Pawley - and all of us - could use your vibes

The Pawley story. Winter 2012/2013, an employee of the RV park (which is a working farm) mentioned he'd regularly been seeing a black & white cat at the barn, but hadn't seen him for a while. (Um, might have wanted to mention that sooner?)

Late winter/early spring this year, our neighbor (who likes cats) said he saw an injured black & white kitty head from the woods to under our RV. He looked "very" injured.

We never saw him.

In May, we had a few sightings of the injured B&W kitty. Yes - months later, still injured.

In June, he moved in under the RV full time. We never saw him out from under it, but he was always there. Every meal. We had no idea how to trap this kitty - he never left under the RV to our knowledge. A trap doesn't fit under there.

The end of June, we had to move RV sites. We were worried sick about this cat. But we had no choice, and moved. It was just a few sites down. All of the cats found their way immediately. And within a day, the injured kitty was back in place, underneath the RV. (We have quite a few shelters, a number of them insulated for winter, under there).

Since then, we have seen him out from under the RV MAYBE 3 or 4 times. He cannot place much weight on his front right leg when walking. He can use it when sitting, or squatting.

I know this, because as of ... October? November? He FINALLY would approach the bowl of food I put under the RV for him WHILE I was putting it under there. I would let my hand linger, and again, FINALLY, he got to the point he'd start eating even with my hand at the bowl. After a week or two of this, I brushed his cheek with my hand as I removed it. That rapidly progressed to petting his cheeks.

Well, a few weeks ago, he started wanting his pets before he'd eat. He now pushes his head into my hand HARD, rolls his head all over my hand, and purrs something fierce. :heart2:

It has been driving Gary insane that we have no way to trap or crate this cat that we named Pawley.

But since his "pet" switch flipped, I have slowly been drawing him out from under the RV.

We went from this


to this (I put the food down after I'd petted him so I could take the picture)



The problem is the deck. I can't put a trap (Hav-a-Hart or Drop) down right out by where he normally eats, because of the deck. And I've seen him on the deck ONCE these past six months (saw him walk up on the deck to go get a drink of water from the water dish). The problem is now that it's winter, the dish is plugged in, so he can access the dish from under the RV.

We have decided to bring Pawley inside. I know it's nuts with 8 already in here. But this boy lives in his shelter under the RV, and leaves out from under the RV only to go to the bathroom.

I don't know if his HORRIBLE limp is because he's in pain, or it was just a really bad break that didn't set right or what.

But we could use some vibes. I started feeding him on the other side of the RV - which he is NOT happy about. He will not come while I put the food out. He does eat the food, but won't approach while I'm there. I only started this two days ago, because we only decided that we HAD to get him in here two days ago.

This morning, he let me know in no uncertain terms just how unhappy he was about the change in routine. He came out almost ALL THE WAY from under the RV where I used to feed him. So I relented. We had a massive pet session, and I put his food down in the "normal" spot. If it hadn't been pouring rain, he might have come all the way up to the deck.

So we need vibes that we can get him in a crate or trap - whether hav-a-hart or drop - and sooner rather than later, as we're heading into single digit temps at night - AND that when we bring him in, we don't create complete chaos, because there's no way to separate him for slow introductions.

Of course because of our existing kitties, we'll manage the quarantine the way we did with Billy as he was introduced direct from outside: by being quarantined at the vet for at least 10 days (assuming he needs giardia treatment, as they all have). Unlike with Chum (the only other rescue intro since we moved back into the RV), we can't rent another trailer to have as his home for a while. Sadly, the trailer we rented burned, so isn't available. We can't afford to rent another site now anyway, and there are new owners of the RV park, so there is no way we'd get a 2nd site for free for a few months (even though it's off season and it's not producing revenue anyway. ).

Pawley.... let us help you! :heart2: :rub:

Massive e vibes for you and Pauley. Could you create a drop trap out of a cat carrier. That is how we trapped Ritz and her liter mates? Cute cat btw.

