Can't Tame Feral...i Am Near Tears...need Advice

[shadowsrescue]

For now, I am trying to get her into the hard-sided carrier which she likes. She is eating out of it. If I can't close the door fast enough and she gets out, she will never trust me again. I hate feeling like I am betraying her trust. I wish she would just run inside the door! I have not given up on that option, either. But I am trying the carrier for now since she seems unafraid of it.

The homemade trap is a thought, although I have never built anything before. I am looking at drop traps online, but I need to watch some videos as I am not sure how they work since they have no bottom, how you get them in a transfer cage.

I worry about her every day, all alone outside. But she is the smartest cat I have ever known.

The drop traps I have seen have a lift gate at the far end. You position the humane trap or cat carrier up against the lift gate door, open the door and the cat is to run inside. You then use a sturdy barrier to prevent her from exiting the carrier while you close it.

Here is a video too

 

[walli]

Yeah have the broom handle ready, might want to practice it when she is not around.
Maybe keep the broom or stick there so she gets use to it.
Hang in there, taking your time is smart, you want everything to go well.

 

[trudy1]

Just stay positive..it will come...I have faith!

Just how close will she let you get when she eats out of the back of the carrier?

Could you possibly inch a little closer each time you feed her? I mean like 6” or so at a time till you are close enough? Just know when you shut the door on her she will probably jump against it really hard so you need to be in a position to snap the latch. Also you might try closing the door a little before you feed her to see how she reacts.

Please, when you do this, try to be as calm as possible. Let us know the approximate day and time you will be trying....we will all be nervous and anxious for you!

I know you can do it!

 

[msaimee]

Using a broom handle or stick to close the cat carrier door from a distance may not be a good idea. You would have to be able to maneuver the broom just right, and at the right time, and keep it pressed against the door while you run to the door to latch it. Meanwhile, she will be panicking and pushing against that door, and may even tip the carrier over. The best way would be to siy close enough to the carrier to close the door, or else tie a string to the door and be able to pull it shut. Using a string would be much better than using a broom handle.

 

[catman925]

She is almost to the back, not quite. I don't want to rush her. The stick is a great idea...I could use a long broom handle, close the door with the broom handle while being out of view, then quickly latch it.

My sweet, smart little feral....I promise sweet girl, it is all for your own good! Soon, you will be inside safe and sound.

This is a perfect solution and if she's already almost to the back AND likes the carrier, you could catch her tomorrow.

I'm hesitant to agree with using the stick idea though. Mostly because when you close that door, you're most likely going to have app. 12 lbs. of fury (and furry) slamming against that door quicker than you can blink and just having a stick precariously holding the door shut until you can reach it with your hand will not be sufficient to hold her in imo. Unless you're using a 2by4 and the carrier is butted up against something solid (remember if you're pushing the door at the front, the carrier is going to slide backwards if not up against a wall at the back end and this will give her just enough leeway to book on out).

If you go with this idea and I think you should given all the advantages already present, make sure the carrier is backed up against something solid regardless (to avoid skid) and use a solid piece of wood (also making sure it's not something that could easily slide through the carrier door screen holes (you'll need something wide)) or if it were me, I'd position the carrier somewhere where I could easily sneak up on it or nonchalantly get close enough and then I'd use my hand to get it shut. That way I'd have better control on keeping the door shut until I latched it. Again, oven mitts are a plus here

my 2 cents

 

[sweetblackpaws]

Thank you everyone, yes I have decided to not use the broom handle. I have just been sitting outside with the carrier. She still won't eat all the way in the back yet, but she does like the carrier. I can't use string because it has one of those "squeeze and latch" type locks that are on most carriers. When I attempt to place my hand on the door of the carrier, she gets spooked (she is SO fast). I am trying to keep the faith.
I have been feeding this little girl for nearly a year.

 

[shadowsrescue]

I too sat beside my feral while he was eating in the carrier. I kept a pillow ( like one from the couch) next to the carrier. I just left it there as part of the environment. On the day I closed the door, I used the pillow to block the door while I latched it. My carrier also had the squeeze and latch.

It sounds like you are getting really close. Keep trying and stay calm. I know how hard it is. The day I brought my 3 inside, I thought my heart would come out of my chest. It was beating so loud and hard. After I got them securely in their safe room, I wanted to collapse. The weight of the all the worry was released.

