Trapping vibes needed for Patches!

Hi everybody, starting Wednesday night I'll be trying to trap Patches my super-smart trap savvy indoor feral cat who hasn't been to the vet since she was spayed seven years ago.   Over the years I've made attempts to get her, playing with toys inside the cat carrier, tasty food in a trap for a few hours didn't work.   A few years ago I did move to another state and succeeded in getting her to go voluntarily into a carrier after tricking her into an empty bathroom with a string.   She stayed in that carrier for four days - it was big enough for me to put a tiny litter box in for her.  Ever since she will not go into a bathroom with me in it.    Now she's finally showing symptoms of possible illness - drinking more, dilute urine, low appetite these last few days, kinda twitchy in general.  

So here's my plan....    I've had an unset Havahart trap out for weeks putting tempting treats in the back of it.  My other kitty Big Guy marches into it all the time to eat the treats.   Two weeks ago I saw her do it for the first and only time so far.  Tomorrow I take Big Guy to board him at the vets so he won't interfere (he has many times before) and I'll set the trap and remove all other food and she'll have two whole days to go in there.    Do you guys think it'll work?   I'm worried if she's already low appetite she won't do it.   Then my only option left would be to grab her and I've never wanted to do that because I'm honestly scared of getting hurt and she's damn fast.   I also don't want to lose her trust - she lets me pet her very often now and trusts me more than she ever has.   Geez it's going to be hard to take her in even if the trapping goes well.

So please send vibes!!!!   Advice appreciated too.

Thanks everyone

Edited to add...a little history.   When Patches was spayed the vet estimated she was 3 so she's 10 now.   She had been an indoor cat whose humans left or lost her when they moved away - a neighbor told me the story.   Based on her behavior I feel pretty sure she did not have a positive experience with her original people - she acted as if she had been abused.    She has half a tail, not sure if it is natural or not.   Sometimes I think the abuse is why she hasn't ever truly become handle-able in all these years.   She has a very sweet soul though and a soft purr, a vivid tortie calico with bright green eyes. 

No advice as you probably know more than I do, but lots of

And some for poor old Big Guy.. I hope he gets out of vetsville very soon..

Thanks Mani!   And Big Guy thanks you too  

Patches is eating much better now!   Mani and readers you guys must send powerful vibes.   Yesterday she was not eating and hovering over her waterbowl.   Now she seems fine.   Guess she'll do anything to avoid the vet.   I will still follow through on my plan though. 

Bastfriend said:

Patches is eating much better now!   Mani and readers you guys must send powerful vibes.   Yesterday she was not eating and hovering over her waterbowl.   Now she seems fine.   Guess she'll do anything to avoid the vet.   I will still follow through on my plan though. 

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Glad to hear she's on the mend... But good idea to get her to the vet, and Big Guy won't have been through it all for nothing

good to hear she is feeling better but i agree that you still need to get her checked.


this last summer i was trying to bring pretty girl to the vet but trying to get her into the carrier did not go well. i waited another 6 weeks to see if her fear of the carrier had died down at all but nope. long story short, since she resides at my work at HAD to get her in since she was overdue for her rabies shot. the vet gave me a dose of acepromazine (a mild sedative) and we had success.

next visit i will not use a sedative (or so i hope) but in a pinch it did make it doable.


good luck, i will keep my finger crossed for you!

Thanks Whaler for the vibes!   Right now I have taken up all the food but have not set the trap yet.   Planning to do that after a run to the store.   Poor Big Guy is now over at the vets and did not look pleased at all.   I've asked in the past for a sedative for Patches but the vets say they can't prescribe for a cat they haven't seen because of laws in my state.   I'm not sure if I could get them to bend the rules at all.  How did you give her the sedative - a pill in her food?    And by "not go well"....what do you mean?   I am wondering if I do try to grab Patches how much injury I might be letting myself in for.    Still current plan on deck is to give her a day and half to go into the trap.

Many vibes hope things go well trapping Patches!

Update....(hope you guys don't mind me posting like a maniac, kinda helps me to calm down)....so the trap is set now.  Patches has been lying on her regular spot and looks like she feels bad again.   I know too that she may be spooked cause Big Guy isn't here.    If Big Guy was here he'd be running into the trap immediately, if he was shut in another room she'd be standing guard outside the door and vice versa for hours on end.

