Ideas on catching feral?

Hi there. I'm trying to catch a feral at my dad's house. My dad recently passed away and had 3 ferals, 2 of which have disappeared. 1 has stayed behind and from what I can tell, relies on the food I have been putting down for him.

He's afraid of people, but knows us so comes quite close. I have been trying for almost 15 days to catch him with a trapping cage. He doesn't like soft food or tuna etc, and insists on only eating his dry food. As a last attempt, I haven't been feeding them for almost two days and kitty's really hungry (and my heart is breaking)!

He approaches the cage but turns around when he's eaten all of the food at the entrance...doesn't even bother sticking his head in, in spite of the treasure waiting at the back. Any other suggestions as to how I can catch him? Like I say, I think he's dependent on the food and don't want to give up on him. Thank you.

My dad uses a live trap to catch animals hanging out around our house. Ours is pretty much exactly like this.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004RAMT/?tag=&tag=thecatsite

Is that what you're talking about when you say trapping cage? You may just try putting the food at the back of the cage only. If he's dependent on you feeding him, it shouldn't take long before he's willing to enter the cage for food. You may also try obscuring the trap with a towel or sheet, so it doesn't look so suspicious. Unfortunately I don't know of any way to catch a truly feral cat without using a trap of some sort.

Please expand on what you are using to trap.  I assume it's a humane trap suitable for small animals.

One tip is to zip tie the trap so that it won't go off.  Start feeding him right outside the trap.  After a day or two move the food just inside the trap and every day or two move the food back until it's fully in the back.  Just don't set the trap yet.  You want him to get used to the trap and not be afraid of it.  Then after you know he is eating in the trap, you can set it and hope he continues to go inside.  Are you lining the bottom of the trap with anything?  Some people use newspapers, but I have had better luck with puppy pee pads.  They make less noise.  Have you tried covering and/or uncovering the trap.  Some times ferals like it dark while others don't like it dark and covered.  Try both ways.

I have tried 2 ferals, with just plain dry food that they eat daily.  When I presented with something yummy and smelly, they refused it was too different.  I just used their same bowl and regular food. 

I wish you success and thank you so much for helping this cat.  Hopefullly once you catch him you can get him straight to the vet for a check up and also a neuter if he is not already neutered.  If you are planning on relocating him, please be advised that if you just set him free in his new territory, he will most likely leave and try to return to his former home.  Cats need to be confined for 2-3 weeks before being released into new territory.  He can be kept inside in a spare room or kept in a garage or other shelter in a dog cage with litter box and access to food and water.  It will be difficult for him, but please do not release him into a new area before he is neutered and acclimated.

The first thing is, if this is not a brand new, never been used trap, maybe borrowed, etc. then it still smells from the last cat trapped in it.

They seem to leave their smell of fear and adrenaline behind, so if you take a regular household cleaner like 409 or any, just spray the heck out of it, saturating all areas with the cleaner, let it sit for a few minutes then hose it off, really well, you don't want to leave the cleaner smell behind either.

Allow it to sun dry and you're good to go.

Place the trap along side of someplace, like right up next to a large bush or someplace, not out randomly in the middle of the yard.

Only put a few pieces of his food in a path leading to the rear of the trap.

If he still doesn't go in to it, then as @ShadowsRescue  mentions, secure the door open and let him get used to eating from it without it going off.

Then when the food is being eaten, set the trap and you will get him.

As soon as you hear it shut, race to it and cover it with a towel, this will help calm him down, a cat trapped will injure his nose in an effort to push his way out, and it can get pretty bad, bloody and sore/swollen.

For relocating, I choose to contain them for acclimation for a full 4 weeks.

It's a mental process that they must understand and it takes weeks for this to happen, you won't want him coming to a new and strange area and get lost out there.

Good luck!