You are almost there!

 

[catman925]

When I attempt to place my hand on the door of the carrier, she gets spooked

This is OK. Actually it's a great idea. Try making you putting your hand on the door (without moving to close) a normal thing. If she spooks, remove your hand and go back to normal so she can relax again. But continue the same action every day. With luck, she'll get used to you doing that every time you feed and once she's not worried about your hand being there anymore, you've got it made

 

[saleri]

Any updates?

 

[sweetblackpaws]

Any updates?

She is not progressing as far as getting further in the back of the carrier or letting me touch her. I am considering purchasing a drop trap. I just want her inside and safe.

The new neighbor's dog in my building is not helping - it seems everytime I go to feed her, they come running out (he is on a leash, but still boisterous). It is incredibly frustrating as I realize how stressful this is to her.

 

[saleri]

She is not progressing as far as getting further in the back of the carrier or letting me touch her. I am considering purchasing a drop trap. I just want her inside and safe.

The new neighbor's dog in my building is not helping - it seems everytime I go to feed her, they come running out (he is on a leash, but still boisterous). It is incredibly frustrating as I realize how stressful this is to her.

Best of luck!

 

[shadowsrescue]

I hope the drop trap will work for you. Just be sure to practice especially the transfer. I used to use my inside cats and have them practice with me.

 

[catman925]

sweetblackpaws

couple things:

Re: the dogs. Is there a way you can change your feeding time to when the dogs aren't around/asleep? They will definitely make things more difficult (if not near impossible). I changed the feeding time for my colonies to 10:00pm each night so as to avoid such as this problem (that, and less cars on the road at that time). Or maybe a way to talk to the dog owner and let them know what you're trying to do and how sensitive the situation is?

Re: drop trap. Unless you don't think there is any way you can get her trapped using the carrier she likes, I think getting a drop-trap isn't necessary. Keep in mind that if you do get a drop-trap, you will still need to add in time needed to get her used to it being there (it's not an automatic quick-fix to this). If you can position the carrier somewhere that you could easily just reach over and close the door (see previous comment where poster was describing how they were able to catch their feral once she got used to getting inside the door by having someone in a chair close by every time and when the time was right, that person just reached over and closed the door). If you can maybe put the carrier near your front door and you maybe stand in the doorway each feeding and slowly each time inch your way just a little bit closer until you're confident you could reach the carrier door in time, I really feel this will be your easiest and fastest route. She wouldn't even need to be all the way to the back of the carrier. As long as you are positioned within arms reach and she's inside the carrier, especially if she's eating (ie distracted), you've got no worries. If you're close enough, her reaction time won't be sufficient to beat you before you close the door. Just make sure to hold it closed until latching (again, oven mitts are great for confidence).

My original reason for writing:
Just though about this tonight regarding the idea of using a food trail into your apartment. Unless you have a plan already into how you will get her into a smaller safe room once she's inside your apartment, the trail idea might be troublesome. Mostly because if she freaks out when you close that door, you will have no control over what she does during that freak-out. Ever watched cats climb walls? Literally? I have. They're surprisingly adept at it. If you have any valuables/trinkets on display and she royally freaks out, consider them fair game .

Another part to this is that whenever you introduce a cat to a new environment (especially a friendly feral like yours), it is best to put her into a small safe-room such as a bathroom. If you catch her rather than using a trail into your apartment, you will be able to easily put her into that safe-room. If she's free in your apartment, getting her into that safe-room might be a lot of extra trouble. Also, a main reason for the safe room (and this is something we always tell people who are adopting cats from us) is that it allows you to visit her each day and gives her a safe environment where she can get used to you and the new situation easier. If she's running around your apartment and you'll be essentially chasing/corralling her to the safe-room, the impression you're developing with her is she's being chased by you. Definitely not something you want her to associate you with. Trust me, I've had more than a couple cats here that I never really got tamed because I never gave them time to acclimate in a safe-room and my daily interactions with them were basically me trying to catch them. I have two right now that they'll let me give them food and treats, but that's all the interaction they're comfortable with, and they live inside my house! What little I do see of them each day is usually a back-end or a stink-eye glare. Any negative impression of you chasing her around the apartment will add more time to her eventual taming. You will need to work away that impression. Catching her too is a negative of course, but it's a quick one, kind of like going to the vet. They'll distrust you for a bit, but it can be easily rectified. Being chased especially when she's already feeling vulnerable and confused especially if it's a prolonged process will take a lot longer to undo.

