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Cat Forum / Rescue / April 2004No Help Available For Ferals?
Hi, This is more of a vent than anything else, and this group seems like the right place for it. Who knows, maybe you guys can offer suggestions. I've just spent my entire morning trying to get trapping and spay/neuter information for the 4 feral cats (all one litter) that came along with the house we just bought. I don't mind feeding the cats and having them around, but the females just had their first heat, and are most likely already pregnant. The mother of this group, after disappearing for a long time, has also reappeared and is obviously nursing a new litter. (Whole other problem, but one thing at a time.) Called the Humane Society, they said to call Wildlife Care, Wildlife Care said to call the Humane Society, who then said it just wasn't their problem because the cats weren't pets and to call Animal control. Animal Control said it wasn't their problem unless I wanted to trap the cats myself, which I can't do. They then offered to rent me a trap for a $100 deposit + rent, which I don't have. (Even if I did trap them, they just wanted to haul them off to be euthanized, which isn't an option.) I flat out asked the guy at Animal Control if no one cared if these 4 cats just bred themselves into the hundreds, and he said no. (NOT kidding.) So the long and short of it is, no one will even discuss the matter unless I pay a fee and deliver the cats to them. These things are totally wild. Even if I could afford the $250 or so the entire undertaking would cost, and manage to trap them, what do I do with them until the vet appointment? No one I've asked seems to have answers. I've already adopted the runt from this group. He's pretty wild, but likes living in the house and gets along well with my other 3 cats. I wish I could take them all in, but they're just too wild, and I don't have any more room. The 4 I have now are a bit much at times. :-) Anyway, thanks for letting me vent. I guess I need to get back on the phone and try a few more places. It's just unreal that all these organizations that talk about how much they want to help unwanted animals lose interest when you actually ask them for assistance. But there's got to be some place that helps with these things. Suggestions welcome. Wish me luck. :-) Robyn  SignatureTo avoid grizzlies, the Alaska Department of Fish & Game advises hikers to wear noisy little bells on clothes and carry pepper spray. Also watch for signs of activity: Black bear scat is smaller and contains berries; grizzly scat has little bells in it and smells like pepper. Robyn -- What, specifically, do you want from the agencies you are calling? The more specific you can be, the more they can help you. I can't really tell from your e.mail what strategy you want to take with these cats. Do you want someone to come and trap them, and take them in for neutering? If so, and you're anywhere near Austin (Texas), I can do it, just drop me an e.mail. After they are neutered, do you want to release them, or do you want to try to get them adopted? With ferals, if they truly *are* feral (i.e., wild as all get-out), it's probably better to release them after they are neutuered. Once they've gone wild, they don't make great pets, but they can survive quite well if you'll keep feeding them. There is a wealth of information at Alley Cat Allies' web site (http://www.alleycat.org/) about trap-neuter-release of feral cats. If you let me know where you're located, I may be able to put you in touch with a local feral-friendly person who can help. Lotte > Hi, > This is more of a vent than anything else, and this group seems like [quoted text clipped - 40 lines] > for signs of activity: Black bear scat is smaller and contains berries; > grizzly scat has little bells in it and smells like pepper. > Robyn -- > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > Lotte Sorry if my email wasn't clear. I'm kind of upset at the telephone runaround I keep getting. The cats are truly wild and hiss when approached, even when we feed them, so I doubt they're adoptable. But I don't mind feeding them or having them around, I just can't have them multiplying all over everything, so I need help with the trapping and fixing. Unfortunataly, I'm not in Texas, but south Florida, or I'd happily take you up on your offer. My S/O suggested that maybe we can try to at least get the females by luring them into our cat carrier, tie a string to the door and hide or something. I think it might work once... But what do you do with them until the vet appointment, don't they go nuts when confined? The last cat I had fixed through a low cost service was a 3 day wait, but he was a tame pet, so no problem. Anyway, thanks for the response. I think the next call I make and hear, "Well, first you have to buy a trap" or "We only help pets" I'm going to scream... Robyn Robyn, try this URL: www.thecatnetwork.org They are based out of Miami, if that helps. They might at least be able to put you in touch with someone who can help. Don't give up networking! But be prepared to do most of the work yourself, even if you find help with the expenses. Sharon Talbert Friends of Campus Cats Seattle > Robyn, try this URL: > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Friends of Campus Cats > Seattle Thanks Sharon, I'll take a look, but Miami is a different county and quite a distance. (I don't have easy transportation.) Still, you never know. I'd still like to know what to do with the cat if I'm lucky enough to catch one in my carrier? Will it be calm until an appointment can be arranged, or go ballistic? Also, how fast do these cats tame down? They're always wanting to get in the house. They know their brother's in there, and they're friends with my big male, Squidly. If I just let them in on the porch, would they adjust enough within a couple of weeks to be handled so I could transport them? I could probably afford to fix a cat every week or two until they're done... Maybe that's a bad idea, I don't know. Hopefully today's phone calls will yield some help. :-) My S/O is now telling me we should just say the hell with it and take all four of them in. ACK! Even with only 4, I can't sit down without shooing a cat. I had to chase one out of the bathtub to take a shower this morning. (The water tastes better than what's in the dish, apparently.) Last week I woke up with a weight on my chest and a tail in my mouth. I can't imagine having 8, especially with 5 of them being wild things. I think my S/O needs his meds adjusted. :-) Anyway, I'm rambling. Thanks for the advise, I'm going to see if I can't get something done today, or at least form a plan. Take care, Robyn SignatureTo avoid grizzlies, the Alaska Department of Fish & Game advises hikers to wear noisy little bells on clothes and carry pepper spray. Also watch for signs of activity: Black bear scat is smaller and contains berries; grizzly scat has little bells in it and smells like pepper. > I'd still like to know what to do with the cat if I'm lucky enough to > catch one in my carrier? Will it be calm until an appointment can be [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > every week or two until they're done... Maybe that's a bad idea, I don't > know. Hopefully today's phone calls will yield some help. :-) The trick is to make the appointment for the neutering before you catch the cat -- kind of tricky, I know, but people who do neutering for ferals usually understand that they don't just walk into the trap on schedule. Here in Austin, Animal Trustees of Austin has a low-cost spay/neuter clinic that is open Thu-Sun. They take animals in early in the morning on a walk-in basis, and discharge them later that day. So I usually set my trap on Wednesday night, get up early Thursday and take the trap (if I've caught anybody) directly to the clinic. That means they have to spend the night in the trap, but 'them's the breaks' at our house. It's actually good in the sense that I know they haven't had anything to eat or drink the night before surgery. If you catch one in your carrier, throw a blanket over it as soon as the cat's in there -- this will help to keep it calm. You *might* be able to get one of them into the carrier with a treat or something, but let me warn you, though, most ferals are tough cookies, and as soon as you move toward them, they're going to be out of there like a shot. Unless the door of your carrier can be snapped securely shut with the string, you're probably not going to be able to contain the cat. The fact that they're trying to get in your house makes me think they're probably not 100% feral -- really wild cats won't go near humans -- you rarely even see them. So they might calm down enough if you kept them on your porch (I'm assuming we're talking about an enclosed porch?) -- I doubt you'd be able to actually handle them, but they might let you shut the door of the carrier with them inside if you're quick enough. Put a treat in the carrier and see if you can sneak up on one quick enough to get the door shut. DO NOT try to "catch" the cat with your bare hands if it flies out of the carrier though -- you will regret it! > My S/O is now telling me we should just say the hell with it and take > all four of them in. ACK! Even with only 4, I can't sit down without [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > my mouth. I can't imagine having 8, especially with 5 of them being wild > things. I think my S/O needs his meds adjusted. :-) Really wild ferals won't want to live in your house with you, and will prefer to be outside, so don't try to domesticate them into house cats. Once they're neutered, just continue to feed them and watch for signs of injury or illness. They will be your own little feral cat colony. I know what you mean about the cat crowding -- we also have four, in our 750 square foot house, and it's a damned good thing I love them all. My youngest cat, Rigby, who weighs close to 10 lb, has taken to "surfing" my head in the morning