their lost cats!
IF you have multiple traps Good for you! If not, stick with your
plans you made.
· IF they have not settled down in ½ hour - let them stay
covered for another ½ hour to make sure before deciding is you have
trapped a feral.
There ARE several "friendly" types of cats that do NOT do well in
cages/traps – Calico's along with many of the Siamese breeds – can
freak out in cages even if they are nice, friendly cats normally!
ONLY the most feral of cats in 1 hour will still be beating itself
bloody against a trap after being covered. If you've caught a feral,
follow your plan of action for this type of cat – then disinfect the
trap, fresh towels inside and get it back outside with more food
ready for the next capture.
· Please BE SURE to look at every cat very closely to make sure
it is not yours. I hope you have an identifying mark to check before
you decide what your going to do with any "others" you may trap.
Once you DO have your cat trapped and SAFE inside... Even after they
are back in their own safe home it's best to put them in a spare
bedroom or bathroom for a week. IF you have other animals, your lost
one needs a Vet check for FIV/FIVL and possibly ticks etc... Give it
a few days before taking it in.
A small space will help them adjust to being back inside! They may
hide under a bed for days only coming out when you are in the room to
sniff at you, or lick you thanking you! After about 1 week (and the
Vet checkup) open the door and let them decide when to rejoin your
family.
A FOUND lost cat has only hid and hunted for food so they still may
not clean themselves, or want to play for a while. Give them the
time they need to readjust as they may have some scary dreams but YOU
can see them through this!
· I know by following this routine, you CAN get your lost cat
back. All these are proven steps on capturing lost animals.
Bailey made it home last night after 48 hours missing...I am wondering if a couple of things helped him find his way - one, even though we'd left food out, he hadn't returned, so I poured some tuna juice around our yard yesterday afternoon, knowing his affinity for tuna. Then, my husband was over at the neighbors' house last night when they had a fire in their fire pit and everyone was talking, so maybe Bailey could hear his voice?
All I know is, DO NOT give up...I had decided something bad happened to Bailey b/c he's never gotten out before, but he still made it home. We'll keep purring for all the kitties out there!!!
If the websites doesn't work you may have to look for any gaps in the address, as I've noticed when posting these, they sometimes get gaps in them.
I can't remove them : ( even if I check, then edited and repost they appear again. But these sites are well worth checking out if you are going to look into trapping.
Also if the address doesn't work I notice it may add 20% into the adress you may have to take that out. I don't know why but it seems to happen when coping addresses. In my next post I'll try and add direct links.
This is all great advice, but I live in an apartment that would not let me put a trap out. I tried Howie's favorite food (tuna), and put a catnip plant out, but found the only cat that ate it was an outdoor cat of the neighbors. This one cat keeps coming around, and I'm worried if Howie is still out there, he may be scared to come to the door when there's this big girl there.
Every night I put out my dirty socks because Howie loved to rub on my sweaty shoes and feet. I move next week, and will make sure all my neighbors know he's still missing. The management office still has my lost cat sign (others posted were defaced), and I visit the humane society so regularly they know me and my kitty by name.
Does anyone have any ideas for apartment dwellers?
Sorry I know how painful the hunt is especially when you are moving soon.
I assume you have door knocked on every ones door. If you can go around again, You can start off by saying...
Do you remember the lost cat sign, I just wanted to let you know I'm still looking for Howie. If you have seen him can you please let me know, as I'd dearly love to have him home. I'll be leaving soon so I'm getting very worried, I'm just in app. no. If you've seen anything please let me know. Thank you for your time.
I admit it is hard to go around, but it is the best thing as it puts a more personal touch to it and makes contact as if kin ( friends in the building). You may also get some info, if they know of anyone that is feeding cats in the area. These people are hard to find.
So if you can, it does pay to knock on every door and maybe apartments near yours too.
Some kids may have taken them home. I did find people may see the flyers but may not read them.
When you go around again I found I needed to carry flyers with me. I printed up 8 small flyers on one A4 sheet so they were small enough that people put it on their fridge.
I did it length wise 4 down 2 wide with a photo is the corner (I wish I had some still, to show you but I threw them all out the other day).
I also used 5 different photos so if a neighbour was in having coffee or something and saw it, and noticed a different photo it might start a conversation. The more they talk about it the more they will remember it. (I know it's a long shot, but you have to try anything as something this small may just be the key) I wish you the best.
Also has anyone left the building since Howie went missing? Can you ask if you can see inside all vacant appartments?
Thank you for this great info....we just want to add that in our town, there is a shelter that only holds strays for 48 hours!!! So maybe check in with your local shelters, animal control or humane society every other day just to be sure!!
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