Need some advice from you experienced trappers.
As you know, we've been rescuing and reuniting pets who are still on the streets after the Joplin, MO tornado.
Here's the problem. Winter is coming, and many of those pets may not survive the midwest winter. We are going to start trapping a few each week to take to the humane society where we will work on getting their adoptions sponsored. After 5 months on the streets with little or no human contact these former loving pets have lost their trust in humans and their former "friendly" behavior. Some of them still want to come close, meowing but keeping their distance, etc. but others run as soon as they see you.
What we need to determine, is how to tell the difference when the cat is trapped. Some of them howl and cry in the traps, some just sit quietly but "freak out" if someone touches the cage, trying to escape. Some watch your every move but hiss if you get close. Any previously trapped cat was released if they weren't on our "missing" list because we have no fosters for them. That is no longer an option. They need off the streets now, before it gets too cold and too late to help them.
We don't want to take any obvious ferals to the shelter because we all know what happens to ferals in the system
ANY advice welcome.
As you know, we've been rescuing and reuniting pets who are still on the streets after the Joplin, MO tornado.
Here's the problem. Winter is coming, and many of those pets may not survive the midwest winter. We are going to start trapping a few each week to take to the humane society where we will work on getting their adoptions sponsored. After 5 months on the streets with little or no human contact these former loving pets have lost their trust in humans and their former "friendly" behavior. Some of them still want to come close, meowing but keeping their distance, etc. but others run as soon as they see you.
What we need to determine, is how to tell the difference when the cat is trapped. Some of them howl and cry in the traps, some just sit quietly but "freak out" if someone touches the cage, trying to escape. Some watch your every move but hiss if you get close. Any previously trapped cat was released if they weren't on our "missing" list because we have no fosters for them. That is no longer an option. They need off the streets now, before it gets too cold and too late to help them.
We don't want to take any obvious ferals to the shelter because we all know what happens to ferals in the system
ANY advice welcome.