Feral Cat Help Needed

[tammywammy]

A few months ago a momma cat showed up with 6 kittens. I have started to try and trap them last week to take to the Humane Society (no kill). I'm personally a believer in TNR, but unfortunately I cannot afford to feed these cats if I were to get them fixed. I'm already taking care of 3 strays that I had fixed, but just cannot take on 7 more cats. So, I borrowed three traps from a friend and I'm slowly getting them.

This is where I need help, they're under my shed. Last week was the first time I set out the traps and I got two of the kittens. Then I've been putting out special food for them - tuna in oil mostly - every day until I could set the traps up again. Unfortunately one kitten was hit by a car yesterday and was dead on my driveway when I got home from work.

So, I had the traps out all day today and managed to get one kitten. I believe the last two kittens and momma are a bit sly. Does anyone have any tips on getting them out from under my shed? Tonight I did think to remove the regular dry cat food I leave out on my deck to feed the regular 3 strays. I know they'll eat the tuna & sardines I put out there, and I picked up a couple of cans of mackerel tonight to try that.

(BTW, one of my indoor cats is pissed that he keeps smelling all this delicious (stinky) fish and doesn't get ANY!)

[Mac1949]

1. Try this link...

Humane Trapping Instructions

[tammywammy]

2. Yeah, I have the traps set up right

Momma cat is just pretty wise to my plans I think. I put out some canned mackerel which is stinky stinky stinky! Hopefully I can catch a couple today.

[Mac1949]

3. I've worked with ferals before, but the only advice I can give that wasn't at that link

is time and patience, patience, patience. Any chance of getting momma to come up to you and let you pet her?

[tammywammy]

4. Oh heck no

I've seen her on the deck eating food and she runs at just the sight of me. Her kittens aren't any friendlier either.

[Warpy]

5. Toss in a few mothballs.

I got rid of a family of skunks that way.

[glinda]

6. That is toxic to cats. Not good. I recommend placing the live trap very close to the shed and then

baiting it with some finely cut up cooked chicken or turkey breast or anything you think they will like. Babies are nursing still maybe so maybe a little milk? Not much as it gives the poops.
Good luck. Been there done that and still have the formerly feral mom and her two babies living in our home. 7 years now. At least we were able to place three of them.
I will tell you how I caught them but the babies had not opened their eyes.
I put them in a cardboard box (when mom was out hunting) with some good food and rags. The box was sitting on top of a net cut from larger netting and strung around the edges with a rope. The rope went up over some rafters and then spanned some 25-30 feet into our back workshop door. I waited and waited and waited and watched and when I saw the mother jump in the box, I pulled the rope and the net trapping the mom and babies and hoisting the box up into the air. Then I had to walk fast and hold the rope taunt and grab the top of the netted bag & box. Cut the rope. Hauled it into the workshop where husband had built a chicken coop (even installed a window in the wall-less wall) and emptied them out of the box onto a blanket. The mom was paralyzed in total fear and we had to place the babies nearest her to feed them. They all because people socialized for adoption. Feral mom and babies now lay on our bed listening to classical music.

[tammywammy]

7. Kittens aren't nursing, they're maybe 12 weeks old

Maybe older. I first saw them the beginning of November and I guestimated 4-6 weeks old then.

I wouldn't use mothballs. After I get them all out, I plan to use some of that fox or coyote urine stuff to keep further cats out from under the shed.

No luck trapping today. I'll try again starting next Thursday.

[glinda]

8. We have a little shed notorious for kitties in the past going under. I had thought

last year to block the exit with large rocks, then go inside and pull up the wood plywood floor to shoo them into a kennel. They moved on after two days so hopefully went back home. The babies will get pregnant quick.....doesn't take long.

[joeybee12]

10. Since they're 12 weeks old, starve them for a day or two...

Then they'll be hungry enough to go into the traps...I trapped 9 Friday night at a colony within 2 hours...I just had the woman not do her usual feeding Thursday night...good luck!