...and so it starts...

wonderful news that the new boy is all perfectly fine!! and great that you have found someone to take him in and socialise him.

sending 'trap Nod' vibes your way - your doing a marvellous job

Well, first of all, Nod is still eluding us. We have gone out several times, at various times of the day and night, but no luck. I'm feeling pretty desperate. I was initially hoping to get her in time for a spay/abort, but not I'm just hoping to get her before she gives birth. She has to be getting close *gulp*! We're going to try again Friday and Saturday. C'mon Nod!

Keefe (1st trapped, long haired black) is doing well. The woman who took him has socialized many feral kitties. We told her we would try to find him a home when he's ready. She says if not, he has a home with her, and he will be a part of their family! She's a total sweetheart.

Beau (2nd trapped, gray/white shorthair) is with me, and is coming along. He will come out of hiding when I'm in the room about 50% of the time. He loves the two foster kitties I have, and I've caught him playing like a kitten with them...running, jumping, chasing, batting the toys around...it's adorable! I've become a bit of a "curtain twitcher" watching him, since that's the only way I get to see him do this! Tonight I was laying out some catnip (which is his favorite), and he actually sniffed my hand!

Danny (3rd trapped, gray/white longhair) is with a coworker of mine (also very experienced with ferals). She is pampering him plenty! She says he spends most of his time curled up on a sheepskin heating pad. He has some litterbox issues, so I told her about the potting soil in the litter trick. We'll see if it works. She is falling seriously in love with him, and will most likely keep him!

So that's the update. Hopefully my next post will be announcing the capture of my #1 most wanted fugitive...Nod!

Thanks to all for the continued good wishes and trapping vibes!

Nod had her babies . I feel so bad, we tried and tried for a solid month to get her! I would say it was "all for nothing", but we did get 3 boys who are doing well, but it still stinks, ya know? We're not giving up on her, but the game has changed. She was spotted definitely "non-pregnant", but we as yet don't know where she is keeping her babies, so no trapping will be done. I did spot the gray tabby/white girl we originally came to trap, who of course is no longer pregnant. I suspect we'll be starting to see her with her babies shortly (my best guess is she delivered shortly after I heard about her a month ago). I fed her a big ol' plate of food to tempt her to come back again.

*sigh*

My orange girl that I have tried so hard to trap had her babies today also. I tried so hard to get her but she is so smart. Tonite I drove up to feed my guys and here she comes trotting toward the car and I got out and she hissed at me and her rear and tail was wet looking and she was alot thinner so she had them I'm sure. I think she had them in one of the shelters I made for them cause she was close by. I fed her a large can of wet food and she gobbled it up. I put some for the others nearby so maybe they will find it, they werent around. Hopefully this will be her last litter though cause I am determined to get her spayed. Last time she only had 2 so maybe there wont be too many this time. My other one that I had spayed on Thursday is doing well, she was waiting for me when I got there, she ate and then took off.

Originally Posted by malynn

My orange girl that I have tried so hard to trap had her babies today also. I tried so hard to get her but she is so smart. Tonite I drove up to feed my guys and here she comes trotting toward the car and I got out and she hissed at me and her rear and tail was wet looking and she was alot thinner so she had them I'm sure. I think she had them in one of the shelters I made for them cause she was close by. I fed her a large can of wet food and she gobbled it up. I put some for the others nearby so maybe they will find it, they werent around. Hopefully this will be her last litter though cause I am determined to get her spayed. Last time she only had 2 so maybe there wont be too many this time. My other one that I had spayed on Thursday is doing well, she was waiting for me when I got there, she ate and then took off.

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Man! Those little chicks are smart, aren't they? If they were dumb, we'd be done by now!

I thought I'd post some pics of the last two boys...something to make me forget for a bit about not catching Nod yet. It's hard to tell on the pictures, but these boys are the most beautiful deep gray.

This is Beau on his first day...it breaks my heart to see those marks on their noses from the trap, and he hurt his paw trying to get out of the trap, but it's completely healed now (that's what the blood is from ) The pictures are poor quality as, obviously, I could not use a flash, and I snapped so quickly:



Here he is just a few days ago. What a difference a week and a half makes!


Here's a picture of Danny on his first day. I don't have any updated pics of him since he is in someone else's home...he's such a beauty even if he is a little ragged:

I forgot to post the pic of Keefe, the first one trapped. I also have no updated pics of him as he is not in my home:

Wow...gorgeous pictures. Danny is... I just love the medium haired cats.

Katie

Well, first for the bad news. Danny escaped from the home he was in . It was really hot here the other day, and she opened the window a couple of inches. Apparently Danny wedged the window open farther, ripped the screen, and jumped out the window. I'm so sad, and incredibly worried about him. I would feel better if he was in the area where we trapped him, but he's in an area that he is unfamiliar with. I told her to keep putting food out in the hopes that he's still around. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. I'm heartsick over this.

Now the good news...one of the women I am working with went out at the crack of dawn, and located Nod and her kittens! Noddy is so smart! She led this woman to an entirely different area, onto a balcony to divert her from where the kittens are! Fortunately she had already heard the kittens in a shed (that is where we've always thought she would have them). So now we have to formulate a plan on how to safely trap her and get the kittens. Also, while she was out, she actually saw a fox! Now, this is in Chicago, and never, never have I ever heard of a fox anywhere near here. I'm assuming it's living on bunnies, and whatever. I just hope he's not living on a steady diet of kittens . He was pretty close to where Nod and her babies are . It's already pretty hazardous for kittens born outside in the city, but a fox? Come on! Sheesh!

i've seen a tiny kitten (around 8 weeks) attack a full grown fox and the fox run off scared.

the foxes we get here are scavengers rather than hunters and live off rubbish and scraps. if they were desperate they could eat a kitten but it wouldnt be worth the hassle to them if there are other food sources.

Wow, I just looked back, and it's been awhile since I updated this thread. Let's see:

When we found out where Nod kept her kittens, we went back to try to get them (and her, of course), but they were gone. Nod's been spotted at a distance a time or two, but has not been "followable". I hope they're fine, and I think of them often. They may show up yet, though, when they're a bit older.

The original gray/white tabby mom was spotted, and followed to an area a couple of blocks away from where she was first seen. The "word" was sent out to keep an eye out for her. A woman contacted us that she had a mom & kittens who came to her yard, and that it may be them. Traps were set, and one gray/white tabby female kitten was caught, but she put up such a ruckus that the others scattered (I named her Rebel...my sister thought up that one...since she has such a big mouth, she was named after the Billy Idol song, Rebel Yell). It took a few days, but the litter was spotted in another yard. We went out last night, but didn't see the kittens there, but we spotted some in a different yard. Traps were set & we caught 3 kittens! We saw momma, but she wasn't even the original gray/white tabby girl! We tried getting her, but she wouldn't go in the trap. We'll try again using the kittens' used litter. She was so upset, it was heartbreaking! We walked back to the last place the "original" kittens were spotted, and spoke to the woman who lives there. She says that they are feeding them, and are planning to bring them "to a shelter"...we're going to give them info on no-kill shelters, just in case they don't know.

So that's where it stands, and frankly, that's all I can handle right now. I have four kittens (Rebel, 2 b/w tuxies, and 1 cow kitty), and I still have Beau, the adult feral male who is displaying the patience of a saint, and is trying his level best to be a good "big brother"...poor guy!

Well good for you kellie and I hate to say this but I am glad it's you I am so pooped and I love these guys so much they are the sweetest things, I have never had kittens
And just to let you know, I often wonder if I were something in another life I finally told my hubby last night now I know what I was I was a Mommy Kitty I would be really good at this I swear, I found my calling, these guys are angels Good Wonderful Luck to You Kellie, that traps still here

What a busy two months it's been since my last update...I can't believe it's been that long!

