Trapping accident... so very upset.

As the weather turned yesterday (from sub-zero to above freezing), and the skunks started mating, we figured we'd better get to trapping the winter kitties ASAP. I'm not quite sure how many kitties turned up this winter, but there's at least 2, and maybe as many as 4 (5?) that need to be speutered. I'm really not sure if there are 1 or 2 (or 3 or 4 LOL) "new" tabbies about.

We started yesterday. We trapped one already TNRd. We took her in for her rabies booster.

Today... the big buff boy that's been around (and in need of neutering!) was in the trap! He was freaking, and pawing around. Gary and I grabbed our coats, I grabbed my bag, out the door we went - and no cat in the trap.

When trapping, I leave a food trail... pieces of hot tuna (just a few small pieces) near the front of the trap, a paper bowl of hot tuna (again, a few small pieces) in the middle of the trap, and a bowl of hot tuna where they have to stand on the trip plate to get at it. Our ferals are really well fed, and unless they have that trail going from in front of the entrance into the trap - they tend to stand outside the closed end of the trap and just stick paws through the wire and try to grab the bowl.

I totally forgot ( ) I do NOT put down a bowl in front of the trap. I (used to) just drop it on the ground - because of the potential for what happened this morning. When eating from the bowl, it gets pushed forward - and it then blocked the trap from closing all the way.

So now how traumatized is he, and will he ever go in the trap again? I don't think he's injured, because we saw no blood on the ground (and it's still ice with snow under it, so it would show up) ... but it also looked like one if his ears had frost bite on it, and he needs to get to a vet.

I really screwed up, and at Buff Boy's expense.

Thank you for the reassuring words and sentiments. I've really been upset with myself all day - first for upsetting the boy, second, for potentially hurting him, and third, for being such an IDIOT and a kitty that was in a trap is now NOT being neutered and medically treated because I screwed up.

A drop trap is (to me) just a different type of emotional angst, not a lack thereof. And unfortunately, a lot more snow and ice will have to melt before we could use one. The traditional trap fits neatly between the RV and the deck. There isn't room for a drop trap there.

And the cats we need to trap are invisible if we're visible. The ones that aren't aren't the ones that need to be trapped. The majority of the cats are TNRd already.

Lauren - that's terrifying! Two previously TNRd cats were both eating the bait today too - I didn't want either of them trapped, so I tapped on the window LOL. But I was wondering what would happen if that scenario took place!

Well, I guess the positive side to this is... we've been trapping for nearly 10 years, and this is the first time we've had this kind of accident.

We'll use the tricks when we get to that point. Right now, there's no problem getting them in there (knock wood, so far). Yesterday's issue was keeping him in there with my bowl-in-the-way-of-the-trap-door-closing-all-the-way blooper.

This AM we had to take Tuxie to the vet (different vet than where we take TNR kitties), and tomorrow we've got a Doc appt, so trapping will resume later today or Friday morning.

We're not having any trouble (yet) trapping them! (Knock wood! ) No, my only problem was the hare-brained move of using a bowl that got in the way of the trap closing yesterday morning.

Actually, as long as they're going in there, I like being able to see if someone's in the trap. We just look out the window, because it's right out our front door. Rather convenient if we're able to do this without needing to cover the trap. We'll go that route if we need to, though we usually just cut down a cardboard box and draped it over it.

In fact, we just got back from running another one to the vet. OK - it was one already TNRd, but at least they're all getting their rabies boosters.

And I forgot to tell everyone - I saw Buff Boy today. He looks just fine! SIGH OF RELIEF.

Today was a GREAT DAY! We trapped a cat not previously TNR'd in the AM - dropped "it" off on the way to a doc appt. Almost as soon as we got home, we trapped ANOTHER one. Then as soon as we got home from dropping that one off, we trapped a THIRD cat!

The vet called - they were all SPAYED. Yes - Each one of them was FEMALE! One brown tabby, two gray tabbies. My eyes are really bad, and it's hard for me to tell if they're ear-tipped unless they eat in plain view (as opposed to under the deck) - and because these were tabbies, I wasn't sure how many there were. Now we know.

And the B&W kitty that's been around since the insanely cold weather - definitely female. She was yowling in heat today. I think we have just her and Buff Boy to go. I'm pretty sure the rest are "ours" and already TNR'd.

Sadly, I haven't seen Buff Boy or B&W kitty since Friday. I did see a completely NEW all gray cat (like Bing but with more noticable rings on his/her tail) last night though.

TOO MANY CATS.

Buff Boy showed up this morning - and is now at the vet!

I seriously can't believe this - we trapped ANOTHER gray tabby this afternoon! I couldn't believe it when I saw the kitty eating. My eyesight for distance is terrible without my glasses (which I never wear inside), but I was sure I saw no ear tip (can be tricky to see with close angles even with the glasses). Heated up tuna, ran out, put the bowl of food up, threw the trap out with a tuna trail... and sure enough, kitty in the trap was NOT ear tipped.

This is going to drive us straight to the poor house. But really - how many gray tabbies are there out here? And I am 99% sure I saw another brown tabby - not ear tipped.

So right now left to go (that I know of LOL) are the B&W female in heat that I haven't seen since last Friday, the all gray cat that I've seen once (last night), and I think a brown tabby.

I really hope that's it.

I also REALLY hope we can nab B&W female before she shows up here with kittens.

The do all seem to come and go except for the "core four:" Mommy, Baby, Little Black Kitty, and Orange & White Boy.

Well, ANOTHER brown tabby showed up. Put out the trap, of course. Problem... Baby, LBK and Mommy were, as usual, already here and eating.

Long story short... we ended up using chicken as bait. Trapped Baby - AGAIN. As Baby already went for rabies booster, I just released the trap. Put out more chicken. Then trapped LBK AGAIN. As she already got her rabies booster, put out more chicken.

But I think the trap snapping a 2nd time sent brown tabby fleeing into the woods for good today.

Put the trap away.

Mommy, baby, and LBK are enjoying the chicken.

Thanks. Just one of SO MANY people out there! (And many on this site!!! ).

Here is yesterday's gray tabby. And yes, it is ANOTHER female!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She was spayed this morning. Unfortunately, we'll have to release her in the rain tomorrow.

Here's the cat we missed this morning (Orange & White boy is one of the regulars around here, already TNRd):



Can anyone say... Chumley fathered a litter of kitties before we nabbed him?

Here's one of the kitties we were calling "Son of Charlie" (Chumley was named Charlie for a few months) - another female:



...and here is the B&W female in heat that we haven't seen since last Friday. Looks like Billy's genetic line is still procreating out there somewhere: