No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

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fionasmom

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The vet said the kitten was 16 weeks. I don't see any hope of taming this litter, or the mother who was previously spayed in May. I must have trapped her when the kittens were about 2 weeks old, unbeknownst to me that she had a litter. They are true ferals, as is the mother. I asked the vet to observe the kitten when she was in the hospital to evaluate her personality and they said that she was very wild. If I had known where the litter was when I trapped the mom I would have taken them and finished raising them. There are people in the area who would have taken one to bottle raise, but all of that is too late now. No sign of anyone today. Last night I put out some food for the girl I TNRed a year ago as she eats in a different place, and then some for the others and the majority of it was not eaten, certainly not enough was eaten for an adult cat with three 4 month old kittens. Thanks for all your support and I will keep you posted.
 

surya

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I'm sorry they have gone missing. I hope they show up again. Thanks for helping these kitties.
 
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fionasmom

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No longer missing, just cautious. All three showed up this morning, including the one who was just spayed. I had the traps set and they immediately stopped and refused to enter. The one who is fixed sat next to the food outside the trap and just looked, which made me feel sad for her. Today and tomorrow and Sunday morning I will feed them as there is no place to take them to be fixed even if they are trapped over the weekend. How long is it okay to make food available only in a trap without starving them, assuming that no one enters it?
 

surya

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I would hate to let the kittens go too long without food. So I wouldn't go more than one day. I thought the kittens were younger. There is no problem catching the mom first, they are old enough to be without her for a little while. With hard to catch kitties, I'll use wet stinky seafood and spread it out in a little trail. I also put there regular dry food too. Just a little at the entrance, so they just wet their appetite and will follow the bread crumbs to the back. That gets them to start poking their head in and tricks them into getting braver. you can also use cat nip in there and rub the trap down with tuna oil. Since they are scared of the trap, you can also use a string on the door of a large dog crate if you have one available. Since it has more space, sometimes they feel more comfortable going in there, and you may be able to get them all at once. With the dog crate, I slowly close the door with the string and then run up and hold it closed quickly.
 
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fionasmom

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Than you so much again. I had heard that fried chicken might work as well and will try that. Will do everything you suggest and I do have a large carrier from when my Shepherd was younger. No more than one day without food. That did concern me especially for the little one who is healing from surgery.
 

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Are you able to leave the trap around but not "set"? I prop my traps open and feed both on top and inside. If you are using canned and kibble, I would put the canned in a paper plate on top as well as inside the trap with some kibble outside of the trap. Paper plates feel less confining it seems so the ferals are more willing to risk eating off those. And you definitely want to cover the trap thoroughly as soon as the cat is caught - not only do they hunker down, it keeps the "audience cats" from getting so trap-savvy. Also, I partially cover the traps anyway & I vary the coverings; grapevine prunings, newspaper, branches, etc. - just leave the outside edge of the lifted gate exposed so you know when the trap springs. I use towels and blankets to cover for transport. Prayers and vibes for successful trapping & congratulations on getting the little b&w spayed!
 

surya

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Also, if you are trying every day and getting no where, give it a break for a week and try again. They sense your stress when trying too hard. Stick around and watch them eat so they get use to your presence.
 
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fionasmom

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The traps have been out for quite a while unset and they were eating in them, but as soon as one was trapped it made them even more trap wary. I have not seen the mother for a couple of days which is very odd and I sincerely doubt that there is another food source. This morning all three kittens became more adventurous in her absence and played outside for a while. I did go outside and quietly look at them which prompted their usual hissing and panicked running away. I do use paper plates and watch the traps when they are set so both cats who were trapped last week were quickly removed from the scene. This morning I bought fried chicken and canned mackerel, so will continue to try. Giving it a rest for a week will become an option when I go back to work next week. Just worried that at 4 months or so one of the remaining calico kittens will get pregnant. Do you recommend at all trying to trap at night? I did it once years ago and caught a raccoon and know it is not preferable. My property is locked with high walls so the chances of anything happening to the trap is slim. I really want to thank everyone who has given me advice. I never heard from any of the supposed local rescuers from Alley Cat Allies Feral Friends or the TNR Project and I only wanted advice, not for anyone to come to my property and trap them for me.
 

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catsknowme

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I do not trap at night because my area has too many skunks and raccoons & by our state laws, must be released on site or destroyed. Also, I try to get the cats to the vet as soon as I can & my vet accepts ferals at 8am and officially opens at 9.
 
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fionasmom

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The good news is that I did get one more kitten today with the fried chicken. When I got her to the vet she remained completely calm in the trap and one of the techs will follow up on whether or not there is a chance that she is less feral and more unsocialized. Two of us were able to touch her through the trap. I authorized the feline leukemia test if they determine that she seems to have pet potential as a rescue might be able to help at that point. If she was just stunned and in shock and becomes wild once she gets her bearings they will just TNR. The remaining kitten is very interested in the chicken but will not go in the trap. I feed regularly at the same time twice a day so they know when to expect food. I will check the remote trigger trap and see what it does. I may have to try to trap at night due to returning to work next week. It can be regulated so that it would not be too stressful if a kitten were in the trap overnight. If it were a possum, he would just have to accept that he was trapped and released a little while later.
 
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fionasmom

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Update to a few minutes ago. I was about to take the trap down because it is too hot now where it has to be placed just as the father was entering it. Apparently he likes fried chicken as well as he is a long time untrappable resident of the area. Are male cats sterile as soon as they are fixed or are they still able to function for a few days and impregnate? Vet will check him for injuries as I know he has been a street fighter and give antibiotic injection if needed but he will be returned to the location where he lives. He was crazy wild furious fighting every inch of the way.
 

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Are male cats sterile as soon as they are fixed or are they still able to function for a few days and impregnate?
They can get female cats pregnant for up to 1 month after being fixed.

:noway:

But at least he's fixed now, so that's one less thing to worry about.
 
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fionasmom

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I had suspected that he would still have a few days left in him. He is a true adult feral and there is no place I can keep him for the duration, but at least he is fixed.
 

surya

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How's the kitten doing, any chance of taming it? I have tamed two kittens who were three months old when I caught them. It takes longer but it is possible.
 
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fionasmom

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The kitten was very wild at the vet's and he made the decision not to do the leukemia test. I released both cats when I picked them up today. The male was so wild in the trap that I actually put on a jacket and heavy gloves before I opened it but fortunately he bolted straight out. One kitten left to go, so huge progress has been made.
 
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fionasmom

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Just to update everyone and thank you for your help....all three kittens are still safe and come for food. I have not seen the mother in a couple of weeks and fear the worst for her, especially with coyotes in the area. She was an excellent mother and I know would have fought for those kittens if she had to, especially after losing one of them at about 6 weeks old. This morning I had to take my dog to the vet so set the trap very early after not feeding all night. I baited it with fried chicken, but nothing happened, so added canned mackerel. Because it was on the shady side of my house and my property is very secure I decided to cover it with a blanket and leave it baited. When I got back about 2 hours later the final kitten was in the trap, calm and safe. So she is at the vet's and that is the final one to be trapped. This family, mother and father and kittens are extremely feral. If I had known about the kittens when they were tiny there might have been a chance to tame them but as it is they will be released and taken care of outside.
 
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