New Drop Trap

nightowl007

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Last Summer after my city finally decided to sponsor TNR. After speaking with the local Code Enforcement  officer .I registered the about 12 feral cats that frequent my house for food as a "colony ". Even though it really wasn't a topical colony. Code Enforcement said this would be pro active measure to prevent a colony from starting.As a beginner Trapper I had much to learn. After trapping cats in the "Have a heart  Trap" there was the problem of getting them out.I probably could have won a prize on America's funnest home video's. But at the time it wasn't funny to me or the cat. And one incident the possum.So I bought a divider that allowed me to keep them back from the spring door enough to open it. Then the City gave me two other traps that have loops holding the door. The cats were able to reach over the trip plate and eat the food. I finally caught the "Momma" Cat   in the "have a heart" trap on a Friday afternoon. So I thought I just turn her loose and catch her next week. Well that didn't happen and she would not even go near the traps again. I managed to catch every other cat but one male Momma Cats husband and her. One cat was so wild I couldn't get close enough to tell it's sex. After traveling 30 miles to the Vet. I took the cover off the cage and the Vet said she's already been fixed. She then pointed out her ear had been tipped. Boy did I feel like a fool in front of all those other trappers. The I used another persons trap made out of a crate that had a Plexi glass drop door. Momma Cat managed to get out before the door dropped. So I spent the winter trying to regain her trust. She's had another litter and they are now five weeks old. I purchased a new Tomahalk Cat drop box and transfer cage. I set it up two days ago and feed Momma Cat under it for the first time yesterday. Now I am wondering if I should Trap her now or wait until the kittens come to eat with her? I've got to catch them before they get too old.The last litter could not be adopted out. I think I know where the nest is. Any experienced trappers have any idea's? 
 

ondine

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Sorry!  I just saw this.  If you know where the nest is, can you check it out and make sure the kittens are there?  That way, if you trap mommy, you can retrieve the kittens and hand raise them.  They will have a better chance of getting homes if they are socialized early.  Try not to be too obvious or mommy may move them.

I'd vote for trapping mommy ASAP - as she's already proven to be trap savvy and a quick breeder.  She may even be pregnant again, so the faster you can get her done, the better.

So wonderful your town is supporting TNR efforts.  NEVER be embarrassed about doing this good work.  We've all trapped previously neutered/spayed cats.  Sometimes the ear tips are not that obvious; sometimes they can look like old war wounds.
 

StefanZ

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I agree with   Ondines advice.  the optimal is, to take in the kittens NOW, when they are easy to foster (and still fairly easy to catch by running after them, and taking by scruffing).

And spaying the mom is of course too rather hurrying, so she dont get too long on way with her new litter.

If you take the mom, but dont find the kittens - you though you knew where they were, but they didnt were there; you have the option to take the mom immediately to the vet, spay, let her rest 24 hours, and return her where you took her.

The kitten will manage this 24-36 hours...  Its not riskfree, but is done sometimes.   During the time, you can of course proceed to seek after them.  go silent, no voices, no "kitties where are you?".   silent.   This way you have a chance they will  announce themselves if they think you are their mom coming back.   If you talk, or go heavily, they will remain hidden.

  Btw, is the male helping with protecting them?   Most males are "free shooters", but its not unheard of some do help mom and kittens, are even a family group.   IF the male is helping them, you can even let her rest two fully days.

Last, with a not too ferocious mom you do perhaps have the possibility to basically go there and collect the kittens.

With a little luck it may even happen the mom will follow you in, after the kittens.

I know several of our forumites did so in the last weeks.

Such a collecting of  kittens is of course easier when they are small, and cant run from you, being still in the nest.  Its probable a little too late for it now.

Good luck!
 
