How can I catch the last stubborn feral cat?

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Member Since
10/17/2009

Purred: Mon Oct 19, '09 5:39am PST


	I have two inside cats and until yesterday, I thought I had nine outside/feral cats. Well, yesterday I saw two kittens. I have caught and neutered all the feral cats, except one...Cousin. I thought he was a male. I was wrong. I am not worried about trapping the kittens when they are old enough, but now I really need to catch Cousin. She has laughed at my traps before. She has gotten out of a cage when I pulled the door shut with a string. I can reach down and touch her when they are all eatting nightly, but she doesn't know it and would not welcome it. She is my oldest and wisest feral cat. I need suggestions on how to catch or trap her...something I have not thought of. Has anyone reached down and grabbed a feral cat by the scuff of the neck? Could that work? She is a full sized cat and I am a shrimp of a lady. How about leather gloves and grabbing her around the middle? Does anyone think that might work? Suggestions please.

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Buddy Bolden

Happy Cat

Purred: Mon Oct 19, '09 6:38am PST


	I would be VERY careful about just grabbing her by the scruff of the neck, or in her middle. Think it might scare her so much she would run off and you would be unable to get near to her. What about baiting a trap with either cheap noname sardines or tuna? What type of trap are you using? I have used some in the past from the local animal shelter, and once they spring shut the animal cannot get out. Good luck, and bless you for making sure these ferals cannot bring more unwanted kittens into the world.

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Member Since
10/17/2009

Purred: Mon Oct 19, '09 11:19am PST


	Yes, I am a bit concerned about just grabbing her. If I could just grab her and drop her into a cage, ....well, that might work, but I could also end up a scratched up mess. The trap I use is a live trap, and I have used it before successfully, but my problem is that I feed 7 other feral cats at the same time. As near as I can guess, I would always catch one of the 7 other cats. I have watched Cousin turn down the trap, time after time. I guess I could trap the other 7 and hold them somewhere and then try to trap Cousin. The complexity of that boggles my mine. I considered a tranquilizer in her food, but who knows how long that would take to take effect.

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Buddy Bolden

Happy Cat

Purred: Mon Oct 19, '09 1:52pm PST


	Sounds like you have one VERY smart cat on your hands. Is there anywhere you could put the other feral cats? I can understand, when I was trapping cats at my former home (lost in Hurricane Katrina), I once trapped a cat that had already been spayed. I thought she was the OTHER gray tabby we were trying to catch. Good luck, and you might check with the rescue orgazination to see if they have any suggestions. The New Orleans Kitties

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Hot Rod and- friends

1055235

Purred: Tue Oct 20, '09 11:47am PST


	I really can't figure out where I would put a herd of feral cats, but I need to start doing something, so today I am going to put my two cages out...not traps, just cages. I was able to feed in cages last time and managed to pull a string attached to the door and catch some. Maybe it has been long enough that Cousin has forgotten how she got out even after I closed the door last time. I will probably get more than one this way, but I have had neutered cats "ride along" before. My low cost clinic just deals with the one that needs to go on. Cross your fingers for me.

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♥- Tasha- ♥

Cat; I'm a kitty- cat!

Purred: Tue Oct 20, '09 12:45pm PST


	A drop trap would work well for you probably- wish I could let you use mine! Good luck- let us know how you make out!

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Scooter

Even the sun- loves me.

Purred: Tue Oct 20, '09 1:58pm PST


	Hey, work backwards. Can you catch the kits and put them in a crate and set up another one for her? That's how I finally caught my sole remaining supersmart feral momma. And she is still cussing me for that and getting her fixed.

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Hot Rod and- friends

1055235

Purred: Tue Oct 20, '09 6:32pm PST


	Okay, I have put my two cages out. I fed cats in them tonight, but now I am thinking I might put the food in front of the cages and just PUSH Cousin in. I am going to play with that idea, because I had 6 cats in my two cages, and Cousin just stood watching them eat. The idea of catching the kittens is playing around with my brain, and I need to research what a drop cage is. I have two live animal traps that have worked in the past....but not for Cousin. I am also thinking of grabbing Cousin with a heavy towel and pushing her in a cage. My cages are actually small dog kennels, and the openings are a good size, not like the small openings on my cat carriers. Thanks for good suggestions... This is not going to be a quick catch. I figure I might leave my cages out for two weeks and then try something....give them really time to get used to them being there.

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♥- Tasha- ♥

Cat; I'm a kitty- cat!

Purred: Tue Oct 20, '09 6:39pm PST


	Here is a pic of a drop trap, they usually work on hard to get kitties:drop trap You just hide and pull the string- the trap comes down and you've got em!