topic Re: Feral Cat needs help in Community Chat

Feral Cat needs help

qvcaddition — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 18:16:04 GMT

There is a feral cat that lives under the bushes in front of the gym I go. The last few months a lot of kind people including myself have been feeding him,/her. I brought it a water bowl and food bowl and bring it home every day wash it and return with food dry and wet. Some people leave a bag of dry food or a can of wet. A few months ago a lady at the gym in the morning, I go in the afternoon, tried for two hours to trap the cat to take it to the vet because of an eye infection. Well it would not go in the cage. Now the cat knows or seems to know my car when I drive up, because I go faithfully every day even if I,m not going in the gym that day, to feed it. Yesterday, fluid or pus was dripping out of his eye. He will come up to me, but won,t let me pet him He hissed a couple of times, so I cannot pick him up. I would take him to the vet and get what needs to be done for him and bring him back to his regular place. I have called Forgotten Felines and they don,t come out to trap,. The person that sees these animals has to trap them and that was tried. I could not sleep last night worried about this cat. It,s cold and he is sick. Today, I an going to the Humane Society to see if they have any suggestions as to what can be done to help this poor cat. They tell you to do this and that for an animal, but , and I,'ve had this experience before, they can,t seem to help with feral cats. I have a rescue dog and cat at home now.

Does anyone reading this have any suggestions that might help,? I might mention, I have no one in my family that will help me, and I live alone. Suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Re: Feral Cat needs help

Cakers1 — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 18:23:24 GMT

qvcaddition: I'm sorry to read this. You've done what you could for this poor cat; if the Humane Society or Rescue League or whatever you have in your area will not try to capture him and bring him in for treatment, I don't know what else you can do.

Somebody here once posted about a particular trap and hopefully she will see your thread.

Thank you for taking in rescues; there are so many out there I would imagine it's impossible for all of them to be found and brought in for adoption.

Re: Feral Cat needs help

KYToby — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 18:35:34 GMT

If all else fails, call your vet's office and explain the situation. The office may have a suggestion that has not been considered.

Re: Feral Cat needs help

azterry! — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 18:42:34 GMT

A lot of regular vets will not treat a feral cat. They are wild and dangerous when stressed or sick. You really shouldn't bring them in to a regular vet's waiting room where people bring other pets.

Check your area for a Feral Cat Rescue group.

Sometimes they are called Alley Cats or you can Google for info in your area. They are far more informational than the Humane Society for ferals. In this area, there are many volunteers who handle the feral rescue issues.

Re: Feral Cat needs help

lolakimono — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 19:12:16 GMT

A feral cat will not enter the trap if you keep bringing it food; there is no reason for him to enter it. The only way you can trap is by putting food into the trap.

Re: Feral Cat needs help

bikerbabe — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 19:20:57 GMT

I have a friend who rescues ferals and she first starts putting food in an open (door removed) carrier for a number of days to get the cat used to it. Then she finally replaces the carrier with the trap, puts the food in the trap. It is not a quick process and can take days or weeks depending on the cat.

Re: Feral Cat needs help

qvcaddition — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 19:25:35 GMT

Thank you for the suggestions. Going on line now to look up Ally Cats. I will call the ER animal hospital this morning. It is raining hard in CA and poor thing out there. My heart breaks for all animals. I will keep posting the outcome on here. I know by giving him food he would not go in the cage, that is the problem the lady who tried a month ago had before the eye got so bad. He was so skinny though. I would like to hand down the same punishment that these sick people do to animals, children, all humans, but there are some real sadistic sicko's out there. That little puppy that was thrown in the trash and almost got crushed before a worker found it, has been adopted by a good home. What kind of human can do that to an animal, and they call them animals. The human that does this is the animal. They could have brought it to the animal shelter or put it up for adoption. These people make me so sick.

Re: Feral Cat needs help

Topaz Gem — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 19:25:48 GMT

Bikerbabe, that was going to be my suggestion too. Get the cat used to going inside a structure for food, then replace it with a Have-a-Heart trap. Good luck and thanks for caring. Please update this thread with any news.

Re: Feral Cat needs help

azterry! — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 19:32:47 GMT

My neighbors and I have trapped several ferals and had them neutered.

A local TNR group supplies the cages and arranges for very reasonable/free neuterings.

We had great success with using tuna in the cages. Even our very well-fed ferals couldn't resist the tuna and several of them were trapped the very first night. The TNR groups recommend tuna to bait the traps because its strong scent is very attractive to the cats.

Night time is also the best time to try to trap as that is when the cats are very active.

Re: Feral Cat needs help

nunya — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 19:39:02 GMT

On 2/2/2014 lolakimono said:
A feral cat will not enter the trap if you keep bringing it food; there is no reason for him to enter it. The only way you can trap is by putting food into the trap.

I agree. maybe tell others to not feed him. He will go in the trap when he gets hungry enough.

