DESPERATE TO TRAP FERAL QUEEN IN LABOR!!!

   Advice, Prayers, Vibes, PLEASE!!   A feral cat whom we call "Mama Kitty" delivered a dead kitten in our yard on Friday but nothing since.  She lays around nearby and allows me to approach to about 8 feet away before running off. I last got near her about midnight but once again, she darted away.

         She has had a sore left hind leg for over a week now; I trapped her pregnant companion (also on Friday) who had been shot in the lung with a BB gun and had to be PTS.  I am very concerned that Mama Kitty may also have been shot; at the very least, there is a bad reason that her kitten died - SHE NEEDS MEDICAL ATTENTION!!!  I am hoping that I can get her to the vet very soon before she suffers...any advice? prayers? vibes??

        BTW:  she has eluded trapping for several years now.  Previous litters have not been healthy.  She especially avoids the traps when the plate is covered - I think she has figured out about the trip-plate because she is good at spanning it & carefully backing out. When she can't see it, she won't enter the cage; she tries to "fish" the food/bait out from the sides of the trap.  If anybody is remotely near the trap, she won't enter the area, but observes nearby.  If only I could help her overcome her fear of me, so that I can help her

Oh dear, I hope you are able to help her.  Have you thought of a drop trap?  I have seen some videos on youtube where you can rig one using a large laundry basket.  Do a search on homemade drop traps.  I am hoping the best for her.

thank you for the reply! I will try that - she isn't dripping from her behind ( I hope not a dry birth) anymore & she came out into the yard & ate breakfast this morning so maybe I can rig a laundry basket & feed everyone under that. She's curled up under a vine right now, but not continuously licking. If she gets into too much distress, maybe she will let me catch her - I tried getting close enough to throw a blanket over her, but she's onto that.

I have thrown a blanket before and used heavy gloves to place the cat into a carrier.  The cat was quite sick so it was easier than I thought.  I tried it on another feral, but I used a towel and it was not thick enough to stop him. 

I wish you luck in your venture and I hope the best for the Mom.

I wish I knew a way to help. I am thinking of you and Mama Kitty and sending prayers and vibes your way.

Try using a fishing net. I've used this method in the past with kitties that avoided the traps and needed urgent care. You will need at least 1 other person to assist, some thick gloves and something to transport the cat in.

Stand on the handle when you get the cat in the net. The other person will have to pick the cat up and place in carrier (a top load carrier or a storage container...make sure to make air holes in the lid if you use this.)

Good luck!

OH poor little thing... and bless you for helping and trying to trap these kitties. I am so sorry to hear about someone shooting BB's at the cats. :shame: How sad and cruel.

I would also agree with using a drop trap. Another option, if she will eat with you about 20 feet away, is to use the crate method of trapping. Feed her only in a crate, on schedule each day (say morning only), and tie a rope to the door and run it from the inside side of the crate and out. You just have to sit holding the rope and when she goes in to eat you reel the crate in by pulling on the rope steadily and quickly thus keeping the door pulled shut. When the crate reaches you with the cat inside - with a gloved hand - lock the door firmly closed. This has worked for me many, many times with feral cats who get used to eating in the crate AND with me sitting somewhere nearby. Just another option. MEGA MEGA MEGA vibes for her quick capture so you can get her medical attention. :cross:

CatPack said:

Try using a fishing net. I've used this method in the past with kitties that avoided the traps and needed urgent care. You will need at least 1 other person to assist, some thick gloves and something to transport the cat in.

Stand on the handle when you get the cat in the net. The other person will have to pick the cat up and place in carrier (a top load carrier or a storage container...make sure to make air holes in the lid if you use this.)

Good luck!

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Be very, very, very careful using a net. I have known some feral cats to become extremely violent and ferocious enough to be able to pull away partially and getting all tangled up in the net - choking is a reality with this method. YES - some use it and most times it may work BUT with a cat that is injured already (especially a limb) - it could cause the injury to become worse by entangling in the netting.

Yes, the net should be a last resort; but, when a cat is in need of urgent medical care it is an option (esp when the cat will not go in a trap.)

I use the net ONLY when there are no other options available. It is never a first (or second) choice.

CatPack said:

Yes, the net should be a last resort; but, when a cat is in need of urgent medical care it is an option (esp when the cat will not go in a trap.)

I use the net ONLY when there are no other options available. It is never a first (or second) choice.

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Absolutely agree about it being a last-ditch effort for a very ill feral cat needing immediate medical attention and all other methods have been exhausted. I only wanted others to know about the risks of netting a feral cat. Many people do try this method of capturing. It works well especially when the feral cat is really not moving around much nor does it care to move due to extreme pain or illness.

As an experienced trapper myself, I've caught all kinds of "difficult" critters, you just have to get creative for some situations. One method I've found that works for "trap shy" animals that avoid stepping on the trigger plate, is to cover the whole interior floor of the trap with moss, pine straw, leaves or other natural ground cover materials. Cover it thickly enough so the animal can't really see the "bump" where the plate is, but leave a small open space behind the plate to put your bait in. For feral cats, any kind of sardines or fish products will generally work for bait. Or if she is accustomed to being fed regular cat food (wet or dry) use that. A little bit of catnip sprinkled in the back of a trap can work, too, as will commercially made bobcat baits marketed to fur trappers. Let me know if you need anymore info, I'll be glad to help. I hope you can catch this poor mamma kitty!

I was able to FINALLY trap the MamaKitty!!  She is spayed now - she had 2 kittens but no milk, so the kittens are assumed deceased      She is healing very well - she also has her shots, fur mats shaved off, "stick'-tites" removed, and treated with Frontline Plus. However, they didn't take Xrays but after surgery, her limping is gone.  Thanks for all the advice & vibes 

catsknowme said:

 

I was able to FINALLY trap the MamaKitty!!  She is spayed now - she had 2 kittens but no milk, so the kittens are assumed deceased      She is healing very well - she also has her shots, fur mats shaved off, "stick'-tites" removed, and treated with Frontline Plus. However, they didn't take Xrays but after surgery, her limping is gone.  Thanks for all the advice & vibes 

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Excellent with her!  Happy to read this.   Pity about the kittens, but mothers live goes first. 

Its not common the milk is not coming in at all. Late - yes happens, but not at all - very unusual.  Possibly they were all premature, not just the first one who was stillborn.  IF so, this could explain why the milk never come in...

Super late in replying here, but so glad to hear you finally were able to catch her and get her some good care! That is great news!