Alley Cat Allies

[jen]

I am trying to find out more information about them. I called their number but they said the website has all the information, but it is down for construction for who knows how long. I am just wondering if anyone here can help me.

I trapped the cat that I thought got hit by a car. I had the trap out Friday night and he never came around, if he did I was going to take him somewhere Saturday. I forgot though and left it out Saturday night, and wouldn't you know, there he is inside it this morning. Well there are no vets open on Sunday. He doesn't need emergency care as he isn't injured. I just need him neutered. I wanted to contact Alley Cat Allies as that is the group I hear about all the time and how they are helpful with ferals.

Has anyone ever called them for feral help? How does it work? Are they only located in one spot or do they work all over the place? The website has nothing but a phone number and address. I need help like tomorrow. I can't keep him in a trap forever.

If I let him go, what is the chance he will fall for the yummy food in the trap trick and walk into it again? He is the cat that lives in my bushes by the way.
I can barely look at him without him hissing and spitting and lunging at my hand on the outside of the trap. He is so cute though, black and white with a black nose. May not even be a he I am not sure.

Any help about Alley Cat Allies would be appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[dallas1pd]

Call your local humane society. They should have a vet who works with feral cats. You're right, you can't keep him a trap much longer than tommorow morning. It that fails, try to keep him confined in one room of your house, with a litter box, food, and an open crate.

Once you find a vet to do the neutering, keep a watchful eye, and when he's in the crate, just close him in.

It took me 2 years to get one of my feral cats spayed. Everytime I tried to put her in the crate, she attacked. One day she was in the crate, I slammed the door, called 8 vets and begged them to board her and spay her on Monday. 7 said no! Number 8 said bring her over, and he never even charged me to board her.

Ferals are always a challenge - but helping them is sooooo rewarding!

 

[tnr1]

Jen...Alley Cat Allies works with feral groups around the country...but they will not be able to assist you personally. They would probably refer you to a TNR group in Ohio. Best thing for you to do is to contact the clinics below and see if they would be willing to neuter this cat:

http://www.lovethatcat.com/spayneuter.html#oh

Unfortunately, if you let him out...you may not be able to trap him again...so if you can keep him in the trap for another day...that is ideal.

Also....in order to find TNR groups in your state...go here:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...%22+%22ohio%22

Katie

 

[jen]

Oh I feel like such an idiot. I thought I could try to get him into a carrier (with litterbox and food in it) by butting up the trap to the open carrier door and open the trap door and kind of coax him into the carrier. It didn't work, even with my boyfriends help, I guess a cat that wants to be free is going to be free. He pushed his way out the second that door opened and took off. I am so mad, I can't believe I thought that was a good idea.

Well it's kinda funny though cuz as I was watching him run off, around the corner comes another cat. A HUGE male tom cat. I mean this cat was bigger then any cat I ever seen. He meowed and howled and walked right up to me and rubbed into my hand and legs like we were old buddies. He is a total tomcat. Not neutered, big hard boy cheeks, scabs all over his body. I guess he is my new project since I probably won't be seeing my black and white kitty again any time soon. His fur was weird, it was dark so hard to see but it looked like a dark ash brown but when I pet him, the undercoat is white.

 

[tnr1]

Originally Posted by Jen

Oh I feel like such an idiot. I thought I could try to get him into a carrier (with litterbox and food in it) by butting up the trap to the open carrier door and open the trap door and kind of coax him into the carrier. It didn't work, even with my boyfriends help, I guess a cat that wants to be free is going to be free. He pushed his way out the second that door opened and took off. I am so mad, I can't believe I thought that was a good idea.

Well it's kinda funny though cuz as I was watching him run off, around the corner comes another cat. A HUGE male tom cat. I mean this cat was bigger then any cat I ever seen. He meowed and howled and walked right up to me and rubbed into my hand and legs like we were old buddies. He is a total tomcat. Not neutered, big hard boy cheeks, scabs all over his body. I guess he is my new project since I probably won't be seeing my black and white kitty again any time soon. His fur was weird, it was dark so hard to see but it looked like a dark ash brown but when I pet him, the undercoat is white.

That is exactly why it is recommended to keep the cat in the original trap. Especially since a feral cat will need a sedative and it is easier to administer the sedative through a trap than through a carrier. Also anytime you allow a cat out of a trap (ie a pregnant cat that you are keeping through it's pregnancy)..it should be done in a closed room with no access to the outdoors and I don't recommend using a carrier...I recommend using a metal cage. Too often, I have read of cats chewing their way through a carrier's plastic in order to get out.

Jen...I would try to set something up with a vet first...then go about trapping the cat. I do hope you see the other little boy again so he can get neutered.

Katie

 

[jen]

Oh I am stupid.

There is a vet that I could take a cat to during the week or saturday, but they are closed sunday and monday. If it was any other day of the week, i would have just taken him in and seen what the vet recommended to do. If I catch this new boy, he was actually super friendly, maybe just a stray or un-cared for cat, not feral. He won't be a problem going to the vet and staying in my bathroom until neutered. Then I have a farm to take him too.

 

[tnr1]

Originally Posted by Jen

Oh I am stupid.

There is a vet that I could take a cat to during the week or saturday, but they are closed sunday and monday. If it was any other day of the week, i would have just taken him in and seen what the vet recommended to do. If I catch this new boy, he was actually super friendly, maybe just a stray or un-cared for cat, not feral. He won't be a problem going to the vet and staying in my bathroom until neutered. Then I have a farm to take him too.

Jen...I don't want you to think you are stupid..it's a learning experience....I posted what I did so others who read this thread and are thinking about trapping a cat will understand why transferring a feral from a trap to a carrier is not recommended. Good luck trapping this new boy...and hopefully the other one will come back and you can try to retrap him.

Keep at it.

Katie

 

[jen]

Thank you for your encouragement. I will definately keep trying and remember to NOT try to transfer a cat out of a trap...

 

[beckiboo]

Don't give up, Jen. Get the big guy neutered, and then back to trying to catch the black and white. Maybe you can leave the trap out but tied so it cannot close on him, and feed him dry food outside of the trap, and something yummy in the trap. Maybe over the next week or two he will come back, and get used to the trap.

Best of luck with helping these wild guys!

 

[jen]

That is a great idea!
Thanks!