Re: Feral Cat needs help

I like celery — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 20:20:58 GMT

First of all, bless you for caring. I know how heartbreaking it can be - especially in the very cold weather. I live in a neighborhood that always has a ton of ferals and strays. I'm currently feeding a feral that visits my front door daily, and my neighbors and I leave food for other ferals/strays in various parts of our neighborhood. We also use Havahart traps to catch and neuter ferals in our neighborhood. I know you mentioned trying to trap the cat, but did you and your friend try leaving the trap alone for a few hours? You mentioned the cat wouldn't go inside, but I'm thinking he might, if he could be left alone. If you haven't already, try to set the trap after the gym has closed (and it's less hectic around him). Since it's cold outside, you could go back an hour or two later to check on him - and to also avoid trapping the wrong "critter." I don't know what type of food you left inside the trap, but try leaving a can of tuna or some fish, instead of leaving dry food. Also, I want to suggest putting a burlap cloth over the trap to camouflage it. It sounds like your little guy might have figured out what the trap is, but maybe if you try the burlap cover, it could help. I know it's really helped with trapping our ferals. The traps we bought came with the burlap cover. The Havahart traps can be purchased at Home Depot, Lowes, etc. We bought ours through the Havahart website, but it would probably be better/quicker for you to try one of the stores, if you can't borrow one. You can buy burlap at Home Depot, Lowes, etc, too.

Sending positive thoughts out to you and the cat. I know it can be emotionally exhausting, but you are doing a great thing!

Re: Feral Cat needs help

dooBdoo — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 20:26:43 GMT

I can't think of a thing to add to all the excellent suggestions.

God bless you, qvcaddition, and all of you who provide for a better life for all creatures great and small. You're doing the work of angels.

Re: Feral Cat needs help

qvcaddition — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 20:57:31 GMT

I'm waiting for a reply from Ally Cats, I signed up for their e mails. On their site, they said do not bring them to the humane society or shelter. I would stay there with the cat. They have some helpful suggestions. I am 78 years young, but cannot do night driving. Strong because I have been working out for 55 years. I don't know about the lady that tried to trap him in the AM workout. I heard about her, but not her name or I would see if I could contact her. I will go to Home Depot today and see if I can get a trap. I will try the tuna, and prayer. Will keep posting on outcome here. Thanks again.

Re: Feral Cat needs help

azterry! — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 21:26:21 GMT

good luck, qvcaddition!

they are right in telling you not to bring the cat to the Humane Society. They don't deal in ferals. If the animal is not adoptable, it is euthanized.

Did Alley Cats offer you the use of a trap? Here, you can borrow them from the TNR group so you don't have to buy it yourself.

Bait it with tuna, at night, and I think you will have good luck. The suggestion of covering the trap with a cloth is very good advice too.

Re: Feral Cat needs help

dooBdoo — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 21:28:25 GMT

On 2/2/2014 qvcaddition said:
I'm waiting for a reply from Ally Cats, I signed up for their e mails. On their site, they said do not bring them to the humane society or shelter. I would stay there with the cat. They have some helpful suggestions. I am 78 years young, but cannot do night driving. Strong because I have been working out for 55 years. I don't know about the lady that tried to trap him in the AM workout. I heard about her, but not her name or I would see if I could contact her. I will go to Home Depot today and see if I can get a trap. I will try the tuna, and prayer. Will keep posting on outcome here. Thanks again.

(((qvcaddition)))

Re: Feral Cat needs help

hsawaknow — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 22:11:13 GMT

There was a feral cat that was living underneath my car. I started out by leaving food out for him. I would sit about 8 feet away from him while he ate. Every few days I would move a little closer and speak softly to him. It took about 3 weeks but I was able to get him to trust me enough to trap him. Well I got him fixed and now he lives in the yard happily. He is still shy but just a love. I named him Wiley Cat. I hope this gives you hope that patience, a little time, trust and tuna can work wonders on a feral.

Re: Feral Cat needs help

Burnsite — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 22:29:40 GMT

Hi, qvcaddition, you are this kitty's angel. One of mine has eye-discharge problems and would be blind today without treatment.

You need to trap, treat and release. Ferals are not usually adoptable but they can receive medical help.

A trap with bait s/he can't resist would help. Stinky chicken (KFC with the skin off is excellent (no bones, of course, just smelly small bits of chicken--you want greasy and smelly) in the cage, around the time you feed her, so she will be hungry and unwary. A bowl of bonita (tuna) flakes and tuna juice is good if that is his preference.

A medical checkup and spay or neuter, recovery from the procedure in a warm nest _outside_ somewhere (your garage or porch) and then release in the place he or she knows.

If this cat has had a family it may take to your porch and eventually come inside, but if it has grown up feral it has received (probably) cruel treatment and will not bond with people. Anyhow, if they are not socialized at about ages 3-8 months the kitty is not too likely to adjust to life in a house.

It is so nice that several people at your gym are feeding this kitty. It needs vaccinations and such, too, or will end up with leukemia or herpes (though it sounds as if he/she already has the herpes eye thing). My beloved cat Claire has that, from a long time in a shelter when she was a kitten.

