If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Trap, neuter, release roundup
The TNR that was to take place 2 weeks ago finally got underway yesterday.
The Cat haven worker who originally gave me the dates had incorrect information on when, but everything else was correct. We had some surprises, a more complete effort for the first day, and a few new faces in the traps who seem to have kept themselves out of sight previously. Scruffy, the most battle scarred and wary of the crew was a concern. I didn't think he'd be likely to come near the traps after all the human commotion. He actually walked into one while the humane society worker was still here and was straddling the pedal in the trap, eating away. I was able to reach past him with a stick and trigger the trap. Easy one! Bubbles, domesticated as they get, and housebroken, surprised us all. The HS worker tried to transfer him from a trap to a carrier. He did one of those notorious feline liquid pretzel moves and got away. I managed to call him back a short while later and get him in a carrier. Boy was he ****ed when he figured out what I was doing. As soon as the door was closed, he lunged at me, slapping front paws down with his head and ears lowered, hissing and obviously not happy. Spook, brother of Bubbles, was figured for a difficult catch but really put up a hell of a fight. He wanted nothing to do with the traps, no matter what bait was in them. He finally took an offering of dry food on the ground. I was able to sneak up on him and pick him up. He was fairly cool about it until a carrier was placed on the ground, then all hell broke loose. It ended with me having to pin one front leg up alongside his head while isolating his rear legs at the hip. It took one more set of hands to manage him and another to hold the carrier. He struggled all the way, and everybody involved bled a little. He was finally in with no harm. Mr. Jingles was also figured for a tough catch, but surprised everyone. He accepted an offer of dry food, allowed himself to be picked up and loaded into a carrier without any struggle at all. He even turned around in the carrier and accepted head scritches through the grille. Most of the rest went without incident. the litter of 4 kittens wasn't too bad either. They're about 5 months old now. Two went in the traps almost right away. The other two were hard sell after witnessing most of the others being caught. They kept circling the traps, trying to fish the food out through the sides and back of the trap, but wouldn't venture inside. After a few hours, I placed a hot chicken wing about halfway into the trap, where it could be reached without tripping the thing. Sure enough, one of them went for it. Now that he had confidence he could get it, take the food and escape, I placed the next wing up beyond the trip pedal. Sure thing - he went in and set off the trap. Lather, rinse, repeat, and his brother was in a carrier too! The traps that were left overnight yielded one more female that is always very reclusive and another female tabby that was never seen around here before. I'm thinking it was 12 cats total that were taken at my residence. This includes a few that neighborhood kids caught and brought over for transport. So far, I know of around 28 or so rounded up in just a few hours last night. The trapping effort continues today. Animals will be neutered today, released tonight or tomorrow. Any testing positive for feline leukemia will be put down. Those with medical needs will be treated before they are returned. This is the first TNR in this area. I'm hoping the success will impress the county commissioners enough to pry some money loose for future efforts. |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Trap, neuter, release roundup
The TNR that was to take place 2 weeks ago finally got underway yesterday. The Cat haven worker who originally gave me the dates had incorrect information on when, but everything else was correct. We had some surprises, a more complete effort for the first day, and a few new faces in the traps who seem to have kept themselves out of sight previously. Scruffy, the most battle scarred and wary of the crew was a concern. I didn't think he'd be likely to come near the traps after all the human commotion. He actually walked into one while the humane society worker was still here and was straddling the pedal in the trap, eating away. I was able to reach past him with a stick and trigger the trap. Easy one! Bubbles, domesticated as they get, and housebroken, surprised us all. The HS worker tried to transfer him from a trap to a carrier. He did one of those notorious feline liquid pretzel moves and got away. I managed to call him back a short while later and get him in a carrier. Boy was he ****ed when he figured out what I was doing. As soon as the door was closed, he lunged at me, slapping front paws down with his head and ears lowered, hissing and obviously not happy. Spook, brother of Bubbles, was figured for a difficult catch but really put up a hell of a fight. He wanted nothing to do with the traps, no matter what bait was in them. He finally took an offering of dry food on the ground. I was able to sneak up on him and pick him up. He was fairly cool about it until a carrier was placed on the ground, then all hell broke loose. It ended with me having to pin one front leg up alongside his head while isolating his rear legs at the hip. It took one more set of hands to manage him and another to hold the