We're moving house - how can we bring our stray?

Hello!

We've been feeding a stray cat for over a year now. When we realised we were feeding him (he was sneaking in to our house and eating leftover cat food scraps) we got him neutered and he had a lot of dental work done. Our aim was to keep him indoors with our other cats, but he escaped. He has been living in our garden for maybe 4 months now, coming in to eat and sleep or when he thinks we can't see him.

He is very, very, very scared of humans. Through months of trying I can now sit next to him when he eats and he'll stay in the same room as me. Weirdly, sometimes I wake up at night and he's in our bedroom watching us sleep!    If I come home drunk after a night out he will happily sit with me and let me sing Gangsta's Paradise to him. He is still terrified of my boyfriend though.

We are moving house in 2 months time and want to take him with us. What's the best way to trap him? If we use a humane trap we only have one chance, but none of us can get close enough to him to grab him and put him in a cage.

Also, is it fair to take him with us? Maybe he likes the hobo life?

What would you guys do?

ps. He doesn't have a chip and I put up posters, emailed every vet in London, put up online notices everywhere etc. The animal rescue place said he is definitely a stray. 

I would definitely take him with you.  He has come to depend on you for food, love and affection.  Since you cannot grab him, you will need to humanely trap him.  You could do this ahead of time and take him inside now or wait until closer to the move.  I would start by using zip ties to keep the humane trap open.  Start by feeding him just outside the trap and every few days move the food further and further back until he is eating out of the back of the trap.  Place some newspapers or puppy pees pads on the bottom of the trap to make it easier.  Then when you are ready to trap it should be fairly easy.  Just be sure the zip ties will securely hold the trap open. 

If you don't want to use a trap, you could do the same trick in a large carrier.  Start feeding just outside the carrier and move it until it's in the back of the carrier.  Then on trapping day, you can either sit next to him as he goes inside and close the door or tie a string to the door and pull it shut from a distance once he's inside. 

Just be sure that the trap or carrier are completely sanitized and free from other cats or animals scents. 

Thank you for caring for this sweet one.  Once you have him to your new place you will need to keep him inside for a period of 3-4 weeks so that he can acclimate to his new surroundings.  If he gets outside before this time period, he will try to return to his previous home.  It's just a cats nature to try and return to their previous territory.  So please keep him inside and be very careful around doors and windows.

Thank you for the reply.

I 100% won't be able to trap him in a carrier. He won't go near it if I stand next to him. He is ultra scared, especially of new objects.

The problem with trapping him with the humane trap is, even though I can take him inside, I can't keep him in that trap for a few days until we move. And if we get him out, we won't be able to get him back in at all.

I can trap him indoors quite easily (walk round the house and shut the door) but it's the actual getting him in to something to transport him which will be an issue. 

Maybe I could catch him a week before and take him to a cattery, then pick him up after we have moved?

I think he is going to vanish a few days around the move anyway because of all the noise and disruption.

Nothing to add to ShadowsRescue's great advice. Just sending vibes all goes well!

Hexidecimal said:

 
Thank you for the reply.

I 100% won't be able to trap him in a carrier. He won't go near it if I stand next to him. He is ultra scared, especially of new objects.

The problem with trapping him with the humane trap is, even though I can take him inside, I can't keep him in that trap for a few days until we move. And if we get him out, we won't be able to get him back in at all.

I can trap him indoors quite easily (walk round the house and shut the door) but it's the actual getting him in to something to transport him which will be an issue. 

Maybe I could catch him a week before and take him to a cattery, then pick him up after we have moved?

I think he is going to vanish a few days around the move anyway because of all the noise and disruption.

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I don't think I would take him to a cattery.  I think it would completely freak him out.  You could always trap him with a humane trap, bring him inside and transfer him to a large dog crate.  The crate would be big enough for a litter box and some food.  You could then move him in the dog cage to your new home. 

Just be sure if you use the dog crate that you get the crate through door ways and also that it will fit into your car. 

Also be sure that you can feed him and change the litter tray while he is in the crate without getting out.  You sometime can get a divider or make one out of cardboard that you slip between the bars to block part of the crate. 

If you can get him into the house, trying then feeding him in the trap and only in the trap. Tie the trap open for a day or so, so it doesn't spring and he will get used to eating in there. You can put the trap in an unused, quiet room and cover it with a blanket. Once you are ready, say the day of moving, you can untie the trap and get him.

I also agree with ShadowsRescue about the crate. He can stay comfortably in there for a few days. He'll be used to it and can stay in it in the new house, so he can get acclimated to his new digs!

Last resort is the cattery but if they can take care of him for you and relieve your stress some, it might not be the worst choice.

Good luck!