So, if at all possible, definitely preferable to catch her (whatever method you decide) instead of the trail idea. Just lots easier dealings later on.

my 32 cents
-Art

 

[catman925]

oh yeah, meant to confer with Shadowrescue on this

Just be sure to practice especially the transfer.

The transfer is definitely the most precarious part when using the drop-trap (or any transfer for that matter). They do make things easier by having the outlet matching the opening of a standard trap, but make sure you know, that there is no bottom to a drop-trap. Once the cat is inside, you can only transfer her to something else and this opens up the possibility she could get loose. Unlikely, if the transfer is done correctly, but still a possibility.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

Art, I agree with everything you said! I have tried to decipher the Dog's schedule, but there doesn't seem to be one. The dog is aggressive and tried to break through my screen when my other cat was on the patio. But I digress. I agree that trailing is my last resort. While she is safer inside, I don't want her running amok in my apartment, mostly because of not only the stress to her, but my other cats.

The drop trap makes the assumption that she will run into the transfer cage, which is not a certainty. Also, like you said, it would require additional time for her to get used to it. Plus, I don't even have it yet, so would probably take several days to receive.

I think I will continue with what I am doing. I do have a large mesh-sided carrier that is much bigger than the hard-sided one I am using. I don't think she would claw out of it in the two minutes it would take to get her from outside to inside? What do you think? This is the one I have: of course, the issue would be closing the zippers. So probably best to keep using the hard-sided one. But there is the pillow-block method that ShadowRescue used...

 

[shadowsrescue]

I used one very similar to that one with the first feral I brought into my house. He had been living inside for a few weeks and I needed to get him to the vet for a check up. I started feeding him in the carrier for every meal. I kept a sturdy chair pad propped up against the side of the carrier that I would use on the day of the appointment. I wanted it there so he got used to it. I used it to block the exit as I zipped the carrier shut. Maybe you could practice with one of your resident cats.

 

[catman925]

This is the one I have:

I would definitely stick with the hard-sided one. A. she's already used to the hard-sided one and B. Even though the mesh is probably up to the task of holding her in, it will definitely not keep its shape as she bouces around in there let alone it might be difficult holding on to it during the transfer into your apartment. Then of course there is the zipper thing. Much slower than closing the front door of the hard-sided carrier.

Getting a cat to transfer out of a drop-trap isn't too hard most of the time. All you really need to do is cover the awaiting separate trap with a towel or something else that can cover it completely and uncover (if you covered) the drop-trap. This will leave the cat feeling exposed and they will naturally seek the cover of the new trap. This is how we do transfers all the time. Sometimes a bit of loud vocalizing and banging on the drop-trap or running a stick along the sides to make noise will usually be sufficient to get the more stubborn ones moving. In rare cases, a couple soft pokes from a stick sometimes are needed. Invariably though, they all seek refuge in the awaiting covered trap.

Too bad about the dog. Really puts a damper on things. Maybe if you can rearrange your feeding times to remove that factor? Your cat will adjust to it pretty quickly, even if it's an extreme change or unlikely hours like 1am or something. Shouldn't take a day or two.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

Yes, the new neighbor's have definitely made this more difficult due to their dog. I have even gone out at midnight to feed her and they come pouncing along. The Dog does not seem to be on a regimented schedule that I can see.

I will continue with the hard carrier. She does like it, but we are not quite there yet.

I just hope she will be happy indoors after all of this!

I am so stupid for having released her from the trap that one time. I don't know what I was thinking - I saw her thowing herself against the trap and I panicked. It all happened so fast. What a dumb thing for me to do. I had never trapped a feral before and I guess her reaction was worse than I had anticipated.

 

[trudy1]

Aw, don’t beat yourself up too much. We’ve all done things we regret. A month from now when she’s head butting you, purring and your just wanting to roll over and go to sleep but can’t because she’s in the middle of your back .....it will be alright!

 

[catman925]

I second what trudy1 said!

no worries on letting her go that first time. You didn't know it was coming. It is something traumatic to see I agree. But unfortunately, it's just what happens and is part of the process. They heal.

You're doing great. Don't second guess yourself with all of this. I'm confident you'll get her and then you'll wonder what all the stress was about.