to get me out of bed to feed him. Nothing like a fat cat sliding across your face to start the day. Obviously, you love cats as well, or you wouldn't be doing what you're doing. Please keep us posted on what happens. Lotte | Here in Austin, Animal Trustees of Austin has a low-cost spay/neuter | clinic that is open Thu-Sun. They take animals in early in the morning | on a walk-in basis, and discharge them later that day. In New York city, the Humane Society of New York has a specially funded program for ferals with a similar in-by-8:30am and out-by-5pm protocol: physical exam, spay/neuter, rabies shot, flea+mite treatment and eartip, all for free (provided they know you.) Appointments need to be made in advance, of course, but on occasion we've been squeezed in on short notice (they know what it's like, and they care.) | So I usually set my trap on Wednesday night, get up early Thursday and | take the trap (if I've caught anybody) directly to the clinic. That | means they have to spend the night in the trap, but 'them's the breaks' | at our house. I would never leave a trap unmonitored overnight. What if the cat thrashes and hurts itself? (I've seen this happen.) What if it rains? (Ditto.) What if some clown stumbles on the trap and lets the cat go? (Ditto.) What if someone just walks off with the trap? (Ditto.) In my case, they also spend the night in the trap, but the trap is at home. For recovery, I have dog crates and a playpen as needed, and for the trip to the HS and for release I use transfer cages (much less unwieldy than traps.) | You *might* be able to get one of them into the carrier with a treat | or something, but let me warn you, though, most ferals are tough | cookies, and as soon as you move toward them, they're going to be out | of there like a shot. Agreed. That trick is more likely to work with strays. > I would never leave a trap unmonitored overnight. What if the cat > thrashes and hurts itself? (I've seen this happen.) What if it rains? > (Ditto.) What if some clown stumbles on the trap and lets the cat go? > (Ditto.) What if someone just walks off with the trap? (Ditto.) Well, it's not really umonitored, because I set it right below my bedroom window (feral highway) and can hear it when it trips. If I hear it trip, I'll get up and go throw a blanket over it. That usually settles down the thrashers and keeps the cat and trap protected until morning. Thrashers are, unfortunately, just as likely to hurt themselves in carriers as in the trap, at least the one I use (hav-a-hart knock-off). If I get a major thrasher, I'll usually turn him/her loose if they don't settle down under the blanket. Since they're right under my window, I can hear if they're in distress. I did try transferring cats when I first started doing TNR and it seemed to just stress the cats more. The way I do it now, they never even see me except for the few seconds when I throw the blanket over them -- I take the covered trap, cat and all, to the clinic early in the morning. I don't worry about my trap walking off because I know all my neighbors, and if any strangers came into my yard to get it (highly unlikely because it can't be seen from the street), the dogs next door would go ape-sh.t. > In my case, they also spend the night in the trap, but the trap is at > home. For recovery, I have dog crates and a playpen as needed, and for > the trip to the HS and for release I use transfer cages (much less > unwieldy than traps.) I'm not really sure what you're saying here -- mine spend the night in the trap, and the trap is at home... that's where I do my trapping. Maybe I missed your point? Do you trap away from your own home? I have two crates I use for recovery, a wire-type one for more sedate cats, and a plastic one for the really wild ones -- it's more enclosed so the nervous cats feel more secure in that one. I think my situation isn't a typical TNR scenario -- I only trap cats in my own neighborhood (tho I'd be glad to help anyone elsewhere who wanted to trap), and we have a 'hoarder' down the street that feeds the 'hood strays but is absolutely clueless about neutering -- I'm sort of 'working under the radar,' so to speak. I'm sure I've caught and neutered people's pet cats, because people here let them wander around at will, without collars on. Incredibly stupid. Keep up the good work. LV |> I would never leave a trap unmonitored overnight. | | Well, it's not really umonitored, because I set it right below my | bedroom window (feral highway) and can hear it when it trips. I'm sorry, I misunderstood. If the trap is on your own premises, that's different. | If I hear it trip, I'll get up and go throw a blanket over it. That | usually settles down the thrashers and keeps the cat and trap protected | until morning. Do you still leave the trap outside overnight? (We don't do that.) | Thrashers are, unfortunately, just as likely to hurt themselves in | carriers as in the trap, at least the one I use (hav-a-hart knock-off). In our experience, thrashers settle down when