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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / April 2005Cat trapping disaster
The pregnant cat showed up right after I set the trap. I watched her inspect it and approach the bait, nearly tripping the lever a couple of times but backing off. Then something startled her, causing her to back out abruptly at an angle, jostling the trap enough to spring it and bonk her on the head but not capture her. She bolted like a streak toward the open end of the skirting and into the woods. Charlie >Then something startled her, causing her >to back out abruptly at an angle, jostling >the trap enough to spring it and bonk her >on the head but not capture her. She >bolted like a streak toward the open end >of the skirting and into the woods. That sucks, but don't worry. It happens sometimes. What you can do is move the trap (it doesn't have to be far, just a few feet)) and camouflage it so it looks a bit different. Make sure it is on level ground and not easily jostled. Also put a lengthwise folded newspaper in the bottom so it's covering the trip plate. That is done so the cat can't see it and step over it. Don't leave any food out other than what's in the trap, and make sure it is something *very* smelly. Her hunger is going to get the best of her, so be patient. Although rare, I've had this happen where the trap was tripped (hairtrigger latch) before the cat was in and scared away the cat I was trying to get but, despite the setback, I always got them eventually. Keep a positive mindset and don't give up. If, after a few days, you haven't caught her you can do a desensitization trial and still catch her, which is what I did to catch a feral that had been caught once before and was afraid of traps. It took a little over a week. I used canned mackeral and started by leaving the trap out with the door tied up using a bungee cord. I stared by putting the food about a foot away from the trap. I continued to do so until I was certain the cat was eating it. Each day I moved the food closer and then gradually inside the trap. When I saw that the cat was eating the food when it was in the trap, I then moved the food all the way to the back of the trap, untied then door and set it so it would spring. I got the cat that night. Hopefully you will be able to catch her before she has her babies without having to try this, but if not you still have a workable option. Megan  Signature"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -Edmund Burke Learn The TRUTH About Declawing http://www.stopdeclaw.com Zuzu's Cats Photo Album: http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22 "Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way." - W.H. Murray > The pregnant cat showed up right after I set the trap. I watched her > inspect it and approach the bait, nearly tripping the lever a couple [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Charlie Oh no! After all you concern and effort, what a terrible thing.I hope she comes back tomorrow, Charlie. I'm so sorry your first try turned out this way. > The pregnant cat showed up right after I set the trap. I watched her > inspect it and approach the bait, nearly tripping the lever a couple > of times but backing off. Then something startled her, causing her > to back out abruptly at an angle, jostling the trap enough to spring > it and bonk her on the head but not capture her. She bolted like a > streak toward the open end of the skirting and into the woods. Charlie, I've been very busy with my colonies- got a new 'Rambo' on the prowl- and a couple of new problem cats at the shelter, so, I just saw your last two posts. Don't let the mis-trap get you down - Mistraps are pretty common with first-time trappers and some traps are a little tricky to set the tension just right. This is why I generally don't recommend live traps for first time trappers unless they have someone to show them how to set, position, and camo the trap until the trapper has it down pat. Sometimes (many times) when a cat is trapped or the trapping goes bad and the cat escapes, the cat becomes trapwise and very difficult to trap again - and yet some cats aren't fazed in the least by the experience. If the cat wasn't pregnant and due any minute, I'd say camouflage the trap and keep trying - but don't you have the time to experiment and 'try this' and 'try that' since she may be reluctant to 'go into' anything at this point. Cats love and are naturally attracted to cardboard boxes and paper bags - so sometimes I set the trap and put it back in the box it was shipped - or put the trap in a large 30 gal brown paper lawn bag (Home Depot 6/$3.00) and line the base and tripeplate with thin cardboard