Pearl and her Children

We have literally never failed (I say this and now it probably will next time!) with canned mackerel. Draws them like flies. I swear they can smell it for miles!!! It really is disgusting though - but boy it really seems to work for everyone I've ever trapped!

I say everyone - I mean every cat

Don't give up hope - we had one this summer that took about 2 weeks I think (I'm blocking it out!) of going allllllmooossst to the mackerel and then backing out....or trying desperately to work at it from all angles but going in. But eventually got him! 

KittyChick - Thanks for the tip on mackeral!  I will try that later today.  Funny what you said on it working for "everyone" you've ever trapped

Pearl seemed to like the sardines last night, which I put halfway into the carrier.  So progress is being made

Zed Xyzed said:

 
What are the plans for the little ones that you caught? One suggestion is that if you have a car, make sure that you smack the hood or beep the horn before starting. Mind you now modern cars are a little safer as many don't have the fan blade turning with the engine, but it is better to be safe than sorry. 

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Zed Xyzed - Yes, I honk at the little kitties.  Usually what I do is, I walk around my car and look for the kittens and say "Ok kitties, everyone out of the way!"  Pearl and one of the kittens always move very far away as soon as they hear the car start.  The other kitten I usually check where he is.

This morning I had a conference call with my Nephew and BIL, who have experience with animal traps.  That was very helpful.  Maybe the most helpful part was that my nephew would offer suggestions, like put food in it ahead of time so the cat would get used to the trap (un-set).  And I would say "oh, I am already doing that.  the cat is going at least half-way in."  So they mainly told me specifics of setting the trap.

Then I got the trap and practiced setting it.  The only thing I noticed is that the platform trigger is more sensitive in the center.  So I will put food more centrally located at the back. 

Hopefully this will work.  This trap has been borrowed from a farmer, who has used it a while.  So hopefully the trigger is still sensitive enough.

Is it the weekend?  I would like to relax, and forget about cat-trapping for a while

The other sweet kitten

I will set the trap tomorrow.  I read somewhere online to try baiting with Kentucky Fried Chicken.  I tried that - Pearl loves it!  She likes chicken more than anything.

So I put several lures in today at various locations in the trap, then took a video.  I couldn't see Pearl at all, because I had the trap covered with a blanket.  Then later she came out.

So I hope this goes ok. 

Pearl is at the vet now. KFC worked! Surgery is tomorrow. I pick her up on Wednesday

Dee01 said:

Pearl is at the vet now. KFC worked! Surgery is tomorrow. I pick her up on Wednesday

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Great work!!!! you are a wonderful person 

YEAH!!!!!!! Happy holiday news! Hope surgery goes well - sure it will!

Zed Xyzed and KittyChick - Thanks!!! 

And thanks everyone else for tips and moral support. 

I'm either going to stare into space, or sleep now   Possibly both as I may be too tired to close my eyes 

Awesome news!! I knew you would catch her.

kittyluv387 - Thanks! 

I am so grateful to have the support of you and the others of this forum.  It helped a lot!

@Dee01  - - - I vote sleep now. Eyes open means the possibility of seeing another cat to trap  Happy Holidays to you, Pearl and the whole gang!

Pearl is back home and recovering in the basement.  I don't think she had a very good time at the vet .  Normally they keep a cat the night of surgery, and it's picked up the next day.  I think they do additional things like ear-mite stuff by the techs. 

But I forget that the only ones Pearl lets touch her (occasionally) are my family, and we have known her a full year.  She is letting us pet her a little now.

I think she is very very tired from the procedure and anesthetic.  Last night she drank some water but didn't eat.  This morning she ate a little dry food, and drank a little water.  She seems to need a lot of rest. 

Spaying probably takes more out of a cat than neutering, true?

Yes. Spaying goes into the body cavity. And shes more stressed since shes not comfortable with handling. She wont eat any stinky cat food or tuna?

@kittyluv387- I may try other foods with her later if she still doesn't eat much. 

It's funny, she ate the dry food and not the wet.  Maybe she associates the wet food with being captured - I don't know. 

But interesting... she ate her normal dry food, and I also gave her some dry food treats which are meant to be calming, and she ate those.  I might want to eat one of those myself - I could use some calmness 

Dee01 said:

 
Pearl is back home and recovering in the basement.  I don't think she had a very good time at the vet

.  Normally they keep a cat the night of surgery, and it's picked up the next day.  I think they do additional things like ear-mite stuff by the techs. 

