Tips for a swift capture

[catnurse22]

So we just had some scary weather moments. Turned out fine, but nonetheless it was bad enough that I went to round up the kitties to put them in the closet. Luke and Harvey weren't a problem, but Danny....

First a bit about Danny's history/personality. He was a feral kitten who wasn't "captured" until he was about 12wks. I got him when he was about 6 1/2 months after he had been returned by his adoptive family because "he wasn't sweet anymore". He's pretty socialized but still kept his skittish attitude. Even I can't just walk up to him and pick him up. I have to talk to him and lean down and take it slow. Now once I have him he's a sweetheart. Just a purr bucket.

Usually I don't have problems getting him, like if he has to go the vet. But that's usually during the day when he's out and about. Tonight he was in the bedroom and when I went to get him he ran under the bed since I just hurried in. After a couple of minutes of both me and Josh trying to herd him out I got him. I put him in the closet but he immediately ran back out between my legs. Then Josh and I go back to get him from under the bed and after a bit he starts growling at Josh. I immediately called it off and shut him in the bedroom hoping the weather would get better. Now if I absolutely HAD to get him, I could have. Probably with lots and lots and lots of scratches and bites though.The weather is now cleared up and the kitties have free roam, but he's still under the bed hiding.

So, any tips in how to prevent this from happening? I was already considering starting him on Composure since he is so skittish and he has big time issues with Luke. Even if there's a difference in his personality I don't think it would make a similar stressful situation any easier. Any experience or handy tips?

 

[taryn]

Sorry best I can suggest is if he doesn't want to go all you can do is hope the weather clears. My parents had to do that with our blind Old English Sheepdog, we could herd her into the bathroom but if she took off before the door closed she was on her own. Abby lived to be 11.5 yrs and it was mainly a big problem her last years(it wasn't related to her blindness she was 5 when she went blind) so it wasn't us being mean or uncaring, it was about keeping ourselves safe, and if she wasn't willing to stay put we couldn't keep running after her. If he flies under the bed and he won't let you safely remove him he's on his own. If Attitude, Nuts or Maude did the same they would be on their own. I know it sounds mean but you need to stay safe and if he has firmly planted himself under the bed and you can't remove him safely then leave him.

Not sure what kind of weather you have but for us it's tornadoes and honestly under the bed is about as safe as it will get if he refuses to let you move him safely. Honestly if any of mine refused to come I'd hope they would plant themselves under the bed.

Taryn

 

[mystik spiral]

Sorry I can't help much... I have a skittish one too, though she's usually pretty calm around me. If I have to get her into the carrier I hide it in the bathroom (where there's nowhere for her to hide) and bring treats in there. Once she's in I close the door so she can't escape.

The most important thing I've learned with mine is to be calm when I have to corral her for some reason. She knows when I'm tense or freaked out and will run away if she senses it. If I approach her calmly she doesn't know what I'm up to and I can grab her if I need to...

Funny thing is, we had a HUGE, tremendously loud thunderstorm not too long after I adopted her. I thought she would be freaking out and hiding under the bed, and where was she for the entire storm? At the sliding glass door looking outside...

 

[stephanietx]

I have one who can be evasive. When we're supposed to have bad weather, I start early preparing everything. (In the spring, it's tornado season and I keep everything in the hallway closet, our safe place.) The first thing I do is close all the doors to the bedrooms and closets. That cuts down on lots of hiding places. I generally don't have any problems, but I have had to throw a towel over my cat to capture her once. It was a swift, toss the towel, scoop up the cat while trying to get part of the towel on the bottom to avoid scratching. Probably not the best way to do it, but it worked.