Live Trap Diaries

[naturestee]

I'm so sorry she's feral. Are you sure she isn't just scared?

I'll tell you what I told the people at the HS here when I had to bring in my (recently deceased) grandfather's feral/barn cats (used to being fed every day). I'd much rather have them euthanized than see them starve, or get hit by a car, or attacked by a coyote or dog, or getting one of the many horrible diseases that are common in stray cats. When I was a kid, the cats at my grandma's farm all got sick and died. For many years after, any new cats that wandered in would get sick and die, especially kittens. It was horrible. My mom had us changing clothes and scrubbing our skin after visits so ourpet cats wouldn't catch whatever it was. Euthanasia is a blessing in comparison.

:hug:

Oh! One other thing you could try. Call the Waukesha and Milwaukee shelters and see if anyone has a TNR (trap neuter release) program and if they'd be willing to accept another cat into a feral colony. They're usually vaccinated to, and also tested for feline leukemia as those cats would need to be euthanized to prevent the spread of the disease. It's a slight chance, but it's worth trying.

 

[kherrmann3]

They wouldn't take her in any program. I can't release her back here once spayed due to her attacking screens...

 

[Luvmyzoocrew]

you can check to see if there are any places around you that take feral cats to work with them, or a place that takes in barn cats.

I w as wondering the samething as naturestee, i wonder if she is just scared and not fferal.

 

[kherrmann3]

All the places her are full I will be taking her into HAWS today. I am not going to say she is feral, though. I will say that I suspect she is someone's pet, and they will put her in the "good back room" for a week or so to see if anyone claims her. If not, she will go to the other back room, or if she's calmed down, put up for adoption. She hissed at me right away this morning. She doesn't like to be touched... I was scratching her bum between the bars. She didn't mind yesterday, but she HATED it today. Also, she wouldn't eat with anyone near her. She ate the tuna and drank the water I left her last night. I couldn't help myself, either. It was too cold outside and I HAD to bring her inside. She's in the trap over 10 layers of newspaper. I moved Berry-Boo to a better location away from Kitteh. I know she's used to being outside, but my conscious would not leave me alone...

 

[Becknutt]

Did you check out http://www.secondhandpurrs.org/as treasuredfriend recommended? hope she can be rehabbed and adopted. She is a very cute kitty.

 

[Luv-bunniz]

Or try local stables/pig farms. Most are happy to have a 'feral' cat that is used to catching its own dinner, its what they are used for and they do get the choice of food aswell!

 

[kherrmann3]

I called SHP and they were full and won't take any new ones in. Milwaukee shelters would only take cats from Milwaukee county.

Edit: I caught two raccoons within 12 hours. The best part; I didn't bait the trap the second time lol

 

[kherrmann3]

So yeah... I haven't caught any more feral kitties, BUT, I had a question regarding local wildlife (for those of you in the US Midwest). I had the trap baited last night, placed on level ground, and this morning, the trap was sprung, upside down, and the bait plate was eaten (we use paper plates, the middle was chewed out). The trap was open, but it did spring (I assume that it opened up once upside down). It either was flipped first and THEN sprung, or was sprung then flipped. There were paw prints on the lever/trigger (which was on the top of the cage, being that it was upside-down).

What the heck could have done this? The paw prints weren't identifiable due to smudges. Would it have been a raccoon or something else? :? Whatever it was, it wasn't happy.

 

[kirst3buns]

Racoon would be my guess. They are VERY clever and very strong. What are you using for bait? If it's something like catfood or tunafish, they like that stuff too.

 

[kherrmann3]

They apparently like Fancy Feast

 

[Bo B Bunny]

If you are trying to catch a coon, put an egg in the back corner of the have-a-heart trap. Works like a charm.

I think opossum are adorable! but we cannot have them around here cause they can carry EPM.

My mom found a baby chippy on the edge of a road, eyes not even open, and she took it home to care for it. That little baby lived for 7 years! which is really long for a little girl chippy! We still miss her.

