Another trapping day

shadowsrescue

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I mentioned before that there had been a black hanging around my yard since the beginning of June.  At first it would come at night looking for food.  A few times it got lucky and found Shadow's food.  Other times it was underneath my grill looking for food.  After a few weeks, the cat ventured onto the deck on evening and just cried and cried.  It was so skinny and just starving.  I took a large bowl of dry food down to the edge of the yard and fed the cat.  I had never seen a cat eat so voraciously.  The cat had been interacting with Shadow and it was all very friendly.  This was so nice to see since Shadow had been through so much and is always bullied.  I assumed the cat was a stray turned feral.  It was so skittish and would run when it saw me.  Yet after a week, it would go under the deck and meow to let me know it was around.  It would then come onto the deck and greet Shadow nose to nose.  I brought out the other feeding station and placed it on the deck and began to feed the cat along with Shadow.  The cat would come morning and evening, but was scarce during the day.  I could come out onto the deck and it would stay, but I couldn't approach without it running.  From inside I would watch the cat play with Shadow.  Such a sweet site.  I had checked all of the pet sites around to see if anyone was missing a cat.  I also posted on Pet FBI.  No responses.  I began to worry if the cat was spayed/neutered.  I could not see any intact male parts, but the cat was medium haired and it was hard to see.  I made the assumption it was a female and named her Stella Luna after the bat in the children's book.  She was so sweet with Shadow my heart just melted.  I was away on vacation for 6 days and had my niece over to feed the cats.  She never saw Stella, but her food was being eaten.  The day I returned I saw she had been attacked.  There was a large wound on her neck.  I could see it was starting to puss.  Fortunately I had some Clavmox drops on hand and began to dose her.  I could not clean the wound since I could not touch her.  She was acting fine.  Then that first night home I was awakened around 1 am to a cat fight out my front window.  I looked out and she was being chased by another cat.  I knew I must get her trapped soon. 

Yesterday was trapping day.  It went fairly smoothly although Shadow did everything in his power to keep her away from the trap.  She was 3/4 of the way in when he came running full blast at the trap.  It freaked her out and she scampered out.  Of course then Shadow wanted to go inside.  She attempted another trip inside, but Shadow ran at her again.  He was familiar with the trap as he was present for the two I did in March.  By then she wanted nothing to do with the trap, but she continued to hang around as she was hungry.  I decided to unset the trap and place some wet food in a bowl about 1/2 inside.  She could go inside and just get used to the trap and then I would try again in a day or so.  She went right inside and pushed the food bowl to the back.  Then she walked right out.  I decided to give it one more shot.  I just put some regular wet food in a bowl, pushed it to the back, reset the trap and in she went.  She did thrash around a bit, but I quickly covered the trap with a sheet.  Off we went to the clinic.

When I returned that evening to pick her up I was informed that Stella is not a she!  So another male.  He is young (not quite a year yet).  He was neutered, FIV and FELK tested and vaccinated, rabies shot, distemper and ear tip.  It all went really well.  He spent the night in the trap in my basement and I released him this morning.  Of course he shot out of the trap like a bolt of lightening.  I believe his new name will be Stellar.  I just loved the name Stella and this is close and I like how it kind of goes with Shadow.

I hope he returns in a day or so.  Shadow was looking all over for his this morning.  In March I neutered a tomcat who had evaded the trap for a year.  He was Shadows companion.  Once I neutered him and let him go, he has only returned twice.  He has been spotted in a nearby neighborhood so I know he is alive and well, but he does not want to come back to me.  So Shadow needed a friend.

My DH said I am becoming a pro at trapping! Ha!  He said it was a big step for me this time around as I didn't cry!  With the 3 others I cried and cried for each one.  This once was easy!!
 

ondine

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Hurray!  I am so glad Shadow is going to have a friend.  Perhaps the new one will help him feel more protected.

I cry too when I trap.  Their situations just break my heart, even though I know I'm making a big difference in their lives.  Good work!
 
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shadowsrescue

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Good news... after just 13 hours of releasing him, he is back and eating!  I spotted him in my neighbors yard lounging on the mulch.  I brought out some food and called for him.  He started coming towards my yard.  By this time, he was meowing loudly and Shadow heard him.  What a greeting they had.  He ate alot and then hung around for awhile.  This is the soonest any of my trapped cats have come back! 