they're removed to an indoors holding area. There seem to be two main factors in their panic: first, that they're out in the open, and that they're on familiar ground (but in a strange predicament). Moving them to an unfamiliar location, and keeping the trap covered of course, seems to kick in their natural instinct to be as quiet as possible. | I did try transferring cats when I first started doing TNR and it | seemed to just stress the cats more. That may have been a matter of technique - how did you transfer them? We exploit their preference to stay hidden - putting the trap and cage end to end, covered, and then uncovering the area where we don't want the cat. It may take a few minutes, but eventually they move. We generally don't use carriers except perhaps for release (in which case they were recovering in a crate, so we use the same principle: put the carrier in the crate and then uncover the crate.) | I'm not really sure what you're saying here -- mine spend the night | in the trap, and the trap is at home... that's where I do my trapping. I meant holding them overnight indoors. | Do you trap away from your own home? Yes. I live in an apartment, so I don't have "visitors". I help with various colonies in the area (and in other parts of the city.) I've used other holding areas, such as the basement of a church for one colony that I stabilized[*], but it's more convenient for me to take them to the HS directly from home in the morning, so I bring them home when I trap them. | we have a 'hoarder' down the street that feeds the 'hood strays but is | absolutely clueless about neutering -- I'm sort of 'working under the | radar,' so to speak. Oh man. This feeder is guaranteeing a constant stream of visitors for you. | I'm sure I've caught and neutered people's pet cats, because people | here let them wander around at will, without collars on. Incredibly | stupid. Same here, in my neighborhood. It's a nuisance. [*] Pictures: http://www.picturetrail.com/aray/ . The colony is in "Colony 5"; one of my favorite fellas, Greystoke, is also in the "Ferals" album; my foster kittens Katrina and Calvin were also from there. > | I did try transferring cats when I first started doing TNR and it > | seemed to just stress the cats more. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > they were recovering in a crate, so we use the same principle: put the > carrier in the crate and then uncover the crate.) Hmmm.... maybe I was doing it the hard way! I might try this transfer strategy. The point another poster made about them being left where they have been trapped struck a nerve also -- makes sense to me that it would cause them some anxiety to remain where they were trapped. At the very least I could put the trap in the garage and cover it so they're in a quieter location that smells different than where they were trapped. Give them more a feeling of safety. > | we have a 'hoarder' down the street that feeds the 'hood strays but is > | absolutely clueless about neutering -- I'm sort of 'working under the > | radar,' so to speak. > > Oh man. This feeder is guaranteeing a constant stream of visitors for > you. Tell me about it. I've talked to them until I'm blue in the face, and they just don't get it -- so I took the path of least resistance and am now the "invisible caretaker" of their "colony." The only upside really is that they're very good about feeding. I put a feeding station near where I trap to keep them coming thru my yard, but the hoarders keep them fed on a daily basis pretty well. > | I'm sure I've caught and neutered people's pet cats, because people > | here let them wander around at will, without collars on. Incredibly > | stupid. > > Same here, in my neighborhood. It's a nuisance. It's worse than a nuisance, it's practically guaranteeing that their pets will live short, miserable lives. If I could change *one* thing about what people understand about cats, it would be DON'T LET THEM FREE-ROAM. It's a bit like letting your three year-old out at night and expecting him to return in the morning in one piece. > [*] Pictures: http://www.picturetrail.com/aray/ . The colony is in > "Colony 5"; one of my favorite fellas, Greystoke, is also in the > "Ferals" album; my foster kittens Katrina and Calvin were also from > there. Those are some good-looking cats! Nice mix of colors and stripe variations, you've probably got a nice genetic range in there. Greystoke looks just like my pet male Rigby -- tho Rig isn't quite that big (yet). I've always had at least one gray tabby -- my old grinch, Bullet is a grey tabby a friend rescued in the middle of our busiest downtown street. She's going on 14 now. Thanks for the tips -- I'll let you know how it works out down here. LV > just don't get it -- so I took the path of least resistance and am now the > "invisible caretaker" of their "colony." The only upside really is that > they're very good about feeding. I put a feeding station near where I trap > to keep them coming thru my yard, but the hoarders keep them fed