Need help trapping my indoor cat

fionasmom

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I don't know the set up of your property which could make a difference to this but I have used "decoy" bowls of food. This may not appeal to you either and I could understand that. I am currently doing that for a very aggressive new cat who shows up promptly at 5 AM and will eat my ferals' food but will eat quietly and leave if he is given his own food.
 
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sarah430

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I don't know the set up of your property which could make a difference to this but I have used "decoy" bowls of food. This may not appeal to you either and I could understand that. I am currently doing that for a very aggressive new cat who shows up promptly at 5 AM and will eat my ferals' food but will eat quietly and leave if he is given his own food.
That's a good idea. We have a long, narrow yard and I have a sense of where she may be hiding out which is on one side where our side back door faces. I could leave something that isn't appealing to cats (vegetables/bread, etc.) for the racoons in the far back corner of the yard. I may wait to see if they return tonight - they haven't been around every night.

I also read that epsom salts repel racoons but I have no idea the truth of that. I may try that too.

Thank you!
 
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sarah430

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This cat of mine is sure keeping me on my toes. Decided I didn't want to feed the raccoons. So we've delayed putting out food at night by the door. The raccoons came out two nights in a row and it was always around 10pm. My husband usually wakes up in the night so he'll put out the food and open the door around 1-2am. I'm also trying to located where Navi is hiding plus she won't come to the door for food during the day. So I made a feeding station for her way in the corner of our yard behind a shed. And I'm putting out food during her normal eating times 5am & 5pm. Lo and behold she was there last evening and then again this morning. Once we notice the raccoons are not coming around consistently I'll try to lure her back to the house again but will also consider the humane trap hidden in these bushes. Or going out there around feeding times and lying nearby and talking to her gently. I also bought another wildlife camera so I can see better where she's coming from. I'm starting to get a good idea of where her hiding place may be. Here's a pic of her from this morning.

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fionasmom

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She is a beautiful little girl, very determined little face. I completely get not wanting to create a feeding station for the raccoons but it sounds as if you are making progress with some regularity in her visits. The trap might eventually work.
 
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sarah430

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We are making progress! She has come out to the feeding station every morning. Yesterday and this morning she was out there within 5 minutes of me putting the food out. (Based on time stamp of pictures). Today, suspecting that she may have already eaten, I went back out before I went to work to pick up the dish and I saw her on the cement path near the back of our yard (not far from the feeding station). I wasn't expecting to see her so we startled each other and she ran into the bushes. I called her gently a bit and then went back inside to finish getting ready for work. As I was brushing my teeth, my husband told me she was back out on the sidewalk. So I went out the back door and laid down and talked to her again like I would if it was treat time. She just chatted back at me. My husband brought me the treats and I shook the bag and took one out (normally she would take it from my hand). She just kept chattering back at me. I finally needed to go so I got up and walked halfway towards her. She went into the bush but not far and I could still see her and I dropped the treat on the sidewalk and went back inside. A few minutes later I saw her go out to get it. Later while at work my husband texted me to say she was back out on the sidewalk halfway to our house and our other cat was watching her from the cat tree by the window.

This is how she acted the last time she got outside just before she came back in and a very good sign since she hasn't shown herself to us in the 3-1/2 weeks she's been out. I think she's ready to come home. Fingers crossed!🤞 I'm going to start moving her feeding station closer to the house.
 
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sarah430

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SHE'S HOME!!

It happened so fast I wasn't expecting it and just acted on instinct. She had eaten the food I'd put out around 8pm and when I went out to get the dish, I could hear her yowling from behind the shed. I just laid down and talked gently with her but she didn't come out. About a half hour later I went back out with her favorite freeze dried salmon which she often takes from my hand. I wasn't really expecting anything but she came out and took one from my outstretched hand. And then she took another one closer and almost let me pet her. And then I made her kind of cross my body to get the next one and I just decided to snatch her, even though I know she doesn't like to be picked up and might fight back. I ran with her back to the house about 50 feet and my husband saw me coming and opened the door. Just as we were inside before I could put her down she bit my finger and scratched my wrist as she pushed off. Hopefully it won't get infected but if I have to get antibiotics, its worth it. She ran upstairs and I can hear her yowling but she'll recover.

I'm so happy and I can believe after almost 4 weeks with most of that time not seeing her it happened so fast. Thank you so much for all your support.
 
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