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nightowl007

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Bad news..Momma Cat moved babies. Not too far from where they were, but now under a storage shed low to the ground. She was taking food over to them today. I could see three. Two Siamese and one tuxedo.I just can't believe how big they are already! Momma cat and Daddy cat are both tuxedo's. They must be causing come kind of double negative in the gene pool. This is the second litter with two Siamese. And Daddy cat does a very good job of keeping other Toms away. I call him the "Neighbor hood watch cat." Wednesday I have planed to trap Momma cat. Some friends are going to come help catch the babies. I waited too long I guess. It would have been much easier to catch them in the palmetto bush. I am hoping buy the time I return from the vet dropping off Momma cat they are good and hungry and will come out to eat. I plan to keep her in doors  overnight. My back up plan is to try and catch them again the second day. I don't want to leave them any longer than two days without Momma cat. I am afraid something may happen to them. I read about setting Momma cat next to trap to catch babies. But I am afraid she will warn them not to come out. When she saw me looking to day she made them go hide. Any one have any other ideas?
 

ondine

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If you can get a dog crate, you can rig a trap for the kittens.  Tie a length of twine to the door and up through the top of the crate. Put food inside and stand a bit away.  Hold the other end of the twine and wait for the kittens (they should be hungry enough to run inside to eat).  Pull on the twine and the door should close on them.  You will need to hold the twine taut so the kittens don't bolt out the door but when they are that young, they may not even been aware that the door has closed.

You can take them all inside the crate into their new room (or wherever you plan to socialize them).  I'd say get them now, while mommy is secure or you might not get another chance.

Good luck!!!
 

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As long as you are absolutely sure where her kittens are, get to trapping mom and get her done.

Meanwhile you can easily trap her kittens with the drop trap as well. You don't want to release mom back until you have all kittens.

FYI the kittens are not heavy enough to set the havahart trap off, so use the drop trap, you will likely nab them all in one shot! Kittens are a piece of cake to trap :)

In the future (hopefully won't have to do it again!) but get them right at 5 weeks, no more.

Then they are too young to get away from you and can be totally tamed in a day or so, and old enough to make it without mom.

These are 6 weeks now, still pretty easy to tame but use vigilance, by 8 weeks it's an entirely different story, and a full time job to tame them all.

Good luck, and if you need some help/advice on how to quickly tame these kids, just ask! We're here all the time.
 
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nightowl007

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Thanks...All set to trap Mamma Cat this morning. Then the babies. I read somewhere last night where someone used a lazer pointer light to guide babies to trap. I hope I get them all this morning.( A friend needs my drop trap to catch an injured cat in one of the colonies she feeds.)If not they should be good and hungry by evening. I have to say If I don't catch them today I will worry about their safety all night.
 

ondine

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Trapping vibes being sent your way.  The kittens should stay in or very close to the nest, so this will increase your chances of catching them.  And it should keep them safe for tonight, if needed...
 
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nightowl007

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Up date. Got Mamma Cat. Spayed on Wednesday.Stood by drop box trap until 8pm no luck. Thursday morning I got there at 6:15am just in time to see baby's  going to hide. Thursday evening found out there are 5 babies. Got four on trap before they got spooked I ended up catching one. Friday morning 4:30am to 7:30am they never came out. But I saw a huge owl waiting in the tree watching for them too. I had to go back to work tonight and decided Mamma Cat can needed to be there to watch over them. Until she moves them to my yard. There is just too much traffic passing by where she has them now. So I turned her loose. Friday morning. Friday evening she was laying in yard beside the shed and the babies were playing. I set out a lot extra food.I hope she moves them soon. For now I have one crying baby to deal with. A tuxedo with knee high white socks in the back and inverted y white on face beautiful.
 

catwoman707

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You mean you drop trapped mom, got her spayed, got 1 kitten, and put mom back?

There's a big problem with that, I hate to say anything because you did such an excellent thing getting her and spaying her!!

But, she will tell them about the trap when they go to eat under it.

It might be a bit harder now to get them to go under. If/when mom isn't around to scold them is your best chance.
 
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nightowl007

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I am not going to be able to trap there anymore. Too many people interfering. And It will be a week before I can do anything. If the mom did what she did with last litter, she will move them to by back yard under my deck and shed. I have other traps for babies. They were not the hard ones to catch. I hated to let her go but I would hate it more if something happened to the babies before I could catch them all. She had four last year and I trapped all of them. We'll see!
 
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nightowl007

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New baby in the house ..three days without much sleep.All that crying. Finally today it began to settle down some. I've got the kitten in a crate on top of dinning room table. That way it would be able to watch me. Today it was peaking out of the litter box watching me come and go as I feed the rest of my cats.I feed my non feral two in the kitchen. after I feed them I left the room. The kitten started yelping as if "you forgot me" I was saving it for last so I could hand feed it. It turned the small box with the blanket in it up on end blocking my view and was playing behind it. It is still hissing and spitting when I approach the crate, and with every spoon full of food I give it.