Here is a picture of him.  Not the greatest pic since it was taken through the window.

 

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He is a nice looking cat!  I am so glad he came back.  Your flowers look lovely as well.
 
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shadowsrescue

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What a lovely boy!  Your story of Shadow's reaction brought a lump to my throat.
When I watched Shadow run into the yard to greet Stellar it was the sweetest thing I had seen.  Shadow so needs a like minded friend.  He also needs to be the boss for once to give him confidence.  Yet, Shadow is so gentle and doesn't have a mean bone in his body.  I wish I had been able to video their greeting.  My DH was watching and he couldn't believe how thrilled Shadow was to have Stellar back.  He was only gone for 36 hours. 

I hope their relationship can grow and Shadow will take the young one under his wing.  Shadow so enjoyed the company of Patches when he lived here for 9 months.  When Patches left, Shadow was so sad.  Then Patches came back, but never to stay only for short visits and a bite to eat.  It has now been 4 months since Patches was here with Shadow.  I wonder when it gets cold, if he will find his way back to me again.  At least this time around Patches is neutered!
 

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I am so happy to read your update and hear how Shadow is doing! And now he has a buddy! That is great news! You are doing so well with your trapping.
 
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shadowsrescue

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I am so happy to read your update and hear how Shadow is doing! And now he has a buddy! That is great news! You are doing so well with your trapping.
It just warms my heart for Shadow to have a friend.  The past two evenings after they both eat, they have been playing together.  I have a few cat toys scattered about and they each will play and then they have even rolled around with each other a bit!  Stellar doesn't stick around though.  I know he is leary to come in the mornings as that is when I trapped him.  Marvin did the same.  It took Marvin about 6 weeks to begin coming 2x a day again.  I believe Stellar is hanging out under my neighbors deck behind me.  I have told him he is welcome here.  I assume his hormones are still going strong and he is out and about at night.  I hope in the next few weeks he will calm down and learn to hang out more here.

As far as trapping goes, each and every time I trap I hope it's the last!  Previously I had borrowed a trap, but now I am the proud owner of my own!  I had hoped by buying my own it would keep the cats away.  Unfortunately no such luck!!
 

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Oh, I know how you feel. I just hate to trap. I was always borrowing too, but now have my own. It is stressful for me though. Just last week I had to bring two female ferals that I have been caring for to my house and they are now in a large enclosure. It was very stressful retrapping them, we had to use a drop trap. But they are here, although the older one lends much if her time trying to find a way out. I wish ferals could understand we are doing what is best for them! I am hoping she will relax and adjust. This was the on,y way to keep them safe.
 
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shadowsrescue

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Oh, I know how you feel. I just hate to trap. I was always borrowing too, but now have my own. It is stressful for me though. Just last week I had to bring two female ferals that I have been caring for to my house and they are now in a large enclosure. It was very stressful retrapping them, we had to use a drop trap. But they are here, although the older one lends much if her time trying to find a way out. I wish ferals could understand we are doing what is best for them! I am hoping she will relax and adjust. This was the on,y way to keep them safe.
How wonderful you could bring them to your home for safety.  Were others attacking them?  Do you have them outside?  Have you ever tried the Feral Cat Rehab from Spirit Essences?  I have been using it for almost 3 years now and the results have always been positive.  Composure treats for felines have helped alot too.  The Feral Cat Rehab can be placed in wet food, sprayed on bedding and misted around the environment.  I have mostly used it in food. 
 

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Sadly, their biggest threat was human. I "inherited" a colony from a woman who started to feed one female and never had her spayed. You can imagine what happened. Kittens and more kittens, about 4 generations worth. She was taking food and a shelter to a local animal shelter and a woman who volunteers with the same low cost spay/neuter group happened to see her. She was just going to move and leave them behind. My group trapped and fixed 11 cats and they asked if I would become their caretaker as I lived the closest.

I was worried about feeding that many cats on her property, the house could sell and then what. So I brought the 4 youngest kittens inside and worked with them and got 3 adopted. One is still semi feel. I then brought the next 4 youngest in, I still have them, they love indoor life but do not like to be held. The male of the group just left, I believed he was an owned cat and that left 2 females. The original mom and one from her first litter.

Things were great as I was ble to move their shelters and feeding station to the next door neighbor. I went every day to feed. I would introduce myself to neighbors when I would see them and explained the whole situation. Everybody backed me up, including the Home Owners Association president as they all knew about years if kittens but didn't know how to handle it.

However, the neighbor on the other side demanded the feeding station and shelters be removed as they were not permitted there by the rules and by laws. She also said she would trap the cats and tke them to the Humane Society, which would be a death sentence.

So we converted our large dog run into an enclosure. They have shelter and a cat tree and lots of space, so I hope it works out. If I release them, they will try to get back and it is only a 10 minute drive. I tried to tlk with her, but to no avail, she demanded the cats be gone by the end of the month, or she would do it herself. I hate seeing them enclosed after years of being free, but I had no other choice. I am feeling so guilty about it, but I love them dearly and want them safe first and foremost. The younger one seems to have accepted things, the mom cat, not quite yet.
 
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shadowsrescue

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Sadly, their biggest threat was human. I "inherited" a colony from a woman who started to feed one female and never had her spayed. You can imagine what happened. Kittens and more kittens, about 4 generations worth. She was taking food and a shelter to a local animal shelter and a woman who volunteers with the same low cost spay/neuter group happened to see her. She was just going to move and leave them behind. My group trapped and fixed 11 cats and they asked if I would become their caretaker as I lived the closest.

I was worried about feeding that many cats on her property, the house could sell and then what. So I brought the 4 youngest kittens inside and worked with them and got 3 adopted. One is still semi feel. I then brought the next 4 youngest in, I still have them, they love indoor life but do not like to be held. The male of the group just left, I believed he was an owned cat and that left 2 females. The original mom and one from her first litter.

Things were great as I was ble to move their shelters and feeding station to the next door neighbor. I went every day to feed. I would introduce myself to neighbors when I would see them and explained the whole situation. Everybody backed me up, including the Home Owners Association president as they all knew about years if kittens but didn't know how to handle it.

However, the neighbor on the other side demanded the feeding station and shelters be removed as they were not permitted there by the rules and by laws. She also said she would trap the cats and tke them to the Humane Society, which would be a death sentence.

So we converted our large dog run into an enclosure. They have shelter and a cat tree and lots of space, so I hope it works out. If I release them, they will try to get back and it is only a 10 minute drive. I tried to tlk with her, but to no avail, she demanded the cats be gone by the end of the month, or she would do it herself. I hate seeing them enclosed after years of being free, but I had no other choice. I am feeling so guilty about it, but I love them dearly and want them safe first and foremost. The younger one seems to have accepted things, the mom cat, not quite yet.
How wonderful for you to take care of these cats and bring the females home.  I know how hard it is and it makes it even harder when you know they just do not understand.  Yet, in time I am sure they will adjust.  They have each other too.  I have decided that when working with ferals it's so hard to plan very far ahead.  I would find myself getting so disappointed when very little progress was made.  Now I just look for the very small things and cherish them.  It was far too stressful to have grandious plans for my ferals that never seemed to happen.  I hope your new babies will flourish under your care!
 

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I too have a feral living in an enclosure.  And you know what, he's the king of all he surveys.  His life before was rough - abcesses from fighting, scars across his face.  I worried sick about him.  After I had him fixed and he got his vaccinations, he was still wandering the neighborhood, eating dinner at my house.

I couldn't stand worrying about him, so we had the enclosure built.  At first, I worried he'd hate being enclosed.  Then I realized he knew he was safe.  He has never once tried to escape and actually waits inside the door for me.  Now all I worry about is if he's lonely.  If I ever determine he needs a roommate, I'll put the word out.  Being in rescue, I know I'd have several applicants!

Vibes they adjust well and quickly and begin to realize they have it made!  Thank you for helping them!
 

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Thank you so much for the encouragement, I really hope they adjust. I am sure it will take some time, it has only been about a week since they have been enclosed. And they do have each other. I am so glad I brought their shelter from the previous place with me, they are familiar and are using it. The heated shelter is also in there, I just wanted them to see it, but it is just too warm for them to use. I am going to get some painters and put some type of plants or bushes for them too. We have the ground covered with cedar chips, and in the winter I will put a large tarp over to keep out snow.

I really can't think of anything else to make it appealing to them, I guess I just have to be very careful they do not get out, and hope for the best.
 

ondine

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It sounds like you've done everything you can.  Now, patience.  *sigh*  I wish having it was as easy as writing it!  But really, give them time.  They will soon get used to the new routine and one day, will realize they like it!
 
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