Feral Kitten Left Behind

Not sure if I mentioned that when I sent off the kittens to rescue one was accidentally left behind. I originally thought there were 5 babies, but I ended up catching 6 that day. A couple of days later I saw that there was 1 more. For about a week I hadn't seen him/her and was sad since I thought he may have died or been eaten by wildlife.

When I went to feed the adults (Mija and Katica) this afternoon I saw the baby. Devon if a boy, Brie if a girl.

When I saw him I set the trap right away hoping to catch him. This is what I got:





I had to find a way to get Katica out of the trap without loosing Devon/Brie.

So, this is what I did:


I had to go into the brush to find a bunch of sticks to make a barrier. The kitten kept getting through it so I dug a trench so the sticks would be below the level of the bottom of the trap, that way he couldn't push through.

This is the end result:


I was sweating my butt off but was well worth it. Now to tame him and get him into a new forever home. :-)

Any tips?

Wow!  Good job!  He still looks young enough to socialize.  It may take some time.  A room of his own (or large crate with all the amenities).  Most kitties can't resist Gerber chicken baby food, so you can use that as a bribe.  I've forgotten you situation - do you have other cats?  If so, don't introduce them until he's been vet checked.  Visiting him often, reading out loud to him or just sitting quietly with him are all ways to help him get used to humans.

I am really impressed by your innovative way to separate them in the trap.  I would not have thought of that.  Just in case you ever need to do this again, they actually have wire "forks" you can use for that.

Good luck.  This has been a big job and you've handled it very well.

Ondine said:

 
Wow!  Good job!  He still looks young enough to socialize.  It may take some time.  A room of his own (or large crate with all the amenities).  Most kitties can't resist Gerber chicken baby food, so you can use that as a bribe.  I've forgotten you situation - do you have other cats?  If so, don't introduce them until he's been vet checked.  Visiting him often, reading out loud to him or just sitting quietly with him are all ways to help him get used to humans.

I am really impressed by your innovative way to separate them in the trap.  I would not have thought of that.  Just in case you ever need to do this again, they actually have wire "forks" you can use for that.

Good luck.  This has been a big job and you've handled it very well.

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I do have another kitten, Cheddar is a sibling of Devon. I've heard of the wire forks but don't have on nor know where to get one. I don't think i'll need one now that all the kittens are gone and both mama cat and the other adult female have been spayed.

Thank you for the tips, very appreciated.

I hope you don't need the forks either.    I got mine on the Internet http://www.animal-traps.com/index.php?p=catalog&mode=search&search_in=all&search_str=divider

Good luck with Devon.  Sounds like you're doing a great job.

That is just awesome.  You are so innovative!!  Hopefully Devon can be socialized and have a home of his own. 

I just recently purchased a new trap and ordered a divider to go with it.  It is awesome.  It will really help when I trap and need to keep the cat over night and want to feed him/her. 

Hopefully all goes well with Devon.

Devon is a spit fire. I need ot change him to a bigger crate so I can have a litter box in there. He didn't want any of it. what do I do?

Cheddar said:

 
Devon is a spit fire. I need ot change him to a bigger crate so I can have a litter box in there. He didn't want any of it. what do I do?

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He doesnt want to use the litter?  I presume its some sort of common baked clay litter, no perfume?

Newbe quite often arent using the litter.  Hiding in a hidey even two fully days is quite common,  not only with adopted semiferales.  Even some bough home raised cats may do so, if they are somewhat shy.

Otherwise -use some natural material, like he would use outside.  Dirt, some old leaves.

If you can get Kitten Attract Litter - this by Dr Elseys is most wellknown - and sprinkle some on the surface of the litter..

On the pic, he doesnt seem much alarmed nor aggressive. Same with the adult you caught. simultaneously.  I hope this is positive signs.

Good luck!

I have had really good luck with Dr. Elsey's Litter Attract.  I have sprinkled it in with the other litter as well as used it full strength.  I tried the dirt method and the feral I brought inside did not every use the dirt.  He chose the Litter Attract.  If the cat pees or poops outside of the box, sop up the urine and bury the paper towel in the litter.  Do the same with the poop.  It will help him smell his own scent.

I meant to say that he won't have any of it in terms of me trying to get him into a bigger crate. Sorry for not being clear.

How long until he's neutered?  He may be OK in the smaller crate until then.  Not ideal but do-able.

Cheddar said:

 
I meant to say that he won't have any of it in terms of me trying to get him into a bigger crate. Sorry for not being clear.

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Yeah,  I wondered if it was this you really meant.

I suppose he feels safe at this littlish crate at this moment.  As said, its common enough they want to be two, sometimes even three days in their chosed hidey hole...   No visible eating, drinking nor making the natural needs...   They can if they are really determined.

Lets  come with ideas.

Make sure the other cage is ready made,  covered and inviting...    You leave both cages in an empty room.  Second one prepared and perfect, its doors welcoming open.  All foreign smells cleaned off.  

