Trapping Ideas??

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Potashminer

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Not really about "hunting", so much as to "live trap" a feral cat we have here. I have tried with a Havahart Live Trap - neighbour now has same unit - we believe that feral has been "trapped" previously - very skittish and DOES NOT like people. Neighbour watched hm on their security video - he circled their baited trap three times - another feral just barged right in for the bait - sprung that trap and the feral of interest ran off - more "educated", I think.

I have seen him multiple times crossing our yard - may end up to be resolved with a 22 rimfire - but mission, from wife, is to "live trap" him - so she can take it to Vet in town for pills and shots and neutering - neither she nor neighbour lady want it as a pet - way too wild for that - but they do not mind him to be in local bushes or under deck - once inoculated against rabies, de-wormed, etc. Is complicated that both neighbour lady and us have "pet" cats - so trap pretty much has to be manually tripped, or the "pet cats" locked up, so automatic trip traps do not catch them. Looking for ideas how to "live trap" an "educated" feral cat ...
 
get one of those preformed garden sheds from home depot.
run a line to the house on a pulley so you can close the door from the house.
Put some irresistable bait in there and wait.
You could rig up a little push button alarm or another string with a bell or something so you can scare off the cats you aren't after when they try to enter.
Once the cat is trapped..... call the local animal control officer
 
I'm suspect your right and it's been caught before, those traps usually work excellent on feral cats. I've had great luck with sardines as bait, but it's critical that you make sure they haven't gone bad first.
 
I would just give it the lead pill. If it is that wild and know one would want it for a pet there is no sense of spending $500 on neutering and other treatments at the vet. That is if it is causing trouble for you, if not just let it be.
 
Here is my suggestion: Purchase some "Temptations" (Cat Snack) at a local grocery store. Leave the trap open, (blocked) so it can't be sprung. Sprinkle Temptations around the trap and get the cat used to eating them. ( couple of days) . Next place Temptations in the entrance of the open trap. Get the cat used to eating from the entrance of the trap. Place temptations in back of trap and remove blocker so trap can be sprung.
Using a trail camera to monitor progress is useful.
Note: This will only work if that is the only feral cat around. Catch the wrong cat and you will have to start over again.
I'm not sure what's in them but Temtations are like cat cocaine.
 
^ I will try that - we have "temptations" cat treats - use that every evening - our cats get the run of the house during daytime, but door to attached garage is closed after suppertime - cats go out to garage for night-time - I have been using "Temptations" for like 5 years to get them to go out - might be "habit" now (both for them and for me!!). I was doing similar as you suggest with the cat food that the feral seems to want - cut out a cardboard "floor" for the trap - set food bowl out near entrance and under the "trap door" - I have seen him eating from that. My intention is to slowly move the food bowl further back in there - the "trigger" for the trap is latched so that the trap does not trip - until I can see that feral go in there - then I have a manual "pull cord" laid out to trip the latch on the trap when it is time. Also have welding mitts ready - I believe that feral will be a hand full to handle, even with him in the trap - the Vet said to just bring trap and all - if we can catch him. Once I slide food bowl in a bit further neither that feral nor our MommaCat will go in there - I think they have been "trapped" before, and did not enjoy the experience, I presume - they reach in and scoop food bits out of the bowl onto the cardboard - then use their paws to bring food bits towards themselves - eat it off cardboard, but WILL NOT go in there to feed. Our BoyCat just bulldozes in and feeds - I know for sure that he has been caught in our live trap several times - at least twice, for sure - in his case, into cat carrier, then off to Vet. I am just using normal cat food bowl where they normally feed as "bait" - maybe I will have to step that up a notch or two.
 
How about taming him or her?

When I was a kid .... we had one of those around .... a real wild one .... with time we were able to tame it .... establish that trust .... (it took a long time) but she became our first domesticated indoor cat. She then had a litter .... then we had 4 cats .... and of those 2 had litters again .... we adopted two more ..... the rest .... well I don't actually know what my father did with them .... I just imagine what it could be he did .... or what I would do.

Anyhow, this might be a rewarding option .... she became part of the family .... and her offspring as well ....
 
Never heard of anyone wanting to spend money on a feral cat. I just leave the ones around my place alone. Seen them eating mice in my driveway and around the buildings lots of times.
 
0faustus0 said:
How about taming him or her?

When I was a kid .... we had one of those around .... a real wild one .... with time we were able to tame it .... establish that trust .... (it took a long time) but she became our first domesticated indoor cat. She then had a litter .... then we had 4 cats .... and of those 2 had litters again .... we adopted two more ..... the rest .... well I don't actually know what my father did with them .... I just imagine what it could be he did .... or what I would do.

Anyhow, this might be a rewarding option .... she became part of the family .... and her offspring as well ....
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Is for sure a thought - our MommaCat came to us as a "stray" - we had no cats then - she was coming to back door and my wife was feeding it - it always fed and came into the house - was very friendly, but always wanted back outside - within a few weeks she showed up with three kittens in tow - we found "new homes" for two of them, but the "BoyCat" is one of her sons from that litter - BoyCat circa 5 years old now - both our cats (and the Bulldog) have been neutered - we are getting too old for kittens or puppies, any more. I think I have trapped 2 more feral cats for sure - one tomcat and one kitten - both ended up one way trip to Vet - what happened there is their business - our local VET clinic was also a cat rescue shelter - they had "adopted out" many strays and unwanted cats - no clue (nor do we care) what happened to the two that we took in.

MUCH better to have the cats around, than the wild racoons that we had in here a few Falls ago - WAY less mess to clean up!! This feral tomcat will feed from the cat food bowl in this garage like 2 meters away from me - but will leave, if we make eye-to-eye contact. Would be nice to get some shots or pills into him - do not need a "rabid" cat around. Manitoba winter makes for "tough life" in the bush here for the cats - so at least this place is warm and there is food he can "steal". No doubt one day a fisher will show up in this area and all the cats will be eventually gone - as happened to an acquaintance about 30 kilometres from here.
 
We have 5 farm cats...All wondered onto the place and in time we tamed them...I have a lot of respect for any critter on it's own that can survive in our neck of the woods that is loaded with coyotes and wolves...I actually have come to prefer the cats over our dogs...Much smarter.
 
^ We saw the MommaCat teaching her "kids" to climb trees - seems to work as a strategy for coyotes, wolves and dogs - won't work so well against fisher though - I think they can run and climb like a cat can. We do get black bears in the yard - never seen a commotion involving the cats with those - maybe too smart for that - but the Bulldog seems to take a bear's presence as a personal insult - gonna get its butt handed to it one day - one dog against a momma bear with cubs in trees nearby - is why Grandpa (me) has the 9.3x62 rifle and sleeve of shells here - the issue will be promptly settled - I have been out three times now with loaded rifle, but the dog has always been smart enough to come back when we call - despite what it is up to at the time - so, I have not had to fire a shot, yet.
 
Sort of amazing to me, after a month or so, I have not seen that feral tomcat for several days - about the same day that I saw the first ever coyote in the yard - coyote may have dealt with the feral cat issue, for once and for all time. Although both our MommaCat and BoyCat have got scratches / scabs on their noses and faces that were not there a few days ago.
 
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