or newspaper or a piece of another lawn bag. If the trap is large, you may need to cut and splice a piece of another lawn bag. This trick works with many trapwise cats. But like I said, I don't think you have the time to experiment. As an alternative to a live trap you can use a drop trap. A drop trap is basically nothing more than a box (TV size) propped up 18-22" on one side( with a stick with a cord attached to it. The advantage of a drop trap is that the cat doesn't have walk into a trap or into any enclosure - three sides are wide open and she can clearly see open space all around her on three sides - there's nothing to make her curious or cautious. I've had fantastic results with drop traps and trapwise cats. Its practically fool-proof and you won't waste time by trapping other cats or animals that you don't want. Drop traps are the most selective trap there is. Place the food close to back side - opposite the propped up side. When she goes for the bait - or even enters the drop zone - pull the cord attached to the stick and the box will fall around her. When I use drop traps, I tie a 5lb barbell plate to the top of the propped up side of the box to make the box drop faster. As an added inducement you can spray the box with catnip spray or Feliway to mask your scent and ease her apprehension. You can even spray the area or sprinkle a catnip trail into the drop zone to lead her in. I even spray my clothes! Run the cord as far as you can or until you're out of sight - but keep the cord taught so just a slight tug will dislodge the stick and drop the box. For bait you can use heated fish-based canned food - heated food is more aromatic and the odor will not be stronger but it will also travel further. You may laugh, but I and several other trappers have had excellent results with Kentucky Fried Chicken (no bones) and/or freshly cooked bacon. Not many cats can resist KFC or bacon! If I were you, I'd probably use both traps because its imperative that you trap her before she has her kittens - otherwise, you may never find where she's hidden them- and then those kittens will have more kittens. Keep the faith! You'll get her! Phil -> "Charlie Wilkes" <charlie_wilkes@users.easynews.com> wrote in message -> news:e8m361155n5ppq68j1o54apbqe1nv66m7v@4ax.com... -> > The pregnant cat showed up right after I set the trap. I watched her -> > inspect it and approach the bait, nearly tripping the lever a couple -> > of times but backing off. Then something startled her, causing her -> > to back out abruptly at an angle, jostling the trap enough to spring -> > it and bonk her on the head but not capture her. She bolted like a -> > streak toward the open end of the skirting and into the woods. -> > -> -> Charlie, -> -> I've been very busy with my colonies- got a new 'Rambo' on the prowl- and a -> couple of new problem cats at the shelter, so, I just saw your last two -> posts. -> -> Don't let the mis-trap get you down - Mistraps are pretty common with -> first-time trappers and some traps are a little tricky to set the tension -> just right. This is why I generally don't recommend live traps for first -> time trappers unless they have someone to show them how to set, position, -> and camo the trap until the trapper has it down pat. -> -> Sometimes (many times) when a cat is trapped or the trapping goes bad and -> the cat escapes, the cat becomes trapwise and very difficult to trap again - -> and yet some cats aren't fazed in the least by the experience. If the cat -> wasn't pregnant and due any minute, I'd say camouflage the trap and keep -> trying - but don't you have the time to experiment and 'try this' and 'try -> that' since she may be reluctant to 'go into' anything at this point. -> -> Cats love and are naturally attracted to cardboard boxes and paper bags - so -> sometimes I set the trap and put it back in the box it was shipped - or put -> the trap in a large 30 gal brown paper lawn bag (Home Depot 6/$3.00) and -> line the base and tripeplate with thin cardboard or newspaper or a piece of -> another lawn bag. If the trap is large, you may need to cut and splice a -> piece of another lawn bag. This trick works with many trapwise cats. But -> like I said, I don't think you have the time to experiment. -> -> As an alternative to a live trap you can use a drop trap. A drop trap is -> basically nothing more than a box (TV size) propped up 18-22" on one side( -> with a stick with a cord attached to it. The advantage of a drop trap is -> that the cat doesn't have walk into a trap or into any enclosure - three -> sides are wide open and she can clearly see open space all around her on -> three sides - there's nothing to make her curious or cautious. I've had -> fantastic results with drop traps and trapwise cats. Its practically -> fool-proof and you won't waste time by trapping other cats or animals that -> you don't want. Drop traps are the most selective trap there is. -> -> Place the food close to back side - opposite the propped up side. When she -> goes for the bait - or even enters the drop zone - pull the cord attached to -> the stick and the box will fall around her. When I use drop traps, I tie a -> 5lb barbell plate to the top of the propped up side of the box to make the -> box drop faster. As an added inducement you can spray the box with catnip -> spray or Feliway to mask your scent and ease her apprehension. You can even -> spray the area or sprinkle a catnip trail into the drop zone to lead her in. -> I even spray my clothes! Run the cord as far as you can or until you're out -> of sight - but keep the cord taught so just a slight tug will dislodge the -> stick and drop the box. -> -> For bait you can use heated fish-based canned food - heated food is more -> aromatic and the odor will not be stronger but it will also travel further. -> You may laugh, but I and several other trappers have had excellent results -> with Kentucky Fried Chicken (no bones) and/or freshly cooked bacon. Not -> many cats can resist KFC or bacon! -> -> If I were you, I'd probably use both traps because its imperative that you -> trap her before she has her kittens - otherwise, you may never find where -> she's hidden them- and then those kittens will have more kittens. -> -> Keep the faith! You'll get her! -> -> Phil Phil, How do you get the cat out of the drop trap? Signature8^)~~~ Sue (remove the x to e-mail) ~~~~~~ "I reserve the absolute right to be smarter today than I was yesterday." -Adlai Stevenson http://www.suzanne-eckhardt.com/ http://www.intergnat.com/malebashing/ http://www.intergnat.com/pussygames/ "Suzie-Q" <sme617x@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:sme617x- > Phil, How do you get the cat out of the drop trap? Butt the vertical sliding door of the cage to the vertical sliding door of the trap and open the doors. You might have to prod the cat s little with a yardstick or broom handle. http://www.maxshouse.com/Feral/Drop-trap-setup+transfer%20copy.jpg If you're using a cardboard box trap, cut out an opening the same size as the cage door and tape a piece of cardboard larger than the opening over the opening with duct tape. Butt the sliding verticle door of the cage to the taped opening of the trap and remove the piece of cardboard. If the cage doesn't have a verticle sliding door, or if you're using a carrier, open the carrier gate slightly and slide a piece a cardboard across the carrier opening as you're opening the gate. Butt the trap's door to the carrier and slide out the piece of cardboard. If you're into TNR, I'd be happy to send the plans for building a very simple, inexpensive, but very effective drop trap. Phil > "Suzie-Q" <sme617x@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:sme617x- > > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > opening with duct tape. Butt the sliding verticle door of the cage to the > taped opening of the trap and remove the piece of cardboard. > If the cage doesn't have a verticle sliding door, or if you're using a > carrier, open the carrier gate slightly and slide a piece a cardboard across > the carrier opening as you're opening the gate. Butt the trap's door to the > carrier and slide out the piece of cardboard. I did it again! I need more sleep! LOL! If the cage doesn't have a verticle sliding door, or if you're using a carrier, open the carrier gate and butt the carrier to the sliding door of the trap. When the cat enters the carrier, slide a piece of cardboard across the carrier opening and slowly slide the cardboard out as you close the carrier gate. P > If you're into TNR, I'd be happy to send the plans for building a very > simple, inexpensive, but very effective drop trap. > > Phil "Phil P." <phil@maxshouse.com> wrote i:> > Cats love and are naturally attracted to cardboard boxes and paper bags - so > sometimes I set the trap and put it back in the box it was shipped - or put [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > piece of another lawn bag. This trick works with many trapwise cats. But > like I said, I don't think you have the time to experiment. This sounds like a great solution, as they sure do love boxes and bags! > As an alternative to a live trap you can use a drop trap. A drop trap is > basically nothing more than a box (TV size) propped up 18-22" on one side( [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > > Phil I really hope he does. |
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