How To Trap A Feral Cat

[Chasethecat]

So interested in these stories of taming them. I m making a little progress with 3 kittens on my property but not too much with mom and I need to get her fixed asap. I am trying to find someone in my area that knows how to tnr. I will pay for the spaying, I m just not good at catching and I don't want to traumatize any cat in anyway which is not good because I m going to have to cage them to get them fixed. I cry every night over them
Sigh

 

[StefanZ]

Yes catching in trap is much milder than "catching as catch can". And waiting till they themselves come to you inside takes a couple of litters extra totally unnecessary.
A good trap is your friend!

So interested in these stories of taming them. I m making a little progress with 3 kittens on my property but not too much with mom and I need to get her fixed asap. I am trying to find someone in my area that knows how to tnr. I will pay for the spaying, I m just not good at catching and I don't want to traumatize any cat in anyway which is not good because I m going to have to cage them to get them fixed. I cry every night over them
Sigh

 

[vyger]

So interested in these stories of taming them. I m making a little progress with 3 kittens on my property but not too much with mom and I need to get her fixed asap. I am trying to find someone in my area that knows how to tnr. I will pay for the spaying, I m just not good at catching and I don't want to traumatize any cat in anyway which is not good because I m going to have to cage them to get them fixed. I cry every night over them
Sigh

I think you will find, and I think most everyone will agree, that every cat is different and behaves different. So really you just try and figure out what works best for that one. I have had feral cats that took years to socialize and then suddenly become the most needy and always following me around of any of my others. My big feral Scottie was that way. Once we got to the petting, scratching phase it was all over for him. He followed me, hung around me and made me his own. But it took 2 years for him to decide that. On the other hand I have had some become social in just a few months, but not be as needy as the others.
I have a totally new situation going on now that has left me wondering what to do next. I had a feral cat have kittens under my house this late spring. I had left the access door open to let things dry out because I had a water heater leak. Its a dirt floor crawl space so you just let it dry out. Apparently she discovered the open door and moved in. I didn't know until the kittens showed up in my entryway, which is what we call an air lock entry so it has an inside and outside door. Helps to keep you from loosing all the heat when it's 20 below outside. Anyway its connected to under the house under the porch. And the kittens showed up in the basket bed the other cats use in the winter. From what I can tell the mom is mute and never makes a sound. neither did the kittens. So everytime I go out the door they scramble from the bed and dive for hiding places. I started feeding them there and now they wait, looking in the window every day for their food. It is really funny that we have gotten to where they are totally fine with the big glass pane between us. They even follow my finger on the glass and play with it. They try and play with the others cats tails and watch everything, like a big screen TV. But as soon as I touch that door knob they dive for cover and wait until after I have moved before they will come out and eat. I have finally gotten to the point where I can open the door and drop treats on the floor and the kittens will come and get them. A few times they have even taken them from my fingers. What is funny is how different the 2 are. One is shy and hesitant the other bold and aggressive. He has tried to bat the treat out of my hand and even hooked me a few times trying to grab it. When he does that treat time ends. The shy one though has learned to take the treat from me which means she gets more. But if I try and touch them they dive for cover. By the way these guys are now about 5 months old. They and their mom all sleep together in the basket. They don't want to go outside. On the few nice days we have had I have left the outside door open and they go out and explore but if they hear me walking they run back into the entry. I don't understand this because the other kittens I have had were all over outside. They all came in at night for food and were locked in. These guys won't go out. And they are very shy about making that final step. So I actually have them locked in now that the door is mostly closed. So they are trapped. But they are not really trusting yet. In the meantime the mom keeps her distance and just watches me and the kittens. She likes the treats but won't come close enough to get any. And of course in the meantime she has gone back into heat, and I know that because I had a tom show up outside. But she is totally silent, and she doesn't even try and get out the door. She likes it inside, just doesn't like me. But she also doesn't get along with my other cats, goes into attack mode if they walk into the entryway. All of this is now going to be a problem because as it gets more into winter the 3 outside cats I have stay in the entryway and get food there. So I don't know what I am going to do for them now. Their spot has been taken over by a squatter who doesn't want to leave and doesn't want to be friends either. I am hoping for a breakthrough of some sort soon now. I have already missed the neuter clinics that were in the fall. Traveling with them 75 miles to a vet in the dead of winter here is also not a good idea, especially since as of now I can't even tough them. Nope, just give us treats, play with us a little, and then leave us alone. Just wait for the panic when I start bringing in all the firewood.

 

[Norachan]

Where are you located C Chasethecat ? There are probably TNR groups in your area who will come and help you trap if you will pay for the spay.

It's not as difficult as you think. You need a humane trap and a blanket to cover the trap with once the cat is inside. Once in a dark, enclosed area they calm right down. It's 24 hours of stress in return for a lifetime of being healthier and less kittens for you to worry about. It's worth it.

Do you have a vet who has experience in handling feral cats? They often have traps you can rent from them.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Here is a good video on how to trap
Trapping Cats: How to Trap an Entire Colony