on a daily > basis pretty well. Here's a tip. If the cats are too well fed to be interested in your trap, try baiting with fresh catnip. Another benefit of catnip is that possoms and raccoons don't care for the stuff. For some reason, catnip is most successful with toms. We once caught two fighting toms the same night, both still bleeding from their wounds. (In separate traps, thank gawd.) Sharon Talbert Friends of Campus Cats > > I would never leave a trap unmonitored overnight. What if the cat > > thrashes and hurts itself? (I've seen this happen.) What if it rains? [quoted text clipped - 42 lines] > > LV Any idea why some cats flip out in the trap and others just seem to resign themselves to their lot in life? W > Any idea why some cats flip out in the trap and others just seem to resign > themselves to their lot in life? > > W No idea. Individual temperament, probably. L. > I would never leave a trap unmonitored overnight. Yeah, when I started trapping, I ran into the same question and decided against leaving the trap for more than an hour at a time--and even an hour seemed excessive. My reasoning went like this: when a animal is in the trap, it is helpless and completely exposed. Already under a great deal of stress just from being trapped, the animal is also abjectly subject to any passing adversity or threat. If the trapper's intent is to help the trapped animal, then best to quickly isolate it safely and comfortably so it isn't at the mercy of whatever vagaries it might encounter. If I cannot monitor my traps in a timely manner, I don't trap. | If I cannot monitor my traps in a timely manner, I don't trap. With you all the way. Having said "never", I realized that there was another proviso: never out in the open. I *have* left a trap set overnight, but only indoors - the basement of a church. I also covered the trap to make a "tunnel" - the cat is more likely to go in if it can see through to the other side, and at least it isn't completely exposed. I caught both my foster kitten Katrina and her cousin Jezebel that way. Katrina, not three months old, held out for five days without food. Her aunt (1.5 years old at that point) did even better: she held out for an incredible seven days - while pregnant (with 5), to boot. The stamina seems to run in the family. > > Seattle > > Thanks Sharon, I'll take a look, but Miami is a different county and > quite a distance. (I don't have easy transportation.) Still, you never > know. I am hoping they can help you network and find a rescuer or rescue org closer-in. Meanwhile, let's hope the locals you have found will return your call. Hound them for a referral if they won't lend a paw. Also talk to your vet; you may be pleasantly surprised. You may have to involve several rescuers/orgs/vet clinics in this operation. You may be able to borrow a trap or two from one place and get some free or low-cost surgeries from another. Some vets will vaccinate at no charge if you provide the vaccine (bought mail order, though I prefer to pay $5 a pop for my vet to do it with her stuff, which I know has been handled properly). Surf the web for low- to no-pay spay/neuter coupons. Check out the Ally Cat Allies website and look under "Find Feral Friends," which lists orgs by state. Keep networking. > I'd still like to know what to do with the cat if I'm lucky enough to > catch one in my carrier? Will it be calm until an appointment can be [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > every week or two until they're done... Maybe that's a bad idea, I don't > know. Hopefully today's phone calls will yield some help. :-) The carrier trick is risky business but can be done. Have a vet in place to do the surgery (with or w/o appointment; just agreeing to take on a feral cat is the first challenge). We've had success with trap-wise cats who have a devoted feeder by supplying an over-sized carrier and having the feeder use the carrier as a feeding station. One cat, Lurchie (read about her in the website) was trapped in a shelter/feeder the size of a dog house that we converted with a slider door. A trap is best, though; safer for the you, safer for the cat, safer for the vet. > My S/O is now telling me we should just say the hell with it and take > all four of them in. ACK! Even with only 4, I can't sit down without [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > my mouth. I can't imagine having 8, especially with 5 of them being wild > things. I think my S/O needs his meds adjusted. :-) Oh, sweet S/O! But don't get me started on house ferals. You have to respect your own limits. Ferals can become your friends; they can even be "tamed," as much as each individual spirit will allow. Lurchie came to us as a middle-aged feral (she had been born on UW campus). She never quite became a lapcat, but she was soon content and glad to be inside at last, warm and dry and never hungry. And never lonely; ferals are sociable beasties and need the company of the feline kind. Keep us posted. Sharon Talbert Campus Cats Seattle well