Thanks BlueOrchid!

She's a wily beast!   She entered the trap half-way then turned around.   She's definitely acting hungry and being extra affectionate.  The guilt, oh the guilt!  Trapping a feral outdoors who you've allowed to get hungry feels easier to me than this.   I hope once I go to sleep and she's alone with the trap and food maybe it'll work out.

Bastfriend said:

She's a wily beast!   She entered the trap half-way then turned around.   She's definitely acting hungry and being extra affectionate.  The guilt, oh the guilt!  Trapping a feral outdoors who you've allowed to get hungry feels easier to me than this.   I hope once I go to sleep and she's alone with the trap and food maybe it'll work out.

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Please don't feel guilty.. She may not understand, but on some level she will, and it's something you have to do. 

Thank you all for your support last night - you guys are the best!   Sadly it was a no-go.   And not because Patches didn't go in, because she did finally this morning but because the trap didn't spring.   She ate her delicious tuna and walked out.   This is a new trap that hasn't had any service except trapping a kitten a year ago.   Turns out even if I've set the trigger hook that sometimes even with weight on the pressure plate it doesn't spring - I've tried setting the hook slightly or with the hook as for as I can get it but it seems unpredictable.    Way too late to get my money back from Amazon.   I bought this trap just for Patches so it could be used indoors and not have smells of other cats on it.    Ah well.....I'm feeling kind of unwell today and Patches is actually eating well and looking great, so I'm going to try again with a better trap on a luckier day.    The folks at the vet say Big Guy is still pretty upset to be there (probably expecting a dental any second) so I'm going to get him next and give him cuddles and treats.

Bastfriend said:

I've asked in the past for a sedative for Patches but the vets say they can't prescribe for a cat they haven't seen because of laws in my state.   I'm not sure if I could get them to bend the rules at all.

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perhaps if you explain the situation they might. after all, you are only asking for one dose so that you can get her to the vet

How did you give her the sedative - a pill in her food?

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yeah, i just crushed it and mixed it into her food. the dose was only 2.5 mg so it is a pretty small amount to mix in.

And by "not go well"....what do you mean?

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well, let me put it this way - i would have thought that her teeth had lost at least some of the sharpness :lol3:

she still gets very nervous if i pick her up and anyone is near us. keep in mind that she is at my work, and while she accepts my co-workers there were other people around at the time.also, i had foolishly tried to get her into a "regular" cat carrier first. what i should have done from the start is use my carrier that goes with my trap since it is much larger (L24" x W12" x H14") and the entire ceiling acts as a top door - way easier to get into.

I am wondering if I do try to grab Patches how much injury I might be letting myself in for. 

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you may want these




:lol3:

Sadly it was a no-go.   And not because Patches didn't go in, because she did finally this morning but because the trap didn't spring.   She ate her delicious tuna and walked out.

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:doh3:
  

The folks at the vet say Big Guy is still pretty upset to be there (probably expecting a dental any second) so I'm going to get him next and give him cuddles and treats.

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sneak him a few extra treats from me

Big Guy says thanks Whaler!    He's very happy recovering from his vet adventure rolling around for tummy rubs.   Patches was glad to see him back, but I think she liked getting double the attention for a night....    As far as the vets I've tried to talk a couple of them into a sedative before with no luck - they are incredibly strict in my state about prescribing.   One time I ran out of critical blood pressure meds for a senior kitty after my regular vet was closed - no other clinic would sell me even a couple of pills to tide her over the weekend without having her in for a full workup and testing first even though I could show them the prescription bottle and records.  It's crazy.   Still back to Patches I still feel optimistic once I fix the issue with the trap I can get her to go in again and fortunately she seem to be feeling okay.    And those gloves look awesome - they are serious!   

Bastfriend said:

Big Guy says thanks Whaler!

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tell him that i said you're welcome. and sneak him a few more :-)

As far as the vets I've tried to talk a couple of them into a sedative before with no luck - they are incredibly strict in my state about prescribing.   One time I ran out of critical blood pressure meds for a senior kitty after my regular vet was closed - no other clinic would sell me even a couple of pills to tide her over the weekend without having her in for a full workup and testing first even though I could show them the prescription bottle and records.  It's crazy.

