Botched trapping attempt…

[txcats]

Have an apptm. to have a neighborhood feral tomcat neutered tomorrow. Entrusted husband to set the trap tonight and he screwed it up by deciding to line the trap floor with cardboard, but he left the cardboard too long and on the trigger plate. So kitty stepping on the cardboard triggered the plate to close the trap door when kitty was barely halfway in, the door hit him in the back, and he bolted.

First off, is he likely to be injured by the trap hitting him like that? I went out and looked for him, but did not see him. Second, after that experience, is he at least likely to come back to eat and drink so he doesn’t starve? Also, is he likely to be untrappable now? Or is there another way to trap him? I am so bummed out and so very disappointed, we could have had him neutered by tomorrow afternoon!!

 

[Meowmee]

Sorry that happened I would say the likelihood is he is not injured, but I would try and find him and figure this out. Do you know if he has other food sources?

Otherwise, he will likely come back at some point, but he’s probably going to be scared after that experience. You could try resetting the trap and do it properly this time- put something really stinky like tuna or something like rotisserie chicken and then see if he will still come back before the morning. Also, if he was injured, that way, they can look at it and see what needs to be done.

Next time just put leaves over the bottom because it’s more natural and most cats like that better. You only need to put a tiny amount of food at the very end of the trap in the corner.

Good luck!

* If he refuses to go for that trap again, you could try to borrow a drop trap from someone- that way you will be there watching what happens.

 

[txcats]

He hasn’t come back so far, poor guy. The leaves are a good idea, but I doubt he’ll come back tonight and go back in that trap. No idea if he has any other food sources, but i doubt it. This is Texas and too many people don’t spay/neuter and also dump their cats, so lots of strays and ferals everywhere.

When we bought the trap at lowe’s, the cashier asked if we were going to trap racoons and when told “cats” to spay/neuter, she made a face and said they are “vermin”.

 

[Meowmee]

He hasn’t come back so far, poor guy. The leaves are a good idea, but I doubt he’ll come back tonight and go back in that trap. No idea if he has any other food sources, but i doubt it. This is Texas and too many people don’t spay/neuter and also dump their cats, so lots of strays and ferals everywhere.

When we bought the trap at lowe’s, the cashier asked if we were going to trap racoons and when told “cats” to spay/neuter, she made a face and said they are “vermin”.

Awful, some people are awful.

Well, I would set it up anyway just in case because you never know. Don’t give up, eventually you will get him. I know how frustrating it can be. I’ve had times when I was not able to trap a cat for quite a while.

Also, if you don’t have them try to set up some outdoor security cams so you can see when he’s coming back, etc.

 

[txcats]

Yes, some people are just awful and hateful.

Oh yes, we have cameras, that’s how we saw the trap closing on him. Have alerts set when the cameras get triggered and no activity at all out there, so far.

 

[Meowmee]

Yes, some people are just awful and hateful.

Oh yes, we have cameras, that’s how we saw the trap closing on him. Have alerts set when the cameras get triggered and no activity at all out there, so far.

I realized that after saying that that you must have them because otherwise you prolly wouldn’t of seen what happened. It’s a good thing you know what happened. Just don’t get discouraged because eventually he will come back and you will get him eventually.

I’ll never forget when I was trying to trap a ginger cream tomcat years ago and I trapped my Wizard instead, who stayed with me for many years and lived to be about 21 years old… Best day of my life.

 

[Antonio65]

From my personal experience, most cats do not return to traps even when they are trapped flawlessly. One time in that beast is enough for most cats.
I, too, use to line my trap with cardboard so that I can make a trail of smelly food from the very entrance to the dish at the bottom, but I make sure that the cardboard does not interfere with the trigger plate and the entrance.
I also used leaves, as suggested, and also covered the whole trap with branches and leaves to have it blend with the natural environment, rather than leaving a shiny metal thingy in the cat's environment.

 

[di and bob]

My cats must be really different, LOL. I got them used to going into the trap to eat and they went back into the trap the day after they were spayed! Three of them! So needless to say I hed to prop the door open with a half filled half gallon milk jug and attach a LOOONG string to selectively trap the rest. EVERYONE makes mistakes. I used this jug method and still had the door wired up so it wouldn't close! I did get all teh cats I wanted, everything turned put. Your boy will be back, you'll get him......