I am hoping the mom moves the others this week. I'll have three days to trap them. 
 

ondine

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This one will socialize fast - especially if she's eating from your hand already.  Good job!

Expect some hissing and spitting.  She's afraid and unsettled about the changes.  Once she realizes this gig isn't so bad, she'll calm done and adjust.
 
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nightowl007

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Amazing thing happened. Some friends came over that are experienced with feral cats, they said baby is the wildest cat they ever saw so young. Soon after they left I got out my lazer pointer. They baby started playing with it and then the toys I had in the crate. I reached in and it let me pet it. The pick it up. And it's slept with me the last three nights a few hours. It still hisses when I go to the crate. 
 

ondine

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Sounds like she may be hissing because she realizes she's trapped and it makes her uncomfortable - OR - it could just be a habit - human approaches, mommy taught me to hiss! 


Either way, amazing news that she's sleeping with you.  She is slowly becoming a house kitty!
 
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nightowl007

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​It's rained here all week. I plan to try and trap the other four kittens Wednesday and Thursday. The Mama Cat still has not moved them yet to my house. I sure wish she would. I tried not putting out food that she could carry to them Saturday night, hoping she would bring them over. It did not work. Sunday she came back three times wanting food for the babies. I cannot put out traps and leave them so they would get used to them, where she is. We're having some transient problems in the neighborhood and they pick up any medal that they can take to local recycling. So when I set up traps across the street behind the duplex, I have to keep a close eye on them 24/7 even though they are not set.Last year at my house I put out the traps a week before I set them. And caught all but one kitten in two days. They will be eight weeks old Thursday. I wonder if I could set out a less expensive trap that looks similar to the others,for them to get used to  and then swap them on trapping day?
 

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I know I'm late in commenting on this, but there are small have-a-heart traps that can be used to trap kittens. I bought a pair of traps at a Tractor Supply stores for twenty dollars, one was regular size and one was small. The small one is designed to catch squirrels or rats, I guess, but it's the perfect size for kittens. My neighbor and I caught two 8 weeks old kittens with it. The larger traps are not only ineffective for kittens but dangerous. If they get caught in front of the metal plate when it snaps down it can really injure them. Tractor Supply has  the least expensive traps available, from what I've seen.

It's true that if the parent cat is familiar with traps, they will try to keep the kitten from going in. I saw this last summer when papa cat actually stuck his paw through the trap and nudged out his son when his son started to venture into it. We eventually got his son a month later when papa wasn't around and junior was just too curious about the chicken inside the trap! Cats have long memories when it comes to traps!

I found the best way to socialize my wild 3-4 month old feral kitty was to play with him A LOT. He loved the wand toy, playing with my feet under my bed covers, and even playing fetch with a catnip mouse. I also managed to socialize a 10 month old feral by having a few play sessions a day with her with the wand toy (I'm still doing this 9 months later). Kittens love to play, and after they're trapped, they're missing play time with their siblings and mom and dad--so playing with the kittens will help them to bond with their new human parent.
 
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nightowl007

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I know that small "have a heart" trap and I have it. I also have two the city gave me that are not spring traps like the "have a heart" traps. They can be rigged up also t be used with a stick and string for manuel operation.The only problem with the city traps is they are not much larger than the smallest "have a heart" trap. They are just longer. I found the adult cats would not go into them. A local animal rescue "No pet left behind" has loaned me a trap they had made from a crate that has a drop down door made of Plexiglas.It is a manuel trap. I caught one cat and one kitten init last year.

I gave up on Mama Cat moving kittens anytime soon. So today I took food over to them.And I am going to feed them on the same schedule I have been feeding the mom and dad at my house(when she carries food over to them).

And then set up all three traps on Thursday.Today when I took food over there Mama Cat was not happy about me coming where  kittens are. Hopefully she will be over it by Thursday. 

New baby kitten is doing great!It has made a world of difference catching the kitten a lot younger.She is no longer hissing. And is interactive playing. Also is very excited when I get home in the morning and start the cat feeding process. My two adult cats and I make a big fuss about breakfast. The baby has been watching .. and now is meowing at the door of the crate until she gets her food.
 
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