So There's This Cat...

[weebeasties]

Sorry for the bad quality photo. I can't get very close. Taken a little over a month ago.

This semiferal has been visiting for three months now. I'm assuming male because not pregnant. I'm assuming not neutered because I hear either cat fights or mating off in the woods sometimes and that coincides with when he showed up.

His visits are sporadic. Sometimes once a week, sometimes four times.
I put out food for him daily just in case he shows up. I have tried many varieties of canned food as well as canned tuna and once KFC. He will sniff it and then walk away without eating. He does occasionally take a few nibbles of kibble but not much.

He has declined so much since he first showed up. He is so skinny now and scratched up.

I would love to trap him and have him vetted and neutered. He just doesn't seem motivated by food at all even though he is so skinny. I don't know what to do for him.

He will let me get about 10 feet away from him to set down a dish. Then when I am safely back from the dish he will come to investigate and then just walk away. I thought about trying kibble in the trap but I'm 99% sure I would end up catching a very angry raccoon.

After all this time, I'm starting to give up hope. He so rarely visits these days and when he does, half of the time he doesn't even eat the kibble. He just comes to nap on our deck.

Is there anything I can do?

 

[2rescuekitties]

I am sort of in the same boat as you I have a semi feral who comes sporadically. Sometimes I see him daily and sometimes once every few weeks...and every time I open my door he runs like crazy but I can tell he's very sick as well...Maybe the not eating is because maybe he is really sick and just has no appetite? I'm not sure but I do think you are trying everything you can...I know that I wish I could trap mine as well but when they aren't consistent with showing up it's hard to set a trap because I feel I will catch someone's outdoor cat or as you said a very angry raccoon!

 

[catsknowme]

Please do not give up! It sounds as if his thinness is a sign of illness. Illness could also be causing nausea. You could try baiting the trap with another cat's poop - he may enter the trap to smell it. He is a beautiful cat and with all that fur, it will be hard to realize how very thin he actually is. Bless you for looking out for him! Please keep us updated. Prayers and vibes for successful trapping!

 

[foxxycat]

what about baby food? bacon? Cheese? how about a drop trap? But of course that's hard to do if you don't know when he's going to show up. He's very handsome. I am sorry you are not having luck catching this smart fella...what about a trail of treats into a cat carrier?

 

[maggiedemi]

He's beautiful! I hope you can trap him. He probably has fleas or worms, that can turn off their appetite. Or some type of infection.

 

[trudy1]

Any progress with him? Just been following your thread. Please don’t give up. There is a reason why he “found” you.

 

[Willowy]

I caught a raccoon once, it's not so scary. Just take the trap somewhere near the trees, open it and run away from the trees, the raccoon should run toward the trees, so that should work out, lol.

Tomcats think of nothing else but mating during mating season, poor guys. That's probably why he isn't eating much. That should start winding down a little soon so maybe he'll show more interest.

 

[weebeasties]

I've only seen Dusty (the name I have been calling him) once since I posted about him. As I sat on my patio one evening he walked through my yard. I called to him but he ignored me so I let out a meow. That stopped him for a minute, but then he continued on into the forest.
I won't give up on him, but I do feel like it's a losing battle so to speak. I will continue to put out food for him, talk to him, and when he is napping on my deck I approach him slowly until I see him start to tense up and then I will nonchalantly walk off in another direction. My hope is he will get used to me and let me get closer.

 

[trudy1]

The fact that he’s coming around shows he is interested. The food is the incentive. Don’t worry about racoons. They always flight instead of fight unless you block their exit from the trap. I always wear leather gloves as a precaution however.
You may have only seen him once in a week but I’ll bet he’s been around. Guys in his line of work don’t live long if they let their guard down. Just be patient, establish regular times to be out on your deck with food. Sing some of your favorite songs while you’re out there. He’ll come around. BTW if you have a really bad voice and close neighbors don’t sing too loud!

 

[weebeasties]

My partner puts out kibble for him every morning at 9. I offer him canned or something yummy when I see him. Honestly I think the bluejays are eating most of the kibble.
I used to not have a problem with raccoons. Then I met the raccoons that live here. They are brazen hooligans with no fear of humans! ( I swear one of them was going to get in the pool with us one night. That was the last time I went for a late night dip!) I hear them fighting amongst themselves a lot. They sound ferocious! We take in our birdfeeders every night so that they don't destroy them like they did the last ones.

Anyway...my trap is missing a piece so I rigged it up so you can open it with an old wire clothes hanger. The problem is the only way to keep the door open is to actually stand right there pulling on the hanger. I just don't want to be THAT close to an annoyed raccoon. I won't even go into my nightmare skunk scenario!

 

[trudy1]

Racoons lose their fear of humans easily, as if they ever had any to start with! A park manager I used to work with even had a camper complain...she woke in the middle of the night to hear the tent zipper being unzipped. Yes it was a racoon! But if you have a high density, as you appear to, your chances of trapping one are very good. I’ve caught two in the same trap! One followed the other in and the trap sprung! So leaving food out is a no no if you have them.

Yes I have a good skunk story as well. Seems everything in the country out here is looking for a free meal.