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yeah they it is the same here in ct. at least i do have a couple of options when i do need something (de-wormers or revolution), i can either have my local animal control officer pick some up for me or i can get some from the local cat shelter.

Still back to Patches I still feel optimistic once I fix the issue with the trap I can get her to go in again and fortunately she seem to be feeling okay.

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consider it a test run ..... glass half full.

And those gloves look awesome - they are serious!

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i had a feral that was very difficult to trap (took me a year to get him) and i was at the point that i could touch him while he was eating. it was very frustrating not being able to trap him since he was, at the time, the only one i had not caught. i came real close to buying a pair of those and trying to just grab him while he was eating.

Whaler said:

she still gets very nervous if i pick her up and anyone is near us. keep in mind that she is at my work, and while she accepts my co-workers there were other people around at the time.also, i had foolishly tried to get her into a "regular" cat carrier first. what i should have done from the start is use my carrier that goes with my trap since it is much larger (L24" x W12" x H14") and the entire ceiling acts as a top door - way easier to get into.
you may want these

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A question for you Whaler, do you think having that carrier with the top opening is really worth it?    Like if you gave the cat a sedative would she be out of it enough for you to drop her into a regular carrier just set on its end?    Or this type of carrier....  

Bastfriend said:

Whaler said:

she still gets very nervous if i pick her up and anyone is near us. keep in mind that she is at my work, and while she accepts my co-workers there were other people around at the time.also, i had foolishly tried to get her into a "regular" cat carrier first. what i should have done from the start is use my carrier that goes with my trap since it is much larger (L24" x W12" x H14") and the entire ceiling acts as a top door - way easier to get into.

you may want these

Click to expand...

A question for you Whaler, do you think having that carrier with the top opening is really worth it?    Like if you gave the cat a sedative would she be out of it enough for you to drop her into a regular carrier just set on its end?    Or this type of carrier....   http://www.amazon.com/Petmate-24-Inch-Kennel-Metallic-Coffee/dp/B0062JFGM0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358320508&sr=8-1&keywords=cat+carrier+top+load

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the sedative will have varying effectiveness on different cats, but in my case pretty girl reacted basically just as i thought she would, it just slowed her reactions down a bit. i don't think that even with the sedative i would have been able to get her into a carrier like that. not to say you would run into the same problem, but from what you have said about Patches i tend to think that you would.

you know, it is kind of funny that the carrier that you linked is the exact same one i bought - and later donated to the shelter. after i got back from the store with it i realized that the top door is way too small for what i needed. that carrier is better suited for a cat that can be placed in it with relative ease.

this is what i used http://www.animal-traps.com/carriers-restraints-animal.html - the 24TE. if you watch the video you can see that the entire ceiling opens up. having a 24" x 12" opening is nice, makes it easy to get it done quickly. i really like this since it is designed to be compatible with the trap that i use - after a tnr i can transfer the cat into it before going to the vet.

i remember you saying that you used a tomahawk trap. i took a quick look and it seems that the transfer cages that are made by tomahawk do not have a top door. too bad, it really is a nice feature.

i guess that my advice would be, if you can swing the $80 - $100 (depending on which size) get one of the tru catch carriers.

Thanks Whaler! Very useful, maybe I will spring for their kit-n-kaboodle to get one of those full top opening carriers but I'd have to get the smaller size.   I hope that it'll be big enough - Hercules got into that Tomahawk 26x9x9 and Patches would have fit into that easily and the TruCatch 30LDD is 30x9x11...maybe it'll work. 

Update on Patches, overall she's good but she's clearly slightly dehydrated producing constipated looking poops - I'm giving her extra canned food to help her hydration.   So she still needs to get to the vet soon enough!

you're welcome


while the kit-n-kaboodle is a nice package you could just get only the carrier to save a few dollars since you already have a trap. although it is a little bigger than your trap you could easily secure your trap to it with a couple of bungee cords. that way you could still transfer a cat directly to it from your trap.


good luck!

Oh the trap I have is the Havahart that is being unreliable with the setting and I can't fix it.   So I'm buying the Tru Catch trap either way....   I may donate the Havahart to a group that has the know-how or willingness to fix it and they can use it.