 

[kherrmann3]

We are just trying to catch the feral kitties. I don't want them eating my chippies! :grumpy:

UPDATE: Sunday night, we caught another cat. Unfortunately, it was our neighbor's cat. lol I heard it meowing when I was in the apartment, looked outside, and there was a HUGE orange tabby in the trap. This thing probably qualified as a puma, not housecat. It was just BIG, not fat, either. We took it to its owners house and asked them to keep it inside. Next time (if) we catch it, we're taking it to the humane society. They can bail their kitty out next time.

 

[kherrmann3]

Yeah, we caught a really mean raccoon. We were going to release it, but it charged and was roaring at us. This thing wasn't even growing, it was ROARING. It was getting its teeth through the cage to bite. I think I am going to discontinue the live-trap usage until spring (if feral kitties come back).

HAWS came and picked up the raccoon after a lovely argument with the lady who answered the phone. What I don't get is, if they aren't set-up to handle wildlife, why do they have a big van that they take to the location to pick up the animal? Stupid phone-lady. She was a *beep*.

 

[Cove]

Oh lordy that cat is beautiful. I love torby(a cat with tabby and tortie markings)cats. Right now the rescue I'm with is just finishing up with one area of feral cats. But have already found another colony and all the cats are black, shall be fun. I hope she doesn't get put down, alot of times cats that act like ferals are really semi ferals or completely tame pets that are just really scared and have the "I'm going to get you before you get me" thing going on. We'ved trapped a few from the colony we've almost finished up with that have acted like full blown ferals only to surprise us in a couple of days by coming up to greet you in their cages at the vets. Sometimes all that is needed is some time for them to settle.

Here's a link to the colony we're almost done with. Those that were too feral have been fixed and released back while the ones that are OK have been put into foster care. We've caught all of them it seems, but every time we go back we see at least another new one. Good thing is the employees of that company have made shelters for the cats and are feeding them.

By the way, I've found that feral cats LOVE warm turkey. We've caught two in one cage every time we use it.

Coons can be mean little buggers as are possoms but I think they are cute as heck. I remember when I lived at home my dad would leave to go to work at 3am and as he went to open his door something would hiss at him from under it. Thinking it was a cat he'd step back and try to shoo it out from under the car only to see a very angry possom under it hissing and lunging at his face. It happened more then once too.

 

[Happi Bun]

I heard it meowing when I was in the apartment, looked outside, and there was a HUGE orange tabby in the trap. This thing probably qualified as a puma, not housecat. It was just BIG, not fat, either.

Your description of the tabby is hilarious! :roflmao:

 

[kherrmann3]

lol thanks, Happi Bun!

So, we took this raccoon into the shelter this afternoon. I should say, I got HAWS to come out and get it. They took it in the back and it took them about half an hour to get the stupid thing tranquilized. I guess it was fighting and they couldn't do anything with it. It wouldn't even come out of the cage to go into the holding area. I am pretty sure the raccoon was humanely euthanized. Unfortunately, I also think that the feral kitty was put down, as well. It is possible, though, that someone claimed her and that is why she is not up for adoption. She was MEAN. She could calm down until you got near the cage, then she was full-force slamming into the cage trying to get at you. We still have more ferals, but I haven't seen them in awhile. I think we are going to take a break until Spring (if there is a problem again).

Crap. I have two extra cans of cat food. Bleh.

 

[TreasuredFriend]

kh, Canned food casserole ? ?

Hooray for all you've done.
'Twas a big effort to help those you have, gnarly or nice.:scared:

 

[kherrmann3]

Haha. I am still curious how we've caught that stupid raccoon twice with no bait in the trap!

 

[gentle giants]

kherrmann3 wrote:

Haha. I am still curious how we've caught that stupid raccoon twice with no bait in the trap!

The trap still smells like the bait. Although I am surprised that you have caught any raccoon more than once, they usually are too smart to trap easily.

 

[kherrmann3]

This thing is fat and VERY used to people. I don't really know how the bait could have made the trap smell, though. We put it on a plate so that it doesn't squish around onto the ground (so more critters don't show up once the trap is moved, etc.). The first time we caught this guy with no bait was in the beginning of October and the night before (Oct. 03, my birthday!), we had caught a little raccoon in it and it was POURING outside. We just reset the trap quickly and never bothered to put more bait in it. We had Mr. Fatty-McFatFat in the trap the next morning.