i actually trapped two cats in a carrier with string....i tied the string to the top corner of the door(not on the side where its attached but on the side where the lever is to open the cage...I used a cage about two feet long(its a large size pet taxi) and i baited it with tuna...firsst cat it took me a few trys but i got him....i braced the cage against the wall of house and just pulled the string when i saw him almost all the way in...my second cat was easier to get as i knew what to do but it took her hour to finaly go into it. tip is to use dry food for regular feeding and then baiut it with somethign that is realy a treat for them(tuna or some sort of actual meat) Robyn, there may be a rescue org in your area (and it would be helpful if you revealed to the group where you are), but chances are good that you are going to have to take care of this little colony yourself. And you need to move fast! You need a livetrap or two (buy them; they are not all that expensive, and it is going to take a few weeks to get the colony in hand). Find a low-cost spay/neuter service (talk to your vet first; maybe you can work out a discount) and get to work. Start with last year's kittens; they are pregnant now and the sooner spayed the better for all. If you can locate the old cat's litter, bring them in and trap the mom. She can raise her babies in a cage or secure room until they are 4 weeks or so (when they can be started on solid food) and then be spayed and released. Let us know where you are. There just may be a spay/neuter clinic in your area. Seattle, for example, has a free feral cat clinic for all comers. Thank you for being so kind and responsible. I wish everyone were like you. Email me privately if you would like to discuss any of this. I am always happy to advise. Sharon Talbert Friends of Campus Cats sharon@campuscats.org > Robyn, there may be a rescue org in your area (and it would be > helpful if you revealed to the group where you are), but chances are [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > Friends of Campus Cats > sharon@campuscats.org Sharon thanks for your reply. As I stated in my post, I just don't have the cash to do this myself, or I would. That's why I was venting. I need help and can't find any. A trap is $50-$75. Spay/neuter is $25-$35 times 4 cats. (5 when you count the one I took in the house.) I also don't have a clue how to go about this, or a lot of free time, truth be told. I'm online a lot because I make my living on the computer and can post in between other things. As for the kittens, I can't get to them, chances are they're in someone's yard, and everyone around here has fences. There's nothing I can do until she brings them out, and even then, I don't have a place for them. I made room for one of the ferals that was smaller and weaker than the rest (cross-eyed little thing, just adorable), but that brings me up to four, and my house is small... I also have a 19 year old cat that is only now getting over the stress of our adding a new cat last year. (What a nightmare that was.) She's OK with little Froggy so far, but I don't want to push it by adding more. I agree that the pregnant females are the first priority. Like I said, I may try to trap one in my cat carrier, (not real hopeful) but I don't know what to do after that. I spent most of this morning on the phone, and everyone says it's someone else's problem, or that no help is available. (without lots of $$$$) I was under the impression that there were places that would lend traps and help with the trapping, as well as assisting with the spay/neuter arrangements. It looks like I was wrong, but I'm going to try a little more. Tomorrow I'll start on the phone again. Thanks for the kind words.:-) Robyn P.S. I'm in Hollywood, Florida, BTW. That's just south of Ft. Lauderdale. SignatureTo avoid grizzlies, the Alaska Department of Fish & Game advises hikers to wear noisy little bells on clothes and carry pepper spray. Also watch for signs of activity: Black bear scat is smaller and contains berries; grizzly scat has little bells in it and smells like pepper. have you checked http://www.petfinder.org/ ? Click on find shelters, enter your zip code and they will list organizations in your area. Check with some of them. You'll probably find someone to help with a trap, neuter and release. W > > Robyn, there may be a rescue org in your area (and it would be > > helpful if you revealed to the group where you are), but chances are [quoted text clipped - 57 lines] > P.S. I'm in Hollywood, Florida, BTW. That's just south of Ft. > Lauderdale. > P.S. I'm in Hollywood, Florida, BTW. That's just south of Ft. > Lauderdale. You could try these guys (I found them through Google): http://www.catpals.org/ "Cat Pals - A Feline Charity in South Florida A non profit charity that works off donations and fundrasing and is a volunteer based to feed and get medical attention to all ferel cats in the hollywood beach area in south Florida." The page also talks about a vet named Dr. James Dee