Nod: Her kittens were never seen again, so I fear that they didn't make it. She is seen from time to time, but has never been "trappable".

Rebel, and her crowd did well overall. Rebel, Maxie, and Mitzie have "graduated" to a great no-kill, high adoption-rate shelter out in the 'burbs, and are awaiting adoption. Mikey lagged far behind in socialization, so is still with me. He is doing better now that he is the last one, and I can focus more individual attention on him. We were never able to trap their momma, she was very trap-wary.

The other litter just a couple doors down was trapped in their entirety, momma and all. There were eight kittens in that litter...all girls! Can you imagine what would have happened in that neighborhood by this time next year??? With those eight, and my two little girls, that's a total of ten new females that would have been in a very concentrated area! Two of the girls joined mine at the shelter, the rest are still being socialized.

Two more kittens were trapped in another area...both girls. They were abandoned by their momma, so were quite underweight.

There is another pregnant girl out there, but frankly we do not have a place for her. I've been scouring around for a foster home, and I may have found one...keep your fingers crossed!

Beau (feral gray/white boy) that came to me months ago is doing fabulously! He has let me pet him from time to time, but not always. He rubs up on my legs, and calls to me to come to his room. Today I let him take his first foray into my house. He went into the kitchen, and a bit into the dining room, and then dashed back to "his" room. He came face-to-face with my girl Abbie (who he has been making googly-eyes at for quite a while through the screen door of his room). They went nose-to-nose, and he made submissive moves to her. Eventually she hissed at him, and he ran and sat on my feet! I think that went very well! He's got such a soft personality, it amazes me that he lasted out on the street for two years! I've pretty much made the decision that he will stay here, as I can't see him doing well in a new environment. I didn't want another permanent cat, but he really is such a sweetheart, and he loves is here so much! Don't worry, I really do love him, and even though he wasn't in my "plan", he's my buddy, and now a part of my life.

Last week I was told there was a pregnant girl in the same yard as Nod, Beau, and many others have been trapped. We went, and found her being chased by a skunk, both probably eyeing up the shed for nesting. She walked into the trap in about 5 minutes! She's tested negative, and we seriously considered spay/aborting her, but the kittens were already a viable age...I know some may disagree with my decision to let her have the babies, but I just couldn't have them do a c-section, and put all the kittens down. I just couldn't. So she's been "set-up" in my bathroom for the last six days. Well, last night she had her babies! Five beautiful grey, and grey and white babies! The biggest problem? The vet was wrong, wrong, wrong about her not having fleas! Lucky for them she's in a bathroom, and not in a place where there is carpeting and other kitties!

So that's what are little group's been up to. I also called others I know who work with a rescue group (to see about any foster homes), and they've been even busier. One woman has trapped 25 kittens so far!

Kitten season is brutal.

So that's what are little group's been up to. I also called others I know who work with a rescue group (to see about any foster homes), and they've been even busier. One woman has trapped 25 kittens so far!

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Yup..which is why we must continue to trap and spay/neuter as many of these outdoor cats/kittens that we can. Congrats on all the females that you have removed from the street...think of all the unborn litters you have spared the community from. Now these girls can live much healthier lives.

Katie

Great news Kellie, It seems there are way more females then males don't you think, out of 16 I got 12 were females,2 of the babies are already in a new home, I may have 2 going tomorrow (hopefully) even though it is very hard to let them go I know I can't keep all of them, I had them all spayed including Mommy who now lives in the house and she's a very good kitty, gets along great with everyone else, Loves My hubby, she just didn't seem to like her 5 girls after I had seperated them. I may keep one lol, I Love this itty bitty black one she only weighs 5 lbs and seems very needy, sits on my feet when she's scared and licks my face, the others are very sweet little ones, I learned it pays to get them ASAP, I'm glad your doing ok with yours, and I pray I am so done, I am still not rested up, It's a tough job

Just been catching up on this threadn Beau and the other cats are so lucky to have you. I know it's hard work and Good luck!