You take off the  towel you probably have on his little cage, so this cage isnt no longer so comforting and begins to become unpleasant.   Open the doors, and you leave. You leave  a weak lamp in the room for the night.

With a little luck he has changed crates during the night.

The only problem is, if he doesnt change the cage and is roaming the room itself, and  is vile, he may try to run off when you open the door to this room the next day.   But you do have always this risk.  Also when he is in the cage, and you shall do something in there.

Good luck!

I was able to transfer Devon to a bigger crate by having them in front of each other with the doors open. I put blankets to fill in the gaps so he wouldn't have an escape route through a small crack. He's been relatively quite until about an hour ago. He's distressed and keeps calling out and at times I can hear him trying to escape. I try to soothingly talk with him and he hisses quite a bit. I guess he's just a bit more feral than anticipated. I unfortunately don't have spare rooms to have him in and only have 1 bathroom. Should I just ignore him or should I release him and hope I can re-trap in a couple of months to neuter and release? The cat rescue that took in the other babies still hasn't gotten back to me. I really want to have him tamed and part of a family instead of living outdoors, but not sure if I have the proper resources to help him. What should I do?

I think you shall keep him inside, and work on.   When you already DO have him inside and in this cage.

It will be better and better with time!

Good luck!

How long have you had him inside? It's normal for them to cry the first few days. He is probably lonely and missing his cat family. Do you have other cats you can let into the room to begin to socialize with him through the cage?

The other option you might consider would be to keep him in your bedroom with the door closed. I did this with one of my feral kittens so at least he was around me when I was home and in bed at night. He seemed to calm down a lot and was less lonely. I also played with him a lot with the wand toy. It's important that you let him out of the cage in a room with a closed door several times a day for play time so he can socialize with you. Also keep the radio or t-v on low volume in order to reduce his loneliness when  you're not around.

If you let him back out now, he may never get socialized and may take off in search of his cat family. In a few months it will be winter, and you'll be worried about him. I'd give it more time.  

MsAimee said:

 
How long have you had him inside? It's normal for them to cry the first few days. He is probably lonely and missing his cat family. Do you have other cats you can let into the room to begin to socialize with him through the cage?

The other option you might consider would be to keep him in your bedroom with the door closed. I did this with one of my feral kittens so at least he was around me when I was home and in bed at night. He seemed to calm down a lot and was less lonely. I also played with him a lot with the wand toy. It's important that you let him out of the cage in a room with a closed door several times a day for play time so he can socialize with you. Also keep the radio or t-v on low volume in order to reduce his loneliness when  you're not around.

If you let him back out now, he may never get socialized and may take off in search of his cat family. In a few months it will be winter, and you'll be worried about him. I'd give it more time.  

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I don't have an extra room to have him in, that is another reason why i'm worried. He is in the dinning room that was converted into a dog room in a crate. If I were to let him out loose, I wouldn't be able to catch him. He hisses and swats if I get too close. 

As long as he can't get out of the room and out the front door, then I wouldn't worry about not being able to catch him unless you need to take him to the vet in a day or two. He's a feral and used to running around, so being in a cage is distressing for him. If you just gave him the run of that room and played with him with a wand toy, he would be less stressed.

My house is not designed in separate rooms. There are no doors leading from the family room to the dinning room, no door leading from the dinning room to the kitchen, and no door leading from the kitchen to the laundry room. I have dogs gates separating them. Plus the dog room is in the middle of the house, it is the only way to get to the kitchen and laundry. I have only 1 bathroom, no garage, and 1 bedroom. The room upstairs is used to rotate my 2 dogs that cannot be put together. I also need to consider that I have 6 dogs of my own and a foster dog in the house.

The cat rescue still hasn't gotten back to me about potentially taking him in. I don't know what to do.

It sounds like you're doing all you can for the kitty. Give it some time. I've never socialized a feral in a cage but others on this board probably have and can be more helpful than me. I didn't mean to discourage you, sorry. Your kitty is lucky to have you!

You haven't discouraged me at all. I just wish I could do more. I guess when I finally saw him I was so happy he wasn't dead that I felt the right thing to do was trap him even though didn't have anything in place first. I think that was my mistake and I was thinking with my heart not my brain. My other half isn't helping by making me feel guilty in having him in there.

Just had a tiny breakthrough. I thought "hey why not have Devon see Cheddar happily purring away in my arms so he can see that i'm safe". As soon as Devon saw Cheddar he perked up. Cheddar was apprehensive at first when he realized there was another kitten in the crate. Eventually his body language seemed more loose (I think) and Devon came to the front of the crate and sniffed him a bit and gave a paw through the door.

I also put a small dab of soft food in there earlier to show him i'm not a threat. He didn't eat it, but did once Cheddar and I were hanging around for a bit. I kept it short and sweet.