of Hollywood Animal Hospital who believes in trap/neuter/release. Try contacting that clinic or other vets in your area. They may be able to supply you with lots of help and info. Good luck Robyn, you're helping put humpty back together again. >> P.S. I'm in Hollywood, Florida, BTW. That's just south of Ft. >> Lauderdale. [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > you with lots of help and info. Good luck Robyn, you're helping put > humpty back together again. Yes, I had found them yesterday, thanks. So far all I get is an answering maching. But they have the one huge colony they take care of, and that's all they do. I doubt they can assist, although maybe someone will be able to advise. :-) Thanks, Robyn SignatureTo avoid grizzlies, the Alaska Department of Fish & Game advises hikers to wear noisy little bells on clothes and carry pepper spray. Also watch for signs of activity: Black bear scat is smaller and contains berries; grizzly scat has little bells in it and smells like pepper. Good morning: Animal Control is the biggest joke going! I have not come across a decent group in the last 3 towns I have lived in. Chelle. > I flat >out asked the guy at Animal Control if no one cared if these 4 cats just >bred themselves into the hundreds, and he said no. (NOT kidding.) ============= "The day may come when the rest of the animal creation may acquire those rights which never could have been withholden from them but by the hand of tyranny. The question is not can they REASON, nor can they TALK, but can they SUFFER?" -- Jeremy Bentham > Hi, > This is more of a vent than anything else, and this group seems [quoted text clipped - 38 lines] > > Robyn OK, I just wanted to follow up and let you guys know what was happening, since everyone was so helpful. :-) I was able to borrow a couple of traps from a *very* helpful person, and found a low cost vet that didn't require appointments for ferals. So I put the traps out Saturday morning, and as soon as I stepped away from the traps, there were cats in them. (yay!) So away they went, and they're playing in the yard today, a little more wary than before, but none the worse for the experience, the poor things. Of the remaining two females, I haven't seen one in several days now, I'm afraid something may have happened to her. :-( The other one will not go anywhere near the trap. She comes twice a day and cries to be fed, but will not go to the trap. We've tried wet food, dry food, catnip, you name it, she ignores it and just cries at the door for food as if the trap wasn't there. Any ideas would be helpful. I had only been seeing the nursing mother a couple times a week. She looked fed, so I thought someone was looking after her, but now all of a sudden she's here asking for food as well. At what point after she brings the kittens out can she be trapped and spayed to stop this damned cycle? (I have no idea what to do about the kittens. Hopefully she'll just have a couple...) Anyway, I just wanted to post a followup, since several people had asked. I'll post if anything else happens. I'd appreciate any suggestions on getting that female into the trap, as well as when I can trap the mother cat. Thanks! Robyn SignatureTo avoid grizzlies, the Alaska Department of Fish & Game advises hikers to wear noisy little bells on clothes and carry pepper spray. Also watch for signs of activity: Black bear scat is smaller and contains berries; grizzly scat has little bells in it and smells like pepper. How to trap a cat that is trap-shy: First, to ensure the cat doesn't get the food without springing the trap, when you set the trap, make sure to put a newspaper on the floor of the trap, folded lengthwise so it doesn't touch the sides and covers the trip plate. Often cats will step over the trip plate if they see it and will get the food, but not spring the trap. This is a good precaution to take that will greatly increase the odds that that won't happen. That said, this 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 (any canned food that is really smelly will do) and started by leaving the trap out, open with the door tied up using a bungee cord. I put the food about a foot away from the front entrance of the trap. I continued to do so until I was certain the cat was eating the food there. Each day I moved the food closer and then gradually inside the trap, making sure that the trap door was still tied up so it would not spring. Each day I moved the bowl a little farther into the trap. When I saw that the cat was always eating the food when it was far into the trap, I then moved the food all the way to the back of the trap, removed the bungee cord that was keeping the door up, and set the trap so it would spring. I got the cat that night. Hopefully this will work in your situation, but it may take a little time. Glad to hear things are working out. 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 CUTE BEAR STORY, SHOULD FEED FERALS TO BEARS!!!! END OF STORY
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