carrier. He struggled all the way, and everybody involved bled a little. He was finally in with no harm. Mr. Jingles was also figured for a tough catch, but surprised everyone. He accepted an offer of dry food, allowed himself to be picked up and loaded into a carrier without any struggle at all. He even turned around in the carrier and accepted head scritches through the grille. Most of the rest went without incident. the litter of 4 kittens wasn't too bad either. They're about 5 months old now. Two went in the traps almost right away. The other two were hard sell after witnessing most of the others being caught. They kept circling the traps, trying to fish the food out through the sides and back of the trap, but wouldn't venture inside. After a few hours, I placed a hot chicken wing about halfway into the trap, where it could be reached without tripping the thing. Sure enough, one of them went for it. Now that he had confidence he could get it, take the food and escape, I placed the next wing up beyond the trip pedal. Sure thing - he went in and set off the trap. Lather, rinse, repeat, and his brother was in a carrier too! The traps that were left overnight yielded one more female that is always very reclusive and another female tabby that was never seen around here before. I'm thinking it was 12 cats total that were taken at my residence. This includes a few that neighborhood kids caught and brought over for transport. So far, I know of around 28 or so rounded up in just a few hours last night. The trapping effort continues today. Animals will be neutered today, released tonight or tomorrow. Any testing positive for feline leukemia will be put down. Those with medical needs will be treated before they are returned. This is the first TNR in this area. I'm hoping the success will impress the county commissioners enough to pry some money loose for future efforts. Very good. Too bad you could not find homes for some of the younger kittens / cats. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Trap, neuter, release roundup
|
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Trap, neuter, release roundup
"Wendy" wrote in
: "RobZip" no wrote in message ... This is the first TNR in this area. I'm hoping the success will impress the county commissioners enough to pry some money loose for future efforts. Glad we got these guys now. It's supposed to rain all week here. I think the other volunteer is going to try trapping the kittens again today when she goes back to release the ones who were neutered over the weekend. W I am VERY impressed with this work! (This morning especially, since I couldn't get my 3 year old into his carrier for the first time ever, and I had the wonderful adventure of driving him to the vet while he was loose in the car.) -- "Lynne" lover of mutts and feral kitties |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Trap, neuter, release roundup
"Wendy" wrote in message . .. I'm hoping the possum we caught took notes and will avoid the trap in the future. Oooohh. Don't count on it. Possum be dumb like an old red brick. I was trying to trap a sick cat a few years back and the same darned possum got in the trap 3 days in a row. |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Trap, neuter, release roundup
"Wendy" wrote in message . .. I think the other volunteer is going to try trapping the kittens again today when she goes back to release the ones who were neutered over the weekend. There is a bit of a dilemma here with the sheer number of cats involved and so many of them looking alike. I'm told that the ones being returned will have a small dot of orange paint placed between their ears so they can be easily distinguished from ones that may be missed in this initial trapping session. |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Trap, neuter, release roundup
|
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Trap, neuter, release roundup
In ,
RobZip purred: "Wendy" wrote in message . .. I think the other volunteer is going to try trapping the kittens again today when she goes back to release the ones who were neutered over the weekend. There is a bit of a dilemma here with the sheer number of cats involved and so many of them looking alike. I'm told that the ones being returned will have a small dot of orange paint placed between their ears so they can be easily distinguished from ones that may be missed in this initial trapping session. Even better than orange paint (which wears off as fur falls out & new grows in) is ear-tipping. A 1/2 to 1 inch portion of the tip of one ear (the standard seems to be the left) is snipped off while the feral cat is still under anesthesia, so that one can tell sterilized ferals from those that are still breeders. this helps avoid the re-trapping of sterilized ferals, and performing an unnecessary op (referring to females here). |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Trap, neuter, release roundup
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Help! found feral cat and kittens in my garage | Karen | Cat health & behaviour | 77 | April 15th 05 05:02 PM |
how to trap young mom cat | Patricia | Cat rescue | 7 | May 5th 04 03:12 PM |
Feral neuter and release | RobZip | Cat health & behaviour | 28 | April 11th 04 02:05 AM |
trying to trap feral cats (and going crazy) | Sheri | Cat health & behaviour | 46 | January 29th 04 04:22 AM |
trying to trap feral cats (and going crazy) | Sheri | Cat rescue | 13 | January 28th 04 06:09 PM |