ErikW Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 The situation: Two very anti-social house cats need to be removed from their home now that their owner is deceased and they are alone. I was tasked with retrieving them but found two heating vent covers off, and I surmised the cats were hiding in the vents. They do come out to eat food left when nobody is home. I can't see a way of catching them other than something like a raccoon trap. Any great ideas? They won't even make themselves seen or heard, so they can't be lured and caught by hand. They will probably be euthanized because the cat rescue shelters won't take anti-social cats that can't be adopted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.Hayden Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 If you want to try the trap route... try the animal shelter, at least here they will loan you traps for free to catch critters (cats, racoons, skunks), they'll probably have good suggestions on placement and baits too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j1b Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 There are live traps you can find that would do the trick. My dad is a retired biologist and used them to catch all types of critters. They worked really well - Basically you'd put the food and water in the trap, the cats would trigger when they walk in the cage. No harm done. Recently Dad used them to transfer some beavers to a pond on our land in CO - worked like a charm (again) I would think you could find them on-line somewhere. I would note that "anti-social" cats still need love too. I adopted one about 12 years ago - he was abused and 3 days away from his 10th life. He's been with me through thick and thin - and is still around. He doesn't trust strangers, it took him a year of living together to trust my wife - but ulimately he is the most faithful, trustworthy, loving creature. He has his own way of showing it, but when he does you know. He's going on about 20 or 21 years old now - I dread the day he decides to move on. JB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 Cats will do some crazy stuff for some tuna. And, they know the sound of the can opener. Great bait. I hope you get them out quick. They can make a real wreck of a house in short order (when their litter box is full). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yardbird Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 http://www.havahart.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianH Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 I've used the Havahart traps about 6-7 times with no problems, including a family of 3 young feral cats; just cought one at a time. The key is to set the mechanism properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.Hayden Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 Just to clarify... I did mean they'll supply live traps... Here, they'll even come and deliver them, and pick them up when full. Or, you can take them in yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooterj Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 my have-a-heart racoon trap needed a trigger job. a squirrel's step will send the door home now. a little polishing with the dremel is all it took. have transfered over 100 squirrels from the neighborhood to the swamp in a couple years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter Grrl Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 Yup - the havahart traps are the way to go! Let me know if the local animal shelter doesn't have/won't lend one to you. I have a couple of contacts in the area that may have one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38supPat Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 Get some Ferrets, they dig them out for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierruiggi Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 I would note that "anti-social" cats still need love too. I adopted one about 12 years ago - he was abused and 3 days away from his 10th life. He's been with me through thick and thin - and is still around. He doesn't trust strangers, it took him a year of living together to trust my wife - but ulimately he is the most faithful, trustworthy, loving creature. He has his own way of showing it, but when he does you know. He's going on about 20 or 21 years old now - I dread the day he decides to move on. That's very nice j1b, sound like a true animal lover. I'm sorry, I don't have any suggestions on how to catch them, but I beg you to try and find a home for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Ellis Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 Havahart traps are the way to go. Used them with great success when controlling our feral cat population. Tuna is the hot ticket for bait. See if any of the local animal welfare agencies have a 'catch and release' program. The program catches the ferals, checks for FIV, spay/neutered, and then releases back to the original environment. In your case you'll have to find another environment but that shouldn't be a problem. We had a similar situation a few years ago. Elderly lady was taking care of a feral colony. When she died the colony was at risk so the cats were trapped, spay/neutered, and adopted out to a farmer who was looking for a few cats to keep the rodent population down in his barn. Worked out well for all involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 I like and agree with your signature line, Hank. Your post reflects it (your signature line) - good contribution. IMHO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j1b Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 Thx for the comment. Charlie (the cat) is a cool cat. Just so I don't mislead - I am a huge lover of animals in many regards. I am also an avid hunter. I love being outdoors, I love watching game trumble through the woods. I also love hunting them, and learning from them. Nothing gets me in touch with reality more than being out in the field hunting what I know I will need to eat that night. It's like work - only fun and much more rewarding. JB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 I've used the raccoon-sized live catch traps with cats with great success. Got them from the Humane society for a nominal fee/deposit. Catch and release is the way to go. I wish people would do it around here because we have a huge rodent population. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 I would note that "anti-social" cats still need love too. I adopted one about 12 years ago - he was abused and 3 days away from his 10th life. He's been with me through thick and thin - and is still around. He doesn't trust strangers, it took him a year of living together to trust my wife - but ulimately he is the most faithful, trustworthy, loving creature. He has his own way of showing it, but when he does you know. He's going on about 20 or 21 years old now - I dread the day he decides to move on.JB Great Flying Horned Toads! your cat is 20 or 21 years old - Wow. Had my two for 15 years - trapped by a cat lover out of a large park in Dallas TX as just weaned kittens. Saw an ad in the paper for them - Free to good home. Called the lady and went through a thorough grilling about every aspect of my life before she would even let Susie and I come look at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 My wife runs a non profit doing spay/neuter and release. She recently hit the 2000 cats mark. She uses the Tru Catch traps ( 36 inch model prefered). Ideally get 2 traps (borrowed or bought) because if the two cats are really bonded to each other you may have some serious problems with one traped and one loose, such as one trying to free the other one and breaking nails and spraying blood all over the place. No matter which trap you get, line the bottom with a towel such that it hides the trigger plate and use smelly fishy bait. DO NOT put the bate in a glass or ceramic plate as they are likely to brake it and cut themselves. Use a sheet to cover most of the trap it will make it more inviting and it will keep them calmer once trapped. Otherwise some beat themselves against the cage trying to get out. If you need more help send me an email and you can call us and talk to my wife. She really knows her stuff. Vlad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 This is too funny! As a fish and wildlife biologist I HATE CATS!!!! My reason? Simple. They are very hard on endemic species of wildlife not to mention neotropical migrants. I lived up in the mountains, and for some reason my home on 5 acres was the frickin' cat center of the world. I had house cats pissin' on my log home, crappin' in my garden, killin my mtn. quail, grossbeaks , finches.....ARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!! ALot of these cats had gone feral. I caught for a period of one week, 9 cats!. Tuna didnt work, salmon didnt work, friskies didnt work. The only thing that worked for me was cheap Albertsons brand cat food in a can. It helped that a feral cat stunk up the trap first trying to pee on me as it drew others in. Place it lengthwise or parallel to a wall and leaning some plyboard over it so the plyboard is resting on the wall gets em all curious and comfortable. Get a quality trap and not a havahart brand. Go to http://www.livetrap.com and get a nice Tomahawk Trap. If you still have problems catching them, borrow the neighbors cat and let it sit in your trap for awhile to smell it up. Oh, Hobbes is cool though..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 Barn cats are the happiest cats in the world! They get to patrol for mice and live the wild life, just like Ted Nugent. (I've got this buddy who adopted a wild cat and named him Ted). But hey! They also get good food and medicine, a place to call their own, and something real big to sit on top of as judge of the lesser species, which includes me. Oh yeah, Eric. Cats are chick magnets! You can go to the local malls and "window shop" in front of the pet stores. When the pretty ones come along you have something in common to strike up a conversation about. (Only sensitive guys love cats.) You need a cat of your own dude! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted January 2, 2005 Share Posted January 2, 2005 So, Erik? How about a sit-rep on "OPERATION CAT HOUSE"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted January 3, 2005 Author Share Posted January 3, 2005 Well, I saw a record number of cathouses on my trip back from SoCal through NV on highway 95. I'm waiting to hear from the cat wranglers. Hey, doesn't 300lbGorilla have a kitty? He's in SoCal and he could use a couple more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diehli Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 Dude, if I brought another one home someone would arrange for my disappearance. We're already outnumbered 2-to-1 cats to people in this house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted January 3, 2005 Author Share Posted January 3, 2005 Update: the cats are being fed by a caretaker until they can be caught. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry White Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 Be a lot easier to trap if they went hungry for a few days.------Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 "Be a lot easier to trap if they went hungry for a few days."------Larry He's absolutely right about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now