Edited to add a PS: Because feline leukemia and AIDS (neither are the human variety, or contagious except to cats) are so common, do not bring the kitty among any cat or cats you may already have, not until they have a negative test.

Re: Feral Cat needs help

hckynut — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 23:46:13 GMT

On 2/2/2014 qvcaddition said:
There is a feral cat that lives under the bushes in front of the gym I go. The last few months a lot of kind people including myself have been feeding him,/her. I brought it a water bowl and food bowl and bring it home every day wash it and return with food dry and wet. Some people leave a bag of dry food or a can of wet. A few months ago a lady at the gym in the morning, I go in the afternoon, tried for two hours to trap the cat to take it to the vet because of an eye infection. Well it would not go in the cage. Now the cat knows or seems to know my car when I drive up, because I go faithfully every day even if I,m not going in the gym that day, to feed it. Yesterday, fluid or pus was dripping out of his eye. He will come up to me, but won,t let me pet him He hissed a couple of times, so I cannot pick him up. I would take him to the vet and get what needs to be done for him and bring him back to his regular place. I have called Forgotten Felines and they don,t come out to trap,. The person that sees these animals has to trap them and that was tried. I could not sleep last night worried about this cat. It,s cold and he is sick. Today, I an going to the Humane Society to see if they have any suggestions as to what can be done to help this poor cat. They tell you to do this and that for an animal, but , and I,'ve had this experience before, they can,t seem to help with feral cats. I have a rescue dog and cat at home now.

Does anyone reading this have any suggestions that might help,? I might mention, I have no one in my family that will help me, and I live alone. Suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

I have humanely trapped at least 25-30 feral and semi-feral cats since we moved into our home in 2000. The type of trap is very important and the one above is the one I have used for all these cats I have trapped.

Some are much smarter than others so I had to figure out a way to outsmart the smartest of them. What I did was put cat food with a strong fish odor(canned) a few inches inside of the trap towards the front trapping door. This particular trap has a door in the back to make it easier to remove the cat after trapping him.

There were a few where I would tie the front trapping door open and let the cat go in and out and eat the food for a few days, for some ever longer. If the food was gone I know that the cat has went inside the trap and will probably do so again for this food. Again, depending on how smart this cat happens to be, this could be even a week or so.

When I feel the cat is comfortable going inside the trap is when I set it to catch him. I put a very tiny amount of the strong smelling fish food where I had been putting it previously. Then I get another dish and put more of the same food in the very back of this trap(which is past the pressure plate the snaps the trapping door shut).

When the cat comes in and eats the food in front he more than likely will go to the back to eat the rest. When he steps on the pressure plate it will snap the door shut and he is now trapped. With some of the cats I would put the food in the front and the back while the trapping door is still tied up so it cannot close. The cat has to be comfortable and feel safe when going inside of this thing, and that is the time to catch them.

Here is the link to the website where I bought our traps. Any more questions I have been trying to get on the computer more often now as my wife does not need my presence quit as much as right after her stroke.

Good luck! This method has never failed me even with the smartest of the smart when it comes to felines, but one has to be patient to succeed.

http://www.trucatchtraps.com/

Re: Feral Cat needs help

qvcaddition — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 00:12:50 GMT

This is great advice and suggestions I'm getting here. Ally cat's e mail me and gave me the name and phone number of a lady that lives in my area. I called her and she is trying to trap one now, who lost her eye due to respiratory infection and the side of her face is bloody. She has been trying for three days now, the difference is the cat comes in her yard. She also said, Kentucky fried chicken will lure them. She said she has stayed up all night waited by window for cat to go in trap. The last post here showed a picture of the trap. The animal feed store here where I live or big 4 rents, rents the trap out for 75.00 deposit and 3.00 a day rental. I can do that. What I can't do is stay there through the night, it's in front of the gym and not safe for someone my age to be out there, or any age. I can't get sick with the cold and rain. It would be so easy if it were in my yard to stay up all night and not worry about someone taking the trap. The lady said, people do take the traps because they think the person is trapping them to bring to the animal control and they will get rid of the cat. This cat is about one year old, or younger, but not a kitten. I am leaving now for the gym and to feel the cat and get the trap. I will stay two hours at the gym with a chicken breast from KFC and see if it works. If in two hours, it doesn't, will try again tomorrow and the next day, but I will bring the trap home each day. Here's hoping. I am going to call my vet tomorrow to see if they can get someone to help me also. Thanks again for info. With the rain, he might not come out from hiding. Calif. finally got rain.

Re: Feral Cat needs help

Burnsite — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 00:18:47 GMT

You're a doll, QVC addition. I wish you the best of luck. John is right, though: it takes patience if you are dealing with an intelligent cat, and most ferals are very smart. They have to be, to survive.

His/Her eye does need care. I hope you are able to help her; at least you're giving it a great try.