 

[Meowmee]

From my personal experience, most cats do not return to traps even when they are trapped flawlessly. One time in that beast is enough for most cats.
I, too, use to line my trap with cardboard so that I can make a trail of smelly food from the very entrance to the dish at the bottom, but I make sure that the cardboard does not interfere with the trigger plate and the entrance.
I also used leaves, as suggested, and also covered the whole trap with branches and leaves to have it blend with the natural environment, rather than leaving a shiny metal thingy in the cat's environment.

I have trapped some of my cats 2-3 times, but switched to the drop trap for some. If they are hungry enough they will go back in. But some are very resistant. I can’t get cinnamon to go in the trap inside the house to get him to the DVM. But I trapped him twice outside.

OP: you have to make sure he’s hungry so if you’re feeding him outside, don’t feed him for a day or feed him very little until you are ready to trap him.

Also, I’ve heard of cats who just walk right into the traps because they want to be taken care and fed etc. that’s usually a rare occasion in a colony and it’s a cat who is very socialized.

Merlin was the hardest to re-trap when I had to trap him to get him inside. It took me about two weeks…I used the drop trap, but he escaped from it the first time before I let it close.

 

[Meowmee]

My cats must be really different, LOL. I got them used to going into the trap to eat and they went back into the trap the day after they were spayed! Three of them! So needless to say I hed to prop the door open with a half filled half gallon milk jug and attach a LOOONG string to selectively trap the rest. EVERYONE makes mistakes. I used this jug method and still had the door wired up so it wouldn't close! I did get all teh cats I wanted, everything turned put. Your boy will be back, you'll get him......

Agree they will get him in time. Also only feeding them in the trap would help condition them to it more.

 

[txcats]

that’s what we’ve been doing, zip-tied the trap open for 3 weeks and had him eating in it every night! He was still a bit cautious, but went in readily. As did one of the others (female) who show up to eat. My worry was that she would end up trapped last night, and our spay/neuter org have separate days for males and females, so i would not have been able to take her instead. I never thought the trap setup would be botched.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Try baiting with KFC. Cats seem to find that irresistable!

 

[dahlia]

Any sightings?

 

[tabbytom]

One way is to disguise the trap

 

[Meowmee]

One way is to disguise the trap

View attachment 485349

I should maybe try it next time I try to get Cinn in the trap inside the house to go to dvm. I don’t know… I have a feeling he’s never going to go in again because he knows whats up etc.

 

[tabbytom]

I should maybe try it next time I try to get Cinn in the trap inside the house to go to dvm. I don’t know… I have a feeling he’s never going to go in again because he knows whats up etc.

When I bought a new carrier for my boy, I left it out and left his favourite toy in it. First he was wearied but after awhile of sniffing around and saw his toy in it, he went in and relax

 

[txcats]

I should have updated, he did come back to eat after skipping one night, and has returned every night, until night before last. Then he returned last night, but with nasty injuries on his head and cheek. My husband suggested contacting the vet clinic where he was scheduled to be neutered so we can hopefully get some antibiotics to slip in his food. I called them and emailed pics so the vet can see, but haven’t heard back yet.

 

[Joan M]

Poor guy, he was probably in a fight. It sounds like he's been returning to the trap which is not set, to get him used to it again. Or you've just been leaving food. Can you try to set it to catch him tonight?

 

[txcats]

No, he is completely avoiding the trap so i’ve been putting the food and water away from it. I think he badly needs nutrition while fighting off an infection, so can’t leave the food where he won’t eat it. Plus, the vets who deal with ferals are closed on the weekend, so it’s urgent. I am attaching a pic of his head, hope that’s okay. Does this look like fight injuries? i’ve never seen wounds like that on cats from other cats, just mostly abscesses.

 

[tabbytom]

No, he is completely avoiding the trap so i’ve been putting the food and water away from it. I think he badly needs nutrition while fighting off an infection, so can’t leave the food where he won’t eat it. Plus, the vets who deal with ferals are closed on the weekend, so it’s urgent. I am attaching a pic of his head, hope that’s okay. Does this look like fight injuries? i’ve never seen wounds like that on cats from other cats, just mostly abscesses.

It’s hard to say how he got injured and there are many possibilities on how he got injured.

Hopefully he can be trapped soon to get to the vet. I’m worried that the wounds get infected as they look rather bad. Can you try some KFC chicken in the trap?