I captured a feral tom in my house last night

Thanks everyone.

I'll have him neutered, my vet can do it. I'll then release him
not far from my house (within his territory).

But I wonder if the entire experience will be traumatic
enough to stop him from ever getting into my house again.
That's what I thought the first time I trapped him, but he
failed to learn.

Are cats that stupid?

no they are creature of habits just like us


"223rem" wrote in message
oups.com...
Thanks everyone.

I'll have him neutered, my vet can do it. I'll then release him
not far from my house (within his territory).

But I wonder if the entire experience will be traumatic
enough to stop him from ever getting into my house again.
That's what I thought the first time I trapped him, but he
failed to learn.

Are cats that stupid?

"223rem" wrote in message
oups.com...
Thanks everyone.

I'll have him neutered, my vet can do it. I'll then release him
not far from my house (within his territory).

But I wonder if the entire experience will be traumatic
enough to stop him from ever getting into my house again.
That's what I thought the first time I trapped him, but he
failed to learn.

Are cats that stupid?


Warm house. Open window. Other cats. Cat food.

Who is stupid?

Hugs and purrs for doing right by him.

Jo

Hi, 223rem, I have sent you a private email on this with some possible
suggestions.
hope this helps,
Christine Burel
"223rem" wrote in message
oups.com...
I keep a ground floor window open at all times for my cats to
get in and out as they please.

In the last several months, a feral tom has been getting into the
house
through that window at night, and the sounds of him fighting my
cats used to wake me up 2 or 3 times a week around 3 am.
I would get out of bed and run into the kitchen but by the time I
would get there, I would only see his tail disappearing through the
window
into the night.

So I propped the window up with a stick, tied a cord
to the stick, and ran the cord into the bedroom.
About a month ago, I heard them fighting, and I pulled
the cord trapping him inside. He went completely wild,
screaming, bouncing off walls, knocking furniture and
objects down, etc.

In the end, he hid in a cupboard where he spent the night, and
I released him in the morning, thinking that he'd be scared enough
of the experience to not come visit again.

Last week, he started coming inside again. Last
night, I again trapped him inside, but this time
I managed to get him into the cat carrier. It
wasnt easy or pretty--I had to use an improvised
noose on a stick thing, like the dog catchers
use (I used 2 tubes from a vacuum cleaner and
plastic clothesrope). I'm sorry I had to do it that way, but
he was again so utterly nuts and wild that I couldnt
handle him.

So now the question is: what should I do?

1. take him to the vet to have him neutered.
The problem is that he's a wild animal, so
the vet may get hurt.

2. take him to the humane society: they'll
kill him, so not an option

3. drive him 20 or 30 miles into the
boonies and release him there.

Any other options?
Thanks.

223rem wrote:


So now the question is: what should I do?

1. take him to the vet to have him neutered.
The problem is that he's a wild animal, so
the vet may get hurt.

The vet probably has more experience with ferals than you do!

2. take him to the humane society: they'll
kill him, so not an option

3. drive him 20 or 30 miles into the
boonies and release him there.

Any other options?

I'd opt for neutering him, then trying to socialize him.
Neutering may calm him down a bit, but even if you have to
let him go again, at least he'll not be fathering litters of
unwanted kittens, and may also be less inclined to pick
fights with your cats.

One of the best cats I ever had was a male feral who found
my pet door, discovered my cat's full bowl, and decided to
stay. Of course, Miu was already altered, so didn't try to
confront the intruder. (Also, I think the stranger had been
someone's pet at one time, although he'd been on his own for
about three years when he adopted me.)

--
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223rem wrote:

Thanks everyone.

I'll have him neutered, my vet can do it. I'll then release him
not far from my house (within his territory).

But I wonder if the entire experience will be traumatic
enough to stop him from ever getting into my house again.
That's what I thought the first time I trapped him, but he
failed to learn.

Are cats that stupid?

Not stupid at all - look at the attractions that might
outweigh the fright being trapped gave him. You feed your
cats, don't you? He was probably looking for an easy meal,
and got violent when your cats objected.

--
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Warm house. Open window. Other cats. Cat food.

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So I should have kept the windows shut and my cats
confined indoors?

223rem wrote:
Warm house. Open window. Other cats. Cat food.

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So I should have kept the windows shut and my cats
confined indoors?

I would, but then again I live on a busy street corner. There are also
still wild animals that could hurt a cat, not to mention the dogs people
just let run loose because they are too lazy to walk them or leash them to a
stake in their back yard (if they don't have a fenced yard).

Jill

"223rem" wrote in message
oups.com...
Warm house. Open window. Other cats. Cat food.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

So I should have kept the windows shut and my cats
confined indoors?


Not at all. Just can't really blame the poor guy for taking advantage.
Plus he found someone that cares enough to worry about him. He's smart
enough in my book.

Jo

Not at all. Just can't really blame the poor guy for taking advantage.

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The question is why didnt he learn that there is a lot of danger
associated with this particular source of food.