I've been trying, unsuccessfully for several months, to trap a mama cat that has already had several litters. Right now I'm fostering her last litter of 4 kittens and she's pregnant again. Every time i try and trap her she either will not go into my trap or she doesn't show up the night before trapping. I'm reluctant to trap her without an appointment somewhere or several days before her appointment as i live in AZ where its incredibly hot and I'd have to bring her inside which poses several other problems because I've already got a full house.
I'm frustrated because I feed several other cats that are spayed & neutered yet she keeps eluding me. She'll often sneak in and eat when the other fixed cats are eating. I live in a residential neighborhood and i know other people are feeding, specifically one of my neighbors has a free feeder she leaves out for two strays she cares for, but she only lives here in the winter months and has someone come and fill the feeder regularly so it would be hard for me to try and ask them to remove it. I'm positive she isn't the only other person feeding, either, but i have no idea who the other people might be.
Does anyone have any good suggestions for me? I feel like a terrible caretaker because I know its irresponsible to feed cats that aren't spayed & neutered, but I can't just stop feeding the others that are fixed and rely on me. I've tried leaving the trap out open for weeks on end, she'll eat just outside of it but wont go inside it. I've tried cover it, uncovering it, stinky tuna, nothing works because she can go get food elsewhere.
I'm frustrated because I feed several other cats that are spayed & neutered yet she keeps eluding me. She'll often sneak in and eat when the other fixed cats are eating. I live in a residential neighborhood and i know other people are feeding, specifically one of my neighbors has a free feeder she leaves out for two strays she cares for, but she only lives here in the winter months and has someone come and fill the feeder regularly so it would be hard for me to try and ask them to remove it. I'm positive she isn't the only other person feeding, either, but i have no idea who the other people might be.
Does anyone have any good suggestions for me? I feel like a terrible caretaker because I know its irresponsible to feed cats that aren't spayed & neutered, but I can't just stop feeding the others that are fixed and rely on me. I've tried leaving the trap out open for weeks on end, she'll eat just outside of it but wont go inside it. I've tried cover it, uncovering it, stinky tuna, nothing works because she can go get food elsewhere.