But I forget that the only ones Pearl lets touch her (occasionally) are my family, and we have known her a full year.  She is letting us pet her a little now.

I think she is very very tired from the procedure and anesthetic.  Last night she drank some water but didn't eat.  This morning she ate a little dry food, and drank a little water.  She seems to need a lot of rest. 

Spaying probably takes more out of a cat than neutering, true?

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poor girl, that is a major surgery, but her life will be better after it. Thank you for looking after her

@Zed Xyzed - Yeah, Pearl seems more relaxed now.  So now she can heal.  Anyone would feel like this after major surgery. 

Spaying is major surgery vs. "boy surgery" (neutering) - - I relate it to the difference between human reproductive surgery - - after a vasectomy, most men sit on a bag of peas for a day, pop some tylenol and are back to work the next day. A woman's hysterectomy has them out of commission for weeks. I know - not exactly the same - but a fairly good analogy that gives you the idea of the difference! 

But absolutely - despite it being a major surgery (and it's still amazing how quickly cats recover!!!!), Pearl will be MUCH better off having had it. You've saved her from all of the terror of being chased down by roving unfixed males "looking for love." Let alone how hard pregnancy and birth is, and throw in the fact that in a warm winter year (like this one) - - female cats can easily go through 4 pregnancies a year - -that would have been so hard on her little body. Plus conventional wisdom says spaying also helps lower Pearl's chances of getting several other major illnesses. 

And the even better part - - you'll be amazed how quickly she'll forgive you! And she'll be much more likely to stay close to you and all the comfort you provide - since she won't be worrying about those darn "roving males."

As far as the eating - I wouldn't panic yet. Sometimes it takes a good 24 hours before the appetite starts to come back. Usually wet food is a better appetite stimulant - -but if Pearl seems to want her usual dry, nothing wrong with that! (chances are she's comforted by the familiar - remember, she feels like her world's out of her control right now - any little thing that's comforting and familiar is good). 

And she will appear more afraid - remember, she has no idea what in the world just happened to her! She's even in a strange place - your basement - which YOU know is safe for her, but unfortunately she doesn't get that yet. Plus she's recovering from surgery. An injured cat (in this case - "injured" by surgery - if you get what I mean) is all about trying to protect herself the only way she knows how - to withdraw, to avoid. Soon as she feels a little better, and she's surrounded by familiar food, your familiar voices, and she realizes nothing further is going to happen, she'll probably pick up the eating. If she wasn't eating at all - and the situation was really worrisome - I'd release her tomorrow. But since she's nibbling - I'd keep her (I guess depending on what she's in) for at least a few days if possible. Too bad she has to be released at all  

And don't panic if - when released - she disappears for a bit (we have some ferals disappear for weeks after release). Sounds like she's bonded enough for a long enough time that I wouldn't worry at all that she'd disappear for good (you're the provider of food and comfort!). 

You did good! She'll eat eventually - and you've saved her from a lot of pain and rough days in the future. Sit and talk to her while she's down there if possible. It'll comfort both of you to spend time with her, and to help her through this part. 

Merry Christmas to you AND to Pearl (and her babies - the last litter the poor thing will ever have to go through!!! WOOHOO!!!!).....you gave her the gift of life!

@kittychick- Thanks for your informative and uplifting post!

Pearl is starting to do more normal stuff now.  I found a travel soap dish and slipped it into her cage, then put dry food.  She gobbled it up!  She liked having an actual food dish.    Now she is snoozing. 

One thing...  I had brought Pearl into the vet, in a humane trap.  And the vet place put her back in there, before I could bring an actual carrier.  So she is going to be in the trap, at least for now.  Though I had put cardboard and a carrier pad in there, prior to the catching, so it's not that bad of a set-up - it's a fairly long cage.  And I pushed in a flexible travel litter box in while at the vet.

Also, one of the kittens is still down here in a big carrier.  I wanted Pearl to have a buddy down here for a few days at least. 

Whenever you guys talk about the fact that Pearl will not be chased by male cats, and is free of difficult pregnancies and more kittens, that helps a lot!