Oh, Laurie, it is just like you and Gary to decide that you need to bring poor Pawley in despite the 8 you've already rescued and brought inside. Both of your hearts are too big for words. It is amazing how far he has progressed. He clearly knows and trusts you to care for him. Many many vibes that you can trap him AND that his injury is not as bad as you fear AND that he integrates with your resident cats smoothly.

Oh you are amazing.  Sending you all the vibes I can for good luck in catching this baby soon!  

Sending you vibes that you will be able to catch him.

Thank you for the vibes.

Cindy, we have a drop trap. The problem is getting him out from under the RV. There's not a lot of room under there (you can see from the pictures). I tried putting the drop trap out along the route we've seen him take to go relieve himself the 3 or 4 times we've seen him out from under the RV in six months. That didn't work.

The other problem is that on the side we've been feeding him, the deck is in the way. On our old site, in order to be able to open the underneath compartments, we had to park far enough away from the deck that we could easily fit a trap. On this site, the deck is much lower to the ground, and to fit on the site, we had to pull RIGHT up next to the deck. So there's no place for a trap between the RV and the deck. This is why I started trying to feed him on the other side of the RV - no deck in the way.

We'll just keep plugging along. :rub:

Many vibes for everyone, especially Pawley. I'm a sucker for white whiskers on a black face.

I think you were right in making sure he ate, even if it meant on his terms.

Please please please Pawley let Mama help you.  Go quickly and swiftly into the trap/crate.  You will have the best life ever!!! 

Sending vibes to you and Pawley.

:heart3:

Hello!  I'm new to this forum., but I thought that I'd reply to the issue of Pawley, the Reluctant Wonder Cat.   When I've encountered a shy, reluctant stray or feral, I've take a  larger sized humane cat trap and wired it open.  I literally wire the trip mechanism so that it won't close when a cat enters the trap.  I place the cat's usual dinner, often with an additional tasty tidbit, in the very back of the trap.  I don't leave food any where else in the area.  It might take half a day for the cat to figure out that this is where dinner is served, but to a cat this has always worked.  In Southern California's "bad" weather I cover the trap to protect the food.  I leave the trap "set" like this for a few days -- or a week depending on the situation -- before I reset it in the trapping mode.  The cat has gotten so used to eating inside the trap that if the trap is functioning and and properly set with food at the very back and dribbled down the trap floor, the cat should enter and finally be caught.  Again, it takes patience on the human's part,  but we've had to rescue a variety of feral cats in a limited period of time and this method has usually had great results.  Good luck and thanks for all that you do to help the cats!

Hi Southbaycats, and welcome to TCS!

Unfortunately, we're caring for a colony with 11 cats, so not putting any other food out anywhere isn't an option. Pawley, however, doesn't leave underneath the RV, so I'm not overly worried about his leaving to eat food at the feral feeding stations.

I've also never used the method of tying up the door to prevent it from tripping. We figure - if they go in the trap to eat, just trap them the first time around. :lol3: For the difficult cats, we use a drop trap.

Here's where things stand.

I took sardines out with me today. Pawley LOVES them.

So I'm keeping our normal routine, and putting food down for him where I have been. He gets his pets and loves. BUT I put down about half of what he normally eats in that dish (I feed the ferals wet food). I put another small dish of food on the other side of the RV, where he exits to go to the bathroom. I'm drizzling that food with sardine juice. He's eating from the new spot, he just won't approach it if I'm there.

I have a trap covered and set. I always put cardboard down on the wire (with enough space that if he wants the sardines in the bowl at the end of the trap, he has to step on the plate). I have catnip sprinkled on the cardboard, and a bite of sardine in the middle of it. Then there's a bit more sardine in the bowl past the plate that trips the trap. The trap is washed and clean, sprayed with Feliway... and RIGHT up next to where he leaves the underneath to go to the bathroom. I left enough room for him to leave without going IN the trap, he has a choice (Otherwise, he'd probably just start using a different spot to leave underneath).

He didn't venture in the trap to eat the sardine piece on the cardboard there - though if it disappears, it wasn't necessarily him, as a few other cats are comfortable in-and-out underneath the RV (Smokey, Baloo, Tommy and to an extent, Khol. Even Little Dot was under there a while back when I was late with a meal).

When I'm able to man a drop trap, I'll replace the hav-a-heart with the drop trap, but it makes no sense to put it out unless I can man it. In the meantime, I'll just leave the hav-a-hart out, set from AM feeding to 7:00pm (the vet closes at 8:00, and it's just too cold to leave a cat in a trap overnight).

Aw...bless your hearts for helping this cat and caring for him so much!  I do wonder about that limp and what it could be. It sounds like you're making some progress and I hope Pawley stays close.

Lots and lots of vibes that you're able to trap him soon! 

What a well-dressed gentleman!  I love the tuxedo cat pattern.    Vibes for Pawley, go in that trap already! 

You will catch pretty Pawley, no doubt about that!   You are AWESOME! 

@southbaycats48  I have used that method often, too. Especially useful when you want to catch a lot of them at once and/or on a certain day (like when the low cost clinic is running a special   )

Well, since putting the trap over there, now he won't even eat over on that side.

The vet closes at noon today, and is closed tomorrow. So the trap is put away for now.

We'll just keep plugging along. I doubt he'll be inside for the insanely cold temps coming up.

BUT... I FINALLY learned which shelter under the RV he's using! We cut one of these drums in half


and wrapped it in R-19 insulation. We slid that into the thick black "contractor's" garbage bags (and taped up the edges around the entrance), so there's no exposed insulation. It's sitting on board insulation. It has a heated pad in the back of it, and a large litterbox filled with straw in front of the heated pad. It is the BEST possible shelter he could have chosen, as the pad is large, so it provides extra ambient heat when he's lying on it, and the box of straw in front helps hold the heat inside.

We are both feeling really relieved, as it isn't looking like the "bring Pawley inside" project is going to happen any time soon and it's about to get really, really cold.

I know you will eventually get him. How about with a net? And then transferred to trap? Since he is coming yo you for pets, a net may work.

I'm glad to hear that he's got a good shelter. I'm no expert on ferals but I know that and food/water makes a difference.

KRZ said:

I know you will eventually get him. How about with a net? And then transferred to trap? Since he is coming yo you for pets, a net may work.

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I hadn't even considered this. I also know they use those loops that go around their necks. I see potential problems with both, especially having no experience. But we will DEFINITELY chat with the vet about this - they may lend us something!

LDG said:

I hadn't even considered this. I also know they use those loops that go around their necks. I see potential problems with both, especially having no experience. But we will DEFINITELY chat with the vet about this - they may lend us something!

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AW LAURIE!!!!!!! I am not new to this story of Pawley and I am continually sending those GARGANTUAN vibes, sweetie. I agree that a net is not the way to go. In fact, I would not recommend ever using a net for catching a feral cat. I have also heard of many, many awful stories of them tangling and there is NO way you can help a thrashing, fiercely and violent kitty trying to free himself without getting seriously injured yourself trying to help. :sobbing: And, if Pawley still is recovering from some sort of injury, a net would cause him great pain and further damage.

WOW on that drum shelter idea. Excellent and brilliant idea !!! SO at least you know Pawley IS taking shelter. I love what you are doing for him and for all of your feral kitties. He will be alright for the time being and seriously, he is SO much better off since being under your care full time now since last June. :nod: He is one smart little guy and believe me, HE KNOWS he is in the right place and when the time is right, and it is meant to happen, it WILL. :cross:

Having multiple feral kitties under your care makes it so trying and difficult to trap that ONE that needs it. argh. It would require you "manning" the trap set up but in THIS weather. Makes it even more of a challenge. Just know, THE VIBES ARE FLOWING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Adding in a little sunshine - HEY - think WARM !!!!!!!!!! It may help - just a wee bit... :sun: :sun:

p.s. There is also the crate/rope method since he will eat in your presence but again, that would require being out there - in the cold.

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