Found Feral Cats

nena10

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This is for all of those who have experience. Yesterday, I was walking to the store when I past house and there were many cats sitting around the porch. Most of them look like young kittens. I stood there looking at them and I went to the owner to ask if any were for sale. She said they were only wild cats who live in her basement and who eat from the food she gives them. She told me I could have two if I could catch them. So I tried to catch one, but they all ran away. One of them, a mother, was lame on a hind leg from being run over. I thought she would be easy, but suprisingly she ran fast.
How hard is it to tame a feral cat? The kittens are about 2 months old. The lady told me that she will call me when she catches one or two. I wish I had a car and then take them all to be spayed or neutered, have some of their shots, and then deliver them to a shelter(hopefully a no-kill shelter) where they can find homes. All the cats seem healthy. Two were white with black and gray patches, one was gray(it look a little like Jake) with white, three were gray tabbies, and one was gray with red(I think its called a tortie). How do catch a feral cat?
 

hissy

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I moved this to the Feral Colony forum. There are many knowledgeable people that can help you there.
 

hissy

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Hi nena
"Feral" means existing in a wild or untamed state. I wish it were as easy as to just walk up to some ferals snapping your fingers and calling "Kitty kitty" It takes time and tons of patience. Sometimes they will go into a trap right when it is set down, and sometimes, it takes weeks for them to go in. We have traps called live traps, and they are simple cages with a door and a trigger. The cat food is set to the very end of the cage, and then you just wait for the cats to come into the cage, they step on the trigger and the door is shut, and they are trapped. Now you have a pretty scared and unhappy cat inside that will fight you tooth and nail to get out.

My suggestion is, if you do not know what you are doing, then let the woman who is feeding them, trap them for you. Your heart is good in that you want to take these babies in to be spayed or neutered, but they have to be at least 5 months old first. If you do get a kitten or two, be very careful and remember they are wild. I had one feral that lived behind a piece of furniture for a year, before he allowed me to pet him. Today, if I even attempt to put Cleo into a cage, he will literally try and bite his way out. Take him out, and he is as gentle as a kitten. BUT I have many scars on my arms and legs that bare his name.

If you have the time and you want to, go to the pet store and get a feather toy. I use a peacock feather. Set a time during the day where you just go over there, and just start walking slowly in a circle dragging this feather toy. Don't look at the kitties eyes just walk slowly, and see if maybe some of them don't come out to attack this new kind of prey. You can also sit quietly near them, read a book or something, just let them get used to you being around. But DON'T chase them, and don't pick them up. Good luck, and as I said, your heart is in the right place, but unless